What's the difference between a GMRS and BaoFeng two-way radio?

[sab]

Practically speaking, you might catch someone having a one way conversation unless both parties using the repeater are in simplex range which isn't typical expect in specific use cases (like what I mentioned above).

You won't hear the nerds on GMRS simplex because their radios are transmitting on 467.XXX. The only thing you'll hear is the repeated transmission from the repeater (so, you'll hear all nerds pinging the repeater), which is on 462.XXX, same as the simplex channels.

I figured all of this stuff out because I keep my GMRS radio on in my daily driver while commuting 30 miles to work and back. For months, there was almost no activity. Then one day, I started hearing activity on GMRS 20 during every commute, and sometimes it was none-stop, depending on how chatty the nerds were. I started paying attention to call signs and then looking them up. They were from nerds all over the USA. I thought, "How can that be?" One day, I heard a computer-generated voice announce a call sign, and that put all the pieces together for me. Through some Google-sleuthing, I discovered that a new open repeater (broadcasting a call sign automatically every 20 minute or so) had been installed in a nearby city, and it is a "Node" on "The Roadkill Nationwide" Internet-connected GMRS Live Network. It turns out that I'm not a fan of connecting repeaters via the Internet. It creates way too much traffic on a channel because anyone connected to a repeater that is a "Node" goes out to all other Nodes across the USA! It's like repeater nerds on steroids. I'll bet you can do the same thing with an App on a phone, and keep the GMRS airwaves less cluttered...

 

[SkylinesSuck]

I'm sorry, you are right. I got the input/output backwards.

 

[freedom_in_4low]

You'll still hear those nerds. They transmit to the repeater on the 467.XXX MHz frequency, but the repeater then turns around and transmits on the same 462.XXX MHz frequency as the simplex channel on the same frequency. For example, GMRS 15 (simplex) is on 462.550 MHz for both transmit and receive, but GMRS Repeater Channel 15 is on 467.550 MHz for transmitting, but 462.550 MHZ for receiving, so when two nerds are using GMRS Repeater Channel 15, it goes like this:

Nerd A transmits on 467.550.
The repeater receives the transmission on 467.550.
The repeater simultaneously sends out the received transmission on 462.550.
Nerd B, and anyone on GRMS 15 (simplex) receives the repeated transmission on 462.550.
Nerd B responds by transmitting on 467.550.
The repeater receives the transmission on 467.550.
The repeater simultaneously sends out the received transmission on 462.550.
Nerd A, and anyone on GRMS 15 (simplex) receives the repeated transmission on 462.550.

Repeaters sometimes use CTCSS (analog) or DCS (digital) codes to determine which transmissions to repeat, but if your radio is programmed for "open" transmit and receive (like standard GMRS channels), you'll hear every transmission, so you'll hear all those nerds.

I've never used repeaters so forgive the noob question...but is there some function on the radio that lets Nerd A and Nerd B transmit on 467.550 but listen on 462.550? Or are they switching back and forth between talking and listening?

I just bought a couple of UV5R's but haven't even powered them on yet. Looks like I need to get a programming cable and some software.

 

[sab]

I've never used repeaters so forgive the noob question...but is there some function on the radio that lets Nerd A and Nerd B transmit on 467.550 but listen on 462.550? Or are they switching back and forth between talking and listening?

I just bought a couple of UV5R's but haven't even powered them on yet. Looks like I need to get a programming cable and some software.

The radios are programmed (either by the factory, or by you) to transmit on 467.XXX and receive on 462.XXX seamlessly when you are on a repeater channel. On my radios, I have the simplex channel named "GMRS 20" and the repeater named "RPTR 20" so that I know if I'm on GMRS, I'm transmitting and receiving on the same frequency, but if I'm on RPTR, I'm transmitting on one frequency and receiving on another. Then, if I encounter someone on the simplex channel (named "GMRS"), I will know, when they can't hear me transmit, that they are likely on simplex, and I need to switch to the corresponding "GMRS"-named channel to transmit to them.

It's a little complicated, but once it's all straight in the ol' noggin, it's not hard to remember. That's one reason I put a radio in my daily driver - so that I stay "in practice." My mind will throw out memories that aren't used often.

 

[sab]

... if I encounter someone on the simplex channel (named "GMRS"), I will know, when they can't hear me transmit, that they are likely on simplex, and I need to switch to the corresponding "GMRS"-named channel to transmit to them.

I should add that switching back and forth from simplex to repeater channels is even easier if you have a dual-receive/dual-transmit radio, which I have. I tune the A side to GMRS-20 and the B side to RPTR-20, and then to switch back and forth, I just hit the A/B button.

 

[Apparition]

 

[sab]

I'm sorry, you are right. I got the input/output backwards.

No worries. I just wanted to make sure the right information got out. GMRS radios can be very confusing...

It's possible that @Hog Wild 's experience in FL was because he was in an area with an Internet Node repeater on the GMRS Live network. Like I said, when you're near one of those, you'll have a lot of chatter. In addition, FL being flat as a pancake means you're hearing folks on simplex for very long distances. The first thing I'd try is alternate channels, and if that didn't work, set your radios up with tone codes so that you don't hear all the chatter.

 

[sab]

View attachment 495852

I know, right?

 

[CMBD]

If you have Baofeng and roll with people with PCI or Rugged race radios, this is your key to happiness.

I'm sure there is a larger list out there somewhere. But I'm fairly certain these are most the frequencies for stock race radios people have.

 

[CMBD]

I have a 50w radio in my car, but you have to have a helmet on to use it.

So for Saturdays 4400 race I used a UV5RE with a 15" Nagoya antenna to talk to the race car. We were at remote pit 2 which is kind of in a hole, and it easily got over one mile per watt.

Felt kinda ghetto talking to an expensive car on a cheap ass radio, but it worked really well