Uploaded June 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
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In this week's Radio-Dork News:
GME, an Australia based company that has only recently entered the GMRS radio market in the United States has filed a waiver request with the FCC, asking that the FCC allow additional location data transmissions for two of their proposed new GMRS radios. The exemptions from FCC Part 95 rules, if permitted would allow digital data transmissions, location sharing with brief text messages, and more frequent automated updates on vehicle-mounted and handheld GMRS radios, with the aim of increasing safety for off-road and remote users in areas lacking cellphone service, citing prior similar approvals granted for Midland and Garmin. Public Comments on the waiver request must be submitted no later July 17, 2026,
Ham radio operators from around the country will be lured out of their basements this weekend for the the 2026 Annual ARRL Field Day, the largest amateur radio on-air event in North America, demonstrating the importance of ham radio and its ability to provide critical communications during times of trouble. More than 50,000 licensed amateur radio operators are expected to attend events located across the country to practice their emergency response abilities and to demonstrate to the public how critical ham radio operators are during emergencies and disasters. You can download the 41 page Rules and information book for this year's Field Day at the ARRL. ORG website
WHC Connect, a facebook based GMRS repeater group has made a public facebook post claiming that the FCC has taken action on their behalf, after complaints of misuse of the WHC Connect GMRS repeater. The Facebook post, dated June 16, claims that an unmarked FCC vehicle was dispatched to the area to monitor usage of their repeater located in Fayette County, Ohio. The post goes on to claim that due to minimum radio traffic and poor transmission quality at the time, the FCC was not able to quote "prosecute" anyone, but warns that the area of the repeater abusers was tracked and added that the FCC has stated that they will return to both prosecute and seize the radio equipment of anyone that continues to interfere with the repeater. The post also points out that fines and jail time are additional options, even though FCC fines are extremely rare and no repeater jammer has been jailed in at least the last 20 years. The post by WHC Connect also encourages anyone with any evidence of illegal repeater-use to share it with the FCC via the FCC's Consumer Complaints Webpage.
And that is all of the radio-dork news that is fit to print. Join me again next week, or sooner, when I may, or may not, do this again.
►Want to help support my channel? Click the JOIN button and become a member for as low as $1.99/mo (cancel any time) - Click here for more info: youtube.com/@TheNotaRubicon/join
►► Or just click the $Thanks button at the bottom of the video
NOTICE - The above links (and most other links on my channel) are affiliate links - if you use one of my affiliate links to make a purchase I may receive money or something of value in return.
00:00 Data Over GMRS
00:52 2026 ARRL Ham Radio Jubilee
01:37 The FCC Will Get You!
03:03 Retevis RB48 Pro Roger Beep
Like my shirt? Get yours here! --- amzn.to/3vc1Whf
In this week's Radio-Dork News:
GME, an Australia based company that has only recently entered the GMRS radio market in the United States has filed a waiver request with the FCC, asking that the FCC allow additional location data transmissions for two of their proposed new GMRS radios. The exemptions from FCC Part 95 rules, if permitted would allow digital data transmissions, location sharing with brief text messages, and more frequent automated updates on vehicle-mounted and handheld GMRS radios, with the aim of increasing safety for off-road and remote users in areas lacking cellphone service, citing prior similar approvals granted for Midland and Garmin. Public Comments on the waiver request must be submitted no later July 17, 2026,
Ham radio operators from around the country will be lured out of their basements this weekend for the the 2026 Annual ARRL Field Day, the largest amateur radio on-air event in North America, demonstrating the importance of ham radio and its ability to provide critical communications during times of trouble. More than 50,000 licensed amateur radio operators are expected to attend events located across the country to practice their emergency response abilities and to demonstrate to the public how critical ham radio operators are during emergencies and disasters. You can download the 41 page Rules and information book for this year's Field Day at the ARRL. ORG website
WHC Connect, a facebook based GMRS repeater group has made a public facebook post claiming that the FCC has taken action on their behalf, after complaints of misuse of the WHC Connect GMRS repeater. The Facebook post, dated June 16, claims that an unmarked FCC vehicle was dispatched to the area to monitor usage of their repeater located in Fayette County, Ohio. The post goes on to claim that due to minimum radio traffic and poor transmission quality at the time, the FCC was not able to quote "prosecute" anyone, but warns that the area of the repeater abusers was tracked and added that the FCC has stated that they will return to both prosecute and seize the radio equipment of anyone that continues to interfere with the repeater. The post also points out that fines and jail time are additional options, even though FCC fines are extremely rare and no repeater jammer has been jailed in at least the last 20 years. The post by WHC Connect also encourages anyone with any evidence of illegal repeater-use to share it with the FCC via the FCC's Consumer Complaints Webpage.
And that is all of the radio-dork news that is fit to print. Join me again next week, or sooner, when I may, or may not, do this again.
►Want to help support my channel? Click the JOIN button and become a member for as low as $1.99/mo (cancel any time) - Click here for more info: youtube.com/@TheNotaRubicon/join
►► Or just click the $Thanks button at the bottom of the video
NOTICE - The above links (and most other links on my channel) are affiliate links - if you use one of my affiliate links to make a purchase I may receive money or something of value in return.
00:00 Data Over GMRS
00:52 2026 ARRL Ham Radio Jubilee
01:37 The FCC Will Get You!
03:03 Retevis RB48 Pro Roger Beep
