On Jan 10, 2026, I (Michael Harrison) attended a workshop at the Buladean rec center, led by Vicki Carnes AD3i which was a great introduction to General Mobile Radio Service (GMRS) radios and their use in casual and emergency situations. Also, each participant had the opportunity to go home with a radio.
The radios used in this class were the Baofeng UV-5R which currently sells on Amazon for $15-16. I’m told that the Radio Shack (yes, really) in Newland stocks them as well as accessories to go with the radios.
If you spend a few more $$ (30-60) you can buy a radio that will go farther. The UV-5R is a decent place to start especially if you think you’ll only use it for emergencies.
Depending on conditions you get anywhere from 1-3 miles range between radios. Farther if there’s a repeater you can use.
NOTE: If you purchase a radio and have not obtained a license (see below) you are legally only allowed to listen.
Class documentation
Class homepage https://sites.google.com/stemarc.org/project-helene
Handouts https://sites.google.com/stemarc.org/project-helene/emergency-radio-comms?authuser=0
Definitions
Family Radio Service (FRS) frequencies matching first 14 channels used by GMRS
General Mobile Radio Service (GMRS) Frequencies around 462 MHz and 467 MHz – 22 channels overlapping with FRS
The Multi-Use Radio Service (MURS) Frequencies in the 151 – 154 MHz spectrum range – 5 channel two-way radio
Private Mobile Radio (PMR) frequencies from 446.0 to 446.2 MHz, unlicensed similar to CB but popular in Europe
FRS: Most of the cheap “blister pack” radios you find in stores, usually sold in pairs. No license required. Very limited power, so less range. FRS compliant radios have antenna setups that cannot be removed/changed.
GMRS: Similar to FRS but requires a license ($35 for 10 years, no test, covers your immediate family). Shares several (simplex) channels with FRS so there is some overlap between them. Much more powerful than FRS on certain channels = more range. GMRS certified radios can also use swappable antennas.
HAM: Requires passing a test & license to transmit, but totally legal to just listen. More frequency range available, more power available, more range available.
Repeaters: Basically a “node” that listens on a certain frequency, and then rebroadcasts the original transmission using a much larger antenna/power source.
Example: School buses usually use a primary repeater for their area. All of the bus radios talk to the repeater, and then the repeater talks to all the radios. The radios are not talking directly to each other because they have far less range than the repeater. Repeaters can also talk to other repeaters, and if you can tap into that type of network your range expands in a big way.
Transmission types: Simplex & Duplex
Simplex is connecting on one frequency for both talking and receiving. Duplex is connecting on one frequency for talking, and a different frequency for receiving. FRS radios use simplex. GMRS and HAM radios can use simplex or duplex configurations. Duplex settings are often listed as “offsets”. A repeater might use 462.550 MHz, and it could list a duplex config as “462.550 MHz Offset +5.000” which means it uses 462.550 MHz and 467.550 MHz.
Privacy Codes aka Tones
NOT REALLY PRIVATE/SECURE. If you and I are communicating using two radios on a common frequency (like FRS or GMRS) and we want to ignore all other traffic on our channel other than each other then we would have both radios use a Tone setting. This adds a small tone to your radio’s transmission that the other radio receives. If the receiving radio is using the same tone as the transmitting radio then they will hear each other but nothing else on that frequency.
These tones are standardized, are easy to scan for on a lot of radios, and should not be treated as any form of true privacy/encryption/etc. It’s basically just “ignore everything else except for whatever I receive that is using this tone”.
In a duplex configuration you can have a different tone for transmitting and receiving, or they can be the same. Many repeaters use a tone setting.
GMRS “General Mobile Radio Service“
UHF; slight step above FRS
- License/Fee/Test: YES/$35/NO, license good 10 years
- Personal/Business use: YES/YES
- Max power: 5.0w channels 1-7, 0.5w channels 8-14, 50.0w channels 15-30
- Amplifier/Detachable antenna: YES/YES
- Repeaters/Base stations: YES/YES
- Packet Data/Location/Simple Text: NO/
- Phone Calls/Imaging/Music: NO/YES/NO
- Channels: 1-7 (FRS shared), 15-22 (GMRS exclusive)
- Realistic range: ~1.5 miles (~5w/ external antenna)
- Ideal Use: City/Urban (UHF penetrates walls better than other lower-freq radios like MURS)
- Notes: Can talk to FRS radios on channels 1-22, but must limit output to 2.0 watts on channels 1-14
- Notes: Antenna no more than 20 feet above the ground or above the tree on which it is mounted and transmits with no more than 5 watts ERP
| GMRS Frequencies (FM) | ||
| Channel | Frequency | Notes |
| 1 | 462.5625 | 5.0w, 20 kHz |
| 2 | 462.5875 | 5.0w, 20 kHz |
| 3 | 462.6125 | 5.0w, 20 kHz |
| 4 | 462.6375 | 5.0w, 20 kHz |
| 5 | 462.6625 | 5.0w, 20 kHz |
| 6 | 462.6875 | 5.0w, 20 kHz |
| 7 | 462.7125 | 5.0w, 20 kHz |
| 8 | 467.5625 | 0.5w, 12.5 kHz |
| 9 | 467.5875 | 0.5w, 12.5 kHz |
| 10 | 467.5625 | 0.5w, 12.5 kHz |
| 11 | 467.6375 | 0.5w, 12.5 kHz |
| 12 | 467.6625 | 0.5w, 12.5 kHz |
| 13 | 467.6875 | 0.5w, 12.5 kHz |
| 14 | 467.7125 | 0.5w, 12.5 kHz |
| 15 | 462.5500 | 50.0w, 20 kHz (repeater out) |
| 16 | 462.5750 | 50.0w, 20 kHz (repeater out) |
| 17 | 462.6000 | 50.0w, 20 kHz (repeater out) |
| 18 | 462.6250 | 50.0w, 20 kHz (repeater out) |
| 19 | 462.6500 | 50.0w, 20 kHz (repeater out) |
| 20 | 462.6750 | 50.0w, 20 kHz (repeater out) |
| 21 | 462.7000 | 50.0w, 20 kHz (repeater out) |
| 22 | 462.7250 | 50.0w, 20 kHz (repeater out) |
| 23-30 | 20 Khz steps | 50.0w, 20 kHz (repeater input only) |
Signing up for a license
Get an FRN https://apps.fcc.gov/cores/userLogin.do Do not attempt this on a phone or tablet, you will end up wanting to jump in front of a car.
Apply for a license and pay the $35 fee https://wireless2.fcc.gov/UlsEntry/licManager/login.jsp You’ll need your FRN # and password you used in the last step.
Read through the rules https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-47/chapter-I/subchapter-D/part-95#subpart-A and https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-47/chapter-I/subchapter-D/part-95#subpart-E
Repeater basics
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KLWxwwzXXcc (watch at 1.5x)
Is the UV-5R illegal?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VqdgFepzZ_c (watch at 1.5x)
The short version is “no” the radio is not illegal. It has FCC approval though it is possible to use the radio in an illegal fashion by transmitting on either GMRS or HAM frequencies without the appropriate license.