Updated: 2 Feb 2024, linking repeaters (under Repeaters)
GMRS is regulated by 47 CFR Part 95 Subpart E and requires a license to use. You must be 18 years old to hold a GMRS license and the license is valid for 10 years. It costs $35.
A valid license is required to operate on the GMRS frequencies. You must be 18 years old to have a GMRS license. A license covers the immediate family members, which is defined in §95.1705(c)(2) as the licensee’s spouse, children, grandchildren, stepchildren, parents, grandparents, stepparents, brothers, sisters, aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, and in-laws.
Click Here for Instructions on How To Obtain Your GMRS License
Prohibited Uses
As with the other Personal Radio Service licenses the following are prohibited (§95.333):
(a) In connection with any activity which is against Federal, State or local law;
(b) To transmit advertisements or program material associated with television or radio broadcasting;
(c) To transmit messages for hire or provide a common carrier service;
(d) To intentionally interfere with the communications of another station;
(e) To transmit obscene, profane or indecent words, language or meaning; or
(f) To transmit a false or deceptive communication.
Additionally the following are also prohibited (§95.1733(a))
(1) Messages in connection with any activity which is against Federal, State, or local law;
(2) False or deceptive messages;
(3) Coded messages or messages with hidden meanings (“10 codes” are permissible);
Identification
Each GMRS station must be identified by transmission of its FCC-assigned call sign at the end of transmissions and at periodic intervals during transmissions. A unit number may be included after the call sign in the identification where there are multiple users under a single family license (§95.1751).
(a)(1) Following a single transmission or a series of transmissions; and,
(2) After 15 minutes and at least once every 15 minutes thereafter during a series of transmissions lasting more than 15 minutes.
(b) The call sign must be transmitted using voice in the English language or international Morse code telegraphy using an audible tone.
(c) Any GMRS repeater station is not required to transmit station identification if:
(1) It retransmits only communications from GMRS stations operating under authority of the individual license under which it operates; and,
(2) The GMRS stations whose communications are retransmitted are properly identified in accordance with this section.
[in other words, a repeater does not need to have an identification IF the users identify, as required by this subsection]
Repeaters
Repeaters are allowed on some of the GMRS frequencies (see below). Equipment can be found at reasonable prices as several years ago all commercial frequencies were converted from wide band to narrow band.
You can located repeaters on mygmrs.com and some can be found on Repeater Book. Repeater Book originally listed Amateur repeaters but has started to include GMRS repeaters.
In some areas GMRS repeaters are linked to other repeaters, some even have a link to Zello channels.
The question of linking GMRS repeaters has been a topic of discussion in some blogs. Yesterday (1 Feb) I was having a conversation with someone on the way home and was told there was a ARRL luncheon with the FCC and this was brought up. I was sent the video of the meeting. At 1:12:45 a person brings up the question and the response from the FCC is that you can NOT link GMRS repeaters. They cited 95.1749 and 95.349 and added that they consider an IP/internet connection the same as a “telephone” or “public switched network.”
§ 95.1749 GMRS network connection.
Operation of a GMRS station with a telephone connection is prohibited, as in § 95.349. GMRS repeater, base and fixed stations, however, may be connected to the public switched network or other networks for the sole purpose of operation by remote control pursuant to § 95.1745.
§ 95.349 Network connection.
Operation of Personal Radio Services stations connected with the public switched network is prohibited, unless otherwise allowed for a particular Personal Radio Service by rules in the subpart governing that specific service. See e.g., §§ 95.949 and 95.2749.
In researching the rules I also came across these which would also seem to apply as the “source” repeater would be “controlling” the receiving repeater, i.e., remote control.
§ 95.345 Remote control.
Operation of Personal Radio Services stations by remote control is prohibited, unless otherwise allowed for a particular Personal Radio Service by rules in the subpart governing that specific service. See e.g., §§ 95.945 and 95.1745.
§ 95.347 Automatic control.
Operation of Personal Radio Services stations under automatic control is prohibited, unless otherwise allowed for a particular Personal Radio Service by rules in the subpart governing that specific service. See, e.g., §§ 95.1747, 95.2347, 95.2547, 95.3347.
This would also apply to setting up a repeater that is accessible through Zello (I’ve seen some like that as well).
Channels / Frequencies
Most of the GMRS channels are shared with the FRS, however power levels vary.
- Channels 1-14 are limited to handheld radios and simplex (direct radio to radio) transmissions.
- Channels 1-7 are limited to 5 watts with a 25kHz bandwidth
- Channels 8-14 are limited to 05.watts with a 12.5kHz bandwidth (narrow band)
- Channels 15-22 can be used for simplex as well as a repeater output up to 50 watts with 25kHz bandwidth.
- There are an additional 8 channels that are reserved for repeater inputs. They match the output frequency by a 5MHz positive shift.
- There are an additional 8 channels that are reserved for repeater inputs. They match the output frequency by a 5MHz positive shift.
