GMRS Equipment: Questions and Answers.

You have your license.... well, now you need something to get on the air with.

GMRS equipment ranges anywhere from the simple to the fancy.

You can buy an inexpensive consumer-grade radio for $20, or you can pay from $100 to $1000 or more for a commercial grade radio.

I will be adding some examples of GMRS equipment soon.

Common questions:

I have a consumer grade GMRS radio. What is the expected communications range?

Typically, you can expect an average range of about 3/4 of a mile. Your range may be higher or lower, depending on terrain and other physical conditions of your operating area.

But my radio says on the package it has "12 mile range". Why don't I get that?

Two reasons. First, manufacturers only want to sell product. Their range claims are based on some outrageous formula that only would be true in some place like outer space. Second, all communications ranges are based on the operating environment you are in. Expect 3/4 of a mile, as mentioned above. Manufacturers want to sell radios, so they will try to "one up" one another in stating range claims. It is important to be an informed consumer.

The appeal of GMRS is that it has higher power output and greater range. I don't experience that. Why?

Consumer-grade equipment is poorly designed. They want to flood the market with low cost equipment. If you want greater range, you need to expect to pay a great deal of money for commercial-grade equipment with external antennas . In GMRS, you get what you pay for. See the above paragraph.

I do not have a GMRS license yet, or do not intend to get one. What channels can I legally use?

On a 22 channel radio, you must only transmit on channels 1-14. You must also only stay on low power. Most 22 channel radios are type accepted for unlicensed use on all 14 FRS channels.

More information will be added constantly.

Comments? Questions? How can I answer your questions? Email: gmrspage@yahoo.com

Back to main GMRS page.