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FRS / GMRS intercommunications

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SkipSanders

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Since the question had come up (elsewhere), and has been a subject of argument, I poked the FCC answer line about this question:

Is it legal for a GMRS station to communicate with an FRS station on the channels shared by both services?

Just got the answer back:

Solution Details : Dear Robert,

Yes it is legal for a GMRS station to communicate with an FRS station on the channels shared by the two services. If you are licensed to use GMRS. Please see website FCC: Wireless Services: General Mobile Radio Service: GMRS Home for further information.

If you have any further questions, or need additional information, please submit a request through FCC Support or call the ULS Customer Support Hotline at (877) 480-3201 and select option 2 after the main menu recording.

Sincerely,
ULS Customer Support Hotline
Agent 3823
 

KD8DVR

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It is of course legal, if each station operates under the conditions of their "license" FRS is "license by rule" A 500mW FRS station may communicate with a GMRS station. The GMRS station still must ID... IF operating over 500 mW and under equipment and other regulations that do not cover FRS rules.
 

iMONITOR

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The GMRS operator must also limit himself to FRS channels 1-7, and his power can not exceed 5 watts on those channels, and simplex mode.

GMRS is not allowed to talk on FRS channels 8-14.
 

gewecke

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The GMRS operator must also limit himself to FRS channels 1-7, and his power can not exceed 5 watts on those channels, and simplex mode.

GMRS is not allowed to talk on FRS channels 8-14.

Good point. I was going to mention this,but you beat me to it!:lol:
n9zas
 

KB7MIB

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No. A GMRS radio cannot operate on FRS channels 8-14. On those channels, a radio cannot have any capability whatsoever to operate with more than 0.5 watts, (turning the power output down isn't enough) and a radio cannot have a detachable antenna.
 

ThomasMcKean

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No. A GMRS radio cannot operate on FRS channels 8-14. On those channels, a radio cannot have any capability whatsoever to operate with more than 0.5 watts, (turning the power output down isn't enough) and a radio cannot have a detachable antenna.

But most GMRS radios *are* FRS radios. I tell yew what, the FCC sure made a BIG mistake when they allowed that! :(
 

ThomasMcKean

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Frs ch 8-14 are automatically reduced to a half watt or 500 milliwatts. You have no choice to vary the power out on those channels.

73,
n9zas

That is true on many models. I wonder how many people just don't know that? I heard some people cussing up a storm the other day on channel 8 on my scanner. I figured they were likely in my yard or maybe across the street. But since they didn't seem to be the kinda people I would want to meet, I didn't even check.
 
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