Member III
The license is good for 10 yrs, skip one visit to Starbucks each year and you have your money back.
How To: GMRS - ZA FCC LICENSE
- Thread starter MBroenkow
- Start date
The license is good for 10 yrs, skip one visit to Starbucks each year and you have your money back.
Boostpowered
Rank VI
Member III
Anyone ever been busted for using gmrs on frs/gmrs radio? I listen to my gmrs for chatter in my area and alot of the folks on the higher freq dont have call signs, how would fcc ever figure out who you are? I get the fcc can track you down if your using a base station at home and using more power than you should but for the mobile handheld walkie talkie type frs gmrs there aint a chance they can find you at least from what i can tell
Off-Road Ranger I
- 3,435
- First Name
- Terry
- Last Name
- Shackelford
- Member #
14817
- Ham/GMRS Callsign
- KO6EFA/WSBC854
Off-Road Ranger I
I'm not sure I understand what you are asking here. If you have a GMRS license, you can use the GMRS channels using either a GMRS or FRS radio, as they now share the same channels. FRS radios are just low power. If you do NOT have a GMRS license, you cannot use a GMRS radio, but you CAN use an FRS radio on the exact same channels.
The channels for both GMRS and FRS fully overlap, they are all the same now, so if you hear somebody on one of the higher channels not using a call sign, they very well may just be an FRS user. Now, legally, all GMRS licensees using a GMRS radio are supposed to be announcing their ZA call sign every 10 minutes and at the end of a conversation, same as ham radio rules. In the real world, i personally have NEVER heard anybody announce their ZA call sign on GMRS channels with the exception of repeaters sending a CW station ID every 10 minutes. It's just not done, at least in my part of the U.S. In all honesty, I don't even id with my callsign for GMRS, i don't even have my call memorized. I DO, however, have a print out of my ZA license stored in the vehicle in case I ever needed to produce it.
I believe GMRS is self-policed just like it is for the amateur bands, although the self-policing is taken much much more seriously in the amateur bands. This means the FCC is not likely to really care what is happening on the channels until enough outside complaints are made in a particular region/area. The likely thing that would happen if somebody was operating in an adversarial way on GMRS is that other local operators may start hunting down the offender. It is possible to use radios to triangulate the location other radios. So in the case of both a static station at home or a mobile station out on the trails, you can be tracked down as long as you continue transmitting on a semi-regular basis. In the amateur radio community this is actually a sport referred to as "Fox Hunting" and people set up some pretty interesting mobile setups to track down radio beacons (the foxes) hidden by other hams.
Off-Road Ranger I
- 3,435
- First Name
- Terry
- Last Name
- Shackelford
- Member #
14817
- Ham/GMRS Callsign
- KO6EFA/WSBC854
What is a good GRMS raido to have. When I type that in I get the bo fang critters. Are any of them okay for back up units?
Off-Road Ranger I
ALL Baofeng radios are illegal for GMRS use as they are NOT FCC Part 95 certified. Look for GMRS radios made by Midland, Cobra, and Motorola as they are kinda the top brands. I have Cobra GMRS handheld radios, i'm also looking into getting one of the nice Midland mobile units, specifically the MXT275 or the MXT115
Off-Road Ranger I
- 3,435
- First Name
- Terry
- Last Name
- Shackelford
- Member #
14817
- Ham/GMRS Callsign
- KO6EFA/WSBC854
Oh kewl thanks much. I will look those up. I had heard of the leagality issues with the baofengs.
Enthusiast III
Wow. Glad that I read this. I had not heard that Baofengs were not compliant with FCC rules. Glad I didn't pull the trigger on that purchase. I'll check Midland out. I have a couple of their FMRS radios and like them well enough. Thanks for the tip!
Love the write up. Made getting my license a breeze. The FCC does not have the best or most user friendly site.
Enthusiast III
I’m pretty sure the Baofeng GMRS-V1 is Part 95 Accepted. Everything I have been able to find, explicitly says it is.
Off-Road Ranger I
Yes! You are correct, sorry! I was generalizing before but mean specifically any of the Baofeng UV5R and similar flavored Baofeng "ham" radios.
Member III
Baofengtech now has a GMRS mobile.
baofengtech.com
New Release - BTECH GMRS-50X1 - BaoFeng Radios
ARLINGTON, SOUTH DAKOTA – SATURDAY, MAY 11, 2019 A High Power 50 Watt GMRS Mobile Radio from BTECH is Released BTECH announced today the North American release of the BTECH GMRS-50X1. The GMRS-50X1 follows in similar footsteps and abilities found in our handheld GMRS radio the BTECH GMRS-V1...
baofengtech.com
That seems to be a pretty good radio. Maybe I'll look into that for my truck main unit.
Currently I have a pair of BTECH GMRS V1. They are pretty good for the price.
Currently I have a pair of BTECH GMRS V1. They are pretty good for the price.
madcratebuilder
Rank V
Pathfinder I
This link should help clarify that they are legal.
Off-Road Ranger I
No, that article says exactly what I am saying. They even use the specific example of illegal sale/use that is being discussed in our thread here as the reason why the FCC was cracking down (FRS/GMRS overlap now - they mention FRS). Those are exactly the Baofengs I'm talking about when I said they are illegal for GMRS use. ONLY Baofeng models that are FCC licensed as GMRS radios (FCC Part 95) are legal to be used for GMRS. All UV-5R/F8HP/UV-9R and related Baofeng radios are 100% illegal for use on GMRS and can only legally be operated (In the US) by licensed radio amateurs (hams) and only on the amateur bands. (again, this is what your linked article is saying as well)
Pathfinder II
- 4,227
- First Name
- Danan
- Last Name
- Coleman
- Member #
1358
- Ham/GMRS Callsign
- W3AWD
- Service Branch
- CERT
This link should help clarify that they are legal.
Here's your reference: General Mobile Radio Service (GMRS)
The first sentence clarifies that it must be a radio specifically licensed for GMRS use.
Member III
- 2,771
- First Name
- Rolando
- Last Name
- Nispiros
- Member #
17011
- Ham/GMRS Callsign
- KN6JJS
Applied on Saturday and pending approval. +1 on the FCC not being user friendly.
Member III
- 2,771
- First Name
- Rolando
- Last Name
- Nispiros
- Member #
17011
- Ham/GMRS Callsign
- KN6JJS
Woo hoo! Just got approval notice this morning. Just in time cause my Midland MTX105 is arriving today.
Don't do as I did. I was working on a few other things while signing up, jumping between a few open tabs. I have no clue where I am in the process now. I need to start over but I'm all ready in the system but can't find myself in the system if that makes any sense. I might need to call.
Todd
Todd
