>From: ShadowAce <>

>  Your ground crew is made up of all family memebers, yes?

Yep. We are one big happy family!!! :)))))  ;)

>General Mobile Radio Service
>Available to an individual (one man or one woman) for two-way voice
>communication service to facilitate the activities of the individual's
>intermediate family members
>I would say using the GMRS channels for a business would be taking a risk I
>am not sure is worth it since the Licensed GMRS users are becoming 
>organized
>like HAM users. I have read reports of people using triangulation to
>pinpoint and report illegal broadcasts. While an individual is rarely 
>chased
>down or apprehended, business users are not so able to hide.
>This could be pinned in the same topic as software piracy. Most companies
>will not go after the end user, they go after the company selling it.
>not saying dont get one, I just felt as you said about HAM, you might want
>to research the GMRS.

Yea, I read the FCC site in more detail just now and GMRS is indeed not for 
commercial or business purposes. That sucks. FRS is available for use, but 
again the FRS sucks and it is only a 0.5 watts. I agree with you in that 
GMRS seems to be a more organized and tighter nit group and I kind of was 
thinking they might be alot like the HAM radio crowd. With the Rino's it is 
very easy to be tracked, since there is the posibility someone else can 
track you on their screen!

The FCC used to regulate CB radio use, but they pretty much gave up on it 
years ago and I think that is because it was very popular and getting way 
out of hand. Other than you still must be FCC approved CB radios, there are 
no other regulations on their use. I personally know a couple of people that 
are using 300 watt amps on their CB's and talking for great distances and 
using towers in their back yards! It is illegal to modify the CB (increasing 
the stock units wattage). But no one ever gets caught. I think FRS and 
perhaps GMRS will likely fall into the same category as CB's soon enough as 
FRS is hugely popular (you can buy dirt cheap FRS radio's in every store on 
every corner). GMRS radio's arent as popular, but I think they are growing 
in popularity and since Garmin came out with the Rino's, I suspect it's 
popularity will increase alot more. I am told by stores that they sell ALOT 
of those Rino units to hunters, hikers, etc.

I got on the hot air balloon listserv archives and did a search for Rino 530 
subject matter and actually found a little bit of stuff. A number of pilots 
are using them for 2 way communications. The general consensus is that the 
FRS sucks and is no good for 2 way communications and that one is better off 
with their motorola VHF radios. But that the GMRS does very well (the 530 
with the 5 watts)l. A couple suggested that the GMRS was still not as good 
with the radio range as their old radios, but most all seemed to agree they 
are way better. I know several of the pilots that said they use the Rino 
530's are commercial pilots running ride operations. Wether they use them 
for commercial flights or just private flights, I dont know. Then again, the 
FCC probably doesnt know either and probably never will! But....

Most all the pilots agreed the position tracking is awsome for ballooning 
and helps aid the ground crew in finding their balloon and finding their way 
too the balloon with the use of the color mapping when streets and topo maps 
are downloaded in the units.

Something to note: the FCC granted Garmin a Waiver to now allow operation of 
the position reporting features on the Rino units using GMRS without needing 
a license. This allows for much improved use of that feature. However, 
legally, one would have to communicate on the FRS frequencies if for 
business use. Of course, if I am just out flying on a recreational flight, 
then it is all good and the GMRS can legally be used... with a license of 
course.

Scott
Team Ropingthewind

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