Digital audio on GMRS band

[Blink962]

Can someone answer with some certainty this question for me so I can put this subject behind me.
Are digital voice authorized on the GMRS band.

 

[Hans13]

AFAIK, no.

47 CFR § 95.1731 - Permissible GMRS uses.

www.law.cornell.edu

§ 95.1731 Permissible GMRS uses.

The operator of a GMRS station may use that station for two-way plain language voice communications with other GMRS stations and with FRS units concerning personal or business activities.

(a)Emergency communications. Any GMRS channel may be used for emergency communications or for traveler assistance. Operators of GMRS stations must, at all times and on all channels, give priority to emergency communications.

(b)One-way communications. The operator of a GMRS station may use that station to transmit one-way communications:

(1) To call for help or transmit other emergency communications;

(2) To provide warnings of hazardous road conditions to travelers; or,

(3) To make brief test transmissions.

(c)Travelers assistance. The operator of a GMRS station may transmit communications necessary to assist a traveler to reach a destination or to receive necessary services.

(d)Digital data.GMRS hand-held portable units may transmit digital data containing location information, or requesting location information from one or more other GMRS or FRS units, or containing a brief text message to another specific GMRS or FRS unit.

47 CFR § 95.1771 - GMRS emission types.

www.law.cornell.edu

§ 95.1771 GMRS emission types.

Each GMRS transmitter type must be designed to satisfy the emission capability rules in this section. Operation of GMRS stations must also be in compliance with these rules.

(a) Each GMRS transmitter type must have the capability to transmit F3E or G3E emissions.

(b) Only emission types A1D, F1D, G1D, H1D, J1D, R1D, A3E, F3E, G3E, H3E, J3E, R3E, F2D, and G2D are authorized for use in the GMRS. Equipment for which certification is sought under this subpart may have capabilities to transmit other emission types intended for use in other services, provided that these emission types can be deactivated when the equipment is used in the GMRS.

47 CFR § 95.1787 - GMRS additional requirements.

www.law.cornell.edu

§ 95.1787 GMRS additional requirements.

Each hand-held portable unit transmitter type submitted for certification under this subpart is subject to the rules in this section.

(a)Digital data transmissions.GMRS hand-held portable units that have the capability to transmit digital data must be designed to meet the following requirements.

(1) Digital data transmissions must only be initiated by a manual action by the operator, except that GMRS units may automatically respond with location data upon receiving an interrogation request from another GMRS or FRS unit.

(2) Digital data transmissions must not exceed one second in duration.

(3) Digital data transmissions must not be sent more frequently than one digital data transmission within a thirty-second period, except that a GMRS unit may automatically respond to more than one interrogation request received within a thirty-second period.

(4) The antenna must be a non-removable integral part of the GMRS unit.

(5)GMRS units must not be capable of transmitting digital data on the 467 MHz main channels.

(b) [Reserved]

 

[mmckenna]

No, not digital voice.

There are some provisions for short bursts of digital data, but that's it.

 

[Blink962]

Thanks for the informations regarding this.

 

[bharvey2]

Can someone answer with some certainty this question for me so I can put this subject behind me.
Are digital voice authorized on the GMRS band.

For the most part, digital voice modes aren't permitted on GMRS. However, there are a few GMRS repeaters that have received temporary test licenses by the FCC permitting DMR and perhaps other digital modes. There is one not too far from me in the SF Bay Area. I was recently exchanging e-mails with one of the repeater trustees an he mentioned working with someone in your area. It's possible that a GMRS repeater in your area may have a test license as well and that could be what you are hearing.

 

[n1das]

I would love to be able to use digital voice modes on GMRS if it were legal. I'm not holding my breath on it though. I already have DMR and P25 capability. Probably won't happen anytime soon. *SIGHE*

No digital voice modes allowed on GMRS is one of the reasons why I moved to 900MHz Motorola DTR and DLR digital radios as my digital replacement for FRS for local on-site simplex type use with family and friends. The DTRs and DLRs work amazingly well for their intended use. I don't use analog at all anymore for my non-ham stuff. A coworker asked me why not use FRS? My answer was that I have already been doing that since FRS was created in 1996 and longer than that as a GMRS licensee since 1992. I want an all-digital solution that is higher quality and more professional than FRS. Being able to configure them to be reasonably secure and not having to worry about FCC licensing and frequency coordination are bonuses.

 

[MTS2000des]

Doubt the FCC will ever allow it. While I'd love to be able to go some form of F3E on GMRS (mainly to eliminate unauthorized use by Chinese turd radios), I'll be the FCC won't allow encryption, and this is a huge benefit of digital. Allowing for AES-256 on a consumer citizens band radio service isn't within the spirit of what the service is for.

This is where one goes to part 90 and calls it a day.

 

[bill4long]

I moved to 900MHz Motorola DTR and DLR digital radios

What's your favorite models?

 

[n1das]

What's your favorite models?

DTR650 and DTR700. The new DTR 600/700 models have the best transmitted audio, thanks to Motorola adding AGC to the transmit audio. The DLRs and the older DTR 410/550/650 models don't have AGC in the Tx audio.

I sold my fleet of DLR1060 radios and Multi Unit Charger (MUC) to a friend for his business. I had to let something go because I had too many radios. I still have my fleet of DTR650s and fleet of DTR700s and the MUC for each fleet. At first he wasn't sure what he was going to use the DLRs for except maybe as rental radios to customers. Now he uses them all the time with his employees in normal day to day operations and won't part with them. A major attraction of the DLRs is that they are so damn small and so insanely easy to use. Analog FRS bubble packs are actually larger and more complicated to use. (LOL) DLR = Digital Lightweight Radio, according to Motorola.

The older DTR 410/550/650 models were discontinued when the new DTR 600/700 models came out at the end of 2018. Dealers may have leftover stock of the older DTR 410/550/650 models but they will soon be gone. Used DTR 410/550/650 radios can be found on eBay fairly cheaply but their condition is a big "?". New batteries are still available for them, at least for a while.

As for digital audio on GMRS...no digital audio modes allowed on GMRS plus the prospect of GMRS becoming an unlicensed bubble pack service prior to the new rules in 2017 caused me to research alternatives. I made the switch to 900MHz DTR & DLR radios prior to the new GMRS rules coming out. The new GMRS rules probably are the best outcome that we could have hoped for, all things considered. The result could have been A LOT worse. I was fully prepared and already made my "exit" in case GMRS was made license by rule and rendered a bubble pack only service. Thankfully that did not happen. I still have GMRS/FRS and MURS as backups and for interoperability but they are no longer my go-to modes for local on-site simplex type use.

I've been totally bitten by the digital radio bug so the new GMRS rules actually didn't change anything for me. I don't use analog at all anymore for my non-ham stuff. I would love to be able to use DMR and P25 digital voice modes legally on GMRS but that probably will never happen. The DTRs and DLRs work amazingly well and are my digital replacement for GMRS/FRS and MURS for local on-site simplex type use with family and friends.

 

[com501]

There is still analog on the ham bands??

 

[n1das]

There is still analog on the ham bands??

Yes there is and very much so. It's my non-ham stuff (GMRS/FRS and MURS) that I replaced with 900MHz FHSS digital radios for local on-site simplex use.

I would love to be able to legally use digital voice modes such as DMR and P25 on GMRS and MURS but that probably will never happen. *SIGHE*

 

[DaveNF2G]

There is still analog on the ham bands??

Funny you should say that. In my area, there is little traffic on analog repeaters and practically none on the digital repeaters.

 

[quarterwave]

Allowing digital and analog modes on the same uncoordinated channels is an absolute disaster. Let's hope FCC doesn't allow it.

 

[alcahuete]

Allowing digital and analog modes on the same uncoordinated channels is an absolute disaster. Let's hope FCC doesn't allow it.

Truthfully, it makes no difference. While not super regular, you hear it pretty often out here in SoCal, along with FM on CB, etc. The FCC doesn't care and doesn't have the money to enforce the regulations. So whether they allow it or not, that disaster is going to happen, especially with the prevalence of CCRs.

 

[bharvey2]

Truthfully, it makes no difference. While not super regular, you hear it pretty often out here in SoCal, along with FM on CB, etc. The FCC doesn't care and doesn't have the money to enforce the regulations. So whether they allow it or not, that disaster is going to happen, especially with the prevalence of CCRs.

I'm curious as to what you are hearing. Is it simplex traffic or are you hearing it on repeaters. As far as I know there are no manufacturers of "Cheap Chinese Repeaters"

 

[mancow]

There is still analog on the ham bands??

Doesn't seem like it.

 

[alcahuete]

I'm curious as to what you are hearing. Is it simplex traffic or are you hearing it on repeaters. As far as I know there are no manufacturers of "Cheap Chinese Repeaters"

It's simplex, not over repeaters. It's DMR on the FRS/GMRS channels.

 

[mmckenna]

It's simplex, not over repeaters. It's DMR on the FRS/GMRS channels.

Were you able to listen to the traffic?

There was a -large- nationwide radio shop that got busted for putting commercial users on GMRS frequencies many years ago. They were not the first, and I'm sure they won't be the last. Lots of schools being dumped on GMRS either by radio shops or IT guys that don't understand radio.

 

[alcahuete]

Were you able to listen to the traffic?

There was a -large- nationwide radio shop that got busted for putting commercial users on GMRS frequencies many years ago. They were not the first, and I'm sure they won't be the last. Lots of schools being dumped on GMRS either by radio shops or IT guys that don't understand radio.

Unfortunately not. I was on my Moto gear, so couldn't do anything on the fly. Just heard the ol' DMR "machine gun."

I kinda remember that happening. Very well could be left over from that. Unfortunately, it just hasn't been regular enough to catch.

 

[mmckenna]

I kinda remember that happening. Very well could be left over from that. Unfortunately, it just hasn't been regular enough to catch.

Well, it certainly could be a radio shop using it as a dumping ground.
Could be some amateurs assuming their license covers all spectrum, including GMRS and public safety, we know there are a few out there.
Could be some random dude who bought Cheap Chinese Digital Radios and doesn't know any better.

I suspect we'll hear more and more of this as time goes on.