Yes, us hams tend to crap on CB and GMRS, but the truth is, for most people who don't give a #%(& about expanding their skill set, and want a radio for communicating more than the couple miles that CB or MURS will get you, GMRS is a valid option.

What is GMRS?

It's a set of 22 (30 if you count repeaters) frequencies in the UHF band, that, similar to ham radio, allows use of repeaters to extend your signal. It predates the FRS service by quite a bit, but FRS is basically GMRS-lite with significantly lower power, fewer frequencies, and no repeater access.

Unlike ham radio, no test is required, only a $35 fee which covers your entire family for 10 years.

GMRS is great for local area communication between friends/family members.

GMRS does not cover multiple bands. Getting interference? Want bigger coverage? You're pretty much SOL. You're not gonna be talking around the world like you can with ham radio.

Yes, the $25 Baofeng and Quansheng radios will work on GMRS.

Yes, you can buy similarly inexpensive mobile radios that work on GMRS to greatly extend your range.

GMRS, being on the UHF band, is better suited for urban environments and thick vegetation compared to VHF - but again, unlike ham, which allows you choose which band to operate on, GMRS doesn't give you that option.

Encryption is technically illegal on GMRS, but many radios support encryption when programmed on those frequencies. I'll leave it at that.

So, if you're looking for a legal, above-board communications method, that is pretty turnkey, and really hard to mess up, GMRS may be an option for you.


https://www.fcc.gov/wireless/bureau-div ... rvice-gmrs



Pro:

• No test to take
• One $35 license covers your entire family
• UHF frequencies = smaller antennas = easier to hide
• Higher gain antennas are much smaller compared to VHF
• Inexpensive radios
• Simple operation
• Can use repeaters for extended range
• Better range than MURS and FRS

Con:

• Limited channel capacity
• Easy to intercept communications
• limited range compared to ham
• Does not legally allow encryption or digital modes like P25

GMRS is often overlooked. Unfortunately, it some places, it has turned into a 27MHZ CB replacement.

I wouldn’t necessarily agree a UHF handheld will outperform a VHF (MURS) model for direct communications. The extra channels of GMRS is a whole lot more flexible than MURS, though.

Good post to remind folks.

Yes, GMRS is very active in Pierce County & surrounding areas, mainly due to the Olycomm 3 repeater on E. Tiger. I was just yesterday talking to other operators through it from my campsite, 95 miles from the repeater.

The HH6 and I could have easily communicated this way if cell was down. Pretty cool option.

I'ts big with the outdoor crowd now, the way 11 meter used to be. Logging trucks are using it, handy when working the logging trails.

Limited to 2W on MURS VS 50W on GMRS.

Generally speaking, and this is completely a ballpark figure, but your theoretical range increases 50-100% per band 'hop'.... using the same output power.

So, if you get 10 miles on UHF you'll get 20 miles on VHF and 40-50 miles on VHF low.

Again, just a ballpark, nothing to make actual calculations on..

So, a 2W VHF radio VS a 50W UHF radio is gonna be a huge world of difference, especially in built up urban areas or heavily wooded areas where uhf works better.

TW, I was speaking handhelds. Mobiles are a different class for sure.

2W VHF and 5W UHF, with the UHF possibly having a better antenna if the VHF had a ducky. Roughly equivalent, then we get into absorption and diffraction.

No one cares but a few of us nerds!

I hold some S&R licenses for systems in MT. We couldn’t do it on UHF, had to go back to VHF. Fortunately, there’s lots of spectrum space out there!

Yeah, HTs will be about the same.