I noticed when I transmit, the power indicator goes from H to L, then back to H after transmission is complete. Is this normal? KG-1000G

[WRFH675]

I've checked the power settings and they are set to H for the channel I'm using, which is a custom channel (with tones) that uses the same frequency as GMRS channel 4.

[KAF6045]

2 minutes ago, WRFH675 said:

I've checked the power settings and they are set to H for the channel I'm using, which is a custom channel (with tones) that uses the same frequency as GMRS channel 4.

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§ 95.1767 GMRS transmitting power limits.

This section contains transmitting power limits for GMRS stations. The maximum transmitting power depends on which channels are being used and the type of station.

(a) 462/467 MHz main channels. The limits in this paragraph apply to stations transmitting on any of the 462 MHz main channels or any of the 467 MHz main channels. Each GMRS transmitter type must be capable of operating within the allowable power range. GMRS licensees are responsible for ensuring that their GMRS stations operate in compliance with these limits.

(1) The transmitter output power of mobile, repeater and base stations must not exceed 50 Watts.

(2) The transmitter output power of fixed stations must not exceed 15 Watts.

(b) 462 MHz interstitial channels. The effective radiated power (ERP) of mobile, hand-held portable and base stations transmitting on the 462 MHz interstitial channels must not exceed 5 Watts.

(c) 467 MHz interstitial channels. The effective radiated power (ERP) of hand-held portable units transmitting on the 467 MHz interstitial channels must not exceed 0.5 Watt. Each GMRS transmitter type capable of transmitting on these channels must be designed such that the ERP does not exceed 0.5 Watt.

 

In the current unified "channel number scheme"

1-7: 462MHz interstitial channels -- 5W ERP max (if you have any sort of gain antenna -- more than 2.15dBi [ERP is based on dipole, not isotropic] you'll probably exceed that limit even on low power)
8-14: 467MHz interstitial channels -- 0.5W ERP (no moble rig I know of goes that low) and NFM only
15-22: 462MHz main channels -- up to 50W out of rig, gain antennas may kick the ERP to ghastly levels (it is possible with the right antenna to reach 500W ERP)
23-30 (AKA: 15rp-22rp, or similar): again up to 50W out of rig.

"custom channel" doesn't matter -- it is the frequency that does

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§ 95.1763 GMRS channels.

The GMRS is allotted 30 channels - 16 main channels and 14 interstitial channels. GMRS stations may transmit on any of the channels as indicated below.

(a) 462 MHz main channels. Only mobile, hand-held portable, repeater, base and fixed stations may transmit on these 8 channels. The channel center frequencies are: 462.5500, 462.5750, 462.6000, 462.6250, 462.6500, 462.6750, 462.7000, and 462.7250 MHz.

(b) 462 MHz interstitial channels. Only mobile, hand-held portable and base stations may transmit on these 7 channels. The channel center frequencies are: 462.5625, 462.5875, 462.6125, 462.6375, 462.6625, 462.6875, and 462.7125 MHz.

(c) 467 MHz main channels. Only mobile, hand-held portable, control and fixed stations may transmit on these 8 channels. Mobile, hand-held portable and control stations may transmit on these channels only when communicating through a repeater station or making brief test transmissions in accordance with § 95.319(c). The channel center frequencies are: 467.5500, 467.5750, 467.6000, 467.6250, 467.6500, 467.6750, 467.7000, and 467.7250 MHz.

(d) 467 MHz interstitial channels. Only hand-held portable units may transmit on these 7 channels. The channel center frequencies are: 467.5625, 467.5875, 467.6125, 467.6375, 467.6625, 467.6875, and 467.7125 MHz.

 

[WRFH675]

Thanks. For some reason I was thinking the only low power channels were 8-14. I thought 1-7 was the same as 15-22. Good to go now.

[KAF6045]

4 hours ago, WRFH675 said:

Thanks. For some reason I was thinking the only low power channels were 8-14. I thought 1-7 was the same as 15-22. Good to go now.

1-7 were the original GMRS interstitial frequencies.

8-14 were FRS-Only interstitial frequencies situated interleaved with repeater inputs.

In the 2017 FCC reorganization of FRS and GMRS -- both services gained access to all the simplex frequencies; FRS is banned from repeater inputs. FRS gained 2W output for 1-7/15-22; 8-14 remain at 0.5W ERP to prevent interference to GMRS repeaters. FRS also remains 12.5kHz NFM. GMRS gained (for low power HTs) 8-14 at FRS limits.

[MichaelLAX]

6 minutes ago, KAF6045 said:

1-7 were the original GMRS interstitial frequencies.

What was the maximum power allowed on these channels for GMRS pre-2017?

[KAF6045]

9 hours ago, MichaelLAX said:

What was the maximum power allowed on these channels for GMRS pre-2017?

To my knowledge, 5W -- basically HT max power. One could always look up the electronic copy of the regulations and set the date to sometime before then (though they don't go back far enough in my mind).

From January 2 2017; some jumping around to show other restrictions (I'll skip the part where the channel pairs to be used must be specified on the license -- it wasn't free-for-all) https://www.ecfr.gov/on/2017-01-02/title-47/chapter-I/subchapter-D/part-95/subpart-A

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§ 95.25 Land station description.

(a) A land station is a unit which transmits from a specific address as determined by the licensee.

(1) An exact point as shown on the license; or

(2) An unspecified point within an operating area (an area within a circle centered on a point chosen by the applicant) as shown on the license, for a temporary period (one year or less).

(b) The point from which every land station transmits must be within an area where radio services are regulated by the FCC.

(c) [Reserved]

(d) A small control station is any control station which:

(1) Has an antenna no more than 6.1 meters (20 feet) above the ground or above the building or tree on which it is mounted (see § 95.51); and

(2) Is:

(i) South of Line A or west of Line C; or

(ii) North of Line A or east of Line C, and the station transmits with no more than 5 watts ERP (effective radiated power).

(e) A small base station is any base station that:

(1) Has an antenna no more than 6.1 meters (20 feet) above the ground or above the building or tree on which it is mounted (see § 95.51); and

(2) Transmits with no more than 5 watts ERP.

(f) Each base station and each control station with an antenna height greater than 6.1 meters (20 feet) must be separately identified on Form 605. See §§ 95.25 (d) and (e) and 95.51 of this part.

§ 95.29 Channels available.

(a) For a base station, fixed station, mobile station, or repeater station (a GMRS station that simultaneously retransmits the transmission of another GMRS station on a different channel or channels), the licensee of the GMRS system must select the transmitting channels or channel pairs (see § 95.7(a) of this part) for the stations in the GMRS system from the following 462 MHz channels:

462.5500, 462.5750, 462.6000, 462.6250, 462.6500, 462.6750, 462.7000 and 462.7250.

(b) For a mobile station, control station, or fixed station operated in the duplex mode, the following 467 MHz channels may be used only to transmit communications through a repeater station and for remotely controlling a repeater station. The licensee of the GMRS system must select the transmitting channels or channel pairs (see § 95.7(a) of this part) for the stations operated in the duplex mode, from the following 467 MHz channels:

467.5500, 467.5750, 467.6000, 467.6250, 467.6500, 467.6750, 467.7000 and 467.7250.

(c)-(e) [Reserved]

(f) Except for a GMRS system licensed to a non-individual, a mobile station or a small base station operating in the simplex mode may transmit on the following 462 MHz interstitial channels:

462.5625, 462.5875, 462.6125, 462,6375, 462.6625, 462.6875 and 462.7125.

These channels may be used only under the following conditions:

(1) Only voice type emissions may be transmitted;

(2) The station does not transmit one-way pages; and

(3) The station transmits with no more than 5 watts ERP.

Note that (b) separates "transmit through a repeater" and "remotely controlling a repeater" -- just keying up the repeater is not an explicit control operation.

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§ 95.51 Antenna height.

(a) Certain antenna structures used in a GMRS system and that are more than 60.96 m (200 ft) in height, or are located near or at a public-use airport must be notified to the FAA and registered with the Commission as required by part 17 of this chapter.

(b) The antenna for a small base station or for a small control station must not be more than 6.1 meters (20 feet) above the ground or above the building or tree on which it is mounted.

§ 95.135 Maximum authorized transmitting power.

(a) No station may transmit with more than 50 watts output power.

(b) [Reserved]

(c) A small control station at a point north of Line A or east of Line C must transmit with no more than 5 watts ERP.

(d) A fixed station must transmit with no more than 15 watts output power.

(e) A small base station must transmit with no more than 5 watts ERP.