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GMRS/FRS Programming

NC Old Man Overland

NC Old Man Overland

Rank III

Enthusiast III

Hey all, a few weeks ago, we took off for a three day overlanding. I thought I was set with my Yaesu and Baofeng HT. Out of 20 rigs, three had amateur radio. The preferred mode was GMRS, with a back up of CB. Of course, I did not have chirp with me and could not program my Baofeng...........

So, now that I have a ton of time on my hands, I am in CHIRP messing around. I found this site ---- Survival Channels for Baofeng Programming SHTF-HAM-FRS-PMR-GMRS-MURS-MARINE-WEATHER-BUSINESS.

I have all the area local repeaters programmed. I would like to keep them, and just program what I need....... In the above list, does anyone know what frequencies I need to program?
 
Downs

Downs

Rank V
Launch Member

Member III

Could have just switched to VFO mode and made it work. If all you are wanting to program GMRS/FRS (they share all the same frequencies now with differences in bandwidth and power output) you need 1-22 from that list. I'd also go ahead and toss in the MURS frequencies as well.

You need to find out what GMRS channels that group normally uses and what CTCSS or DCS tones they run and program in a few custom channels with that setting since you can't make changes to the Baofeng's programming in memory mode via the menus system.

I've provided a google drive link for a CHIRP generic image I've built for you with the GMRS/FRS, GMRS Repeaters with "travel tone" and MURS frequencies all programmed in. All you need to do is copy the information over to your radio's image. DO NOT try to just upload this file into your radio. Probably wouldn't work anyway.

Legal Disclaimer - UV5Rs and other Baofengs aren't legal to use on GMRS FRS or MURS do so at your risk yada yada yada. If you want to try to be as legal as you can be set gmrs channels 8-14 to low power and narrowband. On MURS you'll need to go low power and narrowband on 1-3 and low power on 4 and 5 but you can leave those wideband. It still won't be right but it'll be less wrong lol.

Also messed up one spot, set 22-29 to TONE not TSQL
 
NC Old Man Overland

NC Old Man Overland

Rank III

Enthusiast III

Wow, thank you. I was trying to build that from scratch. Very nice of you to create. Yes, I could have probably set the freq, but Baofeng is such a pain in the but to set. I bought it two years ago, downloaded CHIRP and programmed the local repeaters. Since them I forgot how to program the thing and it is a pain in the arse.
 
Downs

Downs

Rank V
Launch Member

Member III

Switch to VFO. Manually enter frequency they were using. Press menu go to CTCSS settings and set for whatever they were using if they were using them, if they weren't set both transmit and receive to "off". Done.
 
NC Old Man Overland

NC Old Man Overland

Rank III

Enthusiast III

I got it all working, I set the top VFO for Frequency and the bottom for Name. I had these old Motorola’s from my kids scout days and tested. Works great. Thanks for help.53A19471-3135-49A1-B4C0-383CF6501973.jpeg
 
G

guramcik

Rank I

Contributor III

NC Old Man Overland said:
I got it all working, I set the top VFO for Frequency and the bottom for Name. I had these old Motorola’s from my kids scout days and tested. Works great. Thanks for help.

View attachment 147822





The main thing is to make sure that the configuration contains GMRS/FRS channels (1-22), MURS channels, and other frequencies. The main thing is to really use these purities carefully. I found out about a similar problem and found software development, used https://ddi-dev.com/ for this. The people set everything up for me and briefly explained it to me. In fact, I didn’t remember a lot, it’s a pity.
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Motorola will never betray!:grinning:
 
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WYWander

WYWander

Rank III

Off-Road Ranger I

This is all a little intimidating... I just got my FRN and GMRS callsign and ordered some radios. Going to just figure it out as I go but this sure sounds complicated.
 
North American Sojourner

North American Sojourner

Rank VI
Member

Member II

WYWander said:
This is all a little intimidating... I just got my FRN and GMRS callsign and ordered some radios. Going to just figure it out as I go but this sure sounds complicated.
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I'm with ya on that. Have the GMRS deal and working on ama radio license. Oddly enough I'm a draftsman by trade and hate technical crap. I'm lost. LOL
Zim
 
S

Shawn686

Rank II

Enthusiast III

Since you are already using CHIRP, all these freqs are already in the program.

You go to the upper left hit file, then open stock config. Select the frequency list you want and click it. It will open a separate sheet for the selected config. Then just copy and paste the frequencies you want into your configuration sheet you opened from your radio. Once you have copied everything you want to your config, just upload to the radio as normal.

No need to do it all by hand, unless you want too ; )

Shawn
 
Downs

Downs

Rank V
Launch Member

Member III

NC Old Man Overland said:
I have talked to Motorola at several Overland Events, they will not venture into HAM radio. So Motorola is out.
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Why would they, they have pretty much the entire public safety market cornered. Not even sure why they would bother to show up at Overland events. Our Fire Department is 100% Motorola, we're talking 66 handheld radios just for operations, not counting training department and any spares we have, . Handhelds are3000+ Dollars each, the handmics for them are over 500 dollars a pop. They're making money hand over fist with that alone. Lets say a conservative estimate of 70 handheld radios, we probably have closer to 100 all put together, that a quarter million just in handhelds and hand mics, not counting mobiles in each aparatus, ambulances have 2 mobiles each, so we're talking probably 40-50 mobiles in our vehicles all Motorola and all pretty new. And we're not even a huge department like Houston or Dallas or the like.
 
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