Yeasu or Icom base radios

[WSFZ339]

From what I understand if you do the MARS mod you can get the GMRS channels. Anyone tried this?

[Socalgmrs]

Yes many people have tried it.  

[gortex2]

Can you yes. Should you no. They are ham radios. Use radios with the proper certification. 

[WRYZ926]

As mentioned, it is against FCC regulations to use a non certified radio on GMRS. The chances of the FCC kicking in your door are non existent, unless you are really messing up to get the attention of our overlords.

As for your question. Yes Icom and Yaesu radios can be MARS modded.  Both brands require actual physical hardware modifications. You better be good at working with super tiny components if you want to do the mod yourself. Some retailers will perform the MARS mod for you. Giga Parts is usually the cheapest for the MARS mod if done at the time of purchase of a radio from them.

[73blazer]

Some radios, like the Yeasu FT65R can be modded/unlocked with a simple keypad input. I have a couple of these. But even though it's made in Japan, it's sound quality in both TX and RX sucks, doesn't hold a candle to my Wouxun radios. Everyone says I sound very muted (even if using an external mic) , and listening sounds like listening to an old high school announcement from the principle's office over the intercom system.

[AdmiralCochrane]

I think there are some settings you can change

[Lscott]

13 hours ago, WSFZ339 said:

From what I understand if you do the MARS mod you can get the GMRS channels. Anyone tried this?

You can, BUT Ham band specific radios MAY experience a significant power output and receive sensitivity loss outside of the official Ham bands. That's due to the internal band pass filters.

For example my old original Yeasu FT-817 QRP rig is modified. It's a nominal 5 watt radio on the Ham VHF/UHF bands. I'm lucky to get maybe a watt or so out of it on the 467 MHz GMRS repeater input frequencies. Hardly worth the trouble. I'm way better off using one of my 4/5 watt commercial HT's designed for either 400-470 or 450-490/520 MHz band split operation. With the 400-470 MHz band split I can at least use it on the full Ham 70cm band and GMRS.

Some of the older commercial grade radios are certified for Part 95, the 450-490/520 MHz band split, so they are legal to use with proper programming. I'm not familiar with the commercial grade base/mobile radios, I use mostly HT's.

https://forums.mygmrs.com/gallery/image/468-tk-370gjpg/?context=new

https://forums.mygmrs.com/gallery/image/263-tk-3170jpg/?context=new

https://forums.mygmrs.com/gallery/image/254-tk-5320-1jpg/?context=new

The commercial grade radios with the 400-470 MHz band split are not Part 95 certified from my experience, just Part 90, at least I've never seen one that was.

[AdmiralCochrane]

I would be curious to see hard data on this, particularly 65cm vs 70cm performance.

[wayoverthere]

2 hours ago, Lscott said:

The commercial grade radios with the 400-470 MHz band split are not Part 95 certified from my experience, just Part 90, at least I've never seen one that was.

I'll have to find the FCC ID for it, but IIRC the Vertex Standard VX-4207 carried both 90 and 95 certification for both the 400-470 (g6) and 450-512 (g7) versions.

No luck with searches, so I'll have to find the ID for my g6 (aka dig one of them out). The g7 is FCC id K6610354740

[Lscott]

5 hours ago, wayoverthere said:

I'll have to find the FCC ID for it, but IIRC the Vertex Standard VX-4207 carried both 90 and 95 certification for both the 400-470 (g6) and 450-512 (g7) versions.

No luck with searches, so I'll have to find the ID for my g6 (aka dig one of them out). The g7 is FCC id K6610354740

If the G6, 400-470 split, has Part 95, it will be the first one I’ve seen. 

[wayoverthere]

55 minutes ago, Lscott said:

If the G6, 400-470 split, has Part 95, it will be the first one I’ve seen. 

The Part 95 certification combined with having the range to fully cover 70cm (as I had my eye toward my ham license at the time) was one of the big factors in choosing it   

And found the ID, it's K6610354640

 

  

6 hours ago, AdmiralCochrane said:

I would be curious to see hard data on this, particularly 65cm vs 70cm performance.

It's not fully side by side, but there's a thread on reddit where a user tested power outputs of a few popular MARS-modded ham handhelds on GMRS; the FT5D was one that was noticeably down on power on GMRS.

[Lscott]

9 hours ago, wayoverthere said:

The Part 95 certification combined with having the range to fully cover 70cm (as I had my eye toward my ham license at the time) was one of the big factors in choosing it   

And found the ID, it's K6610354640

 

  

It's not fully side by side, but there's a thread on reddit where a user tested power outputs of a few popular MARS-modded ham handhelds on GMRS; the FT5D was one that was noticeably down on power on GMRS.

Thanks for the link. That's the very first radio I've seen that covers the full Ham band, 400-470 MHz split, with a Part 95 certification. Now that's way cool.

I have a collection of various Kenwood HT's, with the same split, but NONE have Part 95. The exact same model with the typical commercial frequency split, 450-490/520 MHz, do have it. I had always assumed if the radio covered 400-470 the FCC would not grant Part 95 certification. I guess my assumption was wrong.

Yeah the MARS/CAP mod at times isn't all that great if you can't get crap for power out. I ran across some power tests done on a Icom IC-706MKIIG with similar results, sort of sucked on GMRS.

IC-706MKIIG Freqequency Mod Power Output.pdf

[wayoverthere]

3 hours ago, Lscott said:

Thanks for the link. That's the very first radio I've seen that covers the full Ham band, 400-470 MHz split, with a Part 95 certification. Now that's way cool.

I have a collection of various Kenwood HT's, with the same split, but NONE have Part 95. The exact same model with the typical commercial frequency split, 450-490/520 MHz, do have it. I had always assumed if the radio covered 400-470 the FCC would not grant Part 95 certification. I guess my assumption was wrong.

Yeah the MARS/CAP mod at times isn't all that great if you can't get crap for power out. I ran across some power tests done on a Icom IC-706MKIIG with similar results, sort of sucked on GMRS.

IC-706MKIIG Freqequency Mod Power Output.pdf 6.1 MB · 0 downloads

You bet.  

The current wording of 47 CFR 95.1761 does disallow gear usable in amateur radio service from being certified, so I agree it follows that 400-470 would be disqualified under the current state of affairs, though it appears the door is still open for the 450-490 or 450-512 radios to be dual certified (90/95E). Whether the manufacturers see it as worth spending the money on is the question, though based on what's available it seems like mostly not. 

Quote

unless such transmitter is also certified for use in another radio service for which the frequency is authorized and for which certification is also required. No GMRS transmitter will be certified for use in the GMRS if it is equipped with the capabilities to operate in services that do not require equipment certification, such as the Amateur Radio Service.

I did a little digging in the prior version of the CFR (prior to the sections being shuffled in 2017 and GMRS was under 95a), and I'm not finding any similar wording disallowing overlapping between services.  Really the only thing I found regarding certification pointed to the OET page, and referenced a list of certified transmitters that doesn't seem to exist anymore.

[Lscott]

I'm guessing before the rule changes GMRS licenses could be assigned to businesses. That would have been the attraction for the dual 90/95 certification. Now with the new rules it's only for individual users, unless the business has a grandfathered license they kept current.

[gortex2]

55 minutes ago, Lscott said:

I'm guessing before the rule changes GMRS licenses could be assigned to businesses. That would have been the attraction for the dual 90/95 certification. Now with the new rules it's only for individual users, unless the business has a grandfathered license they kept current.

That was most of it. Our shop sold lotys of GMRS systems to schools, malls and other small outfits. Mainly because we were north of Line A and even an itinerate UHF split would take over a year to get a license on. GMRS was 5-7 days after we submitted. Sold alot of Midland LMR gear, some Motorola and ICOM stuff. 

[AdmiralCochrane]

18 hours ago, wayoverthere said:

It's not fully side by side, but there's a thread on reddit where a user tested power outputs of a few popular MARS-modded ham handhelds on GMRS; the FT5D was one that was noticeably down on power on GMRS.

He was asked multiple times what the output was on 70cm and always answered "fine"  You can ask the Count on Sesame Street, he will tell you "fine" is not a number, just like twenty-something  LOL   It would have been a lot better if he understood that "comparison" requires comparison

As we have seen here multiple times, advertised power output often varies from real world

[wayoverthere]

28 minutes ago, AdmiralCochrane said:

He was asked multiple times what the output was on 70cm and always answered "fine"  You can ask the Count on Sesame Street, he will tell you "fine" is not a number, just like twenty-something  LOL   It would have been a lot better if he understood that "comparison" requires comparison

As we have seen here multiple times, advertised power output often varies from real world

Fair point...I didn't dig through the whole thread, as the attitudes kind of put me off most of the radio subs on reddit awhile ago.   I agree that "fine" isn't very specific....comparison is about solid numbers.  One of my Anytones is rated "20 watts", but the real world numbers are more like 18 on VHF, and 14-15 on UHF.

[WRUE951]

awhile back i saw a video on another forum where a Ham Radio Operator took a moded (GMRS) Yeasu and a GMRS Wouxun KG1000 and benched tested both radios.  The Yeasu (as expected)  putt out a lot less Harmonics, much cleaner and kept its power specs when keyed for a long period..   I can tell you, every single Ham guy i know has their Kenwood, Icom or Yeasu dialed in to GMRS at a flip of the dial.  Honestly, i don't know any Ham operators that aren't set up in this fashion..    A bit funny but i'll bet a lunch many here whom complain as it being illegal has a Baufang stashed somewhere dialed in for GMRS..  I mean really, how many of you went to the prom without sneaking a beer..   If you said 'Not me"  you're boring as hell.  

[Lscott]

4 hours ago, WRUE951 said:

I mean really, how many of you went to the prom without sneaking a beer..

The few who had too many beers before hand likely didn’t make it to the prom I’m guessing. It’s hard to leave the house when you can’t find the door.

[wayoverthere]

6 hours ago, WRUE951 said:

.  I mean really, how many of you went to the prom without sneaking a beer..   If you said 'Not me"  you're boring as hell.  

Honestly? I straight up skipped mine and did my own thing, and that's pretty much still my MO almost 30 years later.

Still don't use my ham gear on GMRS though.

[SteveShannon]

12 hours ago, WRUE951 said:

awhile back i saw a video on another forum where a Ham Radio Operator took a moded (GMRS) Yeasu and a GMRS Wouxun KG1000 and benched tested both radios.  The Yeasu (as expected)  putt out a lot less Harmonics, much cleaner and kept its power specs when keyed for a long period..   I can tell you, every single Ham guy i know has their Kenwood, Icom or Yeasu dialed in to GMRS at a flip of the dial.  Honestly, i don't know any Ham operators that aren't set up in this fashion..    A bit funny but i'll bet a lunch many here whom complain as it being illegal has a Baufang stashed somewhere dialed in for GMRS..  I mean really, how many of you went to the prom without sneaking a beer..   If you said 'Not me"  you're boring as hell.  

I must be boring as hell, then.  No beer at the prom.  In fact most of my class didn’t. I graduated in 1973 and one guy in the Junior class had a brand new Chevy Blazer that he rolled in a beet field after having a few beers. I’m sure that was not boring. Another had a chartreuse Ford Mustang and launched it into a beet field. Also not boring. Fortunately nobody died. 
We boring kids had an alcohol free prom at the school, and an all night party afterwards, followed by breakfast in one of the boring kids Quonset huts.

[WRUE951]

1 hour ago, SteveShannon said:

I must be boring as hell, then.  No beer at the prom.  In fact most of my class didn’t. I graduated in 1973 and one guy in the Junior class had a brand new Chevy Blazer that he rolled in a beet field after having a few beers. I’m sure that was not boring. Another had a chartreuse Ford Mustang and launched it into a beet field. Also not boring. Fortunately nobody died. 
We boring kids had an alcohol free prom at the school, and an all night party afterwards, followed by breakfast in one of the boring kids Quonset huts.

i would have been with your friend, rolling that Blazer.  had to be fun.....  You can't be 'that' boring,,  i'll still bet you have a Baufang dialed into GMRS or another Ham type radio dialed in... Common, you can't hold a secret.  

[WSEZ864]

"A lot of my friends wreck in beet fields, but I never touch them myself."

[SteveShannon]

12 minutes ago, WRUE951 said:

i would have been with your friend, rolling that Blazer.  had to be fun.....  You can't be 'that' boring,,  i'll still bet you have a Baufang dialed into GMRS or another Ham type radio dialed in... Common, you can't hold a secret.  

My hobby is flying big rockets to a few miles high.  Hopefully that’s not too boring.

[SteveShannon]

10 minutes ago, WSEZ864 said:

"A lot of my friends wreck in beet fields, but I never touch them myself."

We used to say “Shits the beets out of me!”