GMRS

[Basecamp Overland]

Just curious, does everyone actually use their call sign while using their GMRS radios?

 

[Prerunner1982]

I am going to say probably not especially on the trail in the middle of BFE however as I a ham it's natural to throw out my callsign on occasion so it's not that much of an incoveniance.

 

[eagle_A40]

Sometimes.

 

[Kent R]

Never, now that being said I do not use the private repeaters on GMRS those might require a call sign.

 

[Chris Arnesen]

Yes: § 95.1751 GMRS station identification.

 

[Renegade]

I have never heard anyone use one. Never heard anyone use a CB Call sign either back in the day.

 

[MOAK]

I’m obviously, once again, the oddball. When we are traveling with others, and talking, I’ll get it out there once in a while. When we get way off grid, I’ll key up on occasion, and announce, “WRPN506 monitoring channel 21 “ or whatever chanel I happen to be using. I used a CB for decades, out of necessity, to the point that I despised it. Then finally switched to GMRS. I don’t think it’s too much to ask of us to use this form of communication properly as outlined by the FCC. It’s not really that difficult to insert your call letters when keying up or before keying off. If nothing else, it’s a courtesy to others using the same frequency, letting them know you are done talking

 

[grubworm]

nope
i use a baofeng handheld and the range is very short...i dont bother announcing my callsign because im doing good if the people im actually talking to can even hear me
guess if i had a base with decent antenna and there was multiple users i didnt know transmitting...i would use the callsign
1-5 watts in the mid 460mhz range isnt going to flag attention like military, law enforcement, air traffic freqs would

 

[MOAK]

Very true, never bothered with hand held either. It took me a couple years to stop being pig headed and send the old Cobra into the landfill and switch to GMRS. Mines pretty ordinary with a weak antenna and still gets out 20 miles or so.

 

[velo47]

Sometimes I do, but it seems kinda superfluous since FRS shares the same frequencies and they require no callsign.

 

[KonzaLander]

It's second nature for me to interject my ham call sign when on amateur bands, yet I don't even know what my GMRS call sign is without looking at the license in my console.

 

[jdunk]

The only time I use it is when I'm on someone else's repeater.

Never when in a convoy or anything similar.

 

[GFB_Steve]

FCC rulings are a lot like the bible... at the end of the day, name of the game is, be nice.

 

[Nosferatu]

I never have.

 

[krzyaz]

Once while using a GMRS radio i belted out my HAM call - a couple members of my group were a bit confused. I corrected my call and managed to spark a good conversation about differences between GMRS and HAM in overlanding/offroading. The best part of the conversation was centered around 'Letter of the law vs. Spirit of the law' as it related to equipment and identification on regulated frequencies.

Generally speaking, I don't if I'm on GMRS, especially if it is not over someones repeater. I suppose if I ran a 50w gmrs radio, I might consider it.

 

[Hernandez59]

Ive been accused of that, i fix that by printing my gmrs call sign and ham call sign , and turning off the one not being used.

 

[dasmi]

Nope.

 

[Dirt-Merchant]

I hear people identifying all the time, but its different then on the HAM bands. Usually people use the last 3 of their sign.. ex: "hey 506 this is 243" etc...