GMRS Two-Way Radios

[N_Jay]

Sorry -- it's not like HAM or military bands, or even CB these days.

The GMRS radios are mass marketed and ready-to use (less the charge overnight instructions).

I'd agree that licensing isn't a bad idea, but adding $80 cost to radios that cost about that much is silly. How would they tell the licensed vs unlicensed?

I think the licensing requirement is silly. If you want to mass-market a radio that requires licensing, at least make the user code their call-sign into the radio before operation, maybe using a secret key paired with each call sign, but at least a call sign that is automatically transmitted and necessary to enable the radio.

I certainly would advise businesses to be extra careful, and think anyone with the extra time and $80 who is in the least bit concerned to get a license (or just FRS or MURS).

Happy talking

People seem to think GMRS is something new.
It has been around since the 1960's.
In structure and licensing is is more like "Business Band for Individuals", rather than just more FRS.
The licensing requirment (and fees) have been there since the beginning.
Maybe the companies putting these in retail is taking advantage of the lack of enforcement, but that is no reason to break the law.

 

[nmfire10]

Maybe the companies putting these in retail is taking advantage of the lack of enforcement, but that is no reason to break the law.

Actually, these companies are making boat loads of money on their crappy bubble pack 5-Mile radios. They know they are not breaking the law, only the end user and they don't care as long as they get their money.

 

[scanhoog]

N_Jay,

Not in my case -- I know the service has been around a while. But, like CB when confronted with mass-market devices, the usage will change and eventually the rules will follow suit.

IMO, if the FCC cared, they would take steps to change the way the radios (particularly FRS/GMRS capable) are packaged, marketed, etc.

Now that "bubble packs" are being sold everywhere, licensing is almost silly, again IMHO.

I doubt even 1% of the radio owners consider licensing and maybe 5-10% are aware it may be necessary. Personally, I don't care whether most GMRS users have licenses or not, but that is where it's going.

We all have way to much freetime ;-)

 

[jhooten]

Walmart sells a pair of Unidens for $17.95 that have a fixed antenna, operate at a max power of .5 watt, BUT they have chanels 15-22 in them. Are they a GRMS radio? NO. They do not have the repeater channels programmed, they are low power, have a crappy antenna, and a GRMS model number. However the FCC grant has the following little gem:

Output power listed is ERP. This device is authorized to operate in the following radio services: FRS (Part 95B) or GMRS (Part 95A). There must be an informational insert inside the box (product package) or the User’s Manual must include information that clearly informs the consumer (buyer/ owner) when the radio is transmitting on GMRS frequencies, that operation on GMRS frequencies requires an FCC license and such operation is subject to additional rules specified in 47 C.F.R. Part 95.

SOOOOOOOOOOO............
As long as the user stays below channel 15 they are legal.

 

[OTTER]

I hold a za license for grms. My question and or seeking of knowledge is wondering what the purpose of the license is other than the collection of fees?
I have uniden 8 mile radios and I have never come close to 8 miles or anything close. They really are a short range communication device for recreation basically. just wondering thanks for the posts guys!

 

[Voyager]

Walmart sells a pair of Unidens for $17.95 that have a fixed antenna, operate at a max power of .5 watt, BUT they have chanels 15-22 in them. Are they a GRMS radio? NO. They do not have the repeater channels programmed, they are low power, have a crappy antenna, and a GRMS model number.

The fixed (crappy) antenna is a requirement for the FRS service.

Joe M.

 

[nmfire10]

Walmart sells a pair of Unidens for $17.95 that have a fixed antenna, operate at a max power of .5 watt, BUT they have chanels 15-22 in them. Are they a GRMS radio? NO.

YES they are. A radio is not required to have the repeater inputs, 4 watts of power, and a detachable antenna to be called a GMRS radio.

I almost hope they do away with the license requirement. I would then throw up a repeater and use it for myself and friends to communicate around town and from house-to-house. It isn't worth it for us to all get licenses individualy at this point. The way things are going right now, removing the license requirement would really have no widespread effect on it's use.

 

[jhooten]

Walmart sells a pair of Unidens for $17.95 that have a fixed antenna, operate at a max power of .5 watt, BUT they have chanels 15-22 in them. Are they a GRMS radio? NO. They do not have the repeater channels programmed, they are low power, have a crappy antenna, and a GRMS model number.

The fixed (crappy) antenna is a requirement for the FRS service.

Joe M.

Exactly. My point was that the unit it question was an FRS radio that they stuck the extra GMRS only freqs in. That don't make it a real GMRS radio. The test data submitted to the FCC for certification of this unit shows a measured power into a 50 ohm load to be .48 watt. The ERP with the crappy antenna connected was a whopping .13 watt.

 

[N_Jay]

I hold a za license for grms. My question and or seeking of knowledge is wondering what the purpose of the license is other than the collection of fees?
I have uniden 8 mile radios and I have never come close to 8 miles or anything close. They really are a short range communication device for recreation basically. just wondering thanks for the posts guys!

Lets go the other way.

ALL (non-amature) radio services have a license fee. FRS, is license free.

 

[jhooten]

Are they a GRMS radio? NO.

YES they are. A radio is not required to have the repeater inputs, 4 watts of power, and a detachable antenna to be called a GMRS radio.

Perhaps I should have better phrased the question, are they a radio a real user of GRMS would want to buy? The lack of programability, repeater capability, and limited range do not satify the need when the family has to keep in touch on anything larger than couple acres/city blocks.

 

[CAT]

IMO, if the FCC cared, they would take steps to change the way the radios (particularly FRS/GMRS capable) are packaged, marketed, etc. Now that "bubble packs" are being sold everywhere, licensing is almost silly, again IMHO.

The FCC made a big mistake in the way they license GMRS radios. The way it should be done is you apply for a license first, and only when you have the license in hand can you purchase a radio. Now, this requires participation of the retailer, and your local junk stores probably would not be handling these radios if they had to do through this ordeal. Although when it comes time for renewal you will probably only seen a small percent re-apply, but at least the initial purchase was done by someone with a license.

GMRS is on its way to becoming the 00’s version of CB radio; it started out with alot of merit, but has turned into another good idea that gets abused. The FCC has no ability to police this band and will probably turn it into another unlicensed service before too long. Maybe I should stop promoting this, but MURS is what I routinely recommend to someone looking at the CB/FRS/GMRS radio services. In the scanner I have a bank set up to monitor these frequencies and seldom do I hear any activity on MURS, but CB, FRS & GMRS are nothing but a radio-spectrum wasteland of dorks, geeks and wantabes polluting the airwaves.

 

[nmfire10]

.... MURS is what I routinely recommend to someone looking at the CB/FRS/GMRS radio services.

Ditto. Radios can be had on the cheap and there is little to no other users, no stupid call beeps, etc.

 

[dpatrick51]

the radios your wife purchased

, these guys are trying to scare you, or just kidding around with you, the fcc is not peeping around every corner with some type sofisticated tracking advice with guns and handcuffs drawn, it is the people who abuse the system and use the radios for business and are rude and vulgar on the radio who is the ones who needs to worry, but for people like you and your wife who want them for dependable radio to radio communications, the fcc isnt going to track you down, or any thing, i have several radios on different freq and bands i use around the farm here and some are 100+ watt units and for over 20 years i havent had a fcc lic. and have never been bothered or approached by the fcc or anyone else. be sure the radios you have and the freq, they are programmed isnt a shared freq. or busy all the time.if you turn on your radios and leave them on for several hours and dont hear someone else breaking in or talking chances are you have a clear freq. and use it and enjoy it. sometimes you can also have radios reporgrammed fairly cheap to work on frs or murs freq.dont sleep with one eye open, enjoy. don

 

[nmfire10]

Re: the radios your wife purchased

, these guys are trying to scare you, or just kidding around with you, the fcc is not peeping around every corner with some type sofisticated tracking advice with guns and handcuffs drawn, it is the people who abuse the system and use the radios for business and are rude and vulgar on the radio who is the ones who needs to worry, but for people like you and your wife who want them for dependable radio to radio communications, the fcc isnt going to track you down, or any thing, i have several radios on different freq and bands i use around the farm here and some are 100+ watt units and for over 20 years i havent had a fcc lic. and have never been bothered or approached by the fcc or anyone else. be sure the radios you have and the freq, they are programmed isnt a shared freq. or busy all the time.if you turn on your radios and leave them on for several hours and dont hear someone else breaking in or talking chances are you have a clear freq. and use it and enjoy it. sometimes you can also have radios reporgrammed fairly cheap to work on frs or murs freq.dont sleep with one eye open, enjoy. don

That's great advice :roll: :roll: :roll: :roll:

 

[N_Jay]

Re: the radios your wife purchased

, these guys are trying to scare you, or just kidding around with you, the fcc is not peeping around every corner with some type sofisticated tracking advice with guns and handcuffs drawn, it is the people who abuse the system and use the radios for business and are rude and vulgar on the radio who is the ones who needs to worry, but for people like you and your wife who want them for dependable radio to radio communications, the fcc isnt going to track you down, or any thing, i have several radios on different freq and bands i use around the farm here and some are 100+ watt units and for over 20 years i havent had a fcc lic. and have never been bothered or approached by the fcc or anyone else. be sure the radios you have and the freq, they are programmed isnt a shared freq. or busy all the time.if you turn on your radios and leave them on for several hours and dont hear someone else breaking in or talking chances are you have a clear freq. and use it and enjoy it. sometimes you can also have radios reporgrammed fairly cheap to work on frs or murs freq.dont sleep with one eye open, enjoy. don

Very true. The questions you need to ask yourself is:
Do you want to be a person who only follows the law when there is the threat of punishment?

 

[scanfan03]

Re: the radios your wife purchased

, these guys are trying to scare you, or just kidding around with you, the fcc is not peeping around every corner with some type sofisticated tracking advice with guns and handcuffs drawn, it is the people who abuse the system and use the radios for business and are rude and vulgar on the radio who is the ones who needs to worry, but for people like you and your wife who want them for dependable radio to radio communications, the fcc isnt going to track you down, or any thing, i have several radios on different freq and bands i use around the farm here and some are 100+ watt units and for over 20 years i havent had a fcc lic. and have never been bothered or approached by the fcc or anyone else. be sure the radios you have and the freq, they are programmed isnt a shared freq. or busy all the time.if you turn on your radios and leave them on for several hours and dont hear someone else breaking in or talking chances are you have a clear freq. and use it and enjoy it. sometimes you can also have radios reporgrammed fairly cheap to work on frs or murs freq.dont sleep with one eye open, enjoy. don

And this is a nice place to post this (on a PUBLIC forum, where everyone can read this), just post your location so the FCC can find you.

 

[N_Jay]

Re: the radios your wife purchased

, these guys are trying to scare you, or just kidding around with you, the fcc is not peeping around every corner with some type sofisticated tracking advice with guns and handcuffs drawn, it is the people who abuse the system and use the radios for business and are rude and vulgar on the radio who is the ones who needs to worry, but for people like you and your wife who want them for dependable radio to radio communications, the fcc isnt going to track you down, or any thing, i have several radios on different freq and bands i use around the farm here and some are 100+ watt units and for over 20 years i havent had a fcc lic. and have never been bothered or approached by the fcc or anyone else. be sure the radios you have and the freq, they are programmed isnt a shared freq. or busy all the time.if you turn on your radios and leave them on for several hours and dont hear someone else breaking in or talking chances are you have a clear freq. and use it and enjoy it. sometimes you can also have radios reporgrammed fairly cheap to work on frs or murs freq.dont sleep with one eye open, enjoy. don

And this is a nice place to post this (on a PUBLIC forum, where everyone can read this), just post your location so the FCC can find you.

Don't worry, it won't help them find you, but it also does not make it any more RIGHT!!!

 

[jerneedog]

Well...I was able to cancel the order for those radios.
I'm very interested in MURS radios.

Does this radio, Radio Shack BTX-127, fall under the MURS classification?

If not...could someone post some links to some?

 

[N_Jay]

Well...I was able to cancel the order for those radios.
I'm very interested in MURS radios.

Does this radio, Radio Shack BTX-127, fall under the MURS classification?

If not...could someone post some links to some?

http://support.radioshack.com//support_tutorials/communications/cfq-1901206.htm

 

[jerneedog]

Well...at least I thought the order was canceled?
Anyway...I got home from work today and my wife opened the package
the radios came in and I read this in the manual:

IMPORTANT NOTICE, FCC LICENSE REQUIRED

The GXT200 operate on GMRS (General Mobile Radio Service) frequencies
which require an FCC license.

A user must be licensed prior to operating on channels 1-7 or 15-22, which
comprise the GMRS channels of the GXT200. Serious penalties could result
for unlicensed use of GMRS channels, in violation of FCC rules, as stipulated
in the Communication's Act's Sections 501 and 502 (amended).

So...I'm able to use channels 8-14 without an FCC license.
Just wanted to share this info.