GMRS radios

[Jammin_Jay]

I guess the cat is out of the bag. No permit or liscense is required for a GRMS radio in Canada now. Now i see lots of stores advertising these radios in there flyers, Canadian Tire, Zellers, Futureshop. Has anyone bought one of these and how do they compare to the 0.5 w FRS radios. According to Industry Canada's Web Page. Spectrum Management Department concludes that these radios are only allowed to be manufactured to transmit a maximum of 2 watts, yet These adds in the flyers indicate range of anywhere from 8km -> 11km. Curious to the comparison of the olf FRS to the new GMRS. can the difference between 0.5w and 2watts really jump the fence here, by claiming a max of 3.2 jumping way up to 8 or 9 km, with 4 times the power. The curious of the comparison.

 

[N_Jay]

I guess the cat is out of the bag. No permit or liscense is required for a GRMS radio in Canada now. Now i see lots of stores advertising these radios in there flyers, Canadian Tire, Zellers, Futureshop. Has anyone bought one of these and how do they compare to the 0.5 w FRS radios. According to Industry Canada's Web Page. Spectrum Management Department concludes that these radios are only allowed to be manufactured to transmit a maximum of 2 watts, yet These adds in the flyers indicate range of anywhere from 8km -> 11km. Curious to the comparison of the olf FRS to the new GMRS. can the difference between 0.5w and 2watts really jump the fence here, by claiming a max of 3.2 jumping way up to 8 or 9 km, with 4 times the power. The curious of the comparison.

2.5X the distance for 4X the power.

Not a bad guess, but these distance estimates are not much more than a guess applied to best case conditions.

4X the power will take a scratchy squelch edge readable signal and make it fairly clear. It will take a unreadable signal that occasionally breaks squelch and bring it up to a noisy but readable signal.

AND

It will eat batteries much faster.

 

[peteman]

With a 2 watt radio you could get up to 9 kms if you are in the manitoba.

 

[tonsoffun]

Was just in Barrie and Costco had them for $89.99. I think they where Cobras.

 

[mrweather]

Yep, the one Costco in Mississauga had them too. Comes with battery packs and charger.

Considering I paid over $100 for my FRS pair (no batteries) a few years ago it seems like a decent deal.

 

[chevyman]

i saw some motorolas in zellers with chargers and battery packs for $100 i believe.

 

[SCPD]

Thats way too much .. if you live out west, London Drugs has them for $30 a pair. Now there is another good reason for living out west other than the people being nicer.

 

[scnnr]

i saw some motorolas in zellers with chargers and battery packs for $100 i believe.

I was looking at these ones in Future Shop Yesterday. They are quite big radios. well built and feel fairly heavy. Motorola Talkabout T7100

http://www.futureshop.ca/catalog/pr...n=&langid=EN&dept=19&WLBS=fsweb18

I paid more than that a few years ago for one Midland Speakeasy 1/2 watt radio.

Has anyone bought and tried out one of these units yet to get an idea of how long to charge them, how long the charge will last and the kind of range that we can expect out of them.

 

[DaveH]

I wouldn't be taken in by any of these so-called range
claims. Doubling power (1W)will add about 40% to the
range. Quadrupling power will double range, all other
things being equal. How did they make this leap from
3.2km to 11km, or in some cases 12.8 or 13km?

The 7100's look big, but rather neat, although pricey.
I've seem a Moto model (5500 or 5700) which looks like
the older 53xx/54xx series but with 1W out and claims
8km. Probably still a good radio.

Personally I have no use for these dinky ones that
run on 3 AAA cells. Maybe they are 500mW even on
GMRS?

Dave

 

[Jammin_Jay]

According to industry Canada Website. These radios can only transmit a maximum of 2 watts ERP. some may be 1 others may be 2. These radios that are sold in Canada must conform to industry standards. So i would assume 2 watts Max, which in no way would get u 11km. I would assume that they are saying this cause FRS which is 3.2 km (500mw) x 4 = 12.8 km or 2watts . Which is incorrect more power doesn't necessarily mean more distance. I suppose this is how they a making there calculations to fool people into buying them. A person who has no RF knowldege would assume "hey thats great 11 km".

 

[mrweather]

Yep, the target audience is definitely not radio-savvy!

Considering it's 2 W ERP I wonder how efficient the antennas are. The finals may put out 2 watts, but with a -10 dB antenna the actual radiated RF will be under 250 mW (if my math is correct).

And if I understand the antennas aren't removeable. So much for using a nice 1/4 wave replacement whip.

 

[N_Jay]

Yep, the target audience is definitely not radio-savvy!

Considering it's 2 W ERP I wonder how efficient the antennas are. The finals may put out 2 watts, but with a -10 dB antenna the actual radiated RF will be under 250 mW (if my math is correct).

And if I understand the antennas aren't removeable. So much for using a nice 1/4 wave replacement whip.

OR you could uyse the -10 Db antenna and transmit 20 watts (ERP = 2W)

I think we all agree that those numbers are (AS HAS BEEN SAID) best case, no obstructions, maybe hilltop to hill top, or maybe over water.

 

[tonsoffun]

I'm sure there is a way to modify the radio so you can use an external antenna. For the house or the car!.

 

[N_Jay]

I'm sure there is a way to modify the radio so you can use an external antenna. For the house or the car!.

I don't know what the Canadian rules are, but the US rules for FRS do not allow removable antennas. (or the chnaging of the antenna the unit was designed with.)

 

[Jammin_Jay]

Also to add.. IC website also indicates that the gmrs radios sold in canada cannot be equipped with repeater access functions. Since there are some GMRS repeaters still around. For those in the United States I believe you still require a permit or have to fill out a permit when purchasing a GMRS radio according to FCC. For those in Canada, Industry Canada has allowed GMRS radio to be sold to anyone. You can find them in most department stores. Ever since the government allowed release on Sept 9,2004

 

[tonsoffun]

Rules What rules!. Has anyone ever followed fcc or doc rules. HAHAHA
I knew the rules when I had my modified HR2510 but still transmitted.
I'm sure people will still try to put external antennas no matter what!

 

[N_Jay]

Rules What rules!. Has anyone ever followed fcc or doc rules. HAHAHA
I knew the rules when I had my modified HR2510 but still transmitted.
I'm sure people will still try to put external antennas no matter what!

Yep, thats why they are MADE with NON_REMOVABLE antennas.

Anything is posible with enough effort or foolishness!

 

[tonsoffun]

If the antennas where put in, they can be taken out!. And yes there is lots people that are foolish as you say, but there are people out there that want to experiment and try different things and see what becomes, thats all :wink:

Maybe the little gmrs/frs police will go after those people!! :wink:

 

[robsterw]

i wonder what kind of interference you would get on this?

i mean, would you pick many people up on it?

i haven't used walkie talkies since i was a little kid.

you could pickup baby monitors and other people's walkie talkies on it. sometimes you could hear some interesting stuff.

ahh. those were the days.

 

[N_Jay]

If the antennas where put in, they can be taken out!. And yes there is lots people that are foolish as you say, but there are people out there that want to experiment and try different things and see what becomes, thats all :wink:

Maybe the little gmrs/frs police will go after those people!! :wink:

Maybe if you want to EXPERIMENT, you should do it in the bands set aside for EXPERIMENTATION.

That is what Amature is for. :wink:

GMRS/FRS are for persoanl communications within the rules esablished for everyone!

But, I guess you are one of the SPECIAL people to who the rules don't apply! :evil: :evil: :evil: