Northeastern Pennsylvania General Mobile Emergency Radio Service
GMRS licensed radio operators use their training, skills, and equipment to provide communications during emergencies When All Else Fails GMRS stations serve our communities when storms or other disasters damage critical communication infrastructure, including cell towers, and wired and wireless networks. GMRS radio can function completely independently of the internet and phone systems. A GMRS radio station can be set up almost anywhere in minutes. GMRS can quickly raise a wire antenna in a tree or on a mast, connect it to a radio and power source, and communicate effectively with others.
NEPA GMERS is organized by the NEPA GMRS group to be ready to provide emergency communications during any national, state, or local emergencies. NEPAGMERS will volunteer to work with authorities and local amateur radio operators including RACES and ARES groups.
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FCC license required to operate GMRS
The FCC requires a license to operate GMRS radios. Licenses are valid for ten years and can be renewed up to the expiration date. Penalties for using GMRS radios without a license can include up to $10,000 and jail time.
FCC 47 C.F.R Part 95 Subpart E
The General Mobile Radio Service (GMRS) is a licensed radio service that uses channels around 462 MHz and 467 MHz. The most common use of GMRS channels is for short-distance, two-way voice communications using hand-held radios, mobile radios and repeater systems. In 2017, the FCC expanded GMRS to also allow short data messaging applications including text messaging and GPS location information. Full FCC 47 C.F.R. here.
Services that provide functionality similar to GMRS include the Citizens Band Radio Service (CBRS), the Family Radio Service (FRS) and the Multi-Use Radio Service (MURS).
The GMRS is available to an individual (one man or one woman) for short-distance two-way communications to facilitate the activities of licensees and their immediate family members. Each licensee manages a system consisting of one or more transmitting units (stations.) The rules for GMRS limit eligibility for new GMRS system licenses to individuals in order to make the service available to personal users. (Some previously licensed non-individual systems are allowed to continue using GMRS.)
In 2017, the FCC updated the GMRS by allotting additional interstitial channels in the 467 MHz band, increased the license term from 5 to 10 years, allowed transmission of limited data applications such as text messaging and GPS location information and made other updates to the GMRS rules to reflect modern application of the service.