Updated FCC rule 95.1749 now includes “or other networks” Jan 2024

[quarterwave]

After 35 years in radio, telecom, etc., Part 90, 95.... This looks like bull$hit. Not the way it's handled. 

[LeoG]

Thanks Randy

[LeoG]

11:19

[Davichko5650]

21 hours ago, Davichko5650 said:

Edited my comment after your reply it seems. I did add drop the links.  Hope the Notarubicon Center keeps us updated out there on YootOob

And he did not disappoint us!  VG video this morning with the Club President out NY way. Seems the e-mail to the repeater owner is legit, he and the FCC person who sent it have a "working relationship" but the Club Prez would not elaborate. And he did state the club would not be supplying any callsign information.

[LeoG]

Technically the Ef Sea Seas didn't send him an email.  He was given an unofficial notice by and Ef Sea Seas employee that was in the know of something up and coming.

[WRXB215]

I like the idea that it was a "heads up" but then the whole thing sours when asking for a list of users.

[LeoG]

Well asking is better than getting issued a subpoena to give up the names.  And it also seems like they wanted the names of the people who knowingly used the linked system.  That leaves me out.  I didn't know anything about that.  I was just using the information from here to find systems in the area.

[Stone]

With all this now coming down.... Must be an election year.... 

[WRQC527]

I still think it's a weak attempt at bullying even if it is legit, since the FCC has made no effort to un-muddy the waters up until now. And asking radio narcs for call signs is a new low even for them.

[amaff]

That still doesn't add up. If it was just a friendly head's up, what do they need a list of callsigns for?

[Guest]

HOW were these repeaters linked (Zello, RF, Voting system...)? And does that have any bearing on why the "head's up letter" was sent? Maybe I missed that part...

 

Sorry - in the letter it described the system as a Voting system and equated it to Zello...I should have read further before posting.

[LeoG]

4 hours ago, Stone said:

With all this now coming down.... Must be an election year.... 

My thinking is more along the lines that something is coming down and they don't want alternate means of communication to be in place.  Single repeaters are just that, somewhat localized.  The string repeaters cover large areas that are normally covered by more elaborate systems that when down effectively quash communication.

Ya, I'm one of those.

[Lscott]

45 minutes ago, LeoG said:

My thinking is more along the lines that something is coming down and they don't want alternate means of communication to be in place. 

Perhaps the FCC sees GMRS evolving into a "Ham Lite" type of service as a hobby rather than a personal use utility communication service.

[LeoG]

I think the intentional service when they put it in there was to have a family system for camping, hiking and maybe on the farm communication.  And as with all nerds we go and try to innovate and expand and make it much bigger and better (?) than it was originally intended and the Ef Sea Seas didn't intend for it to be a communications platform, just a means for close communication.

[gortex2]

 

4 hours ago, CaptainSarcastic said:

HOW were these repeaters linked (Zello, RF, Voting system...)? And does that have any bearing on why the "head's up letter" was sent? Maybe I missed that part...

 

Sorry - in the letter it described the system as a Voting system and equated it to Zello...I should have read further before posting.

It was a voted simulcast system using commercial LMR equipment. Nothing to do with Zello. They did state they had put one repeater .back on the air with a zello connection but my guess is to monitor it. 

[LeoG]

They even took the 3 repeaters out of the listing here.

[JLeikhim]

On 2/16/2024 at 10:44 AM, WRUU653 said:

It’s in the third paragraph under operations here.

The rules were never changed. Same as written in 2017 Federal Register. The link you cite is not the rules, but is a staff interpretation. A misguided one.

[WRUU653]

1 hour ago, JLeikhim said:

The rules were never changed. Same as written in 2017 Federal Register. The link you cite is not the rules, but is a staff interpretation. A misguided one.

I never said anything changed as far as I know. But hey I don’t remember what I had for lunch yesterday. I just shared a link, four months ago at that. But since you quoted me and made an inference allow me to retort. Here’s one straight from the rules if you prefer or even if you don’t, I didn’t write it. I didn’t even interpret it. Again it’s just a link. 

 

§ 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

[Stone]

On 6/21/2024 at 2:55 PM, LeoG said:

I think the intentional service when they put it in there was to have a family system for camping, hiking and maybe on the farm communication.  And as with all nerds we go and try to innovate and expand and make it much bigger and better (?) than it was originally intended and the Ef Sea Seas didn't intend for it to be a communications platform, just a means for close communication.

 I thought that was what the bubble pack radios were for. Family camping or keeping in touch with each other at the mall or ball game. IMHO being able to use repeaters the Eff Sea Seas should know that we that use this GMRS system would be a little more serious in the communication realm. Maybe it is time to RF Link? I am pretty sure that is allowed is it not?

[LeoG]

Hard to say unless you can look at the whole history of the introduction of these frequencies.  Usually the govt is way behind on making rules.  They are usually reactive.  When something goes amiss they make up a new rule/regulation/law to said offense.

When they opened the GMRS frequencies was it their intention to make it so people/families to be able to communicate farther than 1000 ft?  And because of the new capabilities to the radios the manufacturers came out with new products that the Ef Sea Seas didn't have rules for?  I don't know.  But that is how innovation usually happens.  The innovators are far ahead of the rulez makers and things get going before they can respond.

[AdmiralCochrane]

I'm dizzy

 

[LeoG]

Hi Dizzy, glad to meet you

[gortex2]

What you think of GMRS is way different than decades ago when GMRS was introduced as Class B Citizens Band Radio. This was in the late 60's.  We only had 8 channels to choose from and licensed EACH frequency you wanted use of. Our license was at the time 462.600 as we couldnt use .650 where we lived due to canada. On the license it also had simplex of .675 for emergency use. That was GMRS and many used it. I dontk now the year my parents were licenced first but it was in the mid 70's. Back then you also didn't do stuff yourself. You went to a LMR shop and they did the installs and took care of repeaters. It wasn't cheap then but a very good service. 

It wasn't until the FRS world came to be that caused the interfearance mess we see now and we deal with all the folks who think no license is needed and can do what they want. This was made worse when the changes in 2017 came to be. Many of us still look at GMRS as the 8 original channels. I dont even program the others in my stuff. The midlands have it which is what I use for jeep events so thats all I need.

Yes stuff changes but there are really 3 groups of GMRS users. The bubble pack radios that 80 % of the users use and are a PTT listen model, then you have the old school GMRS users who mostly still use part 90 mobiles and portables and use the service as a utility like myself, then we have the new ham lite folks who use CCR's, tell us they can talk 100 miles on a baofeng and need nets and linking for GMRS to be useful. My guess is this will turn into an unlicensed service before the end which is wrong, but the entitled crowd will bring it to that point. Then it will turn into CB with 250 watt base stations and useless air waves. 

[LeoG]

I didn't think about GMRS in the 60s.  I was pushed into this life in '62

[Lscott]

4 hours ago, gortex2 said:

My guess is this will turn into an unlicensed service before the end which is wrong, but the entitled crowd will bring it to that point. Then it will turn into CB with 250 watt base stations and useless air waves. 

Well until they figure out that much power won't get them much beyond the radio horizon. No "channel 6 super bowl" on GMRS. Also UHF amps that can do 250 watts won't be cheap either, if you can find them.