Todd; It takes a bit of research to find the model numbers and capabilities of various GMRS radios. I can tell you this, Midland is making a lot of sales of some nice radios, but I really cannot recommend them because they are basically narrowband FRS radios with high power. By bringing on NB radios on GMRS, you leave a lot of S/N performance on the table. GMRS is 16K0F3E wideband as FM-God Edwin Armstrong intended.
yes the Midland radios sounds bad.
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I totally understand about the support side of this. Though I am a “radio guy” the networking side has a learning curve for me. A help would be a knowledge base to get folks started. I have found this technology is supported by software folks who speak another language and “they get it” while the rest of us are simply looking for the install package.
As far as the FCC, the Board could take a position “that as long as the FCC does not object, we don’t”.
My concern as far as GMRS is that it is the only high performance radio service available to all citizens that does not require a monthly fee (other than $70/10 years which is a pittance). There needs to be more activity and if not, the FCC will see it as more spectrum to auction off. It is after all, right smack in the middle of Part 90 and the FCC has already encroached on it allowing the guard bands to be used by Part 90.
The major manufacturers are not helpful in providing needed high performance product like repeaters and wide band repeater capable radios. So the effort has to be grass roots, IE We are here, we are big, we are licensed, we matter. Otherwise when GMRS is gone, enjoy your expensive 5G smartphone that has no dial tone out in the smokey mountains. There are many GMRS repeaters in the Smokey Mountains!
MMMM Hello from someone in The GMRS Community. I am all ready offing support.
How are they dealing with linking the repeaters? Are they always all tied together? One of my personal favorite features of Allstar is that you don’t need to tie up every repeater; you can simply connect up repeaters on demand.
We are only offering at the moment to be able to connect to one of our for hubs but we do have the ability to connect to each other it’s just a lot of people do not know how to port forward so having them connect to our hubs that have the parts open makes things a hell of a lot easier
Along with that, more or less… Probably/maybe answered in some consideration, “what does the FCC say about…” one licensee ‘controlling’ another’s station? At some point maybe, at least site-to-site linking, unless the ability of remote AllStar node control functions are locked-down/-out … what wouldn’t the FCC want/allow for a remote operator to be able to control? Not sure what there would, could or should be able to control, just pondering.
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On Friday, December 27, 2019, 04:11:06 PM PST, Todd-KM6RPT via AllStarLink Discussion Groups noreply@community.allstarlink.org wrote:
Todd-KM6RPT
Board Member
December 28
How are they dealing with linking the repeaters? Are they always all tied together? One of my personal favorite features of Allstar is that you don’t need to tie up every repeater; you can simply connect up repeaters on demand.
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In Reply To
December 27
The GMRS Linked Network is offing plug and play Simplex stations. gmrs.network
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I couldn’t see any reason why they wouldn’t treat it any different than the way they treat Ham Radio repeaters.
The FCC rules really don’t say much. They have indeed carved out an exemption in the general part 95 rules which allows network connection for GMRS . There is also admittedly some conflicting language, but if you track it back in history, its likely a scriveners error. If you think about it, as long as each repeater owner is permitting access, it is no different if you key a mobile locally or at a remote station. The result is the same. Folks read too much into what the FCC is mute about.
It was actually Jim Dixon’s intent to set up a GMRS Allstarlink system. You can hear him talk about it on this video.
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Has anyone used the Baofeng - BTECH GMRS-V1 GMRS?
If so, is it truly a radio that is capable of transmitting on old GMRS frequencies?
The problem is price. The node I make using the BF888s cost $150 and GMRS people just don’t want to put that much money in to talk on a radio.
I have seen a few GMRS repeaters and repeater networks. Are they controlled by DTMF and can you just connect up to specific repeaters like Allstar or are there fixed connection points?
Thanks
Because a lot of people don’t know how to port forward we have a main hub and 3 other nodes that a node can connect to. I do have the ability to Input IP addresses to allow them to Direct Connect. But as of right now the hubs are the only nodes that will allow incoming connections because it’s they are the only nodes to pull the full list of nodes. Most of the new nodes will connect on boot up.
We can do everything ASL can do because we are using the app-rpt software.
The only thing we don’t have is status reporting. But every node connects to one of our hubs it’s not a big deal. Have a look gmrs.network
if someone is saying they don’t want to put that much money into aradio, then it’s probably a good thing. The very low cost of entry has resulted in some operators being on the air that should not be. (think before judging that statment.)
The DMR networks are filled with mindless chatter from those whom have a MD-380 and a whatever-spot. No effort gets put into their radio systems, so there is nothing be learned about what they are doing. These are also the same people that get pissed and think the RoIP networks are failing to operate when they are in poor cell coverage areas. -> because they do not want to put the effort into what they are doing.
Poor quality never equates to anything greater. I look forward to the day when Chinese radios are banned from being sold or operated in the US.
Funny thing is, most people who proudly exclaim they have a cheap radio have a $500 to $1000 iphone in their pocket they are making payments for.
Encourage your people to strive for better options. There are much better used radios out there for the same price.
Find some options, present them and you’ll get your answers.
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Thanks he truly had a very big vision for all the utility that ASL could provide.
Selfishly, I would like Allstar to set up a server to support GMRS. It would be nice to allow my son to be able to use the great features of Allstar. He is a little young to be a HAM. I am just starting to work on the backend of Allstar. When I become more familiar with it, I will set one up.
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Wow it’s not hard to connect to nodes together with out being apart of the Allstar link network. Yes ASL has a few cool things to look at online like the status map. That’s about the only thing I haven’t figured out how to set up but it’s not that big of a deal everyone is connected to the main hub anyways
I looked at your web page. It is pretty cool. I have to set up a simplex node so I can play with it.