Motorola GMRS

[TheBronze]

I should explain that I'm a ham radio guy that has worked with Motorola gear for many years. Most of my radio gear is Motorola so it was a no brainer when I decided to put a radio in the Jeep what it would be. This post is to show that you can do a lot with a commercial radio if that's the way you decide to go. I have both ham and GMRS licenses so I decided to use a Motorola Convert-A-Comm with an XTS5000 UHF radio. I programmed the handheld radio for all of my local ham repeaters as well as the common ham simplex channels. I then programmed in a separate bank with all of the GMRS channels. The antenna was designed to be very low profile so that it won't hit trees or be noticed by potential thieves. The radio only puts out about five watts but works all my local repeaters and talks simplex a solid 5-6 miles. This is more than adequate for what I want to do. I can also take the radio out of the Jeep in seconds so that it can't be stolen or if I want to use it on the ground. Notice that the 1/4 wave antenna has a more than adequate ground plane for UHF frequencies and stays out of the way.

Just another way to skin that GMRS cat!

B

 

[RickLB]

What’s the difference in Ham and GMRS? Is there a licensing difference?

 

[TheBronze]

Ham, or ”Amateur“ radio is a series of three license classes that allow operators to use many different radio frequency Band. Ham radio operators can use radios on HF, VHF, UHF and even microwave frequencies. They can also use different modes of radio such as CW (Morse code), FM, AM, Side band and Digital. To become a ham you have to take a series of exams to earn the various licenses. The General Mobile Radio Service is a licensed radio service that uses only fixed channels in the UHF band. These radios are on frequencies similar to what the police or fire departments use and are line of sight, meaning they are good for up to roughly ten miles when using simplex or fifty miles or more when using a repeater.

Until recently, the only way to get GMRS equipment was to use commercial radios and program them for the GMRS channels. A few years ago companies like Midland started to produce ready made GMRS radios at reasonable prices that you can simply buy and use. Although there is a license required to use GMRS you do not need to take any exams. You can apply for the license on the internet and have you call sign issued within a few days. The license is, I think, $65.00 and is good for ten years. The license covered everyone in your immediate family.

GMRS has become much more popular with off-readers because it uses FM so it is quiet when not receiving a signal. The radios can also use put to fifty watts instead of the typical four watts used by CB radios. GMRS radios can also use much smaller antennas that are easier to mount and live with off road.

The radio that I was showing him my Jeep is a commercial radio that has been programmed for both Ham Radio and GMRS because I have licenses for both. Some off readers get the basic ham license, known as a ”Technician” class license. This allows them to use VHF and UHF radios as well as the many repeaters that are available to Ham Radio operators. Most off readers simply want to a radio to talk a few miles and so they choose some thing like a CB or GMRS.

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Brian