GMRS Radio's

upnover

upnover

Grumpy, decrepit Old Man
Moderator
Joined
Mar 20, 2005
Location
Morganton NC
The GMSR radio's likt Rugged ridge sells, are those the same frequencies as the small hand held radio's that you can buy, well, just about anywhere?
 
upnover said:
The GMSR radio's likt Rugged ridge sells, are those the same frequencies as the small hand held radio's that you can buy, well, just about anywhere?
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You can tune the Ruged ridges to those preset frequencies. They are not the same.
 
upnover said:
The GMSR radio's likt Rugged ridge sells, are those the same frequencies as the small hand held radio's that you can buy, well, just about anywhere?
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GMRS (Geneeal Mobile Radio Service) requires a license. It's $35 with no test and covers your immediate family.

The cheap walkie talkies you can buy anywhere use mostly the same frequencies (except the repeater input freqs) but at a lower power. They require no license though.
 
ghost said:
You can tune the Ruged ridges to those preset frequencies. They are not the same.
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Rugged radios sells a $20 Baofeng ht radio with their name on it. They're identical other than that. That's what he's asking about.
 
shawn said:
GMRS still requires a license
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FRS (the cheapo walkie talkies you can buy nearly anywhere) do not. That's what I was referring to.
 
Rugged Radios sells GMRS radios after being hit by a pretty big lawsuit as they used to sell VHF units saying you didn't need a license for them under false pretenses.

Rugged Ridge doesn't sell radios.

If you bought these guys (different colors possible), they are GMRS :


rugged-radios-2-pack-gmr2-handheld-gmrs-frs-radio-pair-by-rugged-radios-grey-627056_1024x1024.jpg


If you bought these guys, they are VHF / FRS :


rugged-radios-2-pack-rugged-r1-business-band-handheld-digital-and-analog-914824_1024x1024.jpg


rugged-radios-rugged-v3-business-band-handheld-analog-only-592030_1024x1024@2x.jpg


Rugged-Radio-RH-5R-Handheld1.png


Do not rely on the colors, but look at the model.

Using Rugged Radio products, you cannot use a VHF to receive / emit on GMRS and vice-versa. You and your crew need to pick one style and stick with it.

You might be able to modify them to make it happen, but I haven't fooled with it.
Maybe the unlocked Baofengs could do it.
 
Bebop said:
If you bought these guys, they are VHF / FRS :
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You're mixing and matching terms.

FRS/GMRS is UHF (450MHz band) and is alongside amateur and business band allocations. VHF is the amateur and business band allocations around 150 MHz. The difference is in the FCC Type certification. Those radios include both 450 MHz and 150 MHz circuits and are programmed accordingly. If you look at the specs on Rugged's "GMRS Only" radios, they're capable of receiving in the 150MHz band (meaning they have the radio, but TX is locked out in the programming).

Rugged got in trouble for selling Baofeng radios without FCC Type certifications. It's the same reason the Baofengs that you buy today are "locked".
 
Not to rain on anyones parade, but using the Baofeng UV5R for FRS/GMRS is illegal. Not that anybody is gonna knock your door down and shoot your dog over it, but just an FYI. The only people who get in hot water over it are (as @shawn ) said companies who willingly mis-represent them or do some other stupid crap.


That said, my Anytone AT878 UVII+ ham radio HT has all the GMRS stuff in it and is what I use.
 
shawn said:
You're mixing and matching terms.

FRS/GMRS is UHF (450MHz band) and is alongside amateur and business band allocations. VHF is the amateur and business band allocations around 150 MHz. The difference is in the FCC Type certification. Those radios include both 450 MHz and 150 MHz circuits and are programmed accordingly. If you look at the specs on Rugged's "GMRS Only" radios, they're capable of receiving in the 150MHz band (meaning they have the radio, but TX is locked out in the programming).

Rugged got in trouble for selling Baofeng radios without FCC Type certifications. It's the same reason the Baofengs that you buy today are "locked".
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Thanks for pointing my errors out and adding some clarity.
 
Bebop said:
Thanks for pointing my errors out and adding some clarity.
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No worries. I can't decide if the Ruggeds are worth it or not. For $60/radio, if you already have a bunch of Baofeng stuff, you're getting a radio that uses the same battery, antenna, charger, mic, etc. Midlands are $40/radio, but you've got to buy at least a couple of them.
 
And for $20-$30/radio you can buy the Baofeng UV-5R V3 which is locked but the factory reset is a 3 key power on combination (PTT - VFO-Monitor while turning the radio on) and the radio stays permanently unlocked. Yes, it works. I can't see giving Rugged Radios an extra $30 for the same radio Baofeng will sell you for $30. OK, so they programmed it for you. Big deal. Buy a programming cable from Amazon for $9, download CHIRP for free and now you can program your radio with your computer.

I have a BF-F8HP which came open and the V3 UV-5R which I had to unlock. I cannot confirm or deny that they have both ham programming as well as GMRS programming in them.

I do have both a GMRS license and an amateur extra license.
 
@upnover Depending on your level of "rebel", the Baofeng UV-5R I programmed for you years ago is still a valid contender. You'd just need to manually tune to the freqs used by others.

Have used them (Baofengs) on several group rides in large spaces (Windrock/KY) with no issues... trail riders can call back to camp for "support" (tools/spares) if needed, which is a huge plus over CBs that sometimes don't work well 1/ mile apart 🙄
 
JSJJ388 said:
Not that anybody is gonna knock your door down and shoot your dog over it, but just an FYI.
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So about that...Kinda curious...


We're at the top of the mountain at Windrock using out base mounted Midlands. Most of us on 15w and none of us set up a repeater......EXCEPT Clay :gtfo:

So when we FIRST got these we were goofing around to see if we could hear one another from across town. We both programed the radios to use a repeater. We succeeded. I took mine OFF repeater, and apparently Clay didn't

So back to Windrock. We're all chatting and BSing and Clay says something like "Can you believe that SHIT?"

All of a sudden this dude that straight up sounds like Robbie Moseley with a cigarette hanging out of his mouth, scolds him by saying:

"Whoever just used the 4 letter word on an open channel needs to NOT USE that kind of language on these airwaves. YOU ARE ON A REPEATER and ALL of Knoxville and the surrounding area just heard what you said!!!"
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We were all silent :eek:

It wasn't until later we figured out Clay was the culprit :laughing: but am I wrong in thinking there isn't a way to figure out WHO is broadcasting? I mean if you KEPT broadcasting you can triangulate a location, but if we're constantly moving even THAT would be difficult. There's no way the FCC would show up to your door for a violation because they'd never find out who said something...right?
 
Midland 115’s in the truck, TJ and eventually the YJ when I redo the dash and console. I did pony up to be legal and the process is a breeze. Since I run them around the farm and regularly hear chatter off nearby repeaters I figured it would be wise.
 
CasterTroy said:
So about that...Kinda curious...


We're at the top of the mountain at Windrock using out base mounted Midlands. Most of us on 15w and none of us set up a repeater......EXCEPT Clay :gtfo:

So when we FIRST got these we were goofing around to see if we could hear one another from across town. We both programed the radios to use a repeater. We succeeded. I took mine OFF repeater, and apparently Clay didn't

So back to Windrock. We're all chatting and BSing and Clay says something like "Can you believe that SHIT?"

All of a sudden this dude that straight up sounds like Robbie Moseley with a cigarette hanging out of his mouth, scolds him by saying:



We were all silent :eek:

It wasn't until later we figured out Clay was the culprit :laughing: but am I wrong in thinking there isn't a way to figure out WHO is broadcasting? I mean if you KEPT broadcasting you can triangulate a location, but if we're constantly moving even THAT would be difficult. There's no way the FCC would show up to your door for a violation because they'd never find out who said something...right?
Click to expand...


Triangulation would be the main way, and like you said thats only if you are constantly on and causing a problem. However, there are some folks I can tell it them even if they just "kerchunk" a repeater. Some radios have a very specific hum to them. Or, if someone has talked to you before and remembers your voice.
 
CasterTroy said:
So about that...Kinda curious...


We're at the top of the mountain at Windrock using out base mounted Midlands. Most of us on 15w and none of us set up a repeater......EXCEPT Clay :gtfo:

So when we FIRST got these we were goofing around to see if we could hear one another from across town. We both programed the radios to use a repeater. We succeeded. I took mine OFF repeater, and apparently Clay didn't

So back to Windrock. We're all chatting and BSing and Clay says something like "Can you believe that SHIT?"

All of a sudden this dude that straight up sounds like Robbie Moseley with a cigarette hanging out of his mouth, scolds him by saying:



We were all silent :eek:

It wasn't until later we figured out Clay was the culprit :laughing: but am I wrong in thinking there isn't a way to figure out WHO is broadcasting? I mean if you KEPT broadcasting you can triangulate a location, but if we're constantly moving even THAT would be difficult. There's no way the FCC would show up to your door for a violation because they'd never find out who said something...right?
Click to expand...

JSJJ388 said:
Triangulation would be the main way, and like you said thats only if you are constantly on and causing a problem. However, there are some folks I can tell it them even if they just "kerchunk" a repeater. Some radios have a very specific hum to them. Or, if someone has talked to you before and remembers your voice.
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So with that being said, was only Clay's transmission being heard off the repeater, or was the whole conversation being sent through his radio?
 
paradisePWoffrd said:
So with that being said, was only Clay's transmission being heard off the repeater, or was the whole conversation being sent through his radio?
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Just Clays
 
I have a Rugged Radio like the one attached and will gladly sell it to an interested party. I have no clue how to use it, no one that’s offered to program it has, and I can’t hear shit in my buggy anyway.
 

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BigSouth said:
I have a Rugged Radio like the one attached and will gladly sell it to an interested party. I have no clue how to use it, no one that’s offered to program it has, and I can’t hear shit in my buggy anyway.
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You and @Hoodw!nk both need the intercom system @StretchASU has in his YJ
 
CasterTroy said:
So about that...Kinda curious...


We're at the top of the mountain at Windrock using out base mounted Midlands. Most of us on 15w and none of us set up a repeater......EXCEPT Clay :gtfo:

So when we FIRST got these we were goofing around to see if we could hear one another from across town. We both programed the radios to use a repeater. We succeeded. I took mine OFF repeater, and apparently Clay didn't

So back to Windrock. We're all chatting and BSing and Clay says something like "Can you believe that SHIT?"

All of a sudden this dude that straight up sounds like Robbie Moseley with a cigarette hanging out of his mouth, scolds him by saying:



We were all silent :eek:

It wasn't until later we figured out Clay was the culprit :laughing: but am I wrong in thinking there isn't a way to figure out WHO is broadcasting? I mean if you KEPT broadcasting you can triangulate a location, but if we're constantly moving even THAT would be difficult. There's no way the FCC would show up to your door for a violation because they'd never find out who said something...right?
Click to expand...
Thats funny as hell!!!

If nothing happened to me after a profanity laden diatribe in an airplane I was piloting with a stuck mic, up to and including me talking about how I didn't even have a license, no one's getting busted cursing while using GMRS radios or without the proper credentials. Side note I had another pilot say "hey whoever doesn't have the license your mic was stuck" once our mic unstuck, and we busted out laughing except my roommate at the time as he thought we were going to get arrested LOL!!!
 
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