I am trying to decide between GMRS and MURS. I already have FRS and GMRS covered. It's a shame the stupid FCC prohibits MURS radios from doing anything else.
Which do you use/prefer for everyday and/or SHTF comms between HAM, FRS, GMRS, MURS, CB?
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cowboy1964
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Most police these days are encrypted. Maybe not dispatch channel but the ops channels areGetting back on topic...and to answer the OP's original question. It is beneficial to have radios that cover all or most of the bands. The Baofeng UH5Vr does that pretty cheaply. It can be programmed for UHF/VHF ham bands as well as MURS, FRS/GMRS, business, marine, weather, even commercial FM radio. You can also program police (if not on digital), EMS/Fire.
this link gives one a pretty good look into radio use for preppers, survivalists etc. It has frequency lists to program in the Baofeng radios as well as emergency comm plans as well as downloads for Chirp and the 100 freqs. I have all my Baofengs programed to those freqs. It gives you lots of options. And yes I am have a Tech license and use the 2m band for ham. It is nice to have access to other bands/freqs even it you don't use them (legally).
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I meant to say "except the ones that are encrypted". Which is true but there are still some departments out there that aren't.
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I bought a Baofang UV-82 when I got back into 2m/440. They’re okay handy talkies and certainly would be functional in SHTF but they really are pretty marginal radios, but for the purpose of this thread, the Baofengs work.Getting back on topic...and to answer the OP's original question. It is beneficial to have radios that cover all or most of the bands. The Baofeng UH5Vr does that pretty cheaply. It can be programmed for UHF/VHF ham bands as well as MURS, FRS/GMRS, business, marine, weather, even commercial FM radio. You can also program/listen to police (if not on digital), EMS/Fire.
this link gives one a pretty good look into radio use for preppers, survivalists etc. It has frequency lists to program in the Baofeng radios as well as emergency comm plans as well as downloads for Chirp and the 100 freqs. I have all my Baofengs programed to those freqs. It gives you lots of options. And yes I am have a Tech license and use the 2m band for ham. It is nice to have access to other bands/freqs even it you don't use them (legally).
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There are plenty of departments that use digital comms that arent encrypted and they can still be monitored.
I've got an EF Johnson radio in 800mhz digital so I can monitor Polk County comms.
All of the required freqs zones and talk groups can be found on Radio Reference.
There's a misunderstanding between who's actually encrypted and who's just gone digital that analog radios can't monitor.
I've got an EF Johnson radio in 800mhz digital so I can monitor Polk County comms.
All of the required freqs zones and talk groups can be found on Radio Reference.
There's a misunderstanding between who's actually encrypted and who's just gone digital that analog radios can't monitor.
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For the money they are amazing. For the price they are practically disposable, especially the cheapest UV-5R.
Wouxun seems to be the hot brand now. They seem pretty good but you're paying well over $100 for them too.
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Esp when you buy 6 at a time!
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When I went to Alaska a couple years ago, fishing and hiking my wife and I took UV5Rs with us on the trails. Not only do they provide communication but they have a flashlight and a siren (to scare away bears) built in.
At Mt. McKinley (now called Mt. Denali) in Denali Nationa Park the climbers and base camp use GMRS to keep track of climbers. A lot of the climbers had Baofengs and were using them unlicensed on the NP gmrs repeater.
At Mt. McKinley (now called Mt. Denali) in Denali Nationa Park the climbers and base camp use GMRS to keep track of climbers. A lot of the climbers had Baofengs and were using them unlicensed on the NP gmrs repeater.
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Surely there was an FCC warrant team waiting in base camp- no?
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Lots of folks think that illegally using these radios is ok. Doesn't make it true.
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I didn’t say it did.
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That genie is already out of the bottle. There are millions of these radios in use and very few have licenses for them. I've seen many private and govt organizations use them unlicensed with impunity. It's kind of like gun control. Gun control only works on those willing to comply.
Personally I think at least the GMRS license should be eliminated. It's become the new CB radio. If you remember CB radio was licensed until so many many people were using it unlicensed (yeah, I had a CB license) that it became unenforceable. Same with MURS and some business bands.
As long as those bands don't interfere with Ham they should be completely deregulated. And lets face it, cell phones have completely changed the way we communicate. There are fewer and fewer Hams and I believe fewer and fewer radio users in general. The need to regulate certain bands and freqs is long since past.
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They do however interfere. All of those cheap radios produce a lot of inference and spurious emissions. To imply that breaking the law is ok because there are millions of theses radios out there is a pretty lame justification.
BaoFeng HTs and Spurious Emissons
The January edition of QST has some disturbing data about dirty transmitters in BaoFeng HTs. Amateurs are responsible for their transmitters being clean, but most of us don’t have the test eq…
observer.wunderwood.org
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Not trying to justify it, just being realistic. Regulating these radios does nothing to prevent them from being used.They do however interfere. All of those cheap radios produce a lot of inference and spurious emissions. To imply that breaking the law is ok because there are millions of theses radios out there is a pretty lame justification.
BaoFeng HTs and Spurious Emissons
The January edition of QST has some disturbing data about dirty transmitters in BaoFeng HTs. Amateurs are responsible for their transmitters being clean, but most of us don’t have the test eq…
I am also suggesting that when radio first came out it spread rapidly and became the most popular means of communications. Regulations were necessary to keep things under control. That I believe, is no longer the case so why not deregulate portions of it?
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As my link demonstrated, nearly 90% of those radios cause interference and spurious emissions. Deregulating it would only increase that pollution. The goal is to increase the chances of good radio communications, not make it worse for everyone.
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What defines "regulation" presently? What defines it during SHTF?
Regulation has had some limited success with normal FCC policing among law-abiding users, but if 11M has taught us anything, it's that the FCC is easily overwhelmed by freebanders under normal conditions. If/When the SHTF, "Regulation" of any aspect of communications quickly becomes unenforceable everywhere. Attempts at True regulation becomes a mere nuisance.
Regulation has had some limited success with normal FCC policing among law-abiding users, but if 11M has taught us anything, it's that the FCC is easily overwhelmed by freebanders under normal conditions. If/When the SHTF, "Regulation" of any aspect of communications quickly becomes unenforceable everywhere. Attempts at True regulation becomes a mere nuisance.
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Regulation of late has primarily come from authorized stations complaining about unauthorized stations transmitting on PS and other bands. The last one I recall reading about was someone operating on 150mhz which was interfering with the fire service in that area.
Just accepting pollution due to illegal stations isn't any better than accepting illegal immigration because there are just so many here already.
ETA the FCC has cracked down on these radios and the manufacturer.
"After receiving the LOI, the Company confirmed with the manufacturer that model UV5R V2+ is indeed capable of operating on “restricted frequencies,”15 though it is incapable of operating at power levels above those specified in its Equipment Authorization.16 The Company then instructed the manufacturer to rectify the issue17 and subsequently confirmed with the manufacturer that “all [Amcrest] inventory currently on order and in the future will operate only on 145-155 M[H]z and 400-520 M[H]z.”"
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It was a narrow crackdown. There are still plenty of non-compliant radios that are capable of operating on frequencies outside of their intended purpose.
FCC was supposed to drop GMRS license from $70 to $35 months ago. AFAIK it still hasn't happened.
I agree, GMRS should be unlicensed at this point.
FCC was supposed to drop GMRS license from $70 to $35 months ago. AFAIK it still hasn't happened.
I agree, GMRS should be unlicensed at this point.
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It's like killing the lawyer, it's a good start.
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The more I have learned about GMRS the more I like it. Having repeaters available is (or could be) a big deal if you have them around. Of course in a widespread SHTF they may not be there. I still think having CB available is a good idea just to cover more bases.
The GMRS license fee STILL hasn't been dropped to $35. Your efficient gubbermint at work.
The GMRS license fee STILL hasn't been dropped to $35. Your efficient gubbermint at work.
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