Fixed Station vs Base Station?

[Radioguy7268]

A Fixed Station is one that's been repaired.

/s

[amaff]

13 hours ago, Radioguy7268 said:

A Fixed Station is one that's been repaired.

/s

I thought it was one that's been neutered

[WRKC935]

Wow, we doing THIS AGAIN?!?!?!!

Fixed stations are communicating with other fixed stations.  Linking aside.  If you have a repeater at a remote location, and a base station at your house, when you are talking on the REPEATER, that's fixed station operation.  If you go to a simplex channel and talk to a mobile or portable radio, then you are operating fixed BASE.  So ONE radio can operate in BOTH manners depending on how you are communicating.  The other situation is simplex between two base stations.  Both are 'fixed' or not mobile / portable. 

Reason for this is to NOT create unneeded interference on the frequency by operating at a power level above the minimum required to maintain reliable communications.  Repeaters and other base stations have added range due to their elevated antenna systems over a mobile or portable and of course have antenna's with more gain as well. 

This isn't anything new... commercial has had this same regulation for years.  The difference is in part 90 commercial they refer to the radio as a CONTROL STATION.  It's still a 'base radio'.  This is also how you get the maximum antenna height regulations for fixed base operations. 

[BoxCar]

11 hours ago, WRKC935 said:

Wow, we doing THIS AGAIN?!?!?!!

Fixed stations are communicating with other fixed stations.  Linking aside.  If you have a repeater at a remote location, and a base station at your house, when you are talking on the REPEATER, that's fixed station operation.  If you go to a simplex channel and talk to a mobile or portable radio, then you are operating fixed BASE.  So ONE radio can operate in BOTH manners depending on how you are communicating.  The other situation is simplex between two base stations.  Both are 'fixed' or not mobile / portable. 

Not quite, fixed stations are primarily used to pass DATA between two fixed locations i.e. flood monitoring stations and monitoring posts. "Base" stations are control sites which activate repeaters or fixed stations to report. Base stations are at either permanent or temporary locations and are used to pass both data and voice to other base stations or mobile stations either through repeaters or directly. This implies there are three classes of stations, fixed stations reporting to another, single, fixed station, control stations, which may serve as both control and base stations and mobile stations which have no permanent location.

[WRXL702]

4 hours ago, BoxCar said:

Not quite, fixed stations are primarily used to pass DATA between two fixed locations i.e. flood monitoring stations and monitoring posts. "Base" stations are control sites which activate repeaters or fixed stations to report. Base stations are at either permanent or temporary locations and are used to pass both data and voice to other base stations or mobile stations either through repeaters or directly. This implies there are three classes of stations, fixed stations reporting to another, single, fixed station, control stations, which may serve as both control and base stations and mobile stations which have no permanent location.

FCC Part 95 Subpart A - 95.303 Definitions:

Base station. A station at a fixed location that communicates directly with mobile stations and other base stations.
Fixed station. A station at a fixed location that directly communicates with other fixed stations only.

The Term "DATA" Is Not Referenced In These Definitions For The Type Of Transmission.

https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-47/chapter-I/subchapter-D/part-95/subpart-A

 

[BoxCar]

4 hours ago, BoxCar said:

Not quite, fixed stations are primarily used to pass DATA between two fixed locations i.e. flood monitoring stations and monitoring posts. "Base" stations are control sites which activate repeaters or fixed stations to report. Base stations are at either permanent or temporary locations and are used to pass both data and voice to other base stations or mobile stations either through repeaters or directly. This implies there are three classes of stations, fixed stations reporting to another, single, fixed station, control stations, which may serve as both control and base stations and mobile stations which have no permanent location.

 

33 minutes ago, WRXL702 said:

FCC Part 95 Subpart A - 95.303 Definitions:

Base station. A station at a fixed location that communicates directly with mobile stations and other base stations.
Fixed station. A station at a fixed location that directly communicates with other fixed stations only.

The Term "DATA" Is Not Referenced In These Definitions For The Type Of Transmission.

https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-47/chapter-I/subchapter-D/part-95/subpart-A

 

Notice, I stated the primary purpose is to pass data. I did not state a fixed station was data only nor reference nor imply that was their only use.

[WRUU653]

19 hours ago, WRKC935 said:

when you are talking on the REPEATER, that's fixed station operation

Fixed station. A station at a fixed location that directly communicates with other fixed stations only.
This statement would seem to indicate that a repeater is not a fixed station as it does not communicate with only fixed stations. Therefore talking to it is not the action of a fixed station. 

I will agree that this topic has been discussed for what seems an eternity. With some grasping the rules and others arguing the perceived vagueness. I would agree that for a radio service intended for friends and family the FCC could or should have written the rules for such. That said, all the debate is for what end I have no idea. Who is being affected negatively here? As Bill Murray stated in Meatballs it just doesn’t matter. 

[WRXL702]

2 hours ago, BoxCar said:

 

Notice, I stated the primary purpose is to pass data. I did not state a fixed station was data only nor reference nor imply that was their only use.

So - Stating "The Primary Purpose Is To Pass Data" Is an Opinion For The Use Of Fixed Stations, Not Reflected In Definitions In Part 95.303.

WRKC935, In My Opinion Has The Correct - Explanation / Examples Of Base Stations vs Fixed Stations......

[BoxCar]

1 minute ago, WRXL702 said:

So - Stating "The Primary Purpose Is To Pass Data" Is an Opinion For The Use Of Fixed Stations, Not Reflected In Definitions In Part 95.303.

WRKC935, In My Opinion Has The Correct - Explanation / Examples Of Base Stations vs Fixed Stations......

Actually, it is based on observation of processing many thousands of requests to the Commission for processing. l

[WRUU653]

7 minutes ago, WRXL702 said:

So - Stating "The Primary Purpose Is To Pass Data" Is an Opinion For The Use Of Fixed Stations,

No, it’s an example. 

[WRXL702]

4 minutes ago, WRUU653 said:

No, it’s an example. 

Then Folks Should Refrain On Commenting "Not Quite" If They Are Siting An "Example / Opinion" Of Documented FCC Definitions.....

[GrouserPad]

On 4/26/2025 at 8:47 PM, WRKC935 said:

Wow, we doing THIS AGAIN?!?!?!!

Fixed stations are communicating with other fixed stations.  Linking aside.  If you have a repeater at a remote location, and a base station at your house, when you are talking on the REPEATER, that's fixed station operation.  If you go to a simplex channel and talk to a mobile or portable radio, then you are operating fixed BASE.  So ONE radio can operate in BOTH manners depending on how you are communicating.  The other situation is simplex between two base stations.  Both are 'fixed' or not mobile / portable. 

Reason for this is to NOT create unneeded interference on the frequency by operating at a power level above the minimum required to maintain reliable communications.  Repeaters and other base stations have added range due to their elevated antenna systems over a mobile or portable and of course have antenna's with more gain as well. 

This isn't anything new... commercial has had this same regulation for years.  The difference is in part 90 commercial they refer to the radio as a CONTROL STATION.  It's still a 'base radio'.  This is also how you get the maximum antenna height regulations for fixed base operations. 

Thanks a lot for your reply. It is helpful…... my bad for posing a question that must have been beat to death here. 

[WSHH887]

Relax. Every "hobby"  has subjects that come up from time to time and elicit opinions guaranteed to create chaos. Heck, after over a century of coexistence,  asking which is better .45acp or 9mm will result in weeks of debate on firearms forums. 

[Davichko5650]

3 hours ago, WSHH887 said:

 Heck, after over a century of coexistence,  asking which is better .45acp or 9mm will result in weeks of debate on firearms forums. 

Just steer 'em to the 30 Super Carry group...

[WRXL702]

1 hour ago, Davichko5650 said:

Just steer 'em to the 30 Super Carry group...

LOL - Too Funny........

"30 Super Carry" Was As Successful As The "Sig357" Round - Both Didn't Do Well........

Everyone Has Their Opinion, & As Long As The Gun Goes "Bang" For Your Specific Purpose - All Good For The Intended Purpose.......  

[WRKC935]

8 hours ago, WSHH887 said:

Relax. Every "hobby"  has subjects that come up from time to time and elicit opinions guaranteed to create chaos. Heck, after over a century of coexistence,  asking which is better .45acp or 9mm will result in weeks of debate on firearms forums. 

No debate.... 45 all the way.  In a 1911.  Accept no substitute

 

[WSHH887]

2 minutes ago, WRKC935 said:

No debate.... 45 all the way.  In a 1911.  Accept no substitute

 

Good thing we agree or this thread would get hijacked. 

[WRKC935]

9 hours ago, GrouserPad said:

Thanks a lot for your reply. It is helpful…... my bad for posing a question that must have been beat to death here. 

Don't worry about it.  But you really should do a search on a topic or question before making a post.  People do come up with new questions every day.  But, there are also some things that have indeed been beat to death.

 

[LeoG]

On 4/11/2025 at 9:57 AM, Socalgmrs said:

Actually what was clairified about repeater linking by the fcc is linked over phone line and internet.   It is still and has always been ok to link via radio waves.  Just harder and more expensive to do. 
 

 

 

as far as it being in the rules.  THIS right here is why every one needs to read the rules BEFORE paying your $35 fees.  When you pay your fees you are swearing to the fcc that you have read AND understand the gmrs rules.  Ignorance is not an excuse. Just read. Do your own research.  1/2 the posts on this site and all over the web could be deleted if people would just do research before asking to be hand fed.   In this world no one has any excuse to be ignorant in anything.  

You sound like a sad ham.

[LeoG]

On 4/11/2025 at 10:32 AM, UncleYoda said:

Contrare is all people do on this forum and the whole internet - I don't want any amateur speculative interpretations.  I want the officials responsible to clarify.  Everything else is BS.  As far as EXTRAPOLATION, the regs should be written so we don't need to make up our own ideas of what we believe they mean.  That is exact;y the problem we have right now.  I wish I had a list of every BS explanation I've heard from people on this topic.

They write them this way so they can be "interpreted".  That way it can mean different things at different times.  Which is exactly what it shouldn't be.  And since these rules are for normal people, normal people should be able to read them and understand them without the need of lawyers and oiija boards.

[LeoG]

On 4/11/2025 at 3:28 PM, SteveShannon said:

In fact I am personally against linking repeaters for wide areas. I’ve said that numerous times. But what you and I posted are interpretations, not regulations. The regulations definitely prohibit using the telephone network and arguably prohibit using the internet or any other network for carrying GMRS communications. But I’ve never seen anything in the regulations that prohibit radio links. For someone who wants to do repeater voting schemes I could see it being done and I don’t think that the regulations prohibit it. 

As soon as you connect two radio links together it can be considered a network.

[SteveShannon]

25 minutes ago, LeoG said:

As soon as you connect two radio links together it can be considered a network.

Maybe, but I think that a good lawyer could argue against that.  FCC does define “Network Connection”:

Network connection. Connection of a Personal Radio Services station to the public switched network, so that operators of other stations in that service are able to make (and optionally to receive) telephone calls through the connected station.

[LeoG]

And the switch network use to mean mechanical telephone service.  Then it meant electronic telephone service, now it can mean both of those and internet.

I'm pretty sure they could reclassify it because that's what they do.

[WRXL702]

Written Rules Look Self Explanatory To Me.

 

" In other words, repeaters may not be linked via the internet—an example of an “other network” in the rules—to extend the range of the communications across a large geographic area.  Linking multiple repeaters to enable a repeater outside the communications range of the handheld or mobile device to retransmit messages violates sections 95.1733(a)(8) and 95.1749 of the Commission’s rules, and potentially other rules in 47 C.F.R."

 

https://www.fcc.gov/wireless/bureau-divisions/mobility-division/general-mobile-radio-service-gmrs

[SteveShannon]

3 hours ago, WRXL702 said:

Written Rules Look Self Explanatory To Me.

 

" In other words, repeaters may not be linked via the internet—an example of an “other network” in the rules—to extend the range of the communications across a large geographic area.  Linking multiple repeaters to enable a repeater outside the communications range of the handheld or mobile device to retransmit messages violates sections 95.1733(a)(8) and 95.1749 of the Commission’s rules, and potentially other rules in 47 C.F.R."

 

https://www.fcc.gov/wireless/bureau-divisions/mobility-division/general-mobile-radio-service-gmrs

Although I am not a fan of linking, what you quoted is not the written rule.  That’s the FCC interpretation of the written rules.  It does reference the actual rules it interprets (95.1733 and 95.1749) however.