can I use a digirig on gmrs through zello to my repeater

[WRXH658]

so I have a home made gmrs repeater. made from 2 50w mobile radios. I want to make it to were I can talk out of the repeater off my phone using zello and vis versa. I was thinking of using my laptop and a digirig to do this. does anyone have anything as far as rules that say I can't do that? I don't want to be fined and have my equipment confiscated.

[SteveShannon]

15 minutes ago, WRXH658 said:

so I have a home made gmrs repeater. made from 2 50w mobile radios. I want to make it to were I can talk out of the repeater off my phone using zello and vis versa. I was thinking of using my laptop and a digirig to do this. does anyone have anything as far as rules that say I can't do that? I don't want to be fined and have my equipment confiscated.

Well, there’s this:

95.1749 GMRS network connection.

Operation of a GMRS station with a telephone connection is prohibited, as in § 95.349. GMRS repeater, base and fixed stations, however, may be connected to the public switched network or other networks for the sole purpose of operation by remote control pursuant to § 95.1745.

[OffRoaderX]

Contrary to the lies that "some people" will try and tell you it would be unheard of for the FCC to fine you or confiscate anything.  At worst you would get a letter asking you to stop breaking any rules.(source: FCC public enforcement database).  That said, it is always a good idea to follow the rules.

There is no FCC rule prohibiting connection your repeater to Zello (MY repeater is connected to Zello) (Source, FCC Part 95).. You just have to ensure that everyone using your repeater is licensed, uses their callsign, etc.

There is a rule regarding not connecting your radio to the "public switched telephone network", which "some people" misinterpret to mean "the internet", but this is not my (or most people's) interpretation.  

When in doubt, do not listen to what I, or anyone else on the internet says, read the rules for yourself.

[SteveShannon]

Randy is right about both points. The FCC has shown little interest in enforcing any prohibitions and at least according to this Reddit post they would appear to be okay with VOIP linking:

https://www.reddit.com/r/gmrs/comments/6fiun9/response_from_the_fcc_on_linking_repeater_audio/

 

[WRXB215]

I haven't used Zello in a while but I can confirm that I and many others have transmitted on @OffRoaderX repeater using Zello. It works quite well.

[WRXH658]

ok so my family and i would be able to use it with no issues.? do I have to have it announce my call sign if it is a closed repeater?  and is my repeater complaint i have a cs800 RX only and a btech gmrs 50 v1 TX only. the cs800 is not part 95 complaint but I'm not transmitting off of it just using it an the uplink to the repeater.

[WRXB215]

26 minutes ago, WRXH658 said:

do I have to have it announce my call sign if it is a closed repeater?

Anyone can hear your repeater. All they have to do is be on the same channel and use the same tone or no tone at all. Repeaters have to identify. If you transmit, you have to identify.

As far as compliance goes, as long as you meet all the other requirements i.e. <= 50 watts, proper frequency, etc. you probably will not have an issue.

[WRUU653]

45 minutes ago, WRXH658 said:

ok so my family and i would be able to use it with no issues.? do I have to have it announce my call sign if it is a closed repeater?  

Yes. You  and your family will still need to identify with your call sign even if it’s a closed repeater but you won’t have to have the repeater ID if it’s only your family using it. For your convenience adding a unit number to your ID is acceptable if you like.
 

c) Any GMRS repeater station is not required to transmit station identification if: 

(1) It retransmits only communications from GMRS stations operating under authority of the individual license under which it operates; and, 

(2) The GMRS stations whose communications are retransmitted are properly identified in accordance with this section.

[WRXH658]

from what i got of the rules if its open i have to have it identify every 15 minutes and beginning and end of conversation but if its closed i don't have to but the beginning and end or every 15 min of talking. is that accurate?  i want to be comply complaint even if its not that big of a deal. i want the fcc to be able to come look at my set up and not have anything to say about it. not that there are going to but...

[SteveShannon]

20 minutes ago, WRXH658 said:

from what i got of the rules if its open i have to have it identify every 15 minutes and beginning and end of conversation but if its closed i don't have to but the beginning and end or every 15 min of talking. is that accurate?  i want to be comply complaint even if its not that big of a deal. i want the fcc to be able to come look at my set up and not have anything to say about it. not that there are going to but...

If the only people who use the repeater are those whom you are allowed to authorize to use your call sign, WRXH658, then the repeater itself is not required to be identified.

If any other people use it, specifically people with different call signs, the the repeater must be identified. But there’s no requirement that the repeater itself must do the identification.  One of you could identify the repeater.

[WRXB215]

39 minutes ago, WRXH658 said:

complaint

You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means. 

[WRXH658]

compliant  I must have flipped the a and the I. yall knew what i meant lol

[OffRoaderX]

3 hours ago, WRXB215 said:

As far as compliance goes, as long as you meet all the other requirements i.e. <= 50 watts, proper frequency, etc. you probably will not have an issue.

• According to the CDC, since 2012, about 400 people have been struck by lightning.
• According to the FCC, since 2012, less than 10 people have gotten into trouble for transmitting on GMRS at over 50watts, not using a callsign, etc.  

To me, it would seem that @WRXB215 MIGHT be exaggerating or fear mongering..  

[SteveShannon]

1 hour ago, WRXH658 said:

compliant  I must have flipped the a and the I. yall knew what i meant lol

Defiantly!

[Davichko5650]

On 12/18/2023 at 1:43 PM, OffRoaderX said:

 

There is a rule regarding not connecting your radio to the "public switched telephone network", which "some people" misinterpret to mean "the internet", but this is not my (or most people's) interpretation.  

When in doubt, do not listen to what I, or anyone else on the internet says, read the rules for yourself.

This rule, as far as I know, harkens back to the good old days when GMRS was in its infancy; Basically prohibiting the use of Autopatches which were prevalent on many 2m Ham Repeaters. Used them myself on occasion back in the day - cue "I've been a Ham for 30 years" speech. The now ubiquitous cell phone pretty much killed them off, although there are a couple in my area still out there...

[WRXB215]

42 minutes ago, Davichko5650 said:

there are a couple in my area still out there

There are still some in my area but I think they are reserved for emergency use.

Ever since I started using the automobile insurance "safe pilot" app, I've realized it would be nice if I could use autopatch to call my wife while I'm stuck in traffic. That way I could talk to her and let her know I'm going to be late and still not get dinged on my insurance.

[WRQC527]

2 hours ago, WRXB215 said:

call my wife while I'm stuck in traffic

Unless it consumes a significant portion of the savings on your insurance you get by using that app, get a cheap burner phone so you don't need to use the phone your app is loaded on. Seems easier than trying to find a repeater with autopatch.