GMRS Radio Center
Build practical channel plans for a family trip, trail group, or local repeater.
GMRS for your group
GMRS is a separate US radio service from amateur radio. Use the appropriate FCC license and certified GMRS equipment. Programming a frequency into an amateur radio does not make it a GMRS-certified transmitter.
FCC GMRS overview and licensing →
CTCSS and DCS control when your speaker opens; they do not encrypt conversations or reserve a channel. Ask the repeater owner about permission, access tones, and current operation.
Build a GMRS starter plan
Unchecked plans are receive-only. Mobile/base plans omit handheld-only channels 8–14. No repeater access tone is guessed. Edit the plan to add verified tones and match the radio’s actual power/bandwidth limits.
Work out a repeater pair
For example, a repeater output of 462.650 MHz pairs with an input of 467.650 MHz. Your radio receives the output and transmits to the input. The owner’s details determine the tone and access conditions.
Channel reference
Common consumer numbering is shown below. “R15–R22” are repeater memories using the 462 MHz outputs paired with inputs 5 MHz higher, not eight extra simplex channels. Radio manufacturers may label those memories differently.
Power figures distinguish transmitter output from effective radiated power (ERP). “Low” on a radio is not a promise of a particular wattage. Occupied-bandwidth limits are 20 kHz on main/462 MHz interstitial channels and 12.5 kHz on 467 MHz interstitial channels. Fixed stations have separate limits; this builder covers handheld/mobile use.
Common problems
I hear the repeater, but nobody hears me
Check the transmit frequency is 5 MHz above the listed repeater output, the correct transmit tone/code is set, and you have permission to use it. Confirm range and the repeater’s status.
I see activity but hear no audio
A receive tone or DCS setting may be keeping the speaker closed. Try receive squelch without a tone while monitoring; do not guess access settings for transmission.
The file imports, but the radio rejects it
Match the exact model, supported channels, software/app format, memory limits, and current firmware. A successful CSV import does not prove a radio accepts every setting.
Where are the GMRS repeater listings?
The existing HearHam API directory is not presented as a complete GMRS directory. Check myGMRS, RepeaterBook GMRS, or your local group. Those external directories are linked, not copied.
Example downloads
These are receive-only examples with no repeater access tones. They demonstrate the file routes without enabling transmission. Edit a plan in Programming to customize it.
Sources & further reading
Reference reviewed October 15, 2026. Rules can change; the original sources remain authoritative.