Updated 11/13/05
This code was derived from discussions
at the PopularWireless.com Personal Wireless Bulletin Board. The following
elements of the code refer to GMRS operating practices, engineering or
technical standards, the FCC Rules, the various Communications Acts, or ethical
and cooperative behaviors expected of GMRS licensees. Some elements of the Code
are not enforceable by the FCC but we as licensees recognize each element as
having a valid and important purpose in the GMRS culture.
The Code
First, the FCC definition of
GMRS and Basis and Purpose of GMRS technical regulations:
FCC
R&R 95.1 & The Definition of the General Mobile Radio
Service
"The GMRS is a
land mobile radio service available to persons 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
stations. "
FCC R&R 95.601,
(adapted) GMRS FCC Rules rules provide the technical standards to which each
transmitter used or intended to be used in a station authorized in the General
Mobile Radio Service must comply.
The
General Mobile Radio Service was not created as an emergency radio service as
was the Amateur Radio Service; however, some groups of personal licensees and
their families do make their radio systems and communication talents available
to their communities in times of need. Personal Radio Association members
therefor support responsible service oriented groups that recognize the primary
purpose of the service as defined by the FCC in the GMRS Rules. These groups
run afoul of the Code if they chase new users away from "their emergency
frequency" or actively discourage others from sharing a GMRS frequency by
other means. There is no GMRS emergency frequency. No single organization,
grandfathered licensee, or group(s) of licensees have a greater right to use a
frequency over any other licensee. The GMRS is a personal radio service and not
a radio service intended for public service organizations.
By mutual agreement, licensees observe
the following Code. Included in the Code are obligations, duties, and radio
operating practices we observe so that we preserve and protect this unique
non-subscription personal radio radio service both now and in the
future.
- The purpose of GMRS is to provide
personal communication associated with the personal business and activities and
of our immediate families. We respect and value the General Mobile Radio
Service as a unique family communication tool of limited resource. GMRS was
never intended as a radio service for hobby communication or other
communication that would otherwise be appropriate in the Citizens Radio
Service, Amateur Radio Service or on a business radio channel. (e.g. random
chats, calling CQ etc.)
- We monitor radio channels before
transmitting to avoid interfering with users of the same channel.
- We wait for emergency radio messages
to complete before transmitting.
- We identify radio transmissions with
our FCC assigned call letters at intervals as required by FCC rules.
(Grandfathered GMRS licensees share the same station identification
requirement.)
- We extend courteous behavior to other
licensees using the GMRS.
- We have read and follow the FCC Rules
and Regulations governing the General Mobile and Family Radio Service.
- We coordinate repeater operations
including input and output tones to prevent mutual interference.
- We respect the property rights of
others. We ask permission before using repeaters owned by other licensees. We
recognize that other licensees are not required to share their repeaters with
anyone. GMRS repeaters are private property. Owning a radio capable of repeater
operation does not mean we can use any repeater we hear.
- We respect the rights of repeater
owners to particpate in the PRA Open Repeater Initiative.
- We observe the operating requirements
defined by the repeater group or the owner/licensee of the repeater we use.
- Whenever practical, we enable CTCSS
141.3 Hz on our repeater inputs during regular hours of operation to allow any
licensee access to the repeater to report an emergency or seek traveling
information. If this tone is unavailable we listen in open squelch to repeater
outputs whenever possible. Persons traveling and using 141.3 on GMRS repeaters
should always request permission to make a call for assistance.
- We monitor our own repeater so that it
does not cause harmful interference during a period of malfunction and so it
can be shut down when malfunctioning or during an attack by unauthorized users.
We do our best to manage our repeater systems so that the behavior of our users
is consistent with the Code.
- We acknowledge that GMRS was
originally created as base-to-mobile, mobile-to-base, and portable-to-portable,
directed-communication radio service. Base-to-base communication was once
prohibited, but as of February 1999 the FCC restriction against base-to-base
communication was lifted. Nevertheless, GMRS licensees engaged in base-to-base
communication shall yield to mobile or portable communication.
- We keep radio transmissions on
high-level repeaters short to prevent monopolization of a frequency over a wide
area for extended periods.
- We properly maintain a GMRS repeater
so that it does not retransmit signals received from FRS radios operating on
channels adjacent to the repeater input.
- We respect the occasional public
service operation by a local public service team. Some organizations of
licensees maintain GMRS radio systems with a specific purpose of assisting
public safety agencies and providing a SkyWarn service. GMRS licensees and
their communities benefit from the service these organizations provide. Such
activities should be kept brief and to the point. Operators should yield to
regular GMRS traffic when emergencies are not present. Amateur Radio style
network activity on GMRS is discouraged.
- We identify, and report unlicensed
users of GMRS to the local PRA GMRS Intruder Interference Committee. Persistent
unlicensed use by pirates is reported to the FCC Enforcement Bureau.
- We respect and comply with the orders
of commercial antenna site owners that allow our user group or individuals site
access for radio equipment and antennas.
- We use standard commercial engineering
practices when installing and operating GMRS radio systems, particularly
systems located at commercial antenna sites. GMRS channels are located
in-between commercial and public safety system channels. It is imperative that
the equipment we use be maintained to commercial standard and efficiency in
order to avoid improper operation and interference to other services.
- We do not use an automatic Morse Code
or voice only identifier when a repeater is not in actual use. ID'ers that
identify as beacons do not respect repeater or simplex radio traffic sharing
the same frequency. Use of the identifier during regular communication through
the repeater is the preferred method of operating identifiers.
- We NEVER operate GMRS or FRS
transceivers in other countries unless permitted by that country's laws.
Currently U.S. GMRS radios are not legal in any other country. U.S. Type
Approved FRS radios are legal only in Canada. Only Canadian GMRS radios of
limited power level are allowed in Canada.
- GMRS repeater owners have the
obligation to coordinate CTCSS and DPL tones in use on their systems. The last
repeater owner to put a tone on a system changes the tone whenever a conflict
arises. Tones are not left installed in a system to "hold the tone for
future use." Tones cannot be reserved for users not eligible to license in
GMRS e.g. public safety and disaster organizations. There shall be a current
user for each activated repeater tone. If one system changes users, the date
the tone was placed on the system is the date the newest licensee with that
tone was placed on the system. Licensees are strongly encouraged to keep
station records with this information.
- We observe the prohibition of
operating GMRS radios North of Line A near the Canadian border on specified
GMRS channels and in the National Radio Quiet Zone on all channels.
- If you operate on a grandfathered GMRS
business repeater and you do not hold your own GMRS license and are not
eligible under the license of an immediate family member, you do not operate
outside the license limitations of the grandfathered system.
- We do not interfere with or annoy
grandfathered business users licensed for GMRS channels.
- We acknowledge that the FCC expects
all licensees to cooperatively resolve operational complaints between GMRS
systems.
- We never operate modified Amateur
Radio transceivers in the GMRS, FRS, or MURS.
- We never camp on a frequency pair with
the specific intent to busy out the channel in order to discourage others from
using the frequencies or setting up another repeater. GMRS frequencies are a
shared resource and licensees do not engage in hostile behaviors to warn others
away.
- We recognize there are incompatible
uses of the GMRS. Any single grandfathered licensee or group of GMRS licensees
that engages in network-style activity should consider licensing on a business
radio frequency so GMRS channels are not monopolized by a single licensee, or
organized group of licensees.
- In the event my repeater is the victim
of intentional interference neither I or my users will acknowledge or
antagonize the responsible parties
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