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Switching from CB to GMRS radios

BOBCAT

Scrambler Junkie
Lifetime Member
SOA Member
City
Louisville
State
Ky
I installed one in my scrambler, plus I have handhelds that I'd had for years but forgot about until I bought the mobile unit..
 

jbeshears

Basic User
City
Sturgeon
State
MO
Just ordered the 5 watt for the SMORR trip later this month. Thanks. It will be interesting to try it out.
 

masscj2a

Rebuilding America's Jeep
BENEFACTOR
Gold Member
Lifetime Member
City
Ware
State
MA
Yeh I ordered the 5 watt as well. What the heck, it will work from the front of a trail ride to the back, its good enough for that and if it gets out farther, win-win.
 

masscj2a

Rebuilding America's Jeep
BENEFACTOR
Gold Member
Lifetime Member
City
Ware
State
MA
I will get the 40 watt at some point, but now I have the 15 and the 5. I will have the trifecta at some point. Hoping for a mega sale so the 40 drops into my price point.
 

revho

$9.00 vanilla malt
Lifetime Member
City
beaverdam
State
MI
Well, after £¥€£ing around on the FCC and Cores page for over a half hour we finally got a license paid for and is being processed. I can tell you that the Gov’t is in charge of that website as it is the most difficult site I have ever had to navigate to complete such an easy task.

God bless our Gov’t.
 

masscj2a

Rebuilding America's Jeep
BENEFACTOR
Gold Member
Lifetime Member
City
Ware
State
MA
I agree, the website could be much easier to navigate. But like most things our government does, they tend to over burden the system with their bullsh#t. And to think, they wanted to run the health care system. Bad enough the IRS is like a maze no one can get out of. Smaller goverment, would be better government.
 

revho

$9.00 vanilla malt
Lifetime Member
City
beaverdam
State
MI
So, we now have an official call sign and license for ten years to talk on this fancy CB. Do we need to keep a copy of this license with us in the Jeep in case the feds raid us while talking on? Do we need to use our call sign similar to HAM?

thanks!
 

masscj2a

Rebuilding America's Jeep
BENEFACTOR
Gold Member
Lifetime Member
City
Ware
State
MA
I just carry a copy of the license in my vehicles. Not using call signs.
 

IAFFCJ

Scrambler Junkie
Lifetime Member
SOA Member
City
Manassas
State
VA
Did it go well? Lots of folks at SMORR using them?

Not sure how Jessie's worked but there were deffinatly a lot of them around at SMORR. I ran both GMRS and CB for about 2 hours then shut off the CB. Was able to reach from all the way down in the back of the park to up by the pavilion with Jeeperdd's Dad while we were trying to get my rig back up the hill after i broke. Both were 15 watt mobile units I truly feel like the CB is on the way out just due to ease of use and availability of the GMRS radios.
 

IAFFCJ

Scrambler Junkie
Lifetime Member
SOA Member
City
Manassas
State
VA
So, we now have an official call sign and license for ten years to talk on this fancy CB. Do we need to keep a copy of this license with us in the Jeep in case the feds raid us while talking on? Do we need to use our call sign similar to HAM?

thanks!

I have yet to need either. I have been reading a GMRS forum along with being on a few Facebook groups on the subject mainly to increace my knoledge base if something should occur. From what I can gather the only time there would be an issue is if you were interfering with somone's repeater. I feel like most of us would just change chanels if an issue arrose but i have my call sign above my radio in the chance that someone gives anyone a hard time while we are using a channel.

So far haven't run into anyone but our group when using them in simplex mode on a trail ride. We did use them on the way home from SMORR as we had a convoy of two trucks with trailers and one pickup. Worked very well when trying to switch lanes having help in a rig that large. Was even able to mitigate a potential road rage situation with them on the way home. I am even more leaning to putting a mobile unit in the truck for traveling.
 

bigwalton

Alaskan Postal nutjob
FORUM MANAGER
SOA Member
City
Dexter
State
MI
I just went through with the license, it wasn't as awful as I thought it would be.

Going through the steps on this site for "New Users/Register" and then "Online Filing/Log In" got it done (I think). Having to generate the login first is the only real pain and then the payment site was typical of what I've seen for stuff like fishing licenses.

http://wireless.fcc.gov/uls/index.htm?job=home

The two tricks were to know that the GMRS radio type is "ZA" at the bottom of the drop down list when it asks for which license you want and then when you go to log back in (WHY?!?) to pay, use the option on the far right with your FRS number and password. I kept trying the one on the left.
 

jbeshears

Basic User
City
Sturgeon
State
MO
I was happy with mine. It is only the 5 watt unit, but it worked with everybody I needed to talk to. I did get my license before the trip and it wasn't bad other than spending 70 bucks on not much of anything. Only bad thing is I had the top off the last night and the rain seems to have caused the power button not to work. :(
 

masscj2a

Rebuilding America's Jeep
BENEFACTOR
Gold Member
Lifetime Member
City
Ware
State
MA
I like the 5 watt unit as well. Used it last month on a Willys trail ride in New Hampshire. Worked great from front to rear of pack. I have the 15 watt one as well, but its still in the box. waiting to get the Scrambler done and it will be in there.
 

revho

$9.00 vanilla malt
Lifetime Member
City
beaverdam
State
MI
Would like to add that Many of us have switched over to the GMRS radio system for our Sand Blast Event at Silver Lake and I have to agree after using it for the first time, it was much easier to hear each other and the range was so much better. Being able to reach the campground from the Dunes was great to have, letting the others not yet caught up with the group know where we were.


Also, we were able to get a pair of used Uniden GMRS 2-way hand helds on the cheap that run on 4 triple A batteries for travel back and forth to Silver Lake as we take the Jeep and truck with trailer. That should make communication 100 times easier on the travel to and from the event for Georgetta and I.

Cheers!
 
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Wyoming

DC
City
Cheyenne
State
wy
When CB's first came out in the 70"s they said you needed a license for them. I have never had one and never been asked for one. I don't see the need where are the GMRS cops?
 

John N

Addicted....Ex-SOA VP
BENEFACTOR
Gold Member
Lifetime Member
SOA Member
City
Rockville
State
VA
When CB's first came out in the 70"s they said you needed a license for them. I have never had one and never been asked for one. I don't see the need where are the GMRS cops?
Looking in your windows right now.....
 

bigwalton

Alaskan Postal nutjob
FORUM MANAGER
SOA Member
City
Dexter
State
MI
When CB's first came out in the 70"s they said you needed a license for them. I have never had one and never been asked for one. I don't see the need where are the GMRS cops?

Lots of things you can say that kind of thing about, up to you how you do it (or not.)
 

Bad Karma

Captain Sarcasm
BENEFACTOR
Lifetime Member
Member
City
Cobourg, Ontario, Cana
State
da
Move to Canada, no license required... although limited to 5 watts max... :poop:
 
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