VHF or GMSR radio?

mr geets

Petty Officer 3rd Class
Joined
Nov 16, 2012
Messages
95
I have 2 VHF handheld Yaseu VHF radios and now my buddy tells me I should have GMRS?????? I bought the VHF with thoughts of remote area boating and contact with emergency responders
 

UncleWillie

Captain
Joined
Oct 18, 2011
Messages
3,995
VHF is for marine related Boat to Boat or Boat to Authorities, and Actual Emergency communications.
GMRS is for non-official personal business communications. GMRS is an FCC licensed required service.
Licenses are not available to individuals. You must be a business entity. e.g., a Construction or Messenger Company.

He actually may mean FRS. The two are often confused, and many radios have both FRS and GMRS capability.
FRS is for Family member to Family member person communications, Keeping track of the Kids, Etc. No License required.
Range is about 2 miles under ideal condition, A little better than traditional CB Radios.

If you want to talk to the camp to find out when dinner will be ready? ... FRS, Yes! ... VHF, A Big NO!
Remote area boating may mean that there will be very few people listening on the Emergency VHF Channel 16.
FRS does not have an official emergency channel. Contacting anyone at random will be pot luck; and nearly impossible if they have a PL Code enabled.
 
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mr geets

Petty Officer 3rd Class
Joined
Nov 16, 2012
Messages
95
I sure appreciate your insights. Now I just gotta get familiar with operating them.

Best regards and good boating

Bob
 

UncleWillie

Captain
Joined
Oct 18, 2011
Messages
3,995

Something new every day! Thanks!
It looks like they are getting ready to drop the whole license requirement all together.
The rules are one thing, and enforcing them is another.
Trying to track down an unlicensed GMRS operator would be a lot of trouble for little gain.
The whole system is really just another version of CB radios but with the clarity of FM instead of the noise prone AM of the 11m CB radios.

I have a set of FRS/GMRS radios for use when the crew goes ashore and Car to Car on the road.
It is rare to ever even hear anyone on any chanel. And what you occasionally hear is routine, mundane, and very civilized.
No regulations are going to to change much and it is essentially as unenforceable as CB.
Get yourself a set of FRS/GMRS Radios and talk away. No one will ever notice.

VHF is another matter.
I have heard the Coast Guard chastise more than one boater for improper operation.
The VHF Marine Band Is vigorously enforced.
 
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