GMRS or MURS?

[ak rover]

Why don't you just get your ham ticket?

Then you can use whatever band you want above 30 mhz.

6m/2m/1.25m/70cm/33cm/23cm...take your pick!

I'm working on getting my ham ticket. Things at work are a little crazy right now to focus on studying but once things calm down I'll get the book read and take the tests. But ham still doesn't help me much with short range communication which is why I was looking for GMRS. Ham only works if others are ham operators also.

 

[Wire Weasel]

I'm working on getting my ham ticket. Things at work are a little crazy right now to focus on studying but once things calm down I'll get the book read and take the tests. But ham still doesn't help me much with short range communication which is why I was looking for GMRS. Ham only works if others are ham operators also.

This is why you lobby the "others" with all of the benefits of ham radio. The easy & free 10 year license. The off-the-shelf versatile and highly capable radios and antennas. They are much more widespread so there is greater availability and many times cheaper. Plus there is much more equipment available on the used market like ebay etc.....

 

[office888]

I'm working on getting my ham ticket. Things at work are a little crazy right now to focus on studying but once things calm down I'll get the book read and take the tests. But ham still doesn't help me much with short range communication which is why I was looking for GMRS. Ham only works if others are ham operators also.

GMRS only works if others are GMRS operators too. :tongue:

Trust me, you're overcomplicating the tech license. If you've got some common sense, you can pass the test.

 

[Interceptor]

So I am trying to decide whether to go with GMRS or MURS radios. I have read all the rules with both bands and understand the differences between them. I hold a GMRS license so I can legally operate on GMRS at max power. Just looking for opinions of which everyone would choose if forced to choose only one.

A side question, is there any way to know if a radio is or isn't certificated to TX on GMRS or MURS frequencies? I see a lot of radios that say they are capable of TXing on those frequency ranges but never mentions anything specific about being certificated.

Go to the FCC web site and look up the FCC ID... that will tell you the applicable rule parts.

 

[Need2Know]

Exemptions apply in emergencies...

I don't know for certain, but don't FCC rules generally provide exemptions from certain limitations when the radio is used to provide essential communications during emergencies, e.g. life and death situations? Search and recovery would seem to fit that criteria.

 

[Need2Know]

GMRS only works if others are GMRS operators too. :tongue:

If you've got some common sense, you can pass the test.

I just passed the Technician test two nights ago and that is with some people questioning my common sense.

Depending on how much $$$ resources you have, the widest variety of communications options you can carry with you, the better. In emergency communications as in investing: diversify. Maybe in priority order:
CB - most popular and you already have it.
GMRS - Provides a bit more power, but not everyone has it.
MURS -Provides another option
HAM bands - There are lots of hams in Alaska and emergency networks (ARES and RACES already exist for this purpose. Tie in with them as a HAM.)