Will Icom Have A New GMRS Radio?

[JASII]

With Icom coming out with a new MURS radio, I wonder if they will take a crack at some new GMRS radios, too.

Icom V10MR MURS Two Way Radio (IP67 Waterproof)

Introducing the Icom V10MR MURS Two Way Radio, a license-free VHF transceiver for business or personal use! It can be used by practically anyone for almost any type of short range operation. No license is required!

www.buytwowayradios.com

V10MR Multi-Use Radio Service (MURS) Transceiver - Features - Icom America

www.icomamerica.com

 

[nd5y]

Already a thread about it...

Icom IC-V10MR MURS radio coming

Icom should have an IC-V10MR MURS radio probably next year. I think this is their first MURS product. Look up FCC ID AFJ425900, which was granted on 10/19/2020, for more info. Pictures, manual, etc. are held back until 1/31/2021.

forums.radioreference.com

 

[mmckenna]

With Icom coming out with a new MURS radio, I wonder if they will take a crack at some new GMRS radios, too.

Interesting, I somehow missed the original post about this.

About time. Icom has the product line, so just pre-programming it, locking it down, and limiting it to 2 watts wouldn't have been a big challenge. Will be interesting to see if Kenwood follow this route. They like to market to business users, and they have the right products.

As for GMRS, that would be interesting. Icom used to sell a GMRS portable built off the Icom IC-F21, I believe the model number was IC-F21GM. Those were pretty popular back in the day.
But that's a different market, and would require licensing, which might end up keeping most businesses away due to the obvious issues with individual FCC licenses.

 

[JASII]

I will have to read a bit more about the features. I would love to see Bluetooth added and the ability to use your smartphone, as a keyboard, to send simplex texts, but I will have to review the rules to see if that is permitted.

 

[mmckenna]

I will have to read a bit more about the features. I would love to see Bluetooth added and the ability to use your smartphone, as a keyboard, to send simplex texts, but I will have to review the rules to see if that is permitted.

That radio is built off an existing low tier commercial radio that likely doesn't have bluetooth or data capability internally. It's easy enough to buy a bluetooth audio adapter, but that would be audio only.

As for data….
§95.2731 Permissible MURS uses.
The operator of a MURS station may use it for the purposes listed in this section.
(a) MURS stations may be used to transmit voice, data or image signals.

But again, I doubt Icom is marketing these as data radios. Not really the market for them.

 

[n1das]

<Yawn>