FRS and GMRS Band Plan

[bharvey2]

47 C.F.R. Part 95 already lays out how to operate on FRS/GMRS. I live in a populated area with quite a few GMRS repeaters and FRS traffic is abundant if you're close enough. It seems to work fine as is.

 

[Duckford]

The CB band plan is actually quite important. Designating Channels 36-40 for LSB work helps to protect those trying to work SSB from AM interference, with 19 helping to create a common contact channel, and the unofficial AM long distance skip channels for people to work when conditions get hot and try to help them from spilling over all 40 channels, and help the DXer's find contacts. Nobody needs to protect Channel 6 and 11, because they can defend themselves......

Point being, in a large service like CB, designating certain channels works very well. With so many channels, there is plenty of channels to give designation for purposes, and yet plenty of free channels for everyone to use..

For small, crowded services like FRS/GMRS I can see why a band plan would never work. There aren't enough channels to assign for certain purposes, the bandwith is cut up as it is. If you start dedicating what little you have, you will have no free channels left! The bigger the band, the better the plan will work, and the smaller the service the more you need every option open.

 

[russbrill]

There is a band plan, its called the channels and modulation published in the eCFR.

Here is how bad this idea is: Where I live, cant legally use 19 & 21 (above line A), 20 is unusable due to local interference/pirates, and 1-7 is FULL id business users on FRS. Nobody needs harassed further for not following some imaginary BS "bandplan" because "it will help interoperability and motorists"

You have Pirates??? No one would or need to be harassed for not following a "Suggestion"..

 

[russbrill]

The CB band plan is actually quite important. Designating Channels 36-40 for LSB work helps to protect those trying to work SSB from AM interference, with 19 helping to create a common contact channel, and the unofficial AM long distance skip channels for people to work when conditions get hot and try to help them from spilling over all 40 channels, and help the DXer's find contacts. Nobody needs to protect Channel 6 and 11, because they can defend themselves......

Point being, in a large service like CB, designating certain channels works very well. With so many channels, there is plenty of channels to give designation for purposes, and yet plenty of free channels for everyone to use..

For small, crowded services like FRS/GMRS I can see why a band plan would never work. There aren't enough channels to assign for certain purposes, the bandwith is cut up as it is. If you start dedicating what little you have, you will have no free channels left! The bigger the band, the better the plan will work, and the smaller the service the more you need every option open.

Here we go with CB again...

 

[kruser]

The CB band plan is actually quite important. Designating Channels 36-40 for LSB work helps to protect those trying to work SSB from AM interference, with 19 helping to create a common contact channel, and the unofficial AM long distance skip channels for people to work when conditions get hot and try to help them from spilling over all 40 channels, and help the DXer's find contacts. Nobody needs to protect Channel 6 and 11, because they can defend themselves......

Back in my CB days, there was no such things as a bandplan other than Channel 9 being reserved for emergency or travelers assistance use only. Channel 19 became considered (unofficially) as the truckers channel.
I'm talking 40+ years ago. We had and used a "gentleman's" agreement as far as which modes were used on which channels but it was not a bandplan.
As far as I'm concerned, if there ever was a CB bandplan, it would have been for Channel 9 only. One channel out of 23 or 40 is hardly a bandplan though.
Channel 9 use was originally an FCC rule stated on the license application you sent in which was needed to get a license which made it legal for you to talk on the Class D CB band.
The use of SSB modes on 16 or 36 to 40 was all part of the gentleman's agreement as was the use of Channel 19 amongst the truckers across the country.
Today, the Class D CB band still has no bandplan. It's still self governed by the same 'gentleman's" agreement from way back in yesteryear.

 

[KevinC]

Here we go with CB again...

I like 38 Mhz better.

 

[alcahuete]

This is all your opinion, just like the band plan concept.

It is. Just like your band plan concept is all your opinion. Though funny...you can't find a single person to agree with your opinion, just like all your other "Let's Fix GMRS!" threads. Again, you are desperately seeking a problem for a solution, just like in all the other GMRS threads you have created. The issue is that no problem actually exists.

And we keep hearing about CB usage from people that probably haven't owned one for decades...

I have a Grant XL somewhere still, but these days, I just use my ham gear for listening on the CB. Good for seeing 10m and 12m propagation.

And for the record, 19 was for East/West Highways, and 17 was for North/South...

Well aware. And for the record, outside of very small usage, it hasn't been used in that manner for decades.

 

[russbrill]

It is. Just like your band plan concept is all your opinion. Though funny...you can't find a single person to agree with your opinion, just like all your other "Let's Fix GMRS!" threads. Again, you are desperately seeking a problem for a solution, just like in all the other GMRS threads you have created. The issue is that no problem actually exists.




I have a Grant XL somewhere still, but these days, I just use my ham gear for listening on the CB. Good for seeing 10m and 12m propagation.




Well aware. And for the record, outside of very small usage, it hasn't been used in that manner for decades.

On a propagation note... Sometimes 11 meters is wide open and 10 is dead as a door nail, you can really see where the MUF is sometimes..

 

[russbrill]

It is. Just like your band plan concept is all your opinion. Though funny...you can't find a single person to agree with your opinion, just like all your other "Let's Fix GMRS!" threads. Again, you are desperately seeking a problem for a solution, just like in all the other GMRS threads you have created. The issue is that no problem actually exists.




I have a Grant XL somewhere still, but these days, I just use my ham gear for listening on the CB. Good for seeing 10m and 12m propagation.




Well aware. And for the record, outside of very small usage, it hasn't been used in that manner for decades.

Not much on 17/19 CB anymore, lots of truckers are becoming "Phone Zombies"

 

[russbrill]

I like 38 Mhz better.

Ouch I tried to resurrect the 38 MHz body a few times, but no pulse

 

[AK9R]

Here we go with CB again...

On a propagation note... Sometimes 11 meters is wide open and 10 is dead as a door nail, you can really see where the MUF is sometimes..

Not much on 17/19 CB anymore, lots of truckers are becoming "Phone Zombies"

If you don't want to talk about CB in this thread, then why are you responding to posts about it?

I think you need to show us that any suggestion for an FRS or GMRS "band plan" has merit. Would a band plan solve a nationwide problem? Are the users looking for some structure to the FRS and GMRS channels? Would a band plan be accepted by the users? Would a band plan be promoted by the manufacturers? Unless you have answers to those questions, then this thread, like your others on this topic, serves no purpose.

 

[FiveFilter]

Poor ole Russbrilll has been trying to gin-up interest on a truckers' forum too, with nil effect.

He's having a rough time of it all, but seems to be quite enthusiastic.

 

[russbrill]

Poor ole Russbrilll has been trying to gin-up interest on a truckers' forum too, with nil effect.

He's having a rough time of it all, but seems to be quite enthusiastic.

One thing about russbrill, he doesn't hide behind internet identities, he's pretty open about who he is...

 

[russbrill]

If you don't want to talk about CB in this thread, then why are you responding to posts about it?

I think you need to show us that any suggestion for an FRS or GMRS "band plan" has merit. Would a band plan solve a nationwide problem? Are the users looking for some structure to the FRS and GMRS channels? Would a band plan be accepted by the users? Would a band plan be promoted by the manufacturers? Unless you have answers to those questions, then this thread, like your others on this topic, serves no purpose.

Check, I'll get right on that

 

[FiveFilter]

One thing about russbrill, he doesn't hide behind internet identities, he's pretty open about who he is...

Too many pedophiles in sunglasses to put name and address on the Internet.

 

[ChrisABQ]

I'm excited about GMRS, I think it can be a great method of communications for regular people (not bashing Ham's at all), but over-regulating it with band plans is ridiculous. That just sounds like something our current Socialist style government is trying to do with everything else. Let's keep the tiny ounce of freedom we still have left.

 

[03msc]

One thing about russbrill, he doesn't hide behind internet identities, he's pretty open about who he is...

That’s true! He apparently thinks he’s more important than he really is, though. Weird. Poor guy...

Typically smarter in online forums to not plaster one’s name and address on posts so I don’t blame anyone for following the suggested guidance of a random handle/username. Some crazies out there; wouldn’t want someone showing up at your Sacramento door, for example. Wisely using a random username doesn’t discredit anyone just like someone plastering their call sign and name doesn’t automatically give them more credit or clout.

On a more serious note, you may be the most upstanding ham to ever exist and may sincerely believe your idea here would make a vast improvement in GMRS. Others have explained why it won’t, though, so sometimes the best thing to do is move on. Put that energy behind something that actually needs to be fixed instead of creating a problem just so you can then try to fix it. Best of luck!

 

[KevinC]

One thing about russbrill, he doesn't hide behind internet identities, he's pretty open about who he is...

I guess if I was looking for attention I would do that as well....but I'm not so I don't.

 

[KevinC]

I think this idea has run its course as well. Closing.

 

[mikewazowski]

Anybody wishing to discuss this further can go here: New Radio!!!

Looks like Russ is trying to peddle his scheme elsewhere. Got to wonder why he doesn't take his proposals to the FCC directly?