GMRS radios are typically handheld portable devices much like Family Radio Service (FRS) radios, and share some frequencies with FRS. Mobile and base station-style radios are available as well, but these are normally commercial UHF radios as often used in the public service and commercial land mobile bands. These are legal for use in this service as long as they are GMRS type-approved. They are more expensive than the walkie talkies typically found in discount electronics stores, and are generally considered higher quality.
The predecessor to GMRS was named Class A Citizens Radio Service when it was rolled out in the 1960s. Tube type transceivers were used, and transmitter power was limited to 60 watts (plate input power to the final amplifier tube). The original service ran wideband FM with ±15t kHz transmitter deviation and 50f kHz channel spacing. At the time, this was the norm for all U.S. land mobile services. There was also a Class B Citizens Radio Service which used a different set of 461u MHz channels and was limited to 5 watts output. Business users were permitted to license in this radio service. Radios were built by consumer electronics firms and commercial two-way radio vendors.
In Canada, hand-held GMRS radios up to 2 watts have been approved for use without a license since September 2004.[10] Typically these are dual FRS and GMRS units, with fixed antennas, and operating at 2 watts on some GMRS channels and 0.5 watts on the FRS-only channels. Mobile units (permanently mounted in vehicles), base stations and repeaters are not currently permitted on the GMRS channels in Canada.
GMRS radios are typically handheld portable devices much like Family Radio Service (FRS) radios, and share some frequencies. Mobile and base station-style radios are available as well, but these are normally commercial UHF radios often used in the public service and commercial land mobile bands. These are perfectly legal and their use is encouraged. They are more expensive than the walkie talkies typically found in discount electronics stores, but are higher quality.
