GMRS Radios

Over the last few years, I have been trying to get outside more. Going hiking, kayaking and paddleboarding, bicycling and more. Recently, I went on a trip on Washington’s Mt. Rainier to the Skyline Loop and unfortunately, our group slipped from one group to two. One slow and one fast. I was in the slow group.

Naturally, we tried to contact them by phone. Except for the first time, phone signal failed. Uh oh. No real consequence came out of it, they had to wait at the end, but I decided to look into radio’s to prevent this from occurring again.

Growing up, I had always been into walkie talkies and I figured there wasn’t much to figure out beyond that you choose a channel, push a button and you’re good to go.

That is true for some radios, but the world of radios is wide and complex. Here, we’re going to cover a little bit on FRS and GMRS consumer radios’ 🎙️

Something missing or inaccurate? Let me know.

The Specs

Most consumer radios work by transmitting over the FRS (Family Radio Service) and GMRS (General Mobile Radio Service) channels.

There are currently 22 channels available, between 462 MHz and 467 MHz. Everyone is allowed to use FRS certified radios, but you are required to have a license for using GMRS devices.

Different channels have different permissions on max broadcasting power What does this mean? All other things being equal, more watts means more range and clarity. Of course, this is dependent on your situation. The top of a mountain will have better signal than in the valley surrounded by trees.

Channels and Frequencies

In fact, channels are simplified ways of referencing frequencies. Instead of telling someone to go to frequency 462.6625, you tell them to use channel 5.

Different manufacturers might use slightly different frequencies for their channels. If you are trying to get radio’s from different manufacturers to talk to one another, you should consult any documentation that you have about what frequency a channel references. For example, here is a great link for channels, frequencies (and privacy codes).

Here is the list provided by Rocky Talkies:

| Channel | Frequency (MHz) | Power |
|---------|-----------------|-------|
| 1       | 462.5625        | 5 W   |
| 2       | 462.5875        | 5 W   |
19 collapsed lines
| 3       | 462.6125        | 5 W   |
| 4       | 462.6375        | 5 W   |
| 5       | 462.6625        | 5 W   |
| 6       | 462.6875        | 5 W   |
| 7       | 462.7125        | 5 W   |
| 8       | 467.5625        | 0.5 W |
| 9       | 467.5875        | 0.5 W |
| 10      | 467.6125        | 0.5 W |
| 11      | 467.6375        | 0.5 W |
| 12      | 467.6625        | 0.5 W |
| 13      | 467.6875        | 0.5 W |
| 14      | 467.7125        | 0.5 W |
| 15      | 462.5500        | 5 W   |
| 16      | 462.5750        | 5 W   |
| 17      | 462.6000        | 5 W   |
| 18      | 462.6250        | 5 W   |
| 19      | 462.6500        | 5 W   |
| 20      | 462.6750        | 5 W   |
| 21      | 462.7000        | 5 W   |
| 22      | 462.7250        | 5 W   |

Privacy Codes

Privacy codes are a way to filter broadcasts. If a lot of people are talking on a channel at once, this allows you to only hear the ones on a specific privacy code.

So, if you’re wondering the following:

If I use a privacy code, does that protect me from people hearing what I say?

Here’s your answer: no. If you are on channel 18 and someone else is on channel 18, they can hear everything you say.

Next

Can I use encryption, or some way of preventing people from hearing what I say?

Again, no. You are not allowed to encrypt any broadcasts.

You can filter out everyone else talking on channel 18, but if someone says “I want to hear what everyone on channel 18 is saying”, they can. They just need to switch to channel 18, turn off any privacy codes and wait.

That being said, you can work around this a little bit in a couple ways. Results may vary.

1. Get a nicer radio that supports channels outside the FRS channels (1-14). Cheaper radio’s that are FRS only cannot do GMRS broadcasting. Because of this, you can go to channel 20 and that will ensure FRS only devices won’t bother you. However, anyone who does have access to channel 20 will be able to hear you.
2. In a busy area, use an extra busy channel and set a privacy code that no one else is using. If many people are talking it will be more difficult for someone to eavesdrop, and thanks to using a unique privacy code, you won’t hear anyone else.

Licensing

Broadcasting in the US with GMRS requires a license. Currently, the license lasts 10 years, applies to your family and requires no testing. Really it’s just a way to collect funds and have some form of accountability.

Fair warning, it is tedious to get this license. Navigating the website is cumbersome and confusing. I have tried to get this license a few times and gave up after I couldn’t figure it out. For example, I would search for “GMRS licensing”, and the official page would come up and provide information like this:

You may apply for a GMRS license if you are 18 years or older and not […]

Once you’ve read through it, you’ll realize there is no reference on how you actually get the license! I eventually found this guide which was accurate and gave me what I needed to get licensed.

Equipment

I bought Rocky Talkies (you can probably tell since I’ve referenced them a few times here). For activities where clothing is complex (like snowboarding), I got some headsets as well. Here’s a link if you’re interested:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07JQ1GBRY

MaximalPower Surveillance kit