A question that some who’re new to the General Mobile Radio Service radio sometimes ask is “which is the best GMRS channel to use?” There’s really no single channel or frequency on GMRS that’s the “best” to use, regardless of what you may have heard. “Which channels are best for the situation?” is a more realistic question, because each of the 22 GMRS channels may be useful for different purposes.
The Best GMRS Channel Is…
The best GMRS frequency to use is the one that’ll let you communicate clearly with the other party, using as little power and system resources as possible. One could, for example, have a nice long chat about fishing with a friend who lives a mile away, on GMRS channel 21, using the fully legal 50 watts of power, or maybe even talk through a local GMRS repeater, but doing so would tie up the airwaves over a large area, which simply wouldn’t be good manners.
Instead of your fishing conversation being broadcast to all radio users, (both GMRS and FRS) across the entire city of Colorado Springs for example, a lower power channel on a mobile rig or handheld, channel 2, perhaps, would have still worked just a well for this short distance and offered more “privacy” since it kept your conversation confined to a few city blocks.
It’s Courteous to Use Lower Power When Possible
Below is a chart that shows which channels use the lowest power on the General Mobile Radio Service . Some handheld GMRS radios may feature the 467 MHZ interstitial frequencies 8-14, on which only 1/2 watt of power is allowed by both FRS and GMRS users who share these channels. These are the best GMRS channels to use for keeping in touch with a local group of radios without creating needless interference to other users located several miles away.
GMRS users are required by the FCC to use their call sign on these, just like any other in this radio service, however enforcement of that rule is lax on these frequencies, as both FRS and GMRS radios use the same power levels and both use narrow band FM.
Low Power 8-14 – Best GMRS Channels For Short Range Communications
No external antennas are allowed on the channels listed above, which is why you normally don’t see these on mobile GMRS radios. Great for communications up to a couple of miles, these work well for vehicle-to-vehicle when traveling in a convoy or for keeping in touch around a neighborhood or camping area.
If you have a handheld radio that’s capable of using these channels, these should be your go-to channels for most situations.
Medium Power 1-7 – Best GMRS Channels For Mid-Range Communications
For medium-range communications, the next set of channels you should try when using a mobile GMRS rigs (which don’t have channels 8-14) would be channels 1-7. On these frequencies, as seen in the chart above, you’re allowed to use 5 watts of power, more than enough to talk ten miles or more mobile-to-mobile, or 2-7 miles handheld-to-handheld. A group of vehicles , or friends talking to each other across a small town might use these frequencies to keep in touch with each other.
Wide band FM modulation of 20 kHz is allowed on GMRS channels 1-7, meaning better audio quality and potentially better communications when there is a lot of competing narrow-band FRS radio traffic.
It’s Still Best to Use Low Power When You Can
Even if your handheld, base or mobile can transmit the full 5 watts of power allowed on GMRS channels 1-7, it’s still best to turn it down to the lowest setting that you can use and still talk to those you need to reach.
High Power GMRS Channels 15-22, Best For Long Range Communications
The GMRS channel list below shows the frequencies, where 50 watts of power is allowed. You may find the output of long range repeater stations here, with the input being on one of seven channels that are 5 MHZ higher and dedicated only for that purpose.
You might also find local GMRS radio nets meeting on these frequencies and when outside of the city, you may find campers and off-road vehicles using one of these seven channels for long-range communications between vehicles in the back-country. Also on channels 15-22 you may hear the output of networked repeaters, which are connected via the internet, offering nationwide coverage.
What About Designated GMRS Channels?
You may find some use around the country of channel 20 or 462.675 MHz as an unofficial travel or calling channel, however such use is sporadic and far from universal. GMRS Channel 19 or 462.650 MHZ, just like the old CB channel used by truckers, is sometimes used as the unofficial “road channel”, but again, this is not at all universal practice. Each local area may have its own GMRS channel “norms” and etiquette, so it does pay to listen in for a while before using your radio in a new area.
But You Said Channel 16 Was The GMRS Jeep and Off-Road Channel?
In a previous post, we mentioned that some people often use GMRS channel 16 or 462.575 MHZ for Jeep and other off-road vehicle travel. Use of that frequency by any one group is far from widespread and this norm tends to be found only in certain areas where there’s lots of like-minded off-road enthusiasts using GMRS.
Use this channel if you like when venturing off-road, but it’s best to save it for situations where you need full power for longer range. For talking between off-road vehicles on the trail, consider using 1-7 or better yet, 8-14 – if your radio has them, so you don’t hog the full power GMRS frequencies from others who might need them.
How To Adjust Your GMRS Radio’s Transmit Power
On some Baofeng radios, such as our UV-9G, changing transmit power is as easy as hitting Menu, TXP, Menu, then toggling up or down power using the channel up/down keys, and Menu again to save. For our Btech GMRS-50X1 it’s as easy as pressing the “#” button on the mic to toggle between high, medium and low power.
Below are the instructions for changing power output on another popular GMRS radio, the MXT-575. Consult your model’s manual so that you’re familiar with changing the power level for when less will do.
GMRS Channels to Avoid When Near The Canadian Border
The FCC states requires that “Licensees who operate North of Line A and East of Line C may not operate on channels 462.650 MHZ,467.650 MHZ, 462.700 MHZ and 467.700 MHZ unless your previous license authorized such operations.” Below is a map showing the FCC’s lines A and C, beyond which you can’t use either simplex or repeater channels 19 and 21.
The Bottom Line on The Best GMRS Channel to Use
When it comes to which GMRS channel is the best, it really depends on what purpose you need it for, as well as local norms and etiquette in your area. Some of the best resources for new GMRS operators can be found at myGMRS.com, as well as on the websites of local and state repeater clubs. Whichever GMRS channel you use, it’s best to use the lowest power setting available that’ll still allow you to talk to each other.
A license is required to operate any General Mobile Radio Service radio. See our article How to Get a GMRS License for more info on how to get yours.
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