According to the PRSG (a GMRS users group) complete publication of the NPRM in FCC Docket 10-119 will occur or about next Wednesday, August 4.

This will start the official 30 day period for formal public comment. Please, if you haven't gotten yours in yet, take the time to comment against the dangerous parts of their proposed changes.

UPDATE: the official comment period ends on September 3, 2010.

The Personal Radio Steering Group (PRSG) has useful resources on their home page about the potential upcoming changes to the GMRS radio service. If you are searching for more information about the changes, take a look at the PRSG website.

Thanks to AK4AV for sending along the link.

The FCC has proposed sweeping changes to the regulations related to Personal Radio Services, including the General Mobile Radio Service.  The proposal calls for ways to “simplify, streamline, and update the Part 95 rules to reflect technological advances and changes in the way the American public uses the various Personal Radio Services.”  Personal radio services include MURS, GMRS, FRS and CB. 

Obviously, these changes could impact some of our readers who use our two GMRS repeaters (which could potentially be outlawed - please see last paragraph for how to file a comment against this proposal). 

The full 92 page notice can be read at the FCC website at this address.  GMRS specific comments start on page 9. 

The proposal could have devastating effects on the GMRS service as we know it.  Some of the possible changes include:

• Eliminate GMRS licensing (aka “license by rule”), similar to the FRS and CB spectrum, or extend licensing term from five to ten years.
• Relax eligibility requirements. Under the current GMRS licensing regulations, only those aged 18 years or older are eligible to apply for a GMRS license. According to the FCC, if licensing is eliminated, it will be very similar to the FRS service, which has no such age restriction, so they don’t find a reason to continue the age eligibility requirement.
• Move to narrowband 12.5 kHz spacing. Currently GMRS uses 25 kHz spacing. Moving to narrowband FM would provide better spectrum management.
• Decrease GMRS handheld radio output power from 5 to 2 watts.
• Eliminate the use of repeaters in the GMRS service.
• Consideration of a petition from Garmin to allow the transmission of GPS location information and user-generated text messages on certain GMRS channels. These emissions are already authorized on FRS channels, but Garmin would like the FCC to consider allowing it in the GMRS spectrum. An example of such a radio that is on the FRS service is the Garmin Rino 110.
• Prohibition of approval of dual VHF Marine/FRS radios.
• Clarification of regulations to explicitly allow hands-free microphones to operate in the CB band.
• Decrease the allowable output power or prohibit the use of directional antennas for CB radios.

(open for more info)

The 462.625 MHz South Repeater had some recent upgrades done to ensure that it would continue to function well. The repeater antenna mounts were replaced to ensure that the DB-420 is well attached and will remain that way for some time. Additionally, thanks to Brad P. and Rob for recent troubleshooting of the power supply failure in the repeater cabinet, and for working to get it back on line. Routine maintenance checks of all of the equipment shows everything is is good operating condition.

Additional work was done on the packet radio stations that in in place as well as the 10 meter WA4FC/B beacon operation.

The 462.625 MHz repeater successfully received an upgrade yesterday in the form of a Decibel Products DB-420 antenna, even with the winds, low temperatures and snow flurries falling on us. This was a big undertaking for the team that included Doug, Brad P, and Jay. A special thanks also go to Doug Everhart, N4TZD of Southmount, NC for providing the antenna and the rack that all of the hardware rests in. Testing will continue over the next few days, but improvements in coverage have been noted across the service area.

Below is Brad P removing the old antenna in so the new one can be installed in its place.

The 58 lb antenna and the new piece of mast are shown in place.

Please see the 462.625 photo album for more pictures of the installation!

The 462.625 FieldComm South repeater will be receiving a much needed antenna upgrade on February 13th. Pictured above is Doug, Brad and Noah with the new Decibel Products DB-420 antenna, which will replace the currently unity gain fiberglass antenna. The DB-420 boasts 9.2db gain and is over 18 feet long.

Plans for that day also call for installing a new antenna for the packet equipment that is co-located there, and moving the 10 meter beacon to the site for full time operation. If you are free and want to come out and help let us know.

Recently we installed hardware to allow for seamless switching to battery on the 462.600 FieldComm repeater. This battery system will also protect the cable modem and other 12 volt accessories.



A Samlex BBM-12100 battery backup module handles switching and charging of the battery, and can handle up to a 100 amp load. The repeater controller is now configured to sense a loss of 12v from the power supply, and an additional relay signals the controller to change courtesy tone so users know to keep their transmission short. A courtesy tone of "Z" in CW (dah dah dit dit) will indicate the battery is supplying power. Thanks to Rob Turner for supplying the current battery.

The 462.600 repeater now has two relay operated fans on top of the transmitter. The controller is setup to enable the fans whenever the transmitter is operational and for a period of time after. This allows operators in the shack to continue making QSOs on other radios. This should prolong the life of the repeater setup. Watch shortly for information on the battery backup system, it should be operational within the next week or so.

Above, Doug Renn inspects the installation of the repeater antenna. A second GMRS repeater is now on the air on 462.625 MHz. The repeater uses a PL tone of 141.3 and is located in southern Prince George near the intersection of interstates 95 and 295. Installation went smoothly yesterday with Rob Turner, Brad Price, Doug Renn and Jay Lovelady working to complete the installation of this gear as well as some amateur packet gear and associated antennas. Thanks to Eric Hudgins for providing the hardline, and to David Latta for the antenna and the custom mount for the antenna. Open for more details.

Coverage testing on the 462.600 FieldComm repeater shows that the combination of the new hardware and new location has brought some slight improvements in the fringe areas. Coverage generally remains the same as when previously on the air. Click here to view predicted mobile coverage and here for predicted portable coverage. The lighter blue the color gets, the lighter the signal will be. Obviously no prediction is perfect but it has been generally true so far. Stay tuned for more details on performance and usage. Thanks to all that have been involved.