CB Radio, FRS & MURS Radios Explained - Which License Free Radio Service Is The Best?

[@rckgnzls]

Wow! Wrong again. Consistent, I’ll give you that.

[@TheNotaRubicon]

Ladies and gentlemen ....as predicted....

[@patrickhenry8425]

Every. Single. Time.

[@JohnnyG193]

@@TheNotaRubicon😂😂😂

[@ericcastle380]

Elaborate and Educate for all of us that can't tell right from wrong. But stay as sad as possible so as we'll believe you better.

[@wesselwhitehead5116]

you knobs are so funny...go somewhere else , you're not doing your image much good here

[@jeffreyjohnson3577]

I took my MURS to WalMart. Well what ya know, they were using channel #4 for in store communications. Now I take it with me all the time. You never know when you might need a clean-up on isle 13! See ya all later.

[@adamreynolds8270]

We need all available customer service representatives to the front of the store to help out with the registers.

[@brandonmartin4685]

Same in my town. They tried to make me get off the frequency with threats. I gave them the fcc rules and left them alone.

[@orpheusepiphanes2797]

Oh my...I shall have fun with this

[@WillShattuck]

Not only is your delivery amazing it is also filled with lots of information. Thank you!

[@brentchristians9888]

You laid out the pros and cons perfectly. You last comment was spot on. "Decide for yourself what service best suits your needs."

[@mikeingeorgia1]

I currently mess with CB and GMRS. I hear a good bit of chatter when I’m just scanning on GMRS. When we’re traveling I use the privacy tones so we don’t have to hear anything but our own group. The CB on the other hand, it has absolutely no shortage of assclownery. And as far as the southern accent thing on CB, I ain’t never heard of anyone retiring and moving up north lol

[@dereklea1183]

That’s true. No one EVER retires in the South and moves to the North. CB radio is for the ones that have relatives that have carnal relationships with each other. GMRS is a close second but they at least don’t do their sisters doggystyle.

[@rharris1978]

The video was great. Informative and dramatic - I was worried the good pencil was going to be replaced.

[@royrobinson4636]

The "Good Pencil" was Pointless, however, it makes an eye-catching and mind-boggling prop! Much like driving up to the gates at Mara Lago in a 1971 AMC Gremlin 🤣

[@DVINTHEHOUSEMAN]

MURS is what I use normally for portables. Very dead around here and it goes through the forest fairly well. Once you enter a building made of something other than wood however, it typically gets very staticy since VHF isn't the best at penetrating buildings. Some businesses locally use FRS for their communications, and tourists as well. CB doesn't have much local traffic on it here.

[@Jkp1321]

My church group uses MURS radios. Our church building is practically a faraday cage that blocks cell service but MURS actually gets through just fine.

[@tnfreemason]

Gmrs is easily my favorite now. Frs second and I use MURS on a modified H.a.M. Radio at way above 2 watts with a Rodger beep enabled.

[@Yugo-CA]

🤣

[@dereklea1183]

You need that rover beep to locate, and alert, the other pole smokers out there. A roger beep is the universal location, and identification, symbol in which the queers find each other. Not judging just making an observation.

[@clydeosterhout1221]

Great review! I use all three on a regular basis, and I can't think of anything you missed. There is of course one more license free radio service, VHF Marine, but that really isn't relevant to the vast majority of your audience. Here on the coast though it is definitely a thing!

[@Average-Joe-Schmo]

So since I don't live on the coast and marine VHF does not require a license I can use those frequencies and they will be quite?

[@RussellNelson]

Also on lakes or canals, where you need to tell the lock keeper that you'd really like him to open the lock for you.

[@bobbybyrne4415]

​@@Average-Joe-Schmo Yes you do need to have a license to operate a marine radio, they are for ship to ship or ship to shore within 25 miles miles of the shore line within the civilian sector, but there is an exception of exemption for law enforcement and military. There have been many of commercial transportation companies and average people like yourself fined for using marine radios outside of itheir spectrum by the FCC, and other law enforcement agencies.

[@ssrrocks22]

I must say, you have a plethora of #2 ✏️ I'm sure you will not need another box intil the next whatever... I especially love the way you explain things to all your followers but how you truly don't give a flying "F" about what some think. Keep up the good work...

[@dsolo3250]

If you tape pencils around your antenna it will filter out the noise and increase the clarity in reception. The graphite acts as a filter for radio signals just like charcoal carbon is used to filter water.

[@Yugo-CA]

🤣

[@magooracing]

Good to know!

[@hazcat640]

The only acceptable use for charcoal is making Black Powder (and grilling). 😁

[@KaL_Terow]

😂😂😂

[@okhouri]

I learn nothing from these videos, I just watch them for the laughs and the entertainment. Thank you very much for continuing to make them

[@3dtexan890]

How can anyone not love this channel? I want that pencil! lol

[@TheBigDawgz71]

Dude, he bit the shit out of that pencil!!! lol

[@DieselDoktor]

I was literally getting ready to type out something about Randy losing touch with his roots because of those nice fancy pencils… then he totally redeemed himself. 😂

[@3rdpig]

For the love of Xenu, a little warning before you showed those "Murrrrsss" pictures would have been appreciated!

[@KrisMinnear]

Sometimes it helps to try and picture the animated Betty Rubble instead.

[@RodneyTBarnes]

😂

[@chrissewell1608]

​@@KrisMinnear🤢🤮

[@morthomer5804]

Gut wrenching

[@ericcastle380]

Rosie D Rubble

[@TheBigDawgz71]

Don’t hate on the southern accents…. lol love your vids. Long time CB user, short time ham operator, brand new GMRS transmitter over FARS. Keep making great Vidgas. Learn lots!!

[@JayTX.]

My grandpa was a driver my dad still is , sadly you don't hear the trash on the radio as much as you used to since cell phones no one talks . He used to have a home rig and talk to people across the country it was awesome to see

[@jerrywhere86193]

Any idea what a cb with am and fm channels are compared to. I am lost with this stuff? At least that's what I remember from the 2000s. They talked about side bands and they said they could split channels as well.

[@togeika]

Was KEC0500 in the '70s when I worked in the yard at a UPS hub. Just bought a President Randy II FCC Walkie Talkie a couple days ago. Have a CRT SS6900V 10/11meter coming before Xmas. Sunspot activity is up, peaking in 2025. Aldis uses FRS 21 where I live. On simplex, mostly you hear bubble pack radios, construction, fast food and groceries stores around there. Adults on GMRS are on repeaters.

[@hansoak3664]

I've been using the President Randy II FCC for about a week and I have been really impressed. It blows away any of the handhelds that I've used on Chicken Band since the 1970s ~ 1990s. That stock antenna works surprisingly way better than I expected.

[@jacktaylor3001]

Citizen Band radios will normally get out more than a mile. 3 to 4 is far more common. I've gotten 6.5 from my mobile to the house. BUT, you have redeemed your inaccuracy with the splendid picks of Mr O'Donnell. Bravo, my friend. Bravo.

[@robertmeyer4744]

great and simple. I made it easy. just have all radios . works for me.

[@alanscott3999]

I'm glad that you didn't mention that Walmart uses MURS channels for in store employee radios. I'm also glad that you did mention that a lot of truck stops sell 10 meter HAM amplifiers that could be also improperly used on 11meters. BTW, 11 meters is HAM geek speak for CB radio.

[@turbochardged]

Or that Target uses FRS radios.

[@ericcastle380]

So what about the plethora of businesses that are using chinese-ieum radios on their out of the box frequencies that aren't legal at all?

[@underthehall]

Walmart is moving away from MURS and starting to roll out Motorola DLR digital radios to all of their stores.

[@Jkp1321]

@@underthehall seems rather fancy

[@neiljohnson6815]

The Wal Marts around where I live use GMRS radios.

[@dudeh9702]

I still have some FRS bubble pack Motorolas that are 0.5 Watt, 14-channel, and it was always confusing to keep FRS 1-14 lined up with GMRS 1-22. I'm so glad the FCC combined the two systems and simplified everything. Time to buy new GMRS and FRS radios though!

[@wesselwhitehead5116]

thank you for an entertaining video. Here in South Africa we're using CB, GMRS and Ham. our communication authority is so useless that they make the FCC look like hyperactive toddlers. people kinda do whatever they like here, although we also get the doos's (Afrikaans name for a lady part) that think they're the airwave police.

[@rockspydre]

I just KNEW he was going to say “Smokey and the Bandit!” And then he threw a curve ball. This guy is great. Good info, too. I grew up on CB. Still like it. I used to travel a lot, driving. And it was great to help keep me awake. And there were a couple of times in snowstorms I was really glad I had it. It does have a lot of southern, or country, accents on it, I guess. But was usually rather entertaining. But in total, I like about anything that uses airwaves.

[@rockspydre]

Grew up on cb figuratively. I wasn’t driving until I was almost grown. Well, no, not almost grown. But legal at least. But I was cb-ing before I could drive.

[@TribbleBot]

He took a right turn, Clyde

[@michaelbolton2741]

Nicely unconfuckulated explanation for those who may not understand the geekspeak that we radio nerds use. Even though I have an Amateur license (non-Sad Ham variety), for my purposes with communicating among family and friends, Ye Olde 27 Mygigglehertz CB works just fine. Familiar, simple, easy to use...because the last thing anyone needs in an emergency is a confuckulated radio setup. 😉

[@unclebob4208]

MURS on a UV-5R, set to low power... of course.

[@chaimafaghet7343]

Yep, that's my go-to for tooling around in the desert too. You own the dot channels and nobody is competing for them.

[@vadimnesen8060]

So theoretically at high power your pretty much just like the rest of the ham 2meter guys?:)

[@jeffkelly5972]

This was by far your best video as soon as I saw the box of pencils I knew something funny was going to happen. When you talked about MURS and then flashed Rosie I laughed so hard I woke up everyone in the house. Lots of good info explaining them all. Your video's make the hobby fun.

[@janedagger]

I haven't had this much fun on a radio/tube in a long long time. Kudoes ! You sir, rock. And yah, there's nothing like a mall radio for .. no fun and no giggles.

[@rsgallo]

Great video and hidden snark! I, being YOUR favorite viewer, noticed the box of pencils that said they were "Pre Sharpened" meaning you did not have to sharpen one out if the box. I'm quite certain the "stupid people" or Sad Hams did not notice this as they are highly intelligent and properly licensed and educated. Keep up the great work on the videos and great reviews and information!😉

[@jamesslick4790]

I use ALL of them! (CB, FRS,MURS) MURS is actually useful BECAUSE only Wal*Mart really uses it. We have the MURS band "to ourselves" as there is NO Wal*Mart nears us, "Sadly" THIS VIDEO might get others to look in to MURS, LOL.

[@brandonazevedo7560]

Smokey and the Bandit. CB. Any which Way but loose or any which Way you can. but can would be a reference for Ape

[@chrissewell1608]

Smoking Ape? He is the ham radio dude! Ha ha

[@london19657]

Right turn, Clyde

[@charlesflakusj.r6344]

i sure am glad Pencililly was NOT replaced with them big box pencils

[@beverlytim]

Poor rosie o. That was epic. So funny. brand new to the radio land stuff, Ready set go. Thanks for the info

[@guillaumeboutet5964]

In 🇨🇦, CB radio is the best in the back contry. But gmrs chanel white two uv-5r 8 watts is realy good. Tank you for your vidéo. Hello from Québec 👋

[@worminstool]

If I was a radio manufacturer and wanted to have it featured on your channel, I would build a one-off version with a built in pencil sharpener, and send it as a Christmas present.

[@321CatboxWA]

Automatic or twist it yourself ?

[@321CatboxWA]

How about: Hands free handle in place of the lanyard. Just in case you find yourself at one of " THOSE" kind of certain beaches or rock climbing. With a built in pencil sharpener. ...

[@321CatboxWA]

With your teeth . Hold it with your teeth .

[@vadimnesen8060]

The stronger the signal the faster it sharpens

[@MP-qn1jw]

1 Dual Band & 1 CB radio for me covers em' all. Properly used, and sharing of frequencies politely, I have no issues. No splatter boxes, no competing on Super Bowl 6, there are plenty of channels to not step on other people. The other advantage of Dual Band is Marine VHF, but only for listening. I don't ever TX on Marine VHF unless I am on a Marine radio, and on a boat. The Sad Hams can have their bands, there are plenty others with what you highlighted here. Just another fine video. Nice to see Calvin again. It has been a while. Be sure to delete this asshat message. 69s!!

[@georgecappello5278]

CB is really cooking now as we approach solar maxium.

[@yourdonefor4454]

The pencil thing is the best thing I've seen all day!

[@allencrouch2068]

I like this video the mostest.

[@bwarrant]

MURSSSS .. that was hilarious. Very informative video.

[@1234brianatthedoor]

Very informative and also hilarious. Thank you, oh glorious FCC for the vast, bounteous, and extremely practical “free” use of air you have bestowed upon us. We gratefully endow you with tax monies granted by our honorable delegates after each biannual government shutdown.

[@Wsmith247]

Dang! Its been so long ago that I bought pencils that i didn't know you could get them pre-sharpend. I still use CB, but also GMRS and FRS.

[@crosisofborg5524]

Popular doesn’t mean best or most fun. For me nothing beats the entertainment value of CB radio.

[@HardcoreFourSix]

Somewhere, in an alternate universe, there is a TubeYou channel influencer called YesARubicon with a "melodious southern twang" complaining about hearing skip from nasty-sounding plain western unaccented English

[@Michael-tt1iw]

Oh I assure you you can use big antenna with FRS radio, hehe. And you'd be surprised how much dB gain you get by boosting the voltage by 25% and then you can use the SWR meter effectively. Ok, waiting for the radio police to start commenting. Haha

[@robertwynn7686]

I think all have a purpose but for me I have CB, GMRS and a MURS HT in my truck. GMRS is my main radio...

[@charlesbarkley2883]

Announcing FARS, the Family Amateur Radio Service. Similar to the better known ARS, but requires no license and is limited to 1/2 the power normally allocated to the ARS. That sounds like fun, eh? What would YOU do with 750 watts? 😂

[@michaelwalsh3474]

"when the men were men and the women were not men" - el randolpho😂

[@DarkShadowCustoms]

Correct that the best license free service will depend on the end user. Parents that want to stay in communication with their kids while at the local park or at a campground can easily use FRS or MURS. Guys that want to convoy to their hunting cabin can use either MURS or CB since there are plenty of vehicle mountable antennas for both services. If someone wants to keep tabs on road conditions and speed traps while on a road trip they can still use CB even though it isn't used much in rural areas any more. There are some off-road groups that still use CB as some folks don't want to spend the $35 to get a GMRS license. Depending on distance and terrain a hunting party can easily use MURS in areas with spotty cell phone service if they don't want to get a GMRS license.

[@michaelwalsh3474]

Appreciate you 🎉

[@TheNotaRubicon]

Thanks!

[@tv-oe2gk]

Yep, made my giggle hurt too!

[@kidvision564]

Very creative educational video

[@bryanisms2732]

At 0.5X playback speed, you sound just like the Southern accents I hear on CB. Haha!! Great content. Made me laugh quite a bit on this one haha.. Muuuurrrrsss....

[@lesgobrandon]

Nice Randy. I believe Walmart stores use murs

[@MountainNomad4]

Radio dork details 😂😂 love it 😎👍

[@jhill4874]

I would suggest MURS if you don't need high power and are talking within a small group. Why, you may ask...? Pretty much no one else is on the service. If you are driving around, probably CB. Being part of the county auxiliary radio volunteer group, I carry ham, gmrs, cb and murs. You never know.

[@joestreiff9401]

in the 70's I got a ham novice license (what is now tech without code), never used it. I do now have a GMRS license, but I could have just gotten by with FRS for all that I use it (I use it for the HTs but I do have a 50watt mobile in my truck though). but the one thing that I'd have a hard time getting rid of is my CB. contrarily to popular belief, I easily get 10 miles "fars" out of my mobile rig (it's all about the antenna and coax) and I use it on the road (pov) every day. I'm not saying any one radio service is better than another, it's just what works for me.

[@cmarchi128]

Preach it brother!

[@Its_Nori]

Checked online but couldn’t find anything. Do you have any courses available for purchase?

[@pleinairbarnettoutdoors]

Hello from Canada. I can confirm those amplified CB transmissions from 1000s of miles away... annoying

[@geraldcampbell6834]

You can also use fm on CB now at 4 waat at 4 watts in the US

[@TR_TenSeven]

You had me nervous for a bit, but at 00:57 the we got The Return of the Pencil of Glory.

[@titantech6328]

MUURRRRSSSSS. 😂 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂 Great video funny and informative. Currently hunting for a radio for my edc bag

[@JayTX.]

Baofengs just check every box for EDC and cheap for me

[@nikesh18]

Great video. Question i have is that, can the uv5r be hacked to do all those bands. And can i use it to call mobile phones [😂😂😂

[@jonathanfauver7395]

I resemble those southern CB remarks

[@NightHiker72]

Heck Yeah!

[@Robert-cd5zr]

Unrelated question: BTech GMRS Pro has an "audio relay" function which apparently allows it to store and forward and serve as a simplex repeater. Do you know of any other GMRS radios that has this function? Seems like it could be a useful feature. Hoist your handheld up a tree with a rope, stick it on a hilltop or mast, or loft it with a drone to serve as a repeater and use your vehicle mobile to contact very fars...

[@TheNotaRubicon]

You are correct! That is an unrelated, otherwise known as off-topic question. But on THIS video, we are all talking about license-free radio services..

[@cbmitchell]

10-4 good buddy

[@RandellReeder]

I love this stuff … upgrade the pencil to a Dixon

[@RussellNelson]

How are you able to coordinate your hands and your voice at the same time? I can't figure that out.

[@AntonioClaudioMichael]

Lmfao at the Murs Jokes with the photos 😂😂

[@chrisk5433]

Don't forget marine radios, except for the HT marine radio.

[@jkholley1118]

Can you use a uv5r to pick up cb radio? Illegally of course.

[@TheNotaRubicon]

No.

[@jkholley1118]

@@TheNotaRubicon Thanks

[@garryharris9098]

A cb is around 26-29 mhz am most radios above that are Fm

[@Joe_Goofball]

Just bought a pair of Baofeng UV-5G radios which were listed as being GMRS radios. They're the same size as the the UV-5R. It doesn't have the one-touch search feature, apparently, and only one antenna--not interchangeable with UV-5R antennae--the mounts are different. Do repeaters extend your reach for speaking with radio enthusiasts at greater distances, or do repeaters not function that way?

[@DarkShadowCustoms]

Yes a repeater will extend the range at which you can talk to someone. Repeaters use a pair of frequencies. One is the input and the other is the output. The radio you are using to talk on the repeater transmits on the repeaters input and receives the repeater's output. You will also need to what tone the repeater is using, if it is using any. The most important one to know is the tone for the input because without it you will not be able to access the repeater. You don't need to know the tone for output, but it helps filter out any radio traffic not on the repeater. It isn't a major issue in ham radio, but since GMRS is channelized and channels 15 to 22 are repeater outputs it would be very beneficial to use tones on the repeater output. Typically the same tone used for input is used on the output. Think of a repeater as a fancy signal booster. If you are using a handheld and want to talk to someone 20 miles away that typically is not possible on simplex (radio to radio without a repeater involved), but if both of you are in range of a repeater you can use the repeater to carry on a conversation. Now if both people are using a 50 watt radio as either a mobile station or base station you should be able to talk on simplex easily. The distances Randy is able to communicate via simplex are not typical as he is in an ideal location on top of a mountain over looking a valley. As far as the original UV-5G it is basically the GMRS version of the UV-5R that was released so that Baofeng would have an FCC compliant GMRS radio since the UV-5R can only be sold as a ham radio in the US. The UV-5R uses a female SMA connection (SMA-F) for the antenna and the UV-5G uses a male SMA (SMA-M) connection. If you decide to get a longer aftermarket antenna for your UV-5G make sure you get one that is tuned for GMRS as one tuned for the 2 meter and 70 cm amateur radio bands won't work very well.

[@computersetc1123]

You forgot the 49 MHz band. That band is better these days because most baby monitors and cordless phones use digital. MURS is pretty good I have a Dakota Alert Base and Dakota also makes Walkie Talkies. Ride by a Walmart with a scanner scanning the MURS channels and you can hear employees. Also some Fast Food restaurants may still be using 2 way radios and some actually used MURS channels.

[@Jkp1321]

I recommended MURS radios for my church as the resident radio dork, but I am really disappointed by the poor industry support for MURS radios. The Retevis radios are of fairly low quality. The Wouxon are just too expensive to justify for our use. The RT-47V is what we got and the USB charging dock also meant that it was really simple to set up a charging station in a cabinet using a 6 port USB hub instead of needing a power strip. They have enough FARS to transmit in and out of buildings across a few acres. If the low frequency was insufficient FARS it is not much more money to buy better antennas. My church group liked the pseudo-privacy of MURS given how few people use those frequencies and our church is not next to a retail store.

[@Adamdaj]

CB Radio FRS and MURS all have their pros and cons, so I can't really say which is the best. I will that CB Radio and MURS have one plus you wont have with FRS, which Randy already mentioned.

[@AZREDFERN]

I thought you were about to pull old faithful ✏️ out of a pack of new pencils

[@ryanhorn4190]

😂😂 Another great video!!!

[@angryguy714]

I was triggered by the consistent murs imaging lol 😂

[@craigdavidson2977]

If you liked those images you might enjoy one of Randy's previous MURS videos kzbin.info/www/bejne/oGPLZo2ChK18ZrM

[@randylinn502]

Rosie is my baby!!!

[@Alan602-t2k]

It’s me. I am people with southern accents using high powered radios 🤓

[@TheNotaRubicon]

🫡

[@sijonda]

When I got my KG-S72C (thanks to your review) I was listening to channel 17, 19, and 9 (was running OTR truck driving across the northern states) and was regularly hearing random people yapping something other than English on channel 9 the whole way across including around where I live. I have no idea why this was so consistent or why specifically they used channel 9 (for anyone who knows 9 is for emergency use, wtf was I supposed to do about it? complain?). Funny enough 17 and 19 were actually used to communicate between trucks or bitching at each other for something another driver did. What is my favorite radio? My SDR, because I'm a creeper.

[@phillipnelson6076]

There is skip on CB when the atmospherics are good. In some regions abuting the US channel 9 isn't an emergency channel.

[@richardcorwin1828]

Thank you!!

[@johnnyz.fradley2306]

You sure painted a "Rosie" describing the MURS radio.

[@jbrcich709]

Hilarious. I enjoy your channel

[@thegoldenmasters8]

Thank you for reading my comment, I have done more research. can you go over the Uniden 980 CB radio? It is a big favor to ask for. This will be my last request. Thank you NotaRubicon.

[@TheNotaRubicon]

No.

[@thegoldenmasters8]

Are you sure???@@TheNotaRubicon

[@thegoldenmasters8]

Can you at lease go over good base antennas?

[@ronjones1414]

@@TheNotaRubicon concise!

[@DonzLockz]

No... and no soup for you today!😂

[@cryptolimbo5400]

Randy have you heard of Lora it's a another way to communicate without a license you should check it out before the SAD HAMS RUIN IT

[@TheNotaRubicon]

Yes, but it's not exactly what I would call a popular or viable method of 2-way radio comms for the average Joe.

[@cryptolimbo5400]

@TheNotaRubicon good way to send text from what I seen. Love your videos keep up the good work. I ❤️ baofeng

[@RussellNelson]

@@TheNotaRubiconTexting works well. The bandwidth isn't there for voice comms. Plus it's easy to do meshing to extend the range. In the US 915 mygigglehertz band, you still only get line of sight, but LORA does a good job of punching through foliage.

[@LD666BMX4201987]

So how is it if you talk on a frs channel that is the same channel and frequency of gmrs you have to have a license. How would any1 know. You basically need a license for just a radio but not to talk on a gmrs frequency which could be used on a frs radio

[@Norm-ih2rq]

Deo vindice good buddy

[@johnnybegood12]

If anyone can help would be greatly appreciated. Got two uv5r radios about 3weeks ago. As of two days ago when my buddy was testing them out. He noticed that one has a high pitch/squeal noise when transmitting or just pressing the transmit button down. Doesn’t do it with the other radio. Any idea what it could be?

[@TheNotaRubicon]

I dont think anyone will be able to help because we are all here talking about license-free radio services, which is what this video is about and nobody wants to be the guy responsible for derailing a conversion and going off-topic.

[@johnnybegood12]

@@TheNotaRubicon 👍🏻 understandable

[@ThePewski]

Adjust your squelch?

[@ronnielayne5863]

their is a rescue squad on ch4 murs here in va

[@DrWondertainment821]

I'm sure someone will complain about the way that you sharpened those pencils.

[@AntonioClaudioMichael]

Good video Randy The end was hilarious 😂😂 @NotaRubicon Productions

[@Sommyie]

My dad used to think CB was cool. Makes sense, he owned a Ford.

[@morthomer5804]

What's the "free"quency, kenneth?

[@CluelessRanchHand]

I did not learn anything from on the murs section cuz I was laughing too hard🤣🤣🤣

[@hansoak3664]

I think you forgot one... the 900 MHz FHSS license by rule service.

[@oliverw.douglas285]

I thought there was one more license-free radio service above 900MHz? My buddy had some portable radios, that sounded like the old Nextel PTT Service... beeps & all. Never could pick them up on my scanner, & they had a bit of a delay to them. Digital or something?

[@phillipnelson6076]

That's the ISM frequencies. There are few affordable radios in this area snd lower power. The distance on a handheld varies but it's good inside buildings. I say varies because some business band Motorolas can be reprogrammed to use them.

[@gnarkill57]

I have a fair amount of DTR700 and DLR1020 radios that I use on family vacations, onsite events where cell signal is busy and especially cruise ships where you might not have cell service and need to communicate around a mile to a group of people and don't want other radio transmission to be heard by anyone else, at all. The range on a ship is really good, usually covering the entire ship. The DTRs have caller ID, Basic Texting, Direct Calling, Group Calling, Private Reply and when programmed they are basically private. Yes they are digital radios that frequency hop around the 900mhz spectrum only staying on one channel for 100 ms. When you key the radio that is programmed to talk to each other they "handshake" the hop set and start transmitting, they transmit the digital data twice, once per hop, that is why there is a delay. Open range on flat ground with a few trees I get about 1.7 miles of FARS from mine from 880mW of transmit power. The digitizing scheme that Mortola uses is known however if you don't know the hop set of the radio transmitting you cant follow the transmission. Also since there is not a commercially available scanner that has been built for them even if you had the hop set correct (there are 10,000 choices) if the transmitting radio was on a private channel you would have to have your 11 digit radio ID programmed into the transmitting radio to receive the transmissions. GMRS will have more FARS all day every day but everyone can hear what you say. I use both types of radios, GMRS and 900MHz, they both have a use case. Not sure why Randy loathes 900MHz so much, I think it is because it is private and the range is very short. Asking a friend to buy a 900MHz radio is probably not going to happen as they are not very useful without programming, that is why I have 14 of them (get them on Ebay used) to pass out to friends and family as needed for the event.

[@NYHalfassprepper]

@@gnarkill57 I want to explore these radios. Which is the most rugged? Which do you recommend? Are there any other brands selling ISM radios?

[@MikeBeauchamp]

No Roger beep at the end! This is bullshit, Randy!

[@whoaedgy7345]

49.860 mhz reigns supreme.

[@ronjones1414]

You didn't mention that other people can't hear you on FRS if you use privacy codes 🤣

[@bryantsmith1295]

Other people can hear you on FRS if you use privacy codes. The privacy codes work on your end to ignore any transmissions on the same frequency that are not sending the privacy code you have configured to use, such that your radio will only play over the speaker any transmissions using that code, but it does not encrypt or otherwise hide your transmissions on that frequency to prevent anyone else listening in. Other people whose radios are set to use a different privacy code will ignore your transmissions, but they can either configure the same privacy code or no code at all, and they'll hear you.

[@TheNotaRubicon]

Jeezus.. Dude.. I could hear that WHOOOSH all the way over here.

[@ronjones1414]

@@bryantsmith1295 please tell me we're playing the same game?

[@bryantsmith1295]

@ronjones1414 @TheNotaRubicon Apparently I'm in over my head here. Carry on.

[@chaimafaghet7343]

@@bryantsmith1295 This just in, sarcasm still not working well on internet. Now back to our regularly scheduled shitposting...