Tell Me About GMRS Radio

[Albert]

OK I'll admit I know less about GMRS radio than Jethro Bodine knew about quantum physics. But I'm curious. Are there other uses besides just talking to people you're riding with? Can you catch a conversation on the road with someone passing by? Are there weather updates available? What do you do with them? I need to know. I have a connection for one and my greatest fear is that some item of questionable use to me may go un-bought.

[realshelby]

Ground Mobile Radio Service I believe is what it stands for. Back when the FCC enforced rules and regulations you had to have a license to operated radios on the frequencies this used. Probably still do, and as I recall there is no test. Maybe a small fee to sign up. But there are restrictions on what you can use it for. The FRS has taken the place of GMRS in many cases. You could use higher power with GMRS. Today, I would be surprised to hear anyone on it! If you have friends with you or along the way and they are set up on a schedule to talk to you it might be ok. No weather updates or other "broadcast" information that I am aware of.

[ltljohn]

LINKY That should explain everything for you.

You can also pick up a pair for about $50 on Ebay.

[Rogue_Trader]

I'm no amateur radio guru, but I have a different take on this. GMRS is more advanced than FRS from what I've read. No matter, many radios cover both sets of frequencies.

 

When it comes to how these can be used, think walkie-talkie, but better. Two or more bike riders could have bike-to-bike communications by sharing the same frequency. Some radios have a scan function, so theoretically you could pick up a conversation; but radios often have scrambling or private subchannels which would preclude that. How else could they be used? People use them for staying in touch hiking or in the mall. I use it for beach-to-house communication while on vacation (ok, my wife calls me a geek but I know when lunch is ready!) I also use them for checking cable continuity around the house, with one person spotting the TV and one moving cable connections around. You get the idea.

 

Some radios have a weather channel; that is a separate frequency from GMRS and is added as a extra feature.

 

Hope this is getting at your question.

[Bill_Walker]

...Some radios have a scan function, so theoretically you could pick up a conversation; but radios often have scrambling or private subchannels which would preclude that. ...

 

Unless I'm very much mistaken, do NOT assume that the "private subchannels" give you any privacy. What they do is send a "squelch code" so that only radios set to that code "break squelch" and let the received signal through, so the receiver doesn't have to hear anybody else that's using the same channel but a different code. But a radio set with no code will be able to hear ALL transmissions on the channel.

[Twisties]

...Some radios have a scan function, so theoretically you could pick up a conversation; but radios often have scrambling or private subchannels which would preclude that. ...

 

Unless I'm very much mistaken, do NOT assume that the "private subchannels" give you any privacy. What they do is send a "squelch code" so that only radios set to that code "break squelch" and let the received signal through, so the receiver doesn't have to hear anybody else that's using the same channel but a different code. But a radio set with no code will be able to hear ALL transmissions on the channel.

 

That is correct Bill.

 

On this year's Pied Piper Run we all had GMRS set to the same frequency, FBOW. Most BMWST riders use the ICOM F21 GM Ch. 2, although when Sharon and I are on our own we will often look for cleaner air on other channels.

 

Can you catch a conversation on the road with someone passing by?

 

I often overhear other's conversations, unfortunately. Especially as reception conditions get marginal, sometimes you get a lot of breaks and noise. So far I have only had another rider contact me that was not actually riding with me. That was johnlt at Big Bend this winter when Barry's bike was down with brake problems. We were all in the event together, just not riding together that day. Never met a stranger that way.

 

They are very useful when riding with another similarly equipped rider.

 

We have used them at Ouray to communicate between the condos and around town.

 

I usually put one on my dirt bike in case of emergency on BMWST rides, and the folks in the jeeps usually have one. So if there are problems I can stop, turn it on and make a call.

 

We have a pair of Kenwoods and a pair of Midlands. I don't think there is much difference, though an awful lot of people swear by the Kenwoods. The newer Kenwoods use 3 AA's and I have yet to see a bike power adapter for them.

 

 

[Matts_12GS]

Most BMWST riders use the ICOM F21 GM Ch. 2, although when Sharon and I are on our own we will often look for cleaner air on other channels.

 

Like the rest of life, that must be the west coast thing...

 

Everyone I know running them here is running a kenwood of some kind via autocom. I run a KW 3101 because it's a 2W radio and offers good range. No codes, no frivolity just range.

 

Autocom makes good cabling to connect it and you can find a bike power adapter sometimes for them.

 

I got snagged by a VA County Mounty during the RedWing 1000 ride and was able to stay in touch with TyTass with the same radio about 6 miles away at an exit.

 

I have found them to really upgrade my experience when I'm riding with a few bikes.

[smiller]

Unless I'm very much mistaken, do NOT assume that the "private subchannels" give you any privacy.

You're not mistaken, they don't, for the reasons you and Jan outlined. But FWIW there are FRS radios with a 'scrambling' feature (usually just a simple scheme like speech inversion, not at all secure but good enough to prevent casual eavesdropping.) Trouble is the very simple implementations used on inexpensive FRS radios often impairs voice quality and range to some extent and thus can limit usability, but the feature is availbale in some models if one wants it.

[Twisties]

Originally Posted By: Twisties

Most BMWST riders use the ICOM F21 GM Ch. 2, although when Sharon and I are on our own we will often look for cleaner air on other channels.

 

 

Like the rest of life, that must be the west coast thing...

 

Everyone I know running them here is running a kenwood of some kind via autocom. I run a KW 3101 because it's a 2W radio and offers good range. No codes, no frivolity just range.

 

That's the channel, not the radio unit. Channel 2. I just gave him the full description because the wiki link he was given also shows the Motorola convention, in which it is channel 15.

 

 

[Albert]

Exactly the kind of things I was looking for. Thanks to all.

[Penforhire]

Even WITH the squelch code in our Kenwood TK-3101's we sometimes get others' signals. Rare and seems to be from more powerful transmitters. GMRS landscape is barren enough that we're always "what? who's that?" at each other when that happens.

 

FRS is great for two cars following each other but otherwise their range is very low. With GMRS rubber duckies lying down in tank bags we get close to a mile on flat land.

 

I see no need to buy the uber-expensive Kenwoods. If any of ours fails we all intend to try something 1/2 to 1/3rd the price. They are ruggedized but their knobs move too easily and the OEM 600 mAH battery is wimpy for a group that chats.

[Matts_12GS]

Originally Posted By: Twisties

Most BMWST riders use the ICOM F21 GM Ch. 2, although when Sharon and I are on our own we will often look for cleaner air on other channels.

 

 

Like the rest of life, that must be the west coast thing...

 

Everyone I know running them here is running a kenwood of some kind via autocom. I run a KW 3101 because it's a 2W radio and offers good range. No codes, no frivolity just range.

 

That's the channel, not the radio unit. Channel 2. I just gave him the full description because the wiki link he was given also shows the Motorola convention, in which it is channel 15.

 

 

Of course it is Jan....