GMRS Cheat Sheet.

I use GMRS for backcountry trips and when power or cell service is down. I put together this page as a quick reference of things I use or that I share with other folks.

  1. Licensing
  2. Sample Radio Calls
  3. GMRS Frequencies
  4. NATO Phonetic Alphabet

Licensing

How to Get a GMRS License:

  1. Check Eligibility: You must be 18 or older and a U.S. resident.
  2. Create an FCC Account: Register for an FCC Username (FRN) at FCC Registration.
  3. Apply Online:
  4. Pay the Fee: The application fee is $35, valid for 10 years.
  5. Wait for Approval: Your call sign will be issued within a few days.

Sample Radio Calls

Clarity and brevity are crucial. Always wait for your turn to speak, listen carefully, and follow any established protocols for the frequency or net you are using.

How to do a radio check

  1. Listen on the channel to ensure it is clear.
  2. Press the PTT (Push-To-Talk) button.
  3. Wait 2 seconds. Then say clearly:
    "This is [callsign], can I get a radio check."
  4. Wait for a response, if no response, repeat.
  5. Once complete, end the conversation with:
    "[callsign]. Clear."
    Or if you are going to continue monitoring the channel, say:
    "[callsign]. Listening."

How to see if anyone is listening

  1. Listen on the channel to ensure it is clear.
  2. Press the PTT (Push-To-Talk) button.
  3. Wait 2 seconds. Then say clearly:
    "CQ CQ CQ. This is [callsign], standing by for any calls."

How to respond to a call

  1. Wait for the person to stop transmitting.
  2. Press the PTT (Push-To-Talk) button.
  3. Wait 2 seconds. Then say clearly:
  4. "This is [callsign] responding, how do you copy? Over."

How to respond to a radio check

  1. Wait for the person to stop transmitting.
  2. Press the PTT (Push-To-Talk) button.
  3. "Reading you loud and clear. My location is [location]. Over."

How to make an emergency call

  1. If someone is speaking, wait until you hear "Over".
  2. Press the PTT (Push-To-Talk) button.
  3. Wait 2 seconds. Then say clearly:
    "Break, break, break, this is [callsign], I have emergency traffic for [recipient]. Do you copy? Over."
  4. Listen for a response, then relay your emergency message.
  5. If you hear an emergency call, stay quiet unless you have something valuable to add.

How to ask for emergency assistance

  1. If someone is speaking, wait until you hear "Over".
  2. Press the PTT (Push-To-Talk) button.
  3. Wait 2 seconds. Then say clearly:
    "Mayday, Mayday, Mayday, this is [callsign]. My location is [Your Location], and the nature of my emergency is [Brief Description of Emergency]. Over."

GMRS Frequencies

This table lists GMRS channels by their receive frequency. You’ll notice that some frequencies overlap between simplex and repeater channels, which can sometimes cause unintended interference. Understanding this overlap can help you avoid conflicts and choose the right channel for your needs — for example, if a local repeater is on 462.6750, you might want to avoid using 20 as a simplex channel.

Repeater Channel
Rx Freq Simplex Channel Repeater Num Baofeng Channel Midland Channel Tx Freq Max Power
462.5625 1 - - - - 5 watts
462.5875 2 - - - - 5 watts
462.6125 3 - - - - 5 watts
462.6375 4 - - - - 5 watts
462.6625 5 - - - - 5 watts
462.6875 6 - - - - 5 watts
462.7125 7 - - - - 5 watts
467.5625 8 - - - - .5 watts
467.5875 9 - - - - .5 watts
467.6125 10 - - - - .5 watts
467.6375 11 - - - - .5 watts
467.6625 12 - - - - .5 watts
467.6875 13 - - - - .5 watts
467.7125 14 - - - - .5 watts
462.5500 15 1 23 15RP 467.5500 50 watts
462.5750 16 2 24 16RP 467.5750 50 watts
462.6000 17 3 25 17RP 467.6000 50 watts
462.6250 18 4 26 18RP 467.6250 50 watts
462.6500 19 5 27 19RP 467.6500 50 watts
462.6750 20 6 28 20RP 467.6750 50 watts
462.7000 21 7 29 21RP 467.7000 50 watts
462.7250 22 8 30 22RP 467.7250 50 watts

NATO Phonetic Alphabet

A Alpha
B Bravo
C Charlie
D Delta
E Echo
F Foxtrot
G Golf
H Hotel
I India
J Juliett
K Kilo
L Lima
M Mike
N November
O Oscar
P Papa
Q Quebec
R Romeo
S Sierra
T Tango
U Uniform
V Victor
W Whiskey
X X-ray
Y Yankee
Z Zulu