GMRS Licensing?

I'm going to get my GMRS License. $35 for 10yrs, if anything maybe its a better way of showing that cutting the cost in half is a better way to get more people licensed than them enforcing penalties.

Rugged Radios has the processes, including direct links, for each License on their website. ("Licensing information" at the Bottom of the Homepage)

EDIT:
Got it done.
apps.fcc.gov
Register, get your 10-digit FRN, apply for license (ZA - GMRS), log back in and go to "manage FRNs" to pay the pending $35 application fee.
 
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Some clarity on GMRS:

  • the rule is you call out your call sign at the start of the call and every 15 mins thereafter if your chat goes longer than that.
  • there are 22 FRS/GMRS channels. FRS is family radio service and those do NOT need a license to transmit.
    • GMRS can be transmitted on FRS channels on all except 8-14 because GMRS radios typically have removable antenna, and FRS requires that the radio does NOT have a removable antenna (I don't make the rules)
  • Channels 15 - 22 are allowed to use up to 50W .. all others are 0.5 - 2 W
  • All the other channels can be used as repeater channels, some are pre-programmed, the rest can be changed.
    • privacy codes are normally used by repeaters, but you can setup privacy codes to talk HT to HT.
      • Privacy codes are NOT PRIVATE. Other people can hear you transmit. What a privacy code does is it only listens for transmitters that are transmitting on those codes, and filters all other traffic out. This helps groups talk amongst themselves without having to listen to others if they don't want to.
  • The license Fee is $35 and lasts for 10 years
    • the license fee covers your immediate family as well. they would use the same call-sign you receive, and simply append "unit two"
      • ie. "wjhk-793 unit two.... dad are you there?"
  • The radios are easy to program using a computer and the software that it comes with or ChiRP software, but it's always recommended that you learn how to program the radio directly.
  • GMRS users are a LOT friendlier than HAM radio nazis
 
Lord60 said:
Some clarity on GMRS:

  • the rule is you call out your call sign at the start of the call and every 15 mins thereafter if your chat goes longer than that.
  • there are 22 FRS/GMRS channels. FRS is family radio service and those do NOT need a license to transmit.
    • GMRS can be transmitted on FRS channels on all except 8-14 because GMRS radios typically have removable antenna, and FRS requires that the radio does NOT have a removable antenna (I don't make the rules)
  • Channels 15 - 22 are allowed to use up to 50W .. all others are 0.5 - 2 W
  • All the other channels can be used as repeater channels, some are pre-programmed, the rest can be changed.
    • privacy codes are normally used by repeaters, but you can setup privacy codes to talk HT to HT.
      • Privacy codes are NOT PRIVATE. Other people can hear you transmit. What a privacy code does is it only listens for transmitters that are transmitting on those codes, and filters all other traffic out. This helps groups talk amongst themselves without having to listen to others if they don't want to.
  • The license Fee is $35 and lasts for 10 years
    • the license fee covers your immediate family as well. they would use the same call-sign you receive, and simply append "unit two"
      • ie. "wjhk-793 unit two.... dad are you there?"
  • The radios are easy to program using a computer and the software that it comes with or ChiRP software, but it's always recommended that you learn how to program the radio directly.
  • GMRS users are a LOT friendlier than HAM radio nazis
Click to expand...
If I am with someone and they say some stupid code over the radio before saying their message I would slap them in the mouth.
 
Lord60 said:
Some clarity on GMRS:

  • the rule is you call out your call sign at the start of the call and every 15 mins thereafter if your chat goes longer than that.
  • there are 22 FRS/GMRS channels. FRS is family radio service and those do NOT need a license to transmit.
    • GMRS can be transmitted on FRS channels on all except 8-14 because GMRS radios typically have removable antenna, and FRS requires that the radio does NOT have a removable antenna (I don't make the rules)
  • Channels 15 - 22 are allowed to use up to 50W .. all others are 0.5 - 2 W
  • All the other channels can be used as repeater channels, some are pre-programmed, the rest can be changed.
    • privacy codes are normally used by repeaters, but you can setup privacy codes to talk HT to HT.
      • Privacy codes are NOT PRIVATE. Other people can hear you transmit. What a privacy code does is it only listens for transmitters that are transmitting on those codes, and filters all other traffic out. This helps groups talk amongst themselves without having to listen to others if they don't want to.
  • The license Fee is $35 and lasts for 10 years
    • the license fee covers your immediate family as well. they would use the same call-sign you receive, and simply append "unit two"
      • ie. "wjhk-793 unit two.... dad are you there?"
  • The radios are easy to program using a computer and the software that it comes with or ChiRP software, but it's always recommended that you learn how to program the radio directly.
  • GMRS users are a LOT friendlier than HAM radio nazis
Click to expand...
Sounds like some metaverse bullshit. Having a radio and a Jeep is about bullshiting with friends and getting away from shit like this.

 
Lord60 said:
Some clarity on GMRS:

  • the rule is you call out your call sign at the start of the call and every 15 mins thereafter if your chat goes longer than that.
  • there are 22 FRS/GMRS channels. FRS is family radio service and those do NOT need a license to transmit.
    • GMRS can be transmitted on FRS channels on all except 8-14 because GMRS radios typically have removable antenna, and FRS requires that the radio does NOT have a removable antenna (I don't make the rules)
  • Channels 15 - 22 are allowed to use up to 50W .. all others are 0.5 - 2 W
  • All the other channels can be used as repeater channels, some are pre-programmed, the rest can be changed.
    • privacy codes are normally used by repeaters, but you can setup privacy codes to talk HT to HT.
      • Privacy codes are NOT PRIVATE. Other people can hear you transmit. What a privacy code does is it only listens for transmitters that are transmitting on those codes, and filters all other traffic out. This helps groups talk amongst themselves without having to listen to others if they don't want to.
  • The license Fee is $35 and lasts for 10 years
    • the license fee covers your immediate family as well. they would use the same call-sign you receive, and simply append "unit two"
      • ie. "wjhk-793 unit two.... dad are you there?"
  • The radios are easy to program using a computer and the software that it comes with or ChiRP software, but it's always recommended that you learn how to program the radio directly.
  • GMRS users are a LOT friendlier than HAM radio nazis
Click to expand...
If we don't follow the rules then we might become incarcerated, right? Do the same draconian rules apply to the family-friendly FRS channels?
 
Also the big advantage over cb is range. When I started jeeping 17 years ago CB was mainly line of sight or if really well tuned a few miles in the wide open areas.

With my hard mount gmrs Radiooddity DB25 I've talked with freinds in the desert over 35 miles away. Even in the San Juan mountains we get impressive range. It's really nice to be able to coordinate meeting up on the trails instead of waiting around for that one late ass freind.

For handheld I use 5 watt TD-H5. Very happy with them as well.
 
jpkjeep said:
Also the big advantage over cb is range. When I started jeeping 17 years ago CB was mainly line of sight or if really well tuned a few miles in the wide open areas.

With my hard mount gmrs Radiooddity DB25 I've talked with freinds in the desert over 35 miles away. Even in the San Juan mountains we get impressive range. It's really nice to be able to coordinate meeting up on the trails instead of waiting around for that one late ass freind.

For handheld I use 5 watt TD-H5. Very happy with them as well.
Click to expand...
Lol coordinate with friends who are 35 miles away? You are not wheeling together if they are 35 miles away.
 
OverlanderJK said:
Lol coordinate with friends who are 35 miles away? You are not wheeling together if they are 35 miles away.
Click to expand...

I'll often join up with a larger group many hours after they have left the trailhead. I assume you cover ground much slower old timer. Hell, you could rig up a ohm sounder and send out telegraphs 😂
 
GP NOIR said:
Maybe jpkjeep could- I dunno- use a radio to coordinate with his friends, who are in the desert 35 miles away, so they CAN wheel together?
Click to expand...
Thank you, that is the point of using radios so we CAN be wheeling together lmao
 
Years ago we were at Bonneville Speed Week, had to go into Wendover for batteries in the Duramax. The owner of Autozone got to BSing with us about radios, they were using handheld ham radio’s in their Corvette club and got turned in by some radio club nerds who were able to locate them by their signals.

FCC fined him and all of his buddies for illegal radio broadcasts, swearing, Etc.

This was long before the cheap beofang radios were available. Seems like radio use has exploded since then, so many have them nowadays it would probably make it a lot harder to track people down.
 
CalSgt said:
Years ago we were at Bonneville Speed Week, had to go into Wendover for batteries in the Duramax. The owner of Autozone got to BSing with us about radios, they were using handheld ham radio’s in their Corvette club and got turned in by some radio club nerds who were able to locate them by their signals.

FCC fined him and all of his buddies for illegal radio broadcasts, swearing, Etc.

This was long before the cheap beofang radios were available. Seems like radio use has exploded since then, so many have them nowadays it would probably make it a lot harder to track people dow
Click to expand...
"With great power comes great responsibility." Seems to be true for radios as well. The electromagnetic spectrum is a finite resource (like our public land trail system). Lots of people use it and we need to "tread lightly" on the radio spectrum just like on the land. If we all go FULL POWER we fill the airwaves with so much noise you step on each other and can't hear your group. Hence the FCC has rules.

- Note: there is a safe harbor provision in the FCC laws that allow you to transmit on non licensed frequencies if there is an emergency.

And profanity on the airwaves is probably the biggest issue that will bring the FCC down on you with fines and such.

It's not hard to triangulate and figure out where you are. It's not hard to record your voice. And most people use names and other verbal clues that will identify them. And they post on social media.

But really - it's a "tread lightly" issue. We all share the same land. We all share the same radio spectrum. If we fill either one with trash it ruins things for everyone.
 
jimcoffey62 said:
"With great power comes great responsibility." Seems to be true for radios as well. The electromagnetic spectrum is a finite resource (like our public land trail system). Lots of people use it and we need to "tread lightly" on the radio spectrum just like on the land. If we all go FULL POWER we fill the airwaves with so much noise you step on each other and can't hear your group. Hence the FCC has rules.

- Note: there is a safe harbor provision in the FCC laws that allow you to transmit on non licensed frequencies if there is an emergency.

And profanity on the airwaves is probably the biggest issue that will bring the FCC down on you with fines and such.

It's not hard to triangulate and figure out where you are. It's not hard to record your voice. And most people use names and other verbal clues that will identify them. And they post on social media.

But really - it's a "tread lightly" issue. We all share the same land. We all share the same radio spectrum. If we fill either one with trash it ruins things for everyone.
Click to expand...
Yes, this is so. If folks using the airwaves won't police themselves, the airwaves will become jammed by people who love creating chaos. Race radios, GMRS, FMRS, Ham frequencies will be unusable. The FCC is under tremendous pressure to take away all these frequencies from the public and sell them to commercial concerns. Regulations will then be strictly enforced by the feds because big money will be involved.
 
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