GMRS Radio
General Mobile Radio Service (GMRS) radios are intended for personal use in general communications. A license is required, but covers an entire family for an entire decade. While it shares some channels with Family Radio Service (FRS), it offers more power, range and versatility than lower wattage FRS radios, and with fewer limitations.
GMRS radios are available in portable handheld models at up to 5 watts and mobile/base station models at up to 50 watts of power. The GMRS also allows the use of external antennas and repeaters for even greater range.
Recognizing that communication during any emergency is of the upmost importance, the South County Emergency Volunteer Corps has launched an effort aimed at improving the number of GMRS and HAM operators who can assist with communications during an emergency as well as improving the skills of all its members.
Reason to own a GMRS radio
- Call for help when other communications methods fail
- Stay in touch with neighbors during an emergency
- To provide situation reports and request resources
Recommended GMRS Radio
BTECH GMRS-V2 GMRS PORTABLE RADIO + DUAL BAND SCANNER (VHF/UHF)
Highlights of the Baofeng GMRS-V2
- New chipset and firmware
- 200 fully customizable channels:
- 5W full power output with Changeable Antenna
- New IP54 weather resistant upgrades
The GMRS-V2 also includes from the GMRS-V1
- On-the-fly channel edits (tones, bandwidth, power)
- Single or dual watch and PTT programmable side-keys
- Quickly remove nuisance channels from the scanning list
- Master programming and deployment lockout to prevent programming tampering
- Backward compatible with all GMRS-V1 and UV-82 accessories
- Versatile Kenwood K1 accessory jack
Once purchased, programming to South County standards and training is available. As any GMRS radio can connect into our community network, let our team know if you have a different radio so we can test and validate your communications.
FCC Licensing
The Federal Communications Commission requires a license is to use radios on the GMRS frequencies. A GMRS license is good for 10 years, and covers the licensee’s immediate family. The current costs of a license is $35.00. Instructions for obtaining a license
Once you have your radio
The South County GMRS Emergency Radio Net is held every second Wednesday of the month around 6:00 pm (depending upon your location). Contact our Communications Team if you would like to join the Net from your neighborhood.