Why did I do it?

[rescuecomm]

GMRS like CB hobby radio. NOT

The idea with the different tones is to allow one to listen for someone without hearing everyone else on the channel. Certainly you could make a call without using a tone, but only persons without the tone receive turned on will hear you. My GMRS stuff is not for hobby calling and I do use a tone to sort out the other local users. My family uses it around the 20 acre property and around town. I left my cell phone at home one day and got a radio call from my son advising me of such by using the repeater. I was 5 miles away walking into the post office and that is why I don't use CB for it. There is too much static and noise to listen to around the clock and the range is too short on walkie talkies to be useful. Could you tolerate a CB on beside your bed around the clock?

Bob

 

[stingray327]

The idea with the different tones is to allow one to listen for someone without hearing everyone else on the channel. Certainly you could make a call without using a tone, but only persons without the tone receive turned on will hear you. My GMRS stuff is not for hobby calling and I do use a tone to sort out the other local users. My family uses it around the 20 acre property and around town. I left my cell phone at home one day and got a radio call from my son advising me of such by using the repeater. I was 5 miles away walking into the post office and that is why I don't use CB for it. There is too much static and noise to listen to around the clock and the range is too short on walkie talkies to be useful. Could you tolerate a CB on beside your bed around the clock?

Bob

You explained it better than the instructions. As it doesn't even tell you about not using a tone that only those that have no tones can hear you. Only those with like tones will hear you and I guess that depends also on if you are both on the same privacy code.
But if you can hear them then they can hear you.

 

[mpreece]

My license was initially granted as a Citizen's Radio Service Class A station back in 1974, as stated by a previous poster. I have a quite old 3x4 callsign in the "KAB" series. The license was for a specific frequency or frequency pair, not the entire radio service frequency pool as it is now under GMRS. There also was no restriction at that time on usage of the 467 mhz channels for only comms to a repeater input.

I was licensed at that time only on 467.675, and my father and I were using the 1.2 watt handhelds while on vacation in Colorado. We were visiting the Air Force Academy at Colordao Springs and I heard a snippet or two of a couple other stations on the frequency, but very weak. A bit later, while on Pike's Peak, I heard another voice calling me on the frequency identifying as "Rampart Emergency." (This was in the days of the TV show "Emergency!" and its Rampart hospital.) Turns out, the operator was in Denver and I was hearing his input to the local Search and Rescue Class A repeater in Denver. So, to me it was a simplex conversation; to him, it was via their repeater! No tone access, just open squelch in those days. In any event we had a pleasant contact and he gave me his address in Denver. We had a short eyeball QSO while going through Denver on the way back to Kansas City. It was a nice memory. And yes, he gave me permission to use the repeater (not that I could have heard the output frequency on my single channel, crystal controlled RCA TACTEC HT's!)

I have maintained my license through the years, regardless of the cost, for the additional communications capability. I did have a repeater up for a period of time with excellent coverage. There are GMRS licenses in my area, but I honestly have not heard any other activity aside from the blister pack "are your parents home?" conversations.

Marshall Reece, KAB0941/AA0GL

 

[stingray327]

Antennas for FRS

They don't even have an outlet for an external antenna for these radios. Just an accessory plug.

 

[SkipSanders]

The real point is that GMRS was never intended as a 'general chit chat with random people' service, it's designed for use by YOUR licensed group/family (or business, long ago).

Probably 99% or more of 'users' are unlicensed 'bubble pack' owners, and almost none of those cheap radios have repeater capability... so (fortunately) they're not going to be using your repeater.

The rules require that you have the permission of a repeater owner to use it, too.

The common use of GMRS/FRS is in-family chit chat, simplex. Many/Most won't talk to someone other than those they know, even if tones match and they can hear you.

 

[stingray327]

The real point is that GMRS was never intended as a 'general chit chat with random people' service, it's designed for use by YOUR licensed group/family (or business, long ago).

Probably 99% or more of 'users' are unlicensed 'bubble pack' owners, and almost none of those cheap radios have repeater capability... so (fortunately) they're not going to be using your repeater.

The rules require that you have the permission of a repeater owner to use it, too.

The common use of GMRS/FRS is in-family chit chat, simplex. Many/Most won't talk to someone other than those they know, even if tones match and they can hear you.

That's exactly what has happened I have had a few conversations with others out there when leaving the privacy code off.

 

[RADIOGUY2002]

It's what you make out of it, plain and simple. At least I don't have to get my entire family ham licenseces as much as I would like too, it just not going to happen. So the alternative is gmrs.

 

[beischel]

Consider This

I am sorry but does anyone else think that $85 for 5 years is a little steep for licensing fees? That and the lack of repeaters here is the only thing that has prevented me from obtaining a GMRS license. Something is wrong when my lifetime commercial operator license only costs $60 for lifetime and a citizen's radio service is $85/5yr.

For $85, your entire family - anywhere in the United States - can use that GMRS license. Your spouse, children, brothers, sisters, nephews, son-in-law, daughter-in-law, mother, father....get the picture? It is a tremendous value frankly. I have eight members of my family using the license. All legal. Works out to what $10 a person. That's a bargain.