GMRS Outlaws
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The GMRS hobby

GMRS is a family radio service that is also a great hobby. You can chat with neighbors, join nets, build antennas and run nodes, all with one license.

New here? Start with what GMRS is, then the learn page.

GMRS at a glance

Who can use it
A licensed adult and their immediate family.
Exam
None. You apply and pay a fee to the FCC.
How long it lasts
The license lasts ten years.
Repeaters
Allowed. Many are open to all licensed users, some are private.
Power
Higher than the license-free family radios, with limits set by the FCC.
Range
A handheld on its own often covers a mile or two. A repeater can reach much farther.

Check the FCC for the latest fee and rules before you apply.

Ways to enjoy it

  • Weekly nets

    Check in on a schedule, meet your neighbors and practice good radio habits.

    How to check in

  • Repeaters

    Reach farther than a handheld alone by talking through a tall antenna on a hill or tower.

    WSFW755 settings

  • Simplex and nodes

    Talk radio to radio, or link a small node to the internet and reach other towns.

    Simplex and nodes

  • Road trips and convoys

    Keep every vehicle in touch on the highway without a phone signal.

    Equipment guide

  • Hiking and camping

    Light, simple radios keep a group together on a trail.

    Operating guide

  • Emergency prep

    When power or cell towers are down, a charged radio still works.

    Emergency page

  • Tinkering and building

    Antennas, programming, mobile installs and node builds are all part of the fun.

    Antenna guide

  • Learning and exams

    Many GMRS operators go on to study for a ham license.

    Ham exam prep

Your first month

  1. Week 1: Get licensed

    Apply for a GMRS license with the FCC. There is a fee and no exam, and the license covers your family.

  2. Week 2: Get a radio

    Start with a handheld or a small mobile radio that is made for GMRS.

  3. Week 3: Program and listen

    Set up the local repeater, then listen for a few days before you talk.

  4. Week 4: Say hello

    Check in on the Sunday net or the Wednesday radio check.

  5. After a month

    Add a better antenna, try simplex with a friend, and think about a node.

Grow your station

  1. 1StarterA handheld radio with the stock antenna, programmed for your local repeater.
  2. 2BetterA better handheld antenna, a spare battery and a speaker mic.
  3. 3MobileA mobile radio in your vehicle with a roof or trunk mount antenna.
  4. 4BaseA radio at home with an outside antenna as high as is safe.
  5. 5NodeA small computer, a sound adapter and a radio linked to the internet.

On-air manners

Listen first
Wait a few seconds before you key up so you do not talk over anyone.
Identify
Give your call sign when you are required to. See the rules page.
Keep it clean
GMRS is family radio. No profanity and no music.
Be brief
Say what you need and let others have the channel.
Help new people
Everyone started with a first nervous call. Be kind.

Ready to join in? Share your setup or ask the community.