Frequently Asked Questions

Put as simply as possible, our team goals are to provide:

1. Communication for community service activities, non-profit events, and emergency prep/response situations

2. General assistance with most any community service/safety event, whether additional communication is required or not

Our roots are in communication and that remains our primary focus but, as stated above, our goals go beyond that.

Literally ANYONE! We want people who are community and volunteer minded. This can include:

• Ham radio operators

• Licensed GMRS users

• FRS users

• CB hobbyists/enthusiasts (that operate within FCC guidelines)

• Anyone who wants to help our community, even if they have no experience with or prior interest in radio

Our volunteer efforts include those with and without a communication component, so we can use YOU!

The answer is usually YES! If your organization is non-profit and provides community and/or emergency assistance, or puts on charitable events, check with us to see if we can enhance your efforts. Rocket City REACT loves to partner with others! And as a 501(c)(3) non-profit, there is never a cost associated with our volunteer efforts on your behalf.

Definitely! While FRS radios are often purchased as kid toys, they can be very useful over short distances. Many people are surprised by the range you can get from a small handheld FRS radio. They are especially good around limited areas like neighborhoods, campgrounds, public events, etc. In fact, Rocket City REACT encourages neighborhoods to set up networks of neighbors using FRS for situations when quick communication/coordination is needed, especially when something significant occurs in your area or when other communication methods falter. Your neighborhood can easily do this with or without assistance from us, although we are always interested in coordinating with your neighborhood FRS network.

As for use with Rocket City REACT, most of our volunteer efforts to date required nothing more substantial than FRS, so if you have one but don't have a GMRS or ham license, no problem! You can put that "kid toy" to good use with us, and with like-minded neighbors.

In a word, NO. This is an often-misunderstood feature on radios, and manufacturers sometimes muddy the waters by calling these "privacy codes" or "sub-channels" that gives the false impression that your transmissions are completely private. They are not.

First, true privacy requires some kind of encryption, which the FCC says is illegal on public radio service bands like amateur, GMRS, FRS, MURS, and CB. What these codes do is control who and what YOU are LISTENING TO. By setting a code on any of the 22 GMRS/FRS channels, you are telling your radio to only let you hear other people using the same channel AND code. So if your radio is on channel 7 using CTCSS code 10, you will hear someone else using channel 7 and CTCSS code 10. You will not hear someone on a different channel (which is true with or without a code) or on channel 7 using a code other than 10 (or no code). However, if you are both on channel 7, you are both still transmitting on the same frequency. The radio is just checking the code of the incoming signals and only opening the squelch so you can hear it if the signal has the same code.

Now here's the important part. Regardless of what code you set on your radio, others can STILL hear you. "But what if they're using a different code?" Yes, in that case, they will not hear what you're saying. But if they are using NO code, their radio will allow them to listen to any signal on that channel. If you doubt this, try this experiment:

1. Set radio A to a channel and some code.

2. Set radio B to the same channel as A but use no code (set the code to 0).

3. Transmit a signal using radio B. Note that radio A does not hear this signal.

4. Now transmit a signal using radio A. Surprise, radio B hears everything you said.

With a GMRS/FRS radio, always keep in mind that anything you transmit is still potentially public and subject to someone else listening in.

The range boasts by manufacturers on their radio packaging, especially for hand-held transceivers, are the proverbial fish tale. They just keep getting bigger and bigger over time. The reality is usually very different.

First, hand-held radios are very limited in power compared to mobiles. The typical maximum transmit power from a GMRS hand-held is 5 watts (2 watts for FRS), even on channels 15-22 where you can legally transmit up to 50 watts. And, the antennas on hand-held radios are nowhere near as efficient as those typically paired with mobiles. So, if the package indicates a 30-mile range, that might be true from mountaintop to mountaintop or across completely flat, unobstructed terrain like a desert or water. But in most places around the US, you are doing well to get a few miles out of one.

Mobiles that can transmit with the full legal limit on channels 15-22, when paired with a good antenna that is properly tuned, can get a usable signal out much further. Even in urban settings, 5-10 miles radio-to-radio is achievable, and much further if you're using a repeater.

GMRS (General Mobile Radio Service) and FRS (Family Radio Service) share the same 22 channels/frequencies. In the past that wasn't always so, but the FCC made changes in recent years so that, at least when it comes to hand-held "walkie-talkie" transceivers (transmitter/receiver), they can all use the same channels. The biggest differences between GMRS and FRS are:

Transmitter power

Ability to use repeaters

External antennas

Licensing

Most hand-held radios you find in stories now are GMRS because they try to maximize their claims to range (more on that in another question) by using the maximum transmitter power allowed. A true FRS hand-held uses reduced transmit power (2 watts instead of 5 watts for GMRS). On channels 8-14, both GMRS and FRS are the same, restricted to ½ watt. Also, GMRS mobile radios can receive but not transmit on channels 8-14 due to the very low power restrictions.

Both GMRS hand-held and mobile radios have an additional 8 frequencies that they can transmit on, making it possible for them to use repeater systems where the transmit and receive frequencies are different. A true FRS hand-held is not capable of this.

The antennas used by GMRS hand-held and mobile radios can be swapped out for different antennas to improve transmission/reception or just optimize the antenna size for personal preference. Some GMRS hand-helds do not offer a way to remove the existing antenna, but per FCC regulations the radio manufacturer can design the radios so this is possible. FRS hand-held antennas are permanently affixed to the radio and cannot be removed and swapped with a different antenna.

Because of the extra flexibility and power available to GMRS radios, the FCC requires a license to use these radios (although no test is required, just an application and fee). True FRS radios are license-free and usable by anyone in the family.

There are other differences but these are the ones that matter the most.

A repeater is a receiver/transmitter combo that listens for signals on one frequency and retransmits them (typically at higher power and elevation) on a different frequency to increase their range. For GMRS, channels 15-22 can be used for both simplex (radio-to-radio) conversations and repeaters. In the repeater case, the repeater transmits on the frequency that everyone listens to, and listens for signals on a frequency exactly 5 MHz higher. For example, reception on channel 15 happens at 462.55 MHz. For two radios using simplex directly between each other, both are transmitting AND receiving on that frequency. But when using a repeater, the transmitting hand-held or mobile radio actually transmits on 467.55 MHz and the repeater retransmits that signal on 462.55 MHz for everyone to hear.

As mentioned in the GMRS and FRS differences, the FRS hand-held radio cannot transmit on the frequencies where repeaters listen for incoming signals, so they are only able to hear what the repeater transmits but can't send their own signal to the repeater for retransmission.

YES! The WQZE318 repeater on Channel 20 is now available for general use, although it may be restricted to REACT team use at times. Most of the time it's available to anyone with a valid GMRS license and a radio that can access repeaters (FRS radios are incapable of this). Refer to the GMRS Repeater page for the current TX/RX tones. Per FCC rules, please identify yourself with your GMRS call sign when using the repeater.

The repeater is especially available to anyone needing assistance or trying to contact our REACT team. Other use is acceptable as long as it does not violate FCC regulations. Repeater range is mostly limited to south Madison County west of Green Mountain but may be expanded in the future if we can relocate the repeater to a better vantage point.