The Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) General Mobile Radio Service (GMRS) allows ordinary families and individuals to communicate without the need of technical expertise and sophisticated knowledge of radios. While GMRS is simple, it is powerful enough to use over a wider area with the use of repeaters.
Linking GMRS repeaters and radios over the internet and/or other networks has been heavily debated. Currently, the Part 95 rule states the following in two sections:
Part 95.1733(8)
“Messages which are both conveyed by a wireline control link and transmitted by a GMRS station” [are prohibited].
Part 95.1749
“Operation of a GMRS station with a telephone connection is prohibited, as in § 95.349. GMRS repeater, base and fixed stations, however, may be connected to the public switched network or other networks for the sole purpose of operation by remote control pursuant to § 95.1745.”
In the past, many networks have received FCC correspondences stating that the FCC doesn’t consider linking GMRS repeaters via the internet against the rules, thus leaving it a gray area. Which opened the door for thousands to connect networks for family communication. However in recent times, the FCC is has clarified that GMRS repeaters/stations cannot be linked via the internet.
In this petition we as citizens demand that part 95.1722(8) and part 95.1749 be removed from the part 95 rules. And add a section within the part 95 rules to clearly and permanently allow GMRS repeaters and radios/stations to be linked over the internet or other networks.
With your support, we can bring this important issue to the attention of the FCC. Please sign our petition to urge the FCC to clearly allow network connections to GMRS repeaters and radio/stations.
