.... I'm going on the premise that Gmrs is a hobbyist band, when you consider the fact that the Family radio service is tucked in the middle of those. .....
And that indicates … what?
Most of the long term users of the FRS radio service are not using it in what I would call a “hobby” capacity.
Using it during a hunting/fishing trip.
Using it in a warehouse.
Using it for neighborhood watch.
And using it to keep track of family members during a vacation…
Are situations where they are using the service to fulfill a specific application. (Either personal or professional) The enjoyment gained from using a radio (if there is any) is purely secondary to the desired application.
The hobby classification comes into play when any material benefit from the use of the radio is negligible, or secondary to the enjoyment derived from the use of the radio equipment.
If someone got a set of FRS radios to keep track of each other during a road trip, then they are not using it in a hobby capacity.
If they got a set of FRS radios because they are just the coolest things they seen, and they had no intended , or specific application for them when purchasing them, then yes, they are using the service in a hobby capacity.
I've heard a little bit of digital on the GMRS/FRS frequencies but it has been sporadic and hasn't really created any interference problems with my use and I haven't heard anybody complain. People complain to me about a lot of radio related things but since none of it has been about digital, I don't think it's really causing any problem around here.
