Episode Transcript
[00:00:00] Let me ask you something. How do you reach out and communicate when regular methods become unavailable? When cell towers drop off? How about when the power goes out from the natural state? Welcome to Public Facing the Podcast. I'm Joe Holman. I'm so glad that you're here. Today we're diving into something practical, powerful and surprisingly affordable.
[00:00:24] GMRs, the general mobile Radio service. If you've ever wanted reliable communication when cell service drops, like when you're camping or coordinating events or just preparing for emergencies, GMRS stands for General Mobile Radio Service and it's a licensed two way radio service regulated by the Federal Communications Commission, better known as the FCC, GMRS operates on the UHF frequencies around 462 and 467 MHz. Now don't worry, I don't expect you to memorize that. But what matters is that it's stronger than the walkie talkies that you buy at the big box stores. And it's clearer than the CB radio. And unlike amateur or ham radio, there's no exam required.
[00:01:14] With a handheld radio, you might get 1 to 5 miles depending on the terrain.
[00:01:20] But if you add a mobile unit to your vehicle, you could see maybe 10 miles or more if you're using a repeater. Now you're talking serious coverage because sometimes you can get 20 miles or beyond.
[00:01:33] Interesting stuff, right?
[00:01:35] Well, before we, you know, proceed and going deeper into like the licensing and how to get started, things like that, I want us to take a quick break and showcase our sponsor. Today's sponsor is Baofeng Radios.
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[00:02:21] So the Baofeng UV 5G plus makes license communications simple and affordable. Visit baofengradio.com today.
[00:02:31] So let's talk about the big question people always ask when it Do I need a license? Yeah.
[00:02:42] Yes, you do. Actually.
[00:02:44] Here's the good news though. You don't need to take a test. There's no exam, there's no studying electronics theory, none of that.
[00:02:53] You simply apply through the FCC's website. That's fcc.gov.
[00:02:59] once there, you can create an FCC registration number they call the frn.
[00:03:05] And then you log into their the FCC Universal Licensing System. You know, they call that the uls.
[00:03:15] And once you're there in that licensing system, that's where you apply for your GMRS license. You pay the fee. Currently it's $35 and within a few days you'll receive your call sign.
[00:03:28] And that license and call sign are valid for 10 years.
[00:03:32] And here's the best part. It covers your entire immediate family, spouse, kids, parents living in your household.
[00:03:41] One license everyone can legally operate.
[00:03:45] Now there are rules like you have to have a valid GMRS license to transmit you must use FCC approved GMRS radios.
[00:03:56] You have to identify yourself with your call sign periodically. So you'll do that at the beginning of your transmission and then again every 15 minutes as as it allows.
[00:04:08] And remember, these are good for personal and family communications. No business traffic going on these. Okay.
[00:04:16] Now people are actually using this for off roading, hunting trips, camping, farm and rural property coordination, even community events. But when cell towers fail, radios don't care that reliability is what draws many people in.
[00:04:39] Now let's weigh the pros and the cons.
[00:04:44] Now our, our pros would be there's no test required.
[00:04:52] One license covers the family.
[00:04:56] Repeater capability dramatically increases the range.
[00:05:02] The audio quality on UHF is very clear.
[00:05:07] Radios, they're affordable both for the handhelds and the mobile units.
[00:05:13] These are reliable. They work during cell outages when others don't.
[00:05:19] This is easy for beginners because there's no special jargon to remember and it's just your call sign. So use it responsively.
[00:05:29] Now again, there are some cons if you will like you have to pay for a license. Well yeah, it's $35 but it's good for 10 years.
[00:05:38] If you find the airwaves are getting congested in your city or whatever, consider enabling privacy code from your radio.
[00:05:48] The range is still terrain dependent. You've got a it's line of sight is how your communications work.
[00:05:55] These are not intended for most business use and I think that the like the repeaters you some require permission for the owner to utilize. So I Suggest going to mygmrs.com for more information and you'll be able to see which ones require permissions.
[00:06:24] If you want global communication, this is not it.
[00:06:28] I might suggest amateur radio.
[00:06:33] So you may want to look into that.
[00:06:35] Now GMRS sits in a really interesting middle ground because off to the far left spectrum is CB radio and off to the far right spectrum is ham radio. GMRS fits snugly in the middle.
[00:06:52] And again GMRS is simpler than ham radio. It it's also more modern and clear than cb.
[00:07:02] And speaking of like extending your range, you know with the, with the repeaters, I think it's important to note that depending on your antenna placement with those repeaters, you may get varying.
[00:07:27] Gosh, what am I saying? You might get varying degrees of.
[00:07:33] As far as your performance. Go on that. So placement is going to be key. You want to make sure it's in wide open area and not blocking from like buildings and trees and stuff like that. Okay?
[00:07:46] So again, when it comes to speaking about extending our range, we're going to cover that when we come right back, okay?
[00:07:57] This segment is sponsored by Redivis their GMRS repeaters. If you're serious about expanding your coverage, a repeater is a game changer. Whether you're supporting a farm, a preparedness group, a club, Renovus offers dependable repeater systems designed specifically for GMRS users. Stronger signals, wider coverage, more reliability. Look into the Renovus RT 97L 25 watt portable GMRS repeaters. Visit renovus.com for more details and offerings.
[00:08:31] So as we start to pack up again, just a recap, gmrs, that's the general mobile radio service that's regulated by the fcc.
[00:08:45] You know, you can get licensed, it's good, reliable, it's family friendly radio communication and it's, it's affordable, it's practical, it works even when the cell networks don't.
[00:09:05] So for families and outdoor enthusiasts and preparedness minded individuals, this really hits the sweet spot.
[00:09:14] If you're interested in getting licensed, head on over to FCC.gov, search for that GMRS and start the application process again. It's pretty straightforward, usually approved quickly within a few days. I've had my license for two years now.
[00:09:33] This.
[00:09:36] Yeah, this license and associated radios are essentially for communicating people, you know, not people outside of, you know, more than just a few miles if you're not on a repeater.
[00:09:48] However, listen, if you've enjoyed today's episode, share it with someone who's into alternative communication options.
[00:09:56] Contact us at public facing Pod Stream.
