GMRS License

[mutantsfornukes]

I got my license at the end of last year, and bought a couple of handheld units. It was a pretty easy process.

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[AZCooWhip]

ARFcom, is that you?

Yep ... I laughed out loud.

<ducks and hides from black helicopters hovering over the house>.

 

[AZCooWhip]

You really seem to be fighting this licensing fee, don’t worry about it.
Just get a FRS radio to communicate with others, that requires no license and it can communicate with GMRS radios on certain channels.
You just won’t get the same range.

This ..... but there may be the occasional exception. We are heading to Moab for EJS at end of March. It is my understanding that Red Rocks will require GMRS radios If you are out in trails with them.

 

[syreeves]

You really seem to be fighting this licensing fee, don’t worry about it.
Just get a FRS radio to communicate with others, that requires no license and it can communicate with GMRS radios on certain channels.
You just won’t get the same range.

I think the policy reason behind the license is that because the radio has such a long range that they (the government portions out the spectrum) wants to create space for actual communications. If you look at the list of "do not do..." things it is a lot of stuff like "don't play music" and "don't advertise shit" - the license means that if you break those rules you can get kicked off. I'm totally fine with that. Too many stupid people today who don't know how to respect ordinary common sense rules. NOT speaking about anyone on this thread - just referring to the general public who would or could abuse these rules.

 

[Terminus33]

But a drivers license involves the ability to test to and show knowledge of several laws as well as demonstrate the ability to operate a vehicle. Ostensibly, there is a valid reason for it. This GMRS license appears to be "because I said so."

You also have to get a fishing license in certain places with no test what so ever. The GMRS license and other licenses that seem dumb are so they can prosecute if they want to for breaking rules/procedures because you paid to use something that you should have also read the rules to. No different than loading some game on a PC or anything else that you have to press "accept" to continue after you read it that no one reads.

 

[sarguy1941]

For the most part all FCC licenses cost money. Its big business for the FCC. Its one of the few private frequency blocks you can still use as a family with the exception of ham. Most folks don't want Ham so this is an alternative. Your little cell phone uses a license even if its Verizon or ATT spending million on it.

 

[ArmyMP]

Beware there are people who make a living birddoging unlicensed users.

To many Ham Karens.

 

[Dlish]

Beware there are people who make a living birddoging unlicensed users.

To many Ham Karens.

this thread already has a couple GMRS-rens in it too

 

[Josh00333]

I need to re-read it but IO think it's needs repating every 10-15 min. I usualy use it on my inital call out and that's it.

"WROG653"

So far my communication has been with family on the farm. Do people actually use their call signs on the trail?

 

[Josh00333]

I admit that I am GMRS ignorant, and this whole licensing thing sounds like an unenforceable bureaucratic nightmare. Unenforcable, yes.
What are the knowledge requirements and testing criteria to obtain this license? None.
What purpose does this license serve? None.
What benefit will citizens derive from this license? None.
Do these operation the same frequencies as the Walkie Talkies we played with as kids? No.

Pretty simple.

 

[Radio Guy]

Pretty simple.

I've had a GMRS license since the early 80s and so does everyone I run with off road or where ever we use GMRS radios. I also have a fleet of GMRS repeaters on mountain tops that was not cheap. If you were to join us and had a GMRS radio and no license we would request you not transmit on the radio.

Why? Not because its illegal, its because all of us went through the trouble and expense to do it right and who the F are you to skate by and not adhere to the same rules we do? It would kind of make us think what else did you ignore like maybe you never got a drivers license or registered your vehicle or didn't get a required off roading permit or ??

So before you go bashing someone wanting you to have a GMRS license and crying "Radio Karen" think about how you would feel going through the motions and paying $$ when someone else is giving a middle finger to the whole process and expense you went through. Just how special are you?

 

[Dlish]

Well, seeing as you derived zero value from paying the gov money, not sure why you went through the process. If you invested private funds into repeaters to help make wheeling safer/communications better, I would understand a use fee being paid to you if I were going to use your repeaters.
Im not special, and like most ham-rens that tend to talk big on internet forums ("who the F are you to skate by") I am peachy glad you are happy to prop up a gov agency that provides zero value. A+ for you bro!
Maybe you shoulda thought about going through the motions before you went through those motions.
I make every effort to avoid Cali, but if Im there ill throw you a use fee for those repeaters!

 

[DanW]

Stay safe. Stay legal. Wear a condom and get your GMRS license.

They are supposed to drop the fee to 35 bucks sometime, if they haven't already. That's a bargain for 10 years. Heck, I paid I think 70 or 80 bucks for 10 years and still think that's a bargain.

I'm no fan of some aspects of our oversized government and some of the ways they do things. But I am a fan of doing things the right way and following the rules. There's not as much legitimacy to the argument of someone who complains about rules if they don't follow them.

 

[CFLgladiator]

A lot of times fees are used to help fund regulating. If the FCC didn't regulate the manufacturers many people who think fees are for suckers would be pretty upset that there would be no usable frequencies to use since the bands would be saturated with over powered transmitters and people spamming.
There will always be a segment of ignorant and selfish few who feel the rules don't apply to them and serve no purpose in a society.

 

[MrZappo]

Well, seeing as you derived zero value from paying the gov money, not sure why you went through the process. If you invested private funds into repeaters to help make wheeling safer/communications better, I would understand a use fee being paid to you if I were going to use your repeaters.
Im not special, and like most ham-rens that tend to talk big on internet forums ("who the F are you to skate by") I am peachy glad you are happy to prop up a gov agency that provides zero value. A+ for you bro!
Maybe you shoulda thought about going through the motions before you went through those motions.
I make every effort to avoid Cali, but if Im there ill throw you a use fee for those repeaters!

Oh it's one of you.

I'm as anti tax, anti regulation, anti oversight agency as anyone but c'mon man relax.

And before you say it, yep I'm a ham operator. But that has nothing to do with it.

There are limited airways, when left "open" things degenerate to the lowest common denominator. Like CB did back in the day. Wild west never turns out well.

I've been on ham bands and gmrs bands and folks are generally respectful and helpful.

Last time I was on CB, and I lived near a truck stop, the airwaves we're loaded with hookers advertising $25 bjobs. Aside from the price being reasonable, it was a joke.

If an agency doing "nothing" as you put it and a few dollars $7.00 per year at this point has the net effect of people taking it a bit more seriously and trying to keep the platform clean and usable for all, what is the harm ?

Am I a "Karen" ? Seriously now. I know that "internet popular word" can be used to denigrate and shut down people but really ? Anyone who doesn't have a problem with the fcc charging a few bucks and keeping things "organized" or at least having a structure that maintains a generally useable and friendly environment is not a "Karen".

Gmrs is a great platform. Let's never make it what CB became.

You can have my $70.

And I'll happily support the FAA as well so I can fly with confidence as well. And before you say it, they do a reasonable job as well.

I'm not a government guy. But I'll give my $70 to the FCC as it suits me. And I'll also donate to the NRA as it also suits me.

All that said, for the OP, get a license, support the process, and enjoy the service and the safety and confidence it gives the jeep community when regular communications services are unavailable.

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