A Footnote & Big Fast Asterisk about GMRS on HAM radios

This is a critical piece of topic I need to cover both legally, and because some of the more cantankerous hams get in a tizzy about this topic.

Be aware that dual-band ham radios like the UV-22, UV-5R mini and other Mars modifiable radios do not have Part 95 type acceptance for GMRS. AKA they aren't legal to operate on GMRS frequencies.  They are designed and certified as amateur radios, even though many of them can technically transmit on GMRS frequencies.

Because of this, you cannot legally transmit on GMRS with this device, regardless of whether you hold a GMRS license. How Baofeng continues to sell radios that ship unlocked for these frequencies while most other manufacturers lock them down is… unclear, but that’s the current reality.

What is always legal is receive-only use. You can program GMRS channels with Duplex set to OFF and use the radio strictly to listen. That's works perfectly fine, and yes, your wife can still tell you it’s time to come back to the car and stop shredding — ask me how I know.

In the real world, many people do transmit on GMRS frequencies with radios like this. Most of them act far more respectfully than the standard GMRS users, users who are are unlicensed, never identify, and treat GMRS like glorified walkie-talkies. The GMRS license, by the way, is only $35 for 10 years with no test and it covers your entire family. You'd be crazy not to get it, and you'd be that much more in the right than anyone else operating on GMRS.

Now... If someone chooses to operate their non Part 95 acceptance radio on GMRS frequencies anyways anyway, the bare minimum courtesy is to make sure the radio is programmed correctly: proper power levels, narrowband where required, correct offsets and tones, and not splattering over other users. At that point you’re arguably doing more to respect the intent of GMRS than a huge percentage of “legal” users who never bothered to learn how their radios work, don't know their callsigns or never got a license to get said callsign, and/or are just being dickheads on the airwaves anyways.

My personal take: the spirit of the GMRS rules seems to be about simplicity and interference prevention, not punishing people who understand RF and operate responsibly. The restriction on front-panel programmability appears aimed at preventing accidental misconfiguration, not stopping technically competent users from behaving well on the band.

Take that for what it’s worth — know the rules, understand the risks, and decide where you personally land. I'm not your mom, this decision is your own and you are informed.