On Tue, Oct 26, 2021 at 3:50 PM Nigel A. Gunn G8IFF/W8IFF nigel@ngunn.net wrote:
Doubt it. 16 channels isn't enough for GMRS or FRS.
It is hard to believe (shaking head), but some of the manufacturers are doing it. They basically program them with the 15 FRS channels that can be up to 2 watts (1-7 and 15-22) and skip the 7 channels that are limited to 1/2 watt (8-14). That way they don't have to modify the radio other than programming them to narrow bandwidth on the FRS frequencies.
They must be selling them to buyers that don't realize (or don't care) that they are only getting 15 of the 22 authorized channels. It's nuts because a user of one of these 15 channel (16 physical channels) radios would need to know to use channels 8 to 15 can only be used to talk to someone using a "real" FRS or GMRS radio channels 15 to 22, respectively.
Jim KC9HI