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

Good video but not a lot in there to do with privacy codes. Are privacy codes involved only when using a repeater? Or can you set them up for simplex communication also?
I believe its only for repeaters
 
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Privacy codes (PL, CTSS, tones, etc) are a sent out with your TX in a sub audible form. The tone is picked up by the repeater or other radio (simplex or duplex) and the carrier opens. On a baofeng, you can set both tx and rx tones. Repeaters usually do both.

The idea is your radio will only "hear" the PL you choose and then open the carrier/squelch to hear the the incoming tx. When the PL stops, the radio should drop the carrier and go quiet.

The inherent problem is radios cannot filter out other tx's when a correct tone is detected. In other words, if you are communicating with a group on a specific channel, another group on the same channel can walk over your group when the tone has everything open. The other group may not even know they have interfered.
 
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The first time you bounce off a repeater to talk to your buddy who is 30 miles away and he comes in as clear as if he was in the jeep right behind you, you'll wonder why you didn't switch over sooner.
 
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FRS = kids
GMRS = easy improved CB
HAM = Nerds (OK 'enthusiasts')
CB = Old Farts / resistant to change


:)

J/K
Amateur and GMRS can be addictive.


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Getting his geak on! That is just fricken cool beans! What are your plans for the antenna? You gonna be that guy in the parking lot with a 30 footer on a tripod talking to some guy in Bangladesh? Lol!
The antenna is just a 6dbi shortie. You can see it laying sideway in the bottom of the lid. You can attach it right to the SO239 on the board or use the magnetic mount with the 20' coax attached to get it up high. I have added solar panels since then, 2 20w panels to charge the internal lifepo4 battery.
 
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LOL I'll take the blue one!


but seriously, that chart above with frequencies is why I stuck with basic GMRS... I've seen more than one guy on a trail have issues when the group says "gmrs channel 4" and he can't figure out his frequencies :/
If you don’t plan to get a ham license stick with the GMRS radio. If you use the baofeng you can program the frequencies and save them in the memory slot with the corresponding GMRS channel. The next problem is switching privacy codes on the baofeng are not very convenient as compared to the GMRS radio.
 
If you don’t plan to get a ham license stick with the GMRS radio. If you use the baofeng you can program the frequencies and save them in the memory slot with the corresponding GMRS channel. The next problem is switching privacy codes on the baofeng are not very convenient as compared to the GMRS radio.
I keep a card of midland vs baofeng vs standard DCS/CTwhatever privacy codes in my glovebox, as well as GMRS frequencies. I’m thinking of finding someone to laminate a card and keep a few copies.
My hard mount radio is Midland, handheld is a Midland GMRS/FRS, but I also carry baofengs for backup or loaner units. (And if I need to run VHF) It’s a lot to keep track of across brands, and lots of people I’ve wheeled with show up with an unprogrammed baofeng and have no clue how to get to “GMRS 18” or whatever the club is running on. Unfortunately most people don’t over-research and prepare like we do haha
 
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I keep a card of midland vs baofeng vs standard DCS/CTwhatever privacy codes in my glovebox, as well as GMRS frequencies. I’m thinking of finding someone to laminate a card and keep a few copies.
My hard mount radio is Midland, handheld is a Midland GMRS/FRS, but I also carry baofengs for backup or loaner units. (And if I need to run VHF) It’s a lot to keep track of across brands, and lots of people I’ve wheeled with show up with an unprogrammed baofeng and have no clue how to get to “GMRS 18” or whatever the club is running on. Unfortunately most people don’t over-research and prepare like we do haha
It would make life easier if the FCC would allow GMRS frequencies with a ham license. Would only need one license and one radio.
 
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FRS = kids
GMRS = easy improved CB
HAM = Nerds (OK 'enthusiasts')
CB = Old Farts / resistant to change


:)

J/K
I would characterize GMRS as more ham lite then CB+, but in general spot on.

@Irun

FRS is a restricted, low power version of GMRS with fixed antennas that share the same freqs. Most cheap kids radios from Wally World are FRS. They will talk to GMRS just fine.

CTCSS/DPL "privacy" tones are actually anti-privacy. It's like putting on ear muffs to anybody who isn't on the same tone. They can hear you though. These are also used to get in to repeaters.

$27 Boefang UV-5R'S and the other variants are not GMRS radios per se, but they can easily be used as such. It's *technically* not legal, but nobody who doesn't pretend to be the FCC gestapo actually cares as long as you behave. As an example, many of the Capitol rioters blatantly used and displayed them during their little party, and no charges have been filled by the FCC.
They are powerful and capable for the $. They can also receive and transmit where you would need a permit or reason to be such as ham, local fire/rescue, police, etc. I think this is why some of the heart burn about them. Hand it to a punk kid and he might wind up chatting with the cops. If you go that route, I can program it for you via computer in about 30 seconds in a parking lot. There are better and type certified (completely legal) hand helds for not much more $. All would be repeater capable and much much better than the Walmart bubble pack kids radios.

The Midland MXT275 and a few others are quality, legal, repeater capable, and preprogrammed with channel names instead of freqs. The only futzing is punching in the specific CTCSS or DPL tones if you want those for a repeater or anti-privacy or something. I happen to know one already programmed for the Warrenton as well as a few other repeaters 😉
 
Full blown nerding, I just upgraded my rig from the 15w MXT275 to this 50w getup that it's not only much more powerful, but also monitors tons of stuff like fire rescue, fm broadcast radio, and even ATC. I put one in the treehouse as well and the kids love talking to me on the way to work and listening to me at work as well 🤓

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Full blown nerding, I just upgraded my rig from the 15w MXT275 to this 50w getup that it's not only much more powerful, but also monitors tons of stuff like fire rescue, fm broadcast radio, and even ATC. I put one in the treehouse as well and the kids love talking to me on the way to work and listening to me at work as well 🤓

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I like how you have the mic connected, I will probably do something similar. My set up is similar to yours, 50 watt Icom 2730. Right now I just run the mic off the base unit from under the seat, keeps it out of the way. I have the midland in the Tacoma for ease of use, and a few baofengs for hiking around or for a spotter to use.
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Full blown nerding, I just upgraded my rig from the 15w MXT275 to this 50w getup that it's not only much more powerful, but also monitors tons of stuff like fire rescue, fm broadcast radio, and even ATC. I put one in the treehouse as well and the kids love talking to me on the way to work and listening to me at work as well 🤓

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How does that mic location work for you? I considered that, but I sit too close to the dash/wheel for it to work for me.
 
It's okay for ease of access, but if it had a display like the MXT275 it replaced, it would block that. I might move it up to where the CB is now and move the CB inside the inside the center console. I've only used it once in 5 years, so ease of access isn't a priority. A cleaner interior is. As for room, I'm 6'2" and 210lb of ripped, verile, manly flab, with the seat all the way back, and my knee just clears it. The CB is thicker and does not, hence the placement.

I'm considering an external speaker as well. More testing is required.