GMRS Travel Channel (rant 1 or 3) Defined and how other radio services handle it

[kirk5056]

What is a radio “Travel Channel” and how do other radio services use the concept?  These are my thoughts.  I am not an expert, I am not a ham (sad or otherwise) but I might be “some people”.  Some of you will disagree with my thoughts, some will point out that I am wrong on some issues (I invite that, my goal is to raise the knowledge base of GMRS operators not pretend to know it all).  I may leave out important things, I don’t do it on purpose.  When I refer to GMRS I also mean FRS unless I say otherwise since they both share the same frequencies.

In my un-scientific review of the GMRS forums (that I know of) the three main recurring topics are:

1)      I bought my new GMRS radio and now no one will talk to me or I don’t hear anyone talking.

2)      I turn off my PL filters to scan GMRS so that I can hear EVERYTHING on those channels and now I am hearing too much (kids, highway flaggers or businesses) so I want them to stop using the channels.

3)      Is there a GMRS Travel Channel (or road channel or calling/hailing channel)?

I think GMRS was designed to solve particular communication issues among small groups of people that already know each other.  But, I think finding an answer to Topic 3, a well thought out, commonly recognized national Travel Channel, could act like a magnet: drawing in people that WANT to be heard by strangers and repelling those that do not.  

But first I need to give my definition of some terms (that some will disagree with).

TRAVEL CHANNEL  I see a travel channel is comprised of three components. 

CALLING/HAILING The first is the most obvious and that is the channel used to call, hail, make initial contact with strangers.  This could be to call that Jeep that just crossed the trail or contact a local for information.  This includes those that hope a stranger will call, so they listen on this channel.

CHAT/RAG CHEW CHANNEL You may think that this should be the same channel as above but you will see that some other radios services separate them.  This is where information is passed, conversations take place and stories told.  On CB 19 I think of it as just noise.

DISTRESS CHANNEL This is the channel that could be used to call for rescue or more likely (due to GMRS short ranges) a channel to help rescuers zero in on the person in distress.   I think that is what the Wyoming 307 radio plan is all about, assisting rescuers find the caller, not making the initial distress call.

We will see that some of the other radio services have these 3 components on one channel, some have each on its own channel and some use a combination.

CHANNEL   What makes a channel different from a frequency?  Some people confuse frequency and channel.  Some confuse the radio or programing software memory location as channel.  My definition of a “channel” is a combination of frequency, PL filter and a label.  I know much more goes into a channel (TX power, band width etc) but for this rant it is all I will use.

FREQUENCY Two-way channels have 2 frequencies (RX/TX- sometimes the same, some with an off set).  Monitor-only channels have 1, but I will refer to frequency as singular most of the time.

PL FILTER I am talking about CTCSS/DCS codes but I am using “PL” for short hand (get over it).  I am calling them “filters” and not “codes” because filter is actually closer to how they work.

LABEL Giving a frequency a label is what, in my mind, really makes it a channel.  Most newer GMRS radios allow some type of label on a screen, even bubble pack radios have a label (6¹⁸ is a label).  Some labels are just common knowledge (CB 19, marine band channels), some are labeled on flight/mission plans, or on harbor or airport maps/charts, or just on a slip of paper Scotch taped to the radio or mic (that is how we did it early in my public safety career).  When frequency is combined with PL filters our 30 (22/8) frequencies can become over 3,000 discrete channels, so assigning a label becomes very import when referring to any one of them.  “Discrete” is used here according to Merriam-Webster dictionary meaning of: “constituting a separate entry: individually distinct”.  NOT PRIVATE and certainly NOT SECURE.  Just meaning a channel where you may not be bothered by unwanted noise and transmissions, most of the time.

RADIO SERVICES

CELL PHONE While not technically a radio “service” they do use radio waves.  For this rant cell phones suck as a call/hail device to reach strangers.  Once contact is made there is nothing better for chat.  IF you have cell service there is no better way to call for help.  911 works almost everywhere and you can “stay on the line” to zero in the help. 

SATELLITE PHONE This is similar to cell phone with better coverage.  But expensive.

SATELLITE DISTRESS DEVICES (inReach, Spot etc) Also not really a radio service but does use radio.  These are totally worthless for contacting strangers (or even friends) around you.  They are very limited for chat, usually only text with pre-arranged computer equipped people.  But they seem to be very good at calling for help (I must admit very little personal knowledge).  I plan to buy one for my next out west adventure.

MILITARY The military does not seem to have any national or generally recognized call/hail pre-set channels or distress pre-set channels.  They do have those channels but they are geographic or mission designated.

RAILROAD The railroads have many frequencies, both analog and digital, and they seem to be shared by all of the companies.  But any call/hail or distress pre-set channels seem to be geographic, route specific or company specific.

BUSNESS RADIOS On the business radio service frequencies are usually allocated by license to geographic areas.  Communication between businesses is rare without a new license allowing it.  So any call/hail or distress channels are within each license.  Businesses make up their own labels.

PUBLIC SAFETY Like business radios public safety is limited to local or regional licenses.  Some states have statewide licenses for interop or mutual aid.  For public safety I am using “channel” as interchangeable with trunked “talk groups”.  At one time 155.370 was common but rarely used now.  I do hear it being used in northern Indiana still.  Most agencies use their dispatch channel for calling/distress and have Tac or car-to-car discrete channels for longer or more detailed info.  So, there is not a real national pre-set channel.  BUT since 9-11, National Interoperability Field Operations Guide (NIFOG) has been developed.  NIFOG has discrete channels on VHF lo, VHF hi, UHF and 700 and 800.  On each of those bands there is a call discrete channel with 2-8 associated “Tac” channels, I assume, for more chat type traffic.

NATIONAL INTERAGENCY FIRE CENTER (NIFC) This is sort of a subset of public safety but also uses aviation channels.  NIFC has many labeled discrete channels but they are incident assigned not really a general use group.

CB (Citizens band) CB has both Call/Hail and Chat/Ragchew on the same channel (CB 19) and has its distress channel on another (CB 9).  I know some people change channels to chat but not enough for me.  I find it hard to listen to CB 19 due to the noise and language.  BUT there is no better source of real time information in a traffic jam/situation.  I have a $800 police scanner on my dash but when I come upon a traffic problem I go to CB 19.  No where else can I get real-time info on which lane to use, what is actually happening and maybe even an alternate route.

MURS These lonely little frequencies stuck in the middle of the business band are rarely used and don’t really have any discrete channel labels other than each business user.  But MURS 3 (third when listed numerically) is listed on the 333 Radio Plan (SHTF) as are channels from many of the radio services including ours.

 I have seen this 333 Radio Plan dismissed or mischaracterized as having to do with something called the 3 percenters?  The threes actually come from the plan, during SHTF, to turn on your radio at the top of each third hour, for three minutes on your radio’s channel 3.  It seems like it is worth knowing about.  They list our “travel channel” GMRS 20 with 141.3 PL filter and FRS 3 and GMRS 17.  In fact, threes are use a lot in wilderness survival, SAR and prepping.  One use is the survival “Rule of 3”:  you can live 3 minutes with out air, 3 hours without shelter (could be as little as a hat/gloves or a tent), 3 days without water and 3 weeks without food. 

Threes also show up in emergency signaling.  The mother of all emergency signals is SOS, which is just a series 3 dots and 3 dashes (I have no idea of the order so if I had to use it I would just dot-dot-dot, dash-dash-dash, dot-dot-dot, dash-dash-dash, dot-dot-dot until someone figures it out).  Also, with a lamp or mirror you should flash three times, there is three horn, whistle, gunshots.  Three bon fires, three colored panels on the ground, three pyramids and on and on.  I know none of this has anything to do with radio services but next time you are out adventuring and detect a series of three anythings, you may want to investigate.  I am not suggesting that we (GMRS) adopt this but we should be aware.

HAM Ham operators are by far the most knowledgeable, professional and educated about radio operations, science and devices.  I come from public safety where we, as a group, have no idea how radios work, or why.  We just push the button and talk.  Ham does have some discrete channels labeled for calling and they seem to then rag chew on that same channel.  Hams are boring to listen to.  In disasters and disaster planning they set up some very good distress channels but they are don’t seem to be nationally recognized.

AVIATION This service, along with marine, has the best Call/Hail, Chat and Distress channels, in my opinion.  Hailing is done on one of two discrete channels.  They call them UHF Guard and VHF Guard (or Military Guard and Civilian Guard).  I believe that aircraft are required to monitor one of these channels.  You will recognize these channels as the ones used in movies and TV when a fighter jet comes up to a civilian aircraft and orders it to land or tries to wake up the pilot.  This and distress calls are all that is allowed on these 2 channels.  I have heard plane-to-plane directing the plane being called to change to another frequency.  There are a few listed as air-air (fixed wing and helo).  Mayday calls can be made on these guard channels and (maybe more frequently) on local tower channels or regional center channels. 

By the way Mayday calls are also given in threes.  Mayday is something we can consider but it can ONLY be used when life or craft are in danger.  On aviation and marine radios, PanPan repeated three times, is used for non-threat to life or craft emergencies.  Mayday is now being used by some fire departments.

MARINE This service is, in my opinion, the best at handling the Travel Channel issue as I have defined it.  No traffic is allowed on the discrete hail channel except for hailing and distress.  You cannot even do radio checks on this channel.  AND it is enforced by the US Coast Guard.  Vessels are required to “set a radio watch” on this channel.  This leaves this channel available for destress calls.  They have boat-to-boat and bridge-to-bridge (navigation bridge, not road bridge) discrete channels labeled.

CONCLUSION

Why is any of this important?  Well, if we are going to have a “Travel Channel” it should be with the knowledge of how others before us have handled the concept.  We (GMRS) are probably the newest radio service and as such we can learn from earlier mistakes and successes.  No need to re-invent the wheel or use an imperfect wheel. 

I know the un-official GMRS Travel Channel Committee has met.  And while I disagree with the Committee’s findings I whole heartedly agree with the beginning premise.  That is SOMEONE HAS TO TAKE THE BULL BY THE HORN AND JUST DECLARE A TRAVEL CHANNEL.  I am just hoping, after I present more ideas in my next 2 rants that the Committee might reconsider.

[gortex2]

Sorry I disagree. GMRS was never a service to meet folks or talk to others outside your group. It was intended for private family communications. This is yet another topic that comes up many times thru the year. Some folks say 4 for 4x4, some say 19 because CB uses it (even though we can't above line A but most say who cares) and others say use CH20 that was the original "emergency channel".

No one will ever agree and its not worth the effort. If someone asks me I say 20 as that's what my FCC license showed for years. To each their own. 

If you had searched this forum you would see multiple threads on this topic. None ever conclude with a true answer. 

As to your points above - 

# 1 - If you call me I wont answer. I dont use GMRS to meet new people. I use it as it was originally intended for.

# 2 - Use PL or listen to FRS and the CCR World. Go to HAM, CB or any other band and hear the same.

# 3 - 462.675 was the unofficial emergency channel (such as CH9 in CB). Many folks set up repeaters on that. Our SAR team inherited a repeater from REACT (go research that). It was on GMRS 462.675 as that was the emergency channel at the time. Over the years our SAR team upgraded it and incorporated the "travel Tone" when that came to be. Never once, including my REACT days did anyone ever call for help on the channel . 

I'm sure in a week we will have 200 posts on this thread with pro and con of all but in the end there is no need for a travel, emergency or call channel in GMRS. 

 

 

[WRUU653]

If only this had been covered before…

https://www.travelchannel.com
oh yeah. 

Edited March 7, 2023 by WRUU653
To make it better

[WRUU653]

[axorlov]

1 hour ago, kirk5056 said:

1)      I bought my new GMRS radio and now no one will talk to me or I don’t hear anyone talking.

2)      I turn off my PL filters to scan GMRS so that I can hear EVERYTHING on those channels and now I am hearing too much (kids, highway flaggers or businesses) so I want them to stop using the channels.

3)      Is there a GMRS Travel Channel (or road channel or calling/hailing channel)?

1) It's allright.

2) It's allright. GMRS can be used for whatever purpose by anyone. Being this kids, cute moms of said kids, ugly angry fathers of said kids, sad hams, road flaggers, valet parking lots, you name it. It's a free country.

3) No, there is not. However, there is sort-of an agreement, explained by gortex2. And there is a certain youtube influenzer pushing something else. It is a free country. But you can always use a scan feature of your radio.

[Lscott]

2 hours ago, kirk5056 said:

I know the un-official GMRS Travel Channel Committee has met.  And while I disagree with the Committee’s findings I whole heartedly agree with the beginning premise.  That is SOMEONE HAS TO TAKE THE BULL BY THE HORN AND JUST DECLARE A TRAVEL CHANNEL.  I am just hoping, after I present more ideas in my next 2 rants that the Committee might reconsider.

This is like the old joke about how 3 people can keep a secret. It works as long as two of them are dead. 
 

That seems to be the only way it’s going to happen on GMRS, agreement on a travel channel.

[WRKC935]

dead horse beater

 

[Sab02r]

That is alot of words.  I may have skipped reading one or two as i really only use it for family comms.  My official travel channel is whichever one we agree on ahead of a trip.

[Lscott]

On 3/6/2023 at 9:55 PM, WRKC935 said:

dead horse beater

 

I can smell it way over here, and I have my COVID mask on too.

[WRPQ991]

I dont usually travel in a group, but when if/when I do its with a CB. It still has way more users and gets better range. I have a Nagoya Model NMO 200C antenna with NAGOYA GPK ground plane sitting at 35 ft and usually don't pick up anything. I push 47W and can't talk to repeaters 20 miles away. So far GMRS has been a big waste of money.  I left it on scan from near Austin TX to Shreveport LA and didn't get a peep. Travel channel? Pick any of them nobody uses them anyway.  

Midland MXT 500 base/mobile

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