Martinjmpr
Wiffleball Batter
After reading through and commenting on this thread:
http://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/threads/62837-Who-s-still-running-both-a-CB-and-HAM
I did a little online researching.
Here's my question for the group:
For US-based travel only (and I say this because I don't know about the availability of GMRS outside the US) wouldn't GMRS be a viable alternative to CB and HAM for travel/off road use?
Seems to me that GMRS offers several distinct advantages over both HAM and CB. Among them:
1. Unlike HAM, GMRS licensing requirement does not require a test. As I said in the other thread, I don't need another hobby. I just need to be able to talk to others when I'm off-road. I don't really care about the relationship between Ohms and Watts and Volts and Amps. I just need to be able to push a button and say "Can you hear me now?" Nothing against HAMs or other electronics enthusiasts, but I've got enough on my plate, I don't need to invest more of my time and energy into a hobby that doesn't interest me.
2. Sound quality: Unlike CB, which operates in the 11 meter (27mhz) HF band using AM, GMRS operates in the UHF band (462 - 467 mhz) and is FM. Quieter, better sound quality.
3. Higher frequency means smaller antennae. I haven't crunched the numbers but the 462 - 467mhz band is pretty close to the 440mhz amateur band and that is 70cm. ~70cm band means that a half-wavelength antenna would only be ~35cm or about 14" long. Even a 5/8 wavelength wouldn't be more than 20". Easy to install and small enough that it wouldn't get in the way.
4. Repeaters. Right now 2m and 440 are popular because there are so many repeaters out there, but (at least from what I've read) GMRS repeaters are available.
5. Ability to communicate with popular FRS radios. If I understand correctly, GMRS overlaps FRS so that while GMRS can communicate on all FRS channels, FRS radios can only communicate on SOME GMRS channels.
So what are the downsides? Well, the biggest one is that GMRS is primarily used for commercial communications in cities and towns. Obviously a radio with nobody to talk to is pretty much a paperweight. But if more people started buying and using GMRS as an alternative means of communication, I think the markets would catch up.
Now, I don't think that GMRS can ever replace HAM, because HAM radios are for enthusiasts who are really into radios and radio communication. The enthusiasts will always want to have their own segment of the radio spectrum and will do what they can to keep the "yahoos" out.
But I do think that GMRS could potentially occupy the same place in the market that is now occupied by CB: People who need short-range communications in remote areas that are outside cell phone range.
So what are the thoughts?
And one final question: What ever happened to MURS? Wasn't MURS designed to be the "new Citizens Band?" MURS is in the 150mhz (VHF) range and IIRC is FM. As a Citizens Band it requires no licensing. And yet - until I started researching today, I'd never even heard of MURS and certainly I've never in my life seen a MURS radio.
http://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/threads/62837-Who-s-still-running-both-a-CB-and-HAM
I did a little online researching.
Here's my question for the group:
For US-based travel only (and I say this because I don't know about the availability of GMRS outside the US) wouldn't GMRS be a viable alternative to CB and HAM for travel/off road use?
Seems to me that GMRS offers several distinct advantages over both HAM and CB. Among them:
1. Unlike HAM, GMRS licensing requirement does not require a test. As I said in the other thread, I don't need another hobby. I just need to be able to talk to others when I'm off-road. I don't really care about the relationship between Ohms and Watts and Volts and Amps. I just need to be able to push a button and say "Can you hear me now?" Nothing against HAMs or other electronics enthusiasts, but I've got enough on my plate, I don't need to invest more of my time and energy into a hobby that doesn't interest me.
2. Sound quality: Unlike CB, which operates in the 11 meter (27mhz) HF band using AM, GMRS operates in the UHF band (462 - 467 mhz) and is FM. Quieter, better sound quality.
3. Higher frequency means smaller antennae. I haven't crunched the numbers but the 462 - 467mhz band is pretty close to the 440mhz amateur band and that is 70cm. ~70cm band means that a half-wavelength antenna would only be ~35cm or about 14" long. Even a 5/8 wavelength wouldn't be more than 20". Easy to install and small enough that it wouldn't get in the way.
4. Repeaters. Right now 2m and 440 are popular because there are so many repeaters out there, but (at least from what I've read) GMRS repeaters are available.
5. Ability to communicate with popular FRS radios. If I understand correctly, GMRS overlaps FRS so that while GMRS can communicate on all FRS channels, FRS radios can only communicate on SOME GMRS channels.
So what are the downsides? Well, the biggest one is that GMRS is primarily used for commercial communications in cities and towns. Obviously a radio with nobody to talk to is pretty much a paperweight. But if more people started buying and using GMRS as an alternative means of communication, I think the markets would catch up.
Now, I don't think that GMRS can ever replace HAM, because HAM radios are for enthusiasts who are really into radios and radio communication. The enthusiasts will always want to have their own segment of the radio spectrum and will do what they can to keep the "yahoos" out.
But I do think that GMRS could potentially occupy the same place in the market that is now occupied by CB: People who need short-range communications in remote areas that are outside cell phone range.
So what are the thoughts?
And one final question: What ever happened to MURS? Wasn't MURS designed to be the "new Citizens Band?" MURS is in the 150mhz (VHF) range and IIRC is FM. As a Citizens Band it requires no licensing. And yet - until I started researching today, I'd never even heard of MURS and certainly I've never in my life seen a MURS radio.