r/gmrs

I got tired of manually scanning for repeater tones with my HT, so I built ToneScout, a headless Raspberry Pi appliance that listens to all 8 GMRS repeater output frequencies 24/7, decodes any CTCSS/DCS tone it hears, looks up the repeater on RepeaterBook, and emails you the frequency, channel, tone, call sign, and location automatically.

Works at home on WiFi, mobile on your phone's hotspot, or off-grid with detections queued locally and synced when you reconnect. Setup is entirely browser-based, no SSH or command line needed.

Hardware runs about $215 in parts from Amazon. Full parts list, affiliate links, and one-command installer in the repo.

https://github.com/HestonWilliams/ToneScout

MIT licensed. PRs welcome. Whisper-based callsign extraction and SMS alerts are on the roadmap if there's interest.

Which should I buy?

It looks like they are giving in.

August 15, 2026

Dear Members of the North Georgia GMRS Organization,

I wanted to take a moment to address the recent FCC Notice of
Violation sent to me and North Georgia GMRS.

An incredible amount of time and energy has gone into preparing for this possibility and developing a path forward that creates the least amount of disruption for our North Georgia GMRS family.

First and foremost,

North Georgia GMRS is going to be just fine.

We will continue to serve our members across several states, and our commitment to the GMRS community has not changed. As it relates to repeater linking and what we believe is in the best interest of GMRS users, our position remains firm.

The question I have had to confront is how best to move forward and which avenue gives us the greatest opportunity to achieve the goals we seek.

There are essentially two options.

Option one would be to mount and fund a legal challenge, using the Notice of Violation as the catalyst for a case to be argued in court.

Option two would be to form a coalition of GMRS organizations and users from across the country, work toward updating and clarifying the rules, and make our case through
appropriate public and regulatory processes.

We have met with attorneys and believe there are valid and
strong legal arguments to be made regarding GMRS repeater linking. However, mounting and pursuing a legal case of this magnitude would most likely require an investment of hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Even if we were guaranteed to prevail and repeater linking were ultimately determined to be permissible under the FCC rules, I and the NGMRS organization am not willing or able to make that type of financial commitment.

So, what happens now?

I have prepared a response to the FCC acknowledging their letter and agreeing to unlink all North Georgia GMRS repeaters no later than October 1, 2026.

For our members, very little will change.

North Georgia GMRS will continue operating and supporting the community. Our activities, nets, events, and other member services will continue as they always have. The primary difference will be that our GMRS repeaters will no longer be linked.

Does that mean a network of linked repeaters across North Georgia is a thing of the past?

Absolutely not.

That concept is alive and well through North Georgia Amateur Radio Association (NGARA) and the amateur radio bands—and it is thriving and growing.

Unlike GMRS, there is no question regarding the legality of repeater linking in the amateur radio service. NGARA has been building and expanding its linked repeater network for more than a year, and moving forward, we will continue to focus our linking efforts and larger coverage network concept within the amateur bands.

We also offer free amateur radio testing, via our very own VE testing team. (North Georgia VE Team). Thus, with just a few hours of focused study, you can earn your technician license and gain access to a larger footprint of linked NGARA amateur radio repeaters.

https://larc-vec.org/displayteam.php?team=NGVET

The goal is simple: use GMRS for localized family and community communications and use amateur radio to take advantage of a broader linked network and expanded coverage.

This isn't the end of what we've built. It's an adjustment in how we move forward. North Georgia GMRS isn't going anywhere. Our community isn't going anywhere. And our commitment to providing reliable, useful communications for our members remains stronger than ever.

“Build it, they will come.”

We are still building,
and they are still coming.

Thank you for your continued support, your understanding, and
most importantly, for being part of the North Georgia GMRS family.

Gary M.Beckstedt Sr.,ATL-60,
WQYU407, WB4GMB

Ok so right out of the box this week from the company that shall not be named. Before everyone goes and jumps down the FCC bandwagon we have a family GMRS. Looking to set up one or two frequencies for SHTF (cough Helene looking at you) (anyone interested I’ll answer Helene crap separate) and I can’t get the two radios to communicate.
Again please no FCC rules bashing. What I get is red ptt light the infamous beep but I do break squelch on the receiving unit. Was never a RTO Comms guy and I’ve been doing my research videos and books. The Not Rubicon videos have helped but I need someone to explain it like I’m 5 and have crayons

I have a situation I need guidance on.

I know a mother with a 7 year old son who unfortunately has shared custody with a neglectful and abusive father. He has been reported to CPS, but it is an ongoing investigation in which custody of the child is still shared for the time being. The son has expressed he wants a method to secretly communicate with his mother in times where abuse/neglect is evident. The catch is that cell phones and smart watches are not an option for multiple reasons. Are there any products that are inconspicuous but allow two way communication?

I'm new to the GMRS world, but it would seem that it's a viable option. The mother is usually within a couple miles of him even when the son is at his father's place and from what I can find, it seems there is a repeater close enough that both the mother and son could communicate.

I have found other inconspicuous options but they are more in the style of an SOS button with pre-set buttons that don't allow for two way communication.

My thought is recommending the mother get her GMRS license since there is no test, and I'll program the radios. I will even go so far as to turn off the roger beep and paint the walkie-talkie to look like an inconspicuous multi-colored walkie talkie. It shouldn't attract the attention of the father, and it will be innocuous enough that it looks like a toy.

Can you guys think of an even better solution? I hate the situation as a whole and while I realize the true fix is getting the father out of the picture altogether, I am trying to figure out something to get the family by until the law catches up with the situation.

So my wife got me the mxt275 range runner kit for my car, the only thing is once it gets here I'd like to have a plan for install. It comes with a lip mount for the antenna, but I need to have a pass through for my car, 2024 Corolla Cross. What do I need to do?

I just bought a set of BAOFENG G11S GMRS Handheld Radios. They were recommended for our car club to use on runs where we drive together & need to communicate. We always use channel 5 & my regular walkie talkies work but aren't great.

If I only use it for this application, do I need a license? I honestly don't have a clue so a nice explanation to help me learn would be fantastic.

Also, if this still relates, would someone recommend either a car antenna or ones to go on the unit themselves to boost the signal? I have a nice car so nothing that will damage it. I don't use my AMFM stubby so maybe something I could put there?

Hello I got my license and a radio a little while ago but I was never able to connect to a repeater. What settings do I have to set to connect and transmit? Tried to set it up and received nothing and when I push the ptt it won't transmit. Any help this appreciated thank you in advance. Also are there any computers open to the public Long Island or New York area that I can connect to without being a member?

I currently have 3 antenna options, 2 on the car roof, one hand held. If I was to call and connect with someone through a repeater would they be able to tell me which one was the best signal? Would this even just put me in the ball park? I'm thinking that the distance would help narrow it done as opposed to a radio down the street.

Thanks

New to GMRS. Like, just got my license a day ago. I have recently gotten into Baofeng radio units (UV-5RM and BF-F8HP Pro) and like how I can transmit on so many different frequency ranges. Yes, yes... Part 95... I get it. But, I love that I can use these in conjunction with my existing FRS radios, VHF (marine) that my buddies use, MURS, and now GMRS, all from a single unit!!! For the record, I follow the wattage and bandwidth requirements for each frequency service and I do not transmit on any frequency range for which I do not have the required license. There's a hell of a difference between appreciating what a tool is capable of and then choosing to apply said tool in an inappropriate manner that causes issues for someone else. So, no HAM for me, no commercial ranges, or anything else I haven't specifically mentioned that I use it for.

So here's my question- are there any vehicle mount units with this level of capability? I have been looking at some of the ICOMs and they stop short of GMRS frequencies in the US models. Some of the other less expensive models look like they might get into the GMRS ranges but I can't tell if the quality is any good and sometimes they aren't clear if they xmit at these higher freqs or are receive only. I am definitely looking for the higher xmit power output you see in vehicle mount units though; not interested in just driving around with my Baofeng in order to have this frequency range flexibility.

I have a couple Jeeps. One is the "fun" Jeep (25yrs old) and the newer is my daily driver. Space isn't very plentiful. The detachable/relocatable screen has a lot of appeal, especially for the newer Jeep. I'm just picking brains here and welcome any ideas for what might fit these desired features.

I want a wearable, GMRS radio my sons and I can wear as we ride our bikes around town. I want them to keep their hands on the handlebars so a handlebar-mounted wireless PTT would be ideal, and VOX if this is not available. VOX concerns me as wind noise might constantly cause both radios to transmit, so I need to know if anyone has experience with VOX radios. I also want radios where I can lockout the controls to prevent accidental changes during use. We’re just chatting about which way to turn, no need to change channels, fiddle with PL tones, etc.

Based on your own experience, what do you recommend?

Just curious if any of you peeps are in active North Central CT (Hartford and points north) ? Just trying to connect with folks and explore GMRS in the area.

GMRS is an incredible tool for family communication, but traditional radios exclude those who are non-speaking, hard of hearing, or have auditory processing challenges.

​To fix this, I built Hearthwave, an open-source, self-hosted base station project. It connects a GMRS radio to your home Wi-Fi via Docker, letting your family read, type, and talk from any web browser instead of struggling with a physical handset.

​How it brings everyone onto the channel:

​AAC Interface & Type-to-Talk: Non-speaking users can tap symbol/emoji buttons or type out messages. Hearthwave automatically broadcasts them over the air using Text-to-Speech.

​Live Transcription: Every transmission is transcribed on-screen with a scrollback history, making it perfect for those who process text better than audio.

​Accessible Design: Built with visual alerts, switch-scanning for single-button users, and simplified, kid-safe preset accounts.

​Fully Local & Legal: Stays FCC Part-95 compliant by acting as a local remote control with automatic station ID—not an internet gateway. No cloud dependencies or subscriptions.

​I built this so that my family airwaves could actually include everyone in my household. If you are in the radio, self-hosting, and/or autism/disability advocacy communities, I’d love for you to check it out.

Open Source -MIT license

​Docs & Setup: https://xpiatio.github.io/Hearthwave/

GitHub: https://github.com/Xpiatio/Hearthwave

FCC Legality Breakdown: https://xpiatio.github.io/Hearthwave/legality.html