Changes to Part 95, GMRS for use in Wards

[tfurrows]

This past summer the FCC proposed changes to Part 95, which included dropping the license requirement for GMRS use. I am currently trying to get more information from the FCC on the status of those proposed changes. If the license is dropped, there may be an opportunity for localized use of GMRS at the Ward level in some areas, to augment ham radio efforts.

As a proof-of-concept in my own ward, I recently did a small test. I stood on a high-point in my ward boundaries (a small hill) and had my wife drive around the ward boundaries. We both had a GMRS radio, standard off-the-shelf with fixed antenna. We were able to complete every communication test (13 points around the boundaries) with her in the car or standing right outside it.

Now, I realize that the geographical layout and size of wards varies widely (ours is a few miles wide/high), but in many cases GMRS could prove useful. The radio's cost next to nothing used or new. In my mind, it compares to food storage this way: 72-hour kits are to GMRS what 1yr supplies are to Ham Radio... in other worse, GMRS abilities are far easier to obtain than ham radio, to the point that there is virtually no reason every family in a ward couldn't have one or more.

Though I would never argue to replace ward communication with GMRS over Ham, I would argue that GMRS could provide a ward communication specialist with a much more inclusive and available option for organizing communication teams, with GMRS users providing information to ham operators who can then make the connection at the stake level and beyond.

[Kelly Alwood]

Interesting. I will have to do the same drive test to see how far the radios will reach in my area. My ward size is the entire county. But I am sure I will have much better luck getting people to purchase a GMRS unit, than getting their HAM license and a 2M radio. Great thought. Thanks for sharing.

[Northmountain]

Here are some thoughts on this subject. Our ward is about the same size as yours. Like you I tested FRS and GRMS radios at every point within the ward boundaries and had good reception. Then came the annual city emergency drill. We had every ward / neighborhood in the city use the same communications method utilizing only FRS / GRMS radios.

Fail. A spectacular Fail.

Even though we had carefully coordinated the channels and filters with each block captain / neighborhood commander and area commander, few if any were able to communicate either up or down the chain.

When everyone uses the FRS / GRMS frequencies at the same time, they negate each other. Even though the filters blocked reception of the other users, the limited number of frequencies were totally saturated and no communications could be completed.

Last year we totally abandoned FRS / GRMS radios and went to Ham operators in every Neighborhood supplemented with runners for those who didn't have a Ham in their group. Our ward / neighborhood had a full complement of Ham's for each block because I'd worked with folks, scouts, etc., to get their licenses during the previous 12-months. In our case, the communications were flawless all the way up to the city EOC. In all other cases, there was a least one Ham at the Area level to talk to the city EOC, although many of the Areas had multiple Ham's to help at the Neighborhood level.

We are pushing for an even larger group of Hams this year and hope to gain at least another 30 Hams in the city by the time of the September drill.

With the ability to use discrete frequencies in concert to the Ham Net protocols we've trained everyone to use, communications in even an event 'mashup' like our drill occur without any issues.

Additionally, I'm working now to get a Ham operator assigned to every CERT team in the city. So far, that effort is moving forward well too, mainly because folks saw how well communications worked in the drill last year.

It's good stuff. Everyone wins. The young folks are especially adept and eager to get their licenses. They consider using a handheld radio so 'retro' that it is fascinating. You have to love the attitude of those young folks.

I talked to several CERT groups in So. Cal this spring who used FRS / GRMS radios as part of their communications plan and even though they've left them in their written plan, most have abandoned them in reality after activating during recent quakes and fires and experiencing the problem I described above.

If you get a chance to 'light up' your whole ward or even better, your whole stake with FRS / GMRS radios at the same time as a test, do so. It will help you see if your communications plan will work.

Here's to success with whatever plan works best in your situation.

Here's a link to a background review of Part 95 for those who aren't familiar with it.

http://www.arrl.org/news/arrl-commen...ew-of-cb-rules

This past summer the FCC proposed changes to Part 95, which included dropping the license requirement for GMRS use. I am currently trying to get more information from the FCC on the status of those proposed changes. If the license is dropped, there may be an opportunity for localized use of GMRS at the Ward level in some areas, to augment ham radio efforts.

As a proof-of-concept in my own ward, I recently did a small test. I stood on a high-point in my ward boundaries (a small hill) and had my wife drive around the ward boundaries. We both had a GMRS radio, standard off-the-shelf with fixed antenna. We were able to complete every communication test (13 points around the boundaries) with her in the car or standing right outside it.

Though I would never argue to replace ward communication with GMRS over Ham, I would argue that GMRS could provide a ward communication specialist with a much more inclusive and available option for organizing communication teams, with GMRS users providing information to ham operators who can then make the connection at the stake level and beyond.

[Kelly Alwood]

What I have done, is to divide my county into AO's of "safehouses". One gathering point very local to a few families. It was a complicated task getting the right resources together. I.E. space, enough food and supplies, M PH holders, childrens needs, talents and equipment all in the same house. Oh yeah, and also willingness. I thought this might solve my problem of communication. I was hoping that I could get a least one person in the AO to get a ham lisence. NOT. I am the ONLY one in the ward with one. So I am gonna do a fund drive and see if I can get people to kick in enough money so that every AO safehouse will have a radio in case of a disaster. I simply cannot get people motivated here. I had to give a 440 to the Bishop so I could at least talk to him for coordination. I went and picked it up today to check it out. He had it in a closet, battery completely dead, (too dead to bring back and take a charge even), and corrosion all over the radio and battery.
Noone sees the need because their cell phones "always work". Frustrating.
You got me thinking though, so Im gonna keep trying to get them involved. For their sake.

[Bro Jones]

I still see a limited use for FRS/GMRS radios at the ward level. Even if the DCS/CTCSS filters (privacy codes) are not working. My stake has assigned each ward a primary channel and a backup channel. Say there is all kinds of bleed over and operator error on the primary channel making it inoperable, we could still use our backup channel, with or without privacy codes, for the block captains to call their numbers into the Ward EOC. This would let our 8 block captains share info. with the Ward EOC quicker and with less work than using runners. The Ward EOC would then use HAM radios to contact the City EOC and the Stake Command Post. Does anyone see any problems with this type of setup?