Any Ham Radio Operators on FHC?

Gmrs looks good because there's no test, yet it can use repeaters, at least that's how I understand it. The international and other long range contacts does sound like fun, but honestly I don't think I'd have much time to pursue.

I'm mainly thinking about these comes for emergency purposes, and I know in a true emergency rules and licenses are out the window (to a degree). So thinking gmrs is a way "in" the game, kinda in the middle road.

Haven't seen an obvious answer to this question on what I've been reading/watching....is there a radio capable of using (receiving and transmitting) all the bands, lawfully)? Or can the all do that if you set them up correctly? To a degree I'm not worried about the lawful part, questioning more about can the radio actually do it, not then"legal to transmit" aspect...

Oh and I forgot this part. I looked on repeater book and mygmrs, and I don't see any repeaters, on those two sources, near me. Closest shown were probably 20-25 miles away. Anyone have/looked into getting their own small repeater, such as the retevis rt97?

 

Not that I'm aware of. I think in order to get FCC type certification the radio's have to be able to transmit only within authorized bands.

Some have "general recieve" capabilities, but without modification they won't transmit out of band.

GMRS.. is definitely an option, the main benefit I see is that "if I remember correctly" the whole family can communicate via the same license.

Edit.. GMRS can be up to 50 watts, whereas FRS is limited to 5 watts.. Can make a big difference.

But it might be FRS "Family Radio Service" that covers that.

 

Does FRS use repeaters? I know I read that GMRS does, so that would be good, if there are any close enough to hit.

 

Not sure about that.. if a repeater requires CTCSS tones, I'm not aware if FRS radios can do that.. I would think that GMRS radios have some implementation of that given what Eckie has mentioned.

I've not gone in depth on the capabilities of FRS or GMRS radios, so.. I'm not the best one to say yea or nay on this.

 

No, FRS is simplex only. FRS can use CTCSS.

GMRS shares some frequencies with FRS and those channels are at reduced power limit channels 8-15. Some GMRS channels are sectioned off as repeater pairs, some as simplex.
Both are UHF line of sight only.

I have a GMRS license that I got shortly before getting my amateur radio license. I wanted my wife to be able to contact me in the event of emergency. I had a 50w base station and a pretty good antenna, actually, I’m not sure if I exceeded maximum ERP since it was a 9.1 DBi antenna .
I never really used it because I ended up passing my general and upgrading to amateur extra immediately and then putting a UHF repeater on the same antenna mount with a similar antenna.
Also my wife got her technician license, so the GMRS is really only for my brothers and kids to use.

I should add that GMRS repeaters are not as easy to find as ham repeaters.

Also with regard to an emergency, the hams will be organized and not stepping on one another while the CB and other services may be crowded and unorganized.

 

Yes.. What are you attaching it to?

The plug connectors are different for some radio's.

 

Well, that would be a 2 meter long antenna.


Not sure about additional benefits from a full wavelength antenna, but it should perform better than the typical 1/4 wavelength vertical.

But I wouldn't wanna carry it around.

 

Psshhh.. I've got time I've not even wasted yet.. got plenty to spare.

 

it might be my area but I don't get much reception with my baofeng and that nagoya.
I can listen in on 911 fire but I can't hear the local FD respond that is 2 miles maybe from my house. Occasionally if the atmosphere is just right
I can hear the squads but pretty rare. I'm considering getting a telescoping antenna to try and get better 2m reception.
Thought I read the nagoya are more tuned for the 70cm band??