[Alexandria Radio Club Reflector] Video Discussion

[Joe K]

GMRS is a specific service type that the FCC only requires paid licensure for. GMRS (currently) is 70cm/UHF/460-470mhz exclusive with FM only. There are GMRS repeaters, and you can have external antennas with up to 50w transmit. In average conditions this is a simplex/LOS comms capability that is very predictable and dependable for short/medium range comms. In crazy ideal conditions, you get unpredictable and inconsistent medium to long range capabilities via troop/thermal ducting, not in anyway reliable or dependable.

Ham radio is a broader service type that the FCC does require applicants pass a knowledge based test to attain licensure, but results in the licensee being able to leverage 2200m, 630m, 160, 80, 60, 40, 30, 20, 17, 15, 12, 10, 6, 2, 1.25, *70cm*, 33cm, 23, 13, and then a bunch of microwave 5ghz+ bands I don’t care to remember, you can use SSB (USB/LSB), FM, AM and digital modulations in various portions of almost all those bands. This results in a capability that goes from: short/long range ground wave, ionospheric skywave, ionospheric NVIS (still skywave), LOS direct wave, repeater based LOS, microwave/UHF linked repeaters, natural and manmade satellite, and other things im probably forgetting.

GMRS/70cm ground wave is basically worthless, direct wave/LOS/repeater usage is fantastic. I don’t know if GMRS satellites are FCC complaint or if any exist, FCC currently does not permit GMRS repeater linking of any kind. I have no idea if you can do EME/rain scatter on GMRS, not that these are predictable propagation methods anyway but they can teach you a lot.

GMRS restricts data use cases, I *think* there are some FCC authorized texting and location sharing capabilities.
Ham radio has extremely broad data modes.

GMRS restricts relaying and linking.
Ham licensees have almost no restrictions on relay or linking.

Even 2m ham repeaters that you can use with a tech license alone have minimum double the coverage of a GMRS repeater.

*My opinion*, GMRS is very much like 900mhz ISM, very useful, easy for a whole family to leverage, but in terms of emergency situations or preparedness it’s like having a tap mounted water filter or pitcher water filter, but it’s not replacing or outcompeting ham radio ever, anyone saying that is click farming or trolling.

A lot of prepper types, especially content farming YouTube parasites, will say things like “well I don’t need a license because in disasters you can use any radio to call for help in life and death situations”, unless you have been a comms guy in public safety and the military, all the gear in the world is basically useless because you won’t know how to use it, or know which bands are useful at particular times of the day, year, and solar cycle. A ham license grants you the ability to get sets and reps in, get familiar, and learn where your weaknesses are…maybe even get a sweet QSL card to hang on the wall too.

Comparing a Walmart hammer to having a full team of people who have competed in 24 hour of Le Mans if you ask me.

Joe K
Alexandria ARES EC

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-------- Original Message --------
On Monday, 02/16/26 at 23:40 evanstl at hotmail.com wrote:

> Admins,
>
> Not sure if this is permissible but I tab across this video while researching a radio to buy and the guy brought up some really good points and I wondered if it would be okay to have a discussion about it. My apologies if this is not allowed.
>
> Terry
>
> https://youtu.be/N64GpYnhyKc?si=8-mKG8SD1Ue9D4tK
>
> Isaiah 6:8
>
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