Why Hams Need GMRS

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Күн бұрын

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@KM4ACK Ай бұрын

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@philc8072 Ай бұрын

I have my GRMS license. I'm running a 50-watt Midland that I've converted to a base station. We live in a rural area in Dad, and mom lives right down the street. During Hurricane Ian, there were so many trees down I was unable to get down the road to check on my parents. The cell towers went down during the hurricane. That changed everything for us. My stepdaughter lives beside us. I bought her a Midland Basecamp. I bought my Dad a 15 watt Midland that I converted to a base station. The hurricanes since I run my radio in repeater mode and all three houses can talk to each other when the power and conventional coms go down. Great way to keep in touch.

@TWX1138 Ай бұрын

Been a Technician for over 20 years. I got into GMRS so I could hand an FRS radio to non-family, or could hand a GMRS radio to a family member, and we could have push-to-talk communications while roadtripping in multiple cars or while four wheeling out away from cell service. I have the GMRS repeaters programmed in, but I'm not using GMRS for the repeaters generally, I'm using it as basically simplex radio for non-hams for sub-mile communications where cell phones either don't have coverage, or where it's harder to use cellular than to use push-to-talk.

@chrissewell1608 Ай бұрын

GMRS is the gateway drug to Ham Radio! 😉 📻 💊

@KM4ACK Ай бұрын

Indeed!

@_liquid_wolf_4280 Ай бұрын

ive been 2 years gmrs licensed and i tell you what. ive been thinking hard about joining ham. ive even gone so far as to start listening to frequencies with an ATS 25 max decoder .

@timbookedtwo2375 Ай бұрын

not CB?

@davef5595 Ай бұрын

Yes, if the sad-hams don't chase them away. Sadly, they are a minority, but a very loud minority. I've had my ham licence for almost 20 years and my GMRS for just about 3. But check into any GMRS forum, and it's loaded with arrogant and condescending sad hams. Someone once told me that the sad hams flock to GRMS forums because it's a boost to their ego as they feel GMRSers are inferior..

@jmr Ай бұрын

We have an amazing GMRS repeater that a company runs on their commercial tower as a public service. Even has backup power.

@blackpaw369 Ай бұрын

Wow that is awesome! I live in Florida and as a state I've seen a huge growth like Jason but mostly in central Florida. I'm in north FL and coverage is not that great. I'd love to find a company repeater like you have or setup one of our own.

@ka4ezy Ай бұрын

Totally agree with you on this one. I plan on adding GMRS and MURS to my radio cache this year. I’ve been a ham for over 46 years and had a CB before that ( Still do). Yet, no one else in my family is. I believe we should have capabilities in every radio service we can access legally. 73, de ka4ezy -Mike

@WolfQuantum Ай бұрын

Yep. I have my General ham ticket and have been GMRS licensed for several years. Both have their place and I would love to see a GMRS repeater here in our little border county. Usually, once a year, sometimes twice, the cell tower goes out, and the internet with it. It would be great for licenses families to be able to keep in touch and reach out. Plenty of uses for GMRS and should be part of the comms package. My wife has a GMRS radio in her car and my son has one with his own license. We also use them among some grey hairs around a few neighborhoods to check in when bad weather or phones/internet go out. Bubble packs can talk to the GMRS person with a better radio who can talk to (or be) someone who is both ham and GMRS licensed and they can pass information and requests up the chain.

@christophertipton2318 Ай бұрын

I already have a GMRS Go-Box with a 20W mobile, a roll-up Slim-Jim (an N9TAX also), and several GMRS handhelds with aftermarket antennas, plus a few FRS radios for training my granddaughters to use radios. My eldest daughter and I co-own a house and her 8-year old daughter lives with us too and is in training. I'll be training my son's two girls when they get a little older. He is planning on getting his ham ticket after he finishes his college as CW and HF really caught his fancy when I took him to my clubs Field Day this year. My daughter isn't interested in getting a ham license, but is learning how to use the GMRS since she can piggy-back on my GMRS license. I'm a ham AE and have two VHF-UHF Go-Boxes with 50W mobiles, a bunch of dual-band HTs, and a passel of antennas. HF is next on the toy list. A number of hams in my club also have and use GMRS too.

@BillPfaffenberger Ай бұрын

Thanks Jason. I have a pair of GMRS HTs on the way. I was convinced that they are a good addition to my radio arsenal after watching videos on how people communicated after the hurricane in North Carolina.

@BradleyBrown Ай бұрын

I totally got a GMRS license for my family, knowing that few of them are interested in studying for a ham radio test. It's been very helpful as we travel and explore Northern Maine. GMRS repeaters are cropping up all over Maine, and Simplex works well enough where the repeaters aren't present. And if we get into a bind, the old man has a Garmin InReach, and I've got my ham kit. :) 73 de KC1JMH / WRAT256

@DanielHallmark Ай бұрын

I used to use GMRS/FRS with my kids regularly. We homeschooled during the pandemic and my younger children all got licensed so we now use ham radios, but if we are traveling or going to activities with other family members or friends the GMRS/FRS radios still come in handy for simplex comms. No GMRS repeaters in range of my QTH unless I decide to set one up.

@dougdaniels Ай бұрын

I've got my GMRS license and a rig. Carried the radio for a couple months, even commuting back and forth to work, but the only activity in my area is a day care that uses FRS.

@jackmortimer329 Ай бұрын

Maybe you need to "talk it up" with co-workers and friends. You could be the GMRS sparkplug in your area.

@robertmeyer4744 Ай бұрын

Great video ! GMRS is common in the RV industry . FRS shares same channels. I have been using GMRS over 10 years now. The price was higher years back but $35 now. Also their is MURS VHF radios that are 2 watts and can swap antenna and licence free . only 5 CH . Also we use CB . And some old 49 MHZ radios. That band still free but only old radios. I do a lot of camping and we find sometimes VHF works better and sometimes UHF works better. So we just have both. Them Nagoya long GMRS 771 antenna works great and have a MURS version as well . Big improvement over stock antenna. Some of our GMRS repeaters were shut down in NY . Only a few remain. We have our own local 5W GMRS repeater. 12/24V . we have that mic for it but I used the port for repeater ID unit. easy to wire up. Also has the DTS code in ID so others can use it if they hear it. Runs for days on LiFePO4 battery . Height is might on UHF ! 73

@oldgeekster1 Ай бұрын

Good topic Jason. Single license covering family convinced me a long time ago. 👍👍

@SHTFchef Ай бұрын

I have both a general class license and a GMRS license. GMRS is for chatting with my local buddies, most of whom are not hams.

@BryanDaniel42 Ай бұрын

I've got my GMRS license and keep a GMRS handheld in my glovebox in my Jeep. I've been thinking about adding a mobile GMRS radio to my Jeep but I have never actually done it yet.

@TWX1138 Ай бұрын

I've been looking at both GMRS mobile and CB mobile in addition to my mobile 2m/70cm ham radio. there are a handful of offerings for both where the control head is built into the handmic itself, so there's no need to find dash space for either a radio or a control head. That's probably the direction I'm going to go in if I ever feel the need for an extra service with a mobile install. The problem is that mobile GMRS don't get the interstitial channels, so one loses some function while gaining power. I've found FRS/GMRS to be congested so losing those channels is certainly a consideration. It might well be better to buy the most powerful GMRS radio officially considered an HT and using a vehicle-mounted external antenna with decent gain.

@PhilJohnston Ай бұрын

Don’t forget the Mars mod will enable GRS listening and sometimes sending on any 2 m 70 cm. It’s nice in a pinch in case you forget your GMRS handy.

@ke8mattj Ай бұрын

Exact reason why I got the GMRS license.

@t.m2933 Ай бұрын

Great video. Thank you for sharing. I have both my Technician & GMRS KN6PWH/WRDH206....73

@rickpellicciotti 29 күн бұрын

Yes I added a GMRS license for the same reason. My wife and I have used them several times. There is no repeater in my area so I am looking into that next. Keep up the great work! KJ4NWQ

@Jeffa67 28 күн бұрын

In Australia we have UHF CB 80 channels and repeaters. As a licensed Ham radio operator I have a UHF CB in my radio kit as travelers and 4WD clubs and in emergencies it is most likely to be used by unlicensed users. I know local police also use them in their field vans

@ATR_Mid-TN-WX Ай бұрын

Thank MR km4ack. Hello fellow Tennessee. My family also uses gmrs quite a bit. Thank you for putting gmrs on your channel and not being one those hams. I throughly enjoy your channel. Maybe I can catch you on your local repeater sometime

@KM4ACK Ай бұрын

Not sure what part of Mid TN you are in but we might be able to use the Short Mountain GMRS repeater for comms :-)

@ATR_Mid-TN-WX Ай бұрын

@ I didn’t know short mountain had gmrs. I do use short mouton 146.910 a lot. I also use Murfreesboro and Lebanon repeater as well. I live 20 miles north cookeville

@ravenandthestranger Ай бұрын

One of the best radios that you can use as a repeater and base radio is a Retevis RA87. It has a link mode where you can take two of them and easily connect them together to get the repeater up and running.

@mysteryham4065 Ай бұрын

Agreed. GMRS is a great tool in the kit.

@JimLathan Ай бұрын

I completely agree with you...

@Petzel_KZ9ZAP Ай бұрын

Getting a GMRS license when you're a ham is a no-brainier. The hardest part of the GMRS license is setting up your FRN with the FCC in a separate step, and as a licensed amateur you already have your FRN. I have a GMRS license but I've not yet used GMRS. For $35 it's worth having if I ever want to in the future.

@KM4ACK Ай бұрын

I thought the hard part was navigating the .gov website 😂

@WoodyPhillips Ай бұрын

Abosultely spot on. The major resistance I hear is that GMRS users don't behave. In our town, we started a GMRS net that sounds exactly like a 2 meter net. The "problem" GMRS users then started to sound like dweebs and slowly changed their behavior. It took a while, but it worked. Try it. And if it doesn't work, at least your kids can talk to you on a radio.

@KM4ACK Ай бұрын

Excellent example :-)

@nerdlywehunt Ай бұрын

amazon has a black friday special now for $29!!!!!! Ordered one for everyone in the family!

@KM4ACK Ай бұрын

Yep, it's a great deal right now

@TerminalElement Ай бұрын

Fantastic info!

@KM4ACK Ай бұрын

Thanks

@MikeCe Ай бұрын

I think GMRS should be expanded to share part of the 1.25 meter band as well.

@ghostmandka5498 Ай бұрын

I live just outside of Atlanta, GA and have all the local repeaters and GMRS frequencies stored in memory in my radios. It’s sad (or not) that when driving around I hear more activity on GMRS than the ham frequencies. We have great ham repeaters in the area (Stone Mountain being one of the widest coverage), so it’s not that. We have spotty APRS coverage and I happen to be in the APRS desert. Too bad we can’t use APRS on GMRS.

@KM4ACK Ай бұрын

I don't know that APRS on GMRS is against the rules. Per the website: Digital data. GMRS hand-held portable units may transmit digital data containing location information, or requesting location information from one or more other GMRS or FRS units, or containing a brief text message to another specific GMRS or FRS unit. www.ecfr.gov/current/title-47/chapter-I/subchapter-D/part-95/subpart-E 95.1371 D

@rbryanhull Ай бұрын

You say you're in an aprs desert? Have you considered putting up a digipeater or gateway to fill that hole? I assume you have internet.

@IGTTMBLUES Ай бұрын

FINALLY- A PERFECT-SIMPLE IMFORMATIONAL VIDEO THAT I COULD SEND AROUND TO MY COMMUNITY--AND SIMPLE BAG OF NEEDS IN -(ALONG WITH ) THE PRIOR HAM ONE YOU DID. I SIMPLY SAID TO THEM. - EMERGENCY COMMS SIMPLE- -- YOUR CHOICE-- SHORT VIDIO' - THANK YOUR SO MUCH SIR.

@mewrongwayKOCXF Ай бұрын

Yes all Hams should have GMRS!! Get Money Real Soon!

@ChrisRomp Ай бұрын

Backing up the RV trailer is the only time I can get my wife to touch an HT. 😂

@KM4ACK Ай бұрын

@@ChrisRomp 😂😂😂

@ralphnunn3 Ай бұрын

Wait, what? You mean not EVERYONE wants to study for a test, and pay $50 bucks for a ham radio license? Imagine that... All kidding aside, GMRS has been crucial in our family caravans to various locations. It's been very helpful to us.

@jongreen5638 Ай бұрын

I'll go a step farther and propose that GMRS is the baseline capability for anyone concerned about EmComm. I use GMRS through a repeater as the contingency portion of our family PACE plan. With a couple of HTs, we can stay in touch with my in-laws, over 25 miles and a hour drive away.

@GerForever 29 күн бұрын

Recently got my GMRS after being a ham for 30+ years. Keep a GMRS radio in the truck, Just in case. Although, I am in a lucky family :)

@davidsradioroom9678 Ай бұрын

I would like to get a GMRS radio, but there are no repeaters in my area (central GA). I find little interest in GMRS among hams in this area. Any ideas?

@KM4ACK Ай бұрын

I'm surprised you can't hit one of the Georgia linked GMRS repeaters. Even so, it's still good for comms with family members who aren't hams since one license covers everyone in the family

@davidsradioroom9678 Ай бұрын

@@KM4ACK GMRS repeaters are only in the northern half of Georgia. There is a link to Savannah, but there is nothing in central Georgia. If there were, I would get into GMRS.

@KI4ASK Ай бұрын

Good stuff - Mrs D and I are WRCL957. Very active GMRS community in Georgia, particularly with the NGGMRS group.

@KM4ACK Ай бұрын

Do you think the NGGMRS group will have to unlink their repeaters following the NY group?

@KI4ASK 29 күн бұрын

@@KM4ACK I don't know. They've hired an attorney (who's a ham and a GMRS licensee). There's an inconsistency between website guidance from the FCC (which is clearly against linking) and the actual regulations. It'll be interesting. As the largest linked network in the US, it could end up being a landmark situation.

@Liberty4Ever Ай бұрын

Pretty much nobody I want to talk to when the SHTF is a ham. :-( I recommend GMRS to people who want short range comms without a ham license.

@LarryHammock Ай бұрын

The problem is too many people are trying to use gmrs as ham radio it is not the other problem is people are beginning to linked gmrs repeaters which is basically tying up frequencies and making it unusable at all

@stevesummersell_K4WXX Ай бұрын

I’m both Ham and GMRS for the kidos.

@justawfulgamer7738 Ай бұрын

I use Ham, CB, gmrs and freeband. Why not?

@va7dgp Ай бұрын

As far as I know, GMRS here in Canada does not need a licence. I see some Canadian Hams have a USA GMRS licence. I guess one would need a USA post office address.

@christophersmith1155 Ай бұрын

do state parks have designated GMRS frequencies ?

@christophermcclellan8730 Ай бұрын

@menajemh Ай бұрын

we HAMs need everything radio, lol

@KM4ACK Ай бұрын

No. We just need all the radio 😂

@_liquid_wolf_4280 Ай бұрын

i think u should had tried convencing us gmrs operators to come to ham.

@johndowd7010 17 күн бұрын

I have gmrs almost two years..and studied for my ham licence. Now a amature extra. I like having both.😊

@johndowd7010 17 күн бұрын

Family = under the same roof..a fcc worker told me this.

@KM4ACK 12 күн бұрын

It doesn't say anything in the documentation about living under the same roof. You can read the actual regulation at www.ecfr.gov/current/title-47/chapter-I/subchapter-D/part-95/subpart-E

@Kg4ciu Ай бұрын

Frs is the answer

@angelscomputers Ай бұрын

EVERY TIME I see videos about those retevis repeaters I always think, it wont be cheaper and better to just get one of those dualbanders that do crossband repeat, mars mod it and put it on a cheap harbor freight pelican style cases? Way cheaper and you get 50 watts instead of whatever watts those retevis put which I cant even find the specs about watts in their website. I am not talking about the legalities, is just that I find them whay to expensive for what it is. Just my 2 cents

@KM4ACK Ай бұрын

The GMRS repeaters are not inexpensive. The one I have is 10W but you only get 5W at the antenna. Crossband can have its challenges as well. Some can over heat pretty quick depending on usage and ambient temps.

@kevlartv9329 Ай бұрын

Check out Red’s engineering Simplex repeater. Yea it’s got its downsides, but for only $60 I’d say it’s worth looking at. I just got one and plan on testing it out around my hunting camp soon.

@DannyNF4J Ай бұрын

Jason, I have a ton of respect for you and you’ve helped literally thousands of people. However, the GMRS community in my area is loaded with people of whom refuse to honor the Part 95 and Part 97 rules. From constantly kerchunking the Amateur Repeaters to constantly cursing on the GMRS repeaters, they have alienated more folks than you can imagine. It seems that your followers on here are good, honest people… but those folks in South Alabama leave a lot to be desired when it comes to Integrity. Thanks for another great video 👍👍

@TrenchKraft Ай бұрын

I have to say, where I am the GMRS repeaters are pretty civilized.

@KM4ACK Ай бұрын

That's a bummer. I suppose there are some bad actors on all of the frequencies. Thankfully we don't have to deal with any garbage on GMRS here.

@mikeacato Ай бұрын

I live about 10 miles north of Jason, so I've also watched our repeaters sprout up over the past 3 years. For what it's worth, I think it helps that there are amateur operators to model good behavior on air. People tend to follow the crowd. It's more difficult to act like a jerk when everyone else is using call signs and good etiquette.

@seller559 Ай бұрын

Don’t throw the baby out with the bath water. GMRS is a great tool, people suck.

@Blackcloud41 Ай бұрын

It's not GMRS' fault. The people you're referring to have evident character and integrity flaws. Their conduct is likely awful no matter that they're engaged in.

@moga864 Ай бұрын

Have a GMRS call but its never been used. The local GMRS repeater system is privately owned and requires a 90$ per yr "membership." I use my amateur call instead. Great content KM4ACK. I enjoyed it nonetheless. Thanks.

@TWX1138 Ай бұрын

If you're operating on the GMRS service you really should be using your GMRS callsign. Don't be a ham version of notarubicon.

@moga864 Ай бұрын

@@TWX1138 GMRS call has never been used because I won't pay the membership fee to gain access to the rptr group. For posterity's sake, I would never use anything other than the call that matches the service in use. What I meant by the statement "I use my amateur call instead" is I use 144/440 FM amateur repeaters when I use radio. In hindsight I should have expressed the idea differently.

@kennylyons2835 Ай бұрын

How do they lock you out of the repeater? I've never heard of such a thing 😂

@kennylyons2835 Ай бұрын

Also is that even legal, requiring people to pay to use a repeater?

@TWX1138 Ай бұрын

@@kennylyons2835 it is private property, they technically are allowed to state that it's for club/private use. But that said if someone can figure out their tones they can only change them to prevent use. I doubt that there's even anyone to complain to if someone with a license in the band is using repeaters even if explicitly denied permission. A GMRS group near me with what were a bunch of linked repeaters was trying to use proprietary features of part-90 radios to limit who could get their repeaters to open up, but that is a violation of the GMRS service rules since only part-95 radios for GMRS service are officially allowed. Granted, a whole bunch of people use non-GMRS radios on GMRS, but they're not generally advertising that they're doing this. But for a repeater club to do it with fixed-base devices and requiring the use of non-part-95 devices, I expect there would be a greater chance of enforcement against them due to it.