Mobile GMRS radio with Digital Bluetooth and GPS

[CyborgAlienWRYG738]

I'm looking for a Mobile GMRS radio with Superhets, Digital, Bluetooth, and GPS, does one not yet exist?!? If not, when?!?

[SteveShannon]

I don’t know of any for GMRS but there are certainly vhf and uhf ham radios with those features. But it should be recognized that the ability to send GPS position via GMRS is limited by regulations to handheld portable radios with fixed antennas and may not be done on the main 467 MHz repeater frequencies.  That probably means that manufacturers don’t have great motivation to certify such a radio.  

(d) Digital data. GMRS hand-held portable units may transmit digital data containing location information, or requesting location information from one or more other GMRS or FRS units, or containing a brief text message to another specific GMRS or FRS unit. 

and:

§ 95.1787 GMRS additional requirements.

Each hand-held portable unit transmitter type submitted for certification under this subpart is subject to the rules in this section. 

(a) Digital data transmissions. GMRS hand-held portable units that have the capability to transmit digital data must be designed to meet the following requirements. 

(1) Digital data transmissions may contain location information, or requesting location information from one or more other GMRS or FRS units, or containing a brief text message to another specific GMRS or FRS unit. Digital data transmissions may be initiated by a manual action of the operator or on an automatic or periodic basis, and a GMRS unit receiving an interrogation request may automatically respond with its location. 

(2) Digital data transmissions must not exceed one second in duration. 

(3) Digital data transmissions must not be sent more frequently than one digital data transmission within a thirty-second period, except that a GMRS unit may automatically respond to more than one interrogation request received within a thirty-second period. 

(4) The antenna must be a non-removable integral part of the GMRS unit. 

(5) GMRS units must not be capable of transmitting digital data on the 467 MHz main channels. 

 

 

 

 

 

[WRXB215]

The non-removable antenna requirement is really weird. Not sure why they added that. @Sshannon do you know why the antenna requirement is there?

[CyborgAlienWRYG738]

17 minutes ago, WRXB215 said:

The non-removable antenna requirement is really weird. Not sure why they added that. @Sshannon do you know why the antenna requirement is there?

It's for HT's it's not really meant to be on a Mobile, which I don't plan on using mobile but, as a base. Therefore it doesn't matter, only I'm having a problem finding such a beast even as such, it's more rare than the elusive Sasquatch... The more retarded part of that is the 467 transmit limit, although I can see why, since those are the same as the FRS frequencies. I'm more interested in Bluetooth and the texting capabilities via base than the GPS. Although GPS and Bluetooth would be beneficial via Mobiles too, minus the Texting capabilities, unless they're canned texts or done via Bluetooth TTS.

As long as it has Superhets, I'd be willing to make do with a HT, if there were almost anything else other than Baofeng/BTech doing it.

[CyborgAlienWRYG738]

2 hours ago, Sshannon said:

I don’t know of any for GMRS but there are certainly vhf and uhf ham radios with those features. 

BTech has a HT that does it to other BTech HTs of that specific model

 

https://baofengtech.com/product/gmrs-pro/

[SteveShannon]

44 minutes ago, WRXB215 said:

The non-removable antenna requirement is really weird. Not sure why they added that. @Sshannon do you know why the antenna requirement is there?

I don’t have any idea. It is weird. 

[SteveShannon]

24 minutes ago, CyborgAlienWRYG738 said:

BTech has a HT that does it to other BTech HTs of that specific model

 

https://baofengtech.com/product/gmrs-pro/

Garmin does too.  In fact I have heard that they were the ones who originally petitioned the FCC for the ability to exchange location data on their high end Rhino radios. But you said three criteria for mobile radios. The Garmin and the GMRS Pro are handheld portables. 
 

[CyborgAlienWRYG738]

26 minutes ago, Sshannon said:

Garmin does too.  In fact I have heard that they were the ones who originally petitioned the FCC for the ability to exchange location data on their high end Rhino radios. But you said three criteria for mobile radios. The Garmin and the GMRS Pro are handheld portables. 
 

Yes, I am looking for a mobile that can do it, even if it's a future released product for Christmas... I'm surprised there's not been any announcements as of yet. Surely the crappy Baofeng can't be the only company producing such a beast yet, or coming out with something soon. I'd even settle for a Midland XT-511 update, that can do it, especially if it can also do repeaters and/or have a removable antenna for actual GMRS duties, not just FRS/Digital.

I'd even be willing to forgo 2 of the 3 criteria if I can just get it how I mentioned above.

"I'm more interested in Bluetooth and the texting capabilities via base than the GPS. Although GPS and Bluetooth would be beneficial via Mobiles too, minus the Texting capabilities, unless they're canned texts or done via Bluetooth TTS."

[WRXB215]

1 hour ago, CyborgAlienWRYG738 said:

It's for HT's it's not really meant to be on a Mobile

I guess I wasn't clear. GMRS HTs can have a removable antenna and most do. FRS HTs cannot have a removable antenna. I don't understand why a GMRS HT with a removable antenna would be excluded from having this feature.

[OffRoaderX]

3 minutes ago, WRXB215 said:

GMRS HTs can have a removable antenna and most do. FRS HTs cannot have a removable antenna. I don't understand why a GMRS HT with a removable antenna would be excluded from having this feature.

Easy!  It's because the FCC says so!

[SteveShannon]

1 hour ago, CyborgAlienWRYG738 said:

Yes, I am looking for a mobile that can do it, even if it's a future released product for Christmas... I'm surprised there's not been any announcements as of yet. Surely the crappy Baofeng can't be the only company producing such a beast yet, or coming out with something soon. I'd even settle for a Midland XT-511 update, that can do it, especially if it can also do repeaters and/or have a removable antenna for actual GMRS duties, not just FRS/Digital.

I'd even be willing to forgo 2 of the 3 criteria if I can just get it how I mentioned above.

"I'm more interested in Bluetooth and the texting capabilities via base than the GPS. Although GPS and Bluetooth would be beneficial via Mobiles too, minus the Texting capabilities, unless they're canned texts or done via Bluetooth TTS."

Why would the manufacturers announce something for Christmas that flies in the face of current FCC regulations?

You simply won’t get text in a mobile anytime soon. Mobile radios with external antennas are simply not allowed to have digital transmissions. 

There’s nothing preventing Bluetooth as a feature. Here’s one way you can add it:

https://www.buytwowayradios.com/wouxun-mmo-004bt.html?fee=5&fep=5286&utm_source=google_shopping&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=product_ppc&matchtype=&keyword=&device=m&adposition=&network=g&gad_source=1&gbraid=0AAAAAC4SJ1iwoeG6EwEA_v7aLLMz-JEcT&gclid=Cj0KCQiAmNeqBhD4ARIsADsYfTcWQ4-6WDD2H7CjJ707l3VjdfrT7IyeukP9wzLVORiRAfLEx1sHj38aAiCQEALw_wcB

 

p.s. All these features are available in ham radios. 

[CyborgAlienWRYG738]

21 minutes ago, Sshannon said:

Why would the manufacturers announce something for Christmas that flies in the face of current FCC regulations?

You simply won’t get text in a mobile anytime soon. Mobile radios with external antennas are simply not allowed to have digital transmissions. 

There’s nothing preventing Bluetooth as a feature. Here’s one way you can add it:

https://www.buytwowayradios.com/wouxun-mmo-004bt.html?fee=5&fep=5286&utm_source=google_shopping&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=product_ppc&matchtype=&keyword=&device=m&adposition=&network=g&gad_source=1&gbraid=0AAAAAC4SJ1iwoeG6EwEA_v7aLLMz-JEcT&gclid=Cj0KCQiAmNeqBhD4ARIsADsYfTcWQ4-6WDD2H7CjJ707l3VjdfrT7IyeukP9wzLVORiRAfLEx1sHj38aAiCQEALw_wcB

 

p.s. All these features are available in ham radios. 

1. One could hope... And there's ways around the limits.

2. But, base stations are.

3. Thanks for the link, I'll be sure to check it out.

PS. I'm not currently a ham and with the attitudes of the ones I've met, I'm not sure if I want to be, though I've not ruled it out in the future.

[CyborgAlienWRYG738]

59 minutes ago, WRXB215 said:

I guess I wasn't clear. GMRS HTs can have a removable antenna and most do. FRS HTs cannot have a removable antenna. I don't understand why a GMRS HT with a removable antenna would be excluded from having this feature.

The BTech GMRS Pro does have both Antennas on it, Stationary for Digital and Removable for GMRS, I'm not as impressed with BTech for anything though and even less for SDR equipment.

The requirement I mentioned above was for it to be a mobile, though I forgot to mention that I was using it as a base station, which is wherein the problem lies. Although a Base can have it easily included, see the Midland MTX-511, a Mobile cannot since it would require removable antennas. HT's can have both.

Being the MTX-511 is more of an HT than a base and thereby limited in it's power output, I don't understand why one couldn't make one and add a simple removable antenna for the GMRS frequencies and repeaters. Since it isn't a mobile unit made to be mounted in a vehicle AND only has the power output of an HT, or actually less, I believe in that specific model.

Not that I expect Midland to do something like that but, they're not the ONLY GMRS manufacturer out there either. I'm sure I wouldn't be the ONLY person who'd buy one if it ever was created...

[SteveShannon]

31 minutes ago, CyborgAlienWRYG738 said:

2. But, base stations are.

Base stations are what?

[CyborgAlienWRYG738]

14 minutes ago, Sshannon said:

Base stations are what?

You simply won’t get text in a mobile anytime soon. Mobile radios with external antennas are simply not allowed to have digital transmissions. 

2. But, base stations are.

a. Capable of having an internal antenna.

and...

b. Allowed to have digital transmissions.

All it would take is a digital upgrade to Midlands MTX-511 to make it capable of it. Minus my fantasies about GMRS capabilities. Although, I don't consider that a base, more of an HT.

[SteveShannon]

No, only handheld portables are allowed to have digital. 

[CyborgAlienWRYG738]

1 hour ago, Sshannon said:

No, only handheld portables are allowed to have digital. 

Except that the Midland XT511 "Base Station" is more "Handheld" than "Base Station" so...https://midlandusa.com/products/xt511-base-camp

 

Sorry wrong name above, not the MXT-511

[SteveShannon]

It’s still a handheld portable. The fact that the name is “Base Camp” is just marketing. 
But, anyway, does it do digital texting?  It doesn’t appear to have a GPS. 

[OffRoaderX]

6 minutes ago, Sshannon said:

But, anyway, does it do digital texting?  It doesn’t appear to have a GPS. 

The 511 does not do digital texting, it has no GPS, and it is more like an FRS radio than a GMRS radio.

Source: I have one.

[SteveShannon]

16 minutes ago, OffRoaderX said:

The 511 does not do digital texting, it has no GPS, and it is more like an FRS radio than a GMRS radio.

Source: I have one.

Thank you. So I guess I don’t understand what @CyborgAlienWRYG738 is getting at. 
I can’t find where Midland says the power. It looked like it’s probably not much, in spite of the marketing bs. 

[CyborgAlienWRYG738]

50 minutes ago, Sshannon said:

It’s still a handheld portable. The fact that the name is “Base Camp” is just marketing. 
But, anyway, does it do digital texting?  It doesn’t appear to have a GPS. 

No, it doesn't, I'm not claiming it does, I'm wanting advice that does, that is a "base station" moreso than this HT device.

[CyborgAlienWRYG738]

31 minutes ago, Sshannon said:

Thank you. So I guess I don’t understand what @CyborgAlienWRYG738 is getting at. 
I can’t find where Midland says the power. It looked like it’s probably not much, in spite of the marketing bs. 

I was going by the reviews where it was tested to be around 3W max if memory serves, maybe OffRoaderX can chime in on it.

 

Either way, it's not mobile 50W catagory

[OffRoaderX]

5 minutes ago, CyborgAlienWRYG738 said:

was going by the reviews where it was tested to be around 3W max if memory serves, maybe OffRoaderX can chime in on it.

IIRC, i never measured the power because I didnt want to break the antenna and/or i didnt have a good way to measure it off the connector.  and I dont think the power was mentioned anywhere in the sales literature or documentation (that i can recall).. Since they dont brag that its a "Full 5 Watt radio" I assume it is closer to 2 or 3W, if that.

[CyborgAlienWRYG738]

2 minutes ago, OffRoaderX said:

IIRC, i never measured the power because I didnt want to break the antenna and/or i didnt have a good way to measure it off the connector.  and I dont think the power was mentioned anywhere in the sales literature or documentation (that i can recall).. Since they dont brag that its a "Full 5 Watt radio" I assume it is closer to 2 or 3W, if that.

I didn't think it was you that mentioned it, in your review. I didn't know if you had way to test it out.