Quick ? from a newbie

[recoilx]

Hi Everyone,

Quick question, I just received my GMRS License from the FCC. I am currently using a Baofeng UV-82HP radio and have the U.S. FRS and GMRS Channels loaded. Correct me if I am wrong, but I am able to transmit on all FRS channels as well as the GMRS and GMRS Repeater channels without being in violation correct? Also, GMRS channels 55, 57, 60, 62, 65, 67, 70 and 72 are the GMRS repeater channels correct?

If you could confirm, it would be greatly appreciated!

Thank you!

 

[mmckenna]

Hi Everyone,

Quick question, I just received my GMRS License from the FCC. I am currently using a Baofeng UV-82HP radio and have the U.S. FRS and GMRS Channels loaded. Correct me if I am wrong, but I am able to transmit on all FRS channels as well as the GMRS and GMRS Repeater channels without being in violation correct?

Your GMRS license allows you to transmit on all frequencies assigned to the General Mobile Radio Service, that includes some channels that are shared with FRS.
95.1763 of the FCC rules cover this:

Federal Register :: Request Access

www.ecfr.gov

However, 95.1767 has some very specific requirements about the amount of power you can use to transmit on some of those frequencies:

Federal Register :: Request Access

www.ecfr.gov

The amount of power used INCLUDES figuring in the gain the antenna offers, so make sure you understand the difference between Transmitter Power Output and Effective Radiated Power.

Also, GMRS channels 55, 57, 60, 62, 65, 67, 70 and 72 are the GMRS repeater channels correct?

If you could confirm, it would be greatly appreciated!

Thank you!

It will depend on how the radio is set up. Channel numbers won't necessarily align with other radios.
If you look at the manual here: https://fccid.io/2AJGM-UV82/Users-Manual/User-Manual-5137067
It shows the repeater INPUT channels as 23-30
But since the radio is programmable, it may be set up differently, and since it's a low end Chinese radio, all bets are off. Use the frequency list here to confirm how your radio is set up:

Federal Register :: Request Access

www.ecfr.gov

 

[mmckenna]

It's a real good idea to read through FCC Part 95 and make sure you fully understand all the requirements and rules. Your GMRS license says you have to abide by the rules, and reading them is the only way to know what they are.
-Chinese radio manufacturers don't care about the FCC or it's rules and won't always set up these radios to abide by them.
-It's your responsibility to know them, and make sure your radio is working within the confines of your license.

Federal Register :: Request Access

www.ecfr.gov

 

[recoilx]

Thank you so much!!!!

 

[K4EET]

<snip>
-Chinese radio manufacturers don't care about the FCC or it's rules and won't always set up these radios to abide by them.
<snip>

Case in point is a pair of cheap GMRS radios I purchased so my son and I could communicate simplex during one specific event. The radios were Baofeng Model GM–15PRO costing in the low $20 apiece range. When I checked the pre-programmed frequencies and Effective Radiated Power (ERP) for GMRS compliance, I found an error in the programming of one of the frequency pairs. Since this frequency pair could only be updated by a firmware update, I was informed by the Baofeng representative in the United States that there would be no firmware update. That being the reply, one of the pre-programmed GMRS channels would not work as intended (simplex mode) and the user would have no clue why they could not talk to each other using the pair of identical radios. This error was so obvious it shows the level of Quality Assurance (QA) being used prior to shipping these radios, i.e. apparently virtually no QA testing.

 

[recoilx]

So which is determined to be the best GMRS radio for a beginner who is just getting started and is learning?

 

[K4EET]

So which is determined to be the best GMRS radio for a beginner who is just getting started and is learning?

Does the BaoFeng UV-82 High Power portable radio have a Part 95 certification? If it doesn't, then it is not legal to use for GMRS, FRS, etc.

As for your specific question, do you have a budget in mind? How many portables will you need? What will be the primary use of these radios, e.g. around the home, around the campsite, through a repeater for wider area coverage, etc.?

Generally speaking, I would stay away from Chinese manufactured and branded radios; especially BaoFeng. Every one that I have bought to see if they met FCC technical requirements or to see if things have gotten any better have confirmed basically one thing -- Some things never change. The BaoFeng UV-5R5s did not meet FCC spurious emissions specifications and the BaoFeng GM-15PROs had programming errors that the user could not correct.

So you definitely want a portable radio that meets Part 95 regulations as it applies to the service you are operating in. You also want a quality portable radio that has been thoroughly tested to verify the programming and other features of the unit in question. As I mentioned earlier, steer clear of Chinese manufactured and branded portable radios because these have historically been the ones with the serious problems. Even the battery chargers can be a concern because it takes special circuitry to safely charge Lithium-Ion (Li-Ion) batteries. There have been some questions raised in various places as to the robustness of the Li-Ion battery chargers coming out of China. Most quality Li-Ion battery chargers will utilize three terminals (positive / negative / sensing) to safely charge batteries. Some companies save costs by eliminating the third terminal circuitry which is not a good idea for any type of Lithium based battery. Bottom line? Steer clear of low priced portable radios. Your life may depend on it.

I'm going to stop here because there is another thread that I want to reference that mentions quality portable radios by well-known brands like Motorola, Kenwood, etc. But I want to find that thread for referencing here rather than try to regurgitate everything that was mentioned in the other thread that I am thinking about. If somebody finds that thread before I do, please feel free to drop it into this thread. Thanks!

 

[NWI_Scanner_Guy]

As K4EET said, the UV-82 doesn't have the proper certification to be used with GMRS, but if you like the UV-82's form factor, BTECH sells the GMRS-V2 radio that uses the same "shell" and is compatible with all UV-82 accessories. It's the radio I bought when I got my GMRS license a few weeks ago and I have been very pleased with it so far.

BTECH GMRS V-2

 

[recoilx]

As for your specific question, do you have a budget in mind? How many portables will you need? What will be the primary use of these radios, e.g. around the home, around the campsite, through a repeater for wider area coverage, etc.?

Right now, as a newbie, I wanted to get a GMRS radio for emergencies around the home and campsite. For example, in the event Cell Towers go down, I have a way to communicate (legally) with other people in my area. We live in Florida so the threat of hurricanes is every 6 months .

Between the UV-82HP I already have (but no Amateur Radio License) I wanted a GMRS radio (with license) that my family and I can communicate between with. I figured investing in one GMRS radio in the $100 range instead of buying two GMRS cheaper radios since I already have a UV-82HP. I know I can't transmit on GMRS channels with the UV-82HP but I figured I would take the risk in an emergency.

 

[mmckenna]

Random contacts on GMRS can be really hit or miss. It's extremely common for users to have squelch codes set on their radios so they don't have to listen to other users.

For family communications, it works well. For random contacts, even in an emergency, you may be disappointed. Ham radio, or even CB, would have a higher chance of reaching out to a random person.

Basic consumer GMRS radios can work well. Many issues people have with them are self induced, and easily fixed with a bit of user training.