Come for the callsign lookup. Stay for the repeaters.
Before keying up on any channel or repeater, listen for at least 30 seconds to make sure you're not stepping on an ongoing conversation. On simplex channels you'll hear both sides, but on a repeater you only hear one side - a brief pause doesn't mean the frequency is clear. When in doubt, wait longer.
Per 95.1751(a), the FCC requires you to identify with your callsign at the end of each communication and at least every 15 minutes during longer conversations. Many operators also identify at the beginning out of habit — that's fine, but only the end-of-communication ID is required. Say it using standard phonetics or just the letters:
See the phonetic alphabet guide if you're not familiar with the NATO phonetics used on GMRS.
If you want to reach a specific person or group, make a short call and wait for a response before launching into your message:
Don't transmit your full message in the initial call - they may not be listening, and you'll just be tying up the frequency.
If two or more stations are already talking and you need to break in, wait for a pause between transmissions and say "Break" once, then your callsign. For urgent or emergency traffic, say "Break break." Don't just start talking over people - wait to be acknowledged.
Be concise and leave a pause between transmissions so others can break in if needed. GMRS channels and repeaters are shared resources. Long transmissions tie up the frequency for everyone. Cover one topic at a time, then turn it back over.
When you're done with your turn, say "over" to indicate you're expecting a reply, or "out" when the conversation is complete. Using both ("over and out") is a common movie trope but technically contradictory - pick one.
On a repeater, wait a beat - roughly one to two seconds - after the squelch tail drops before transmitting. This gives the repeater time to reset and lets others break in if needed. Rapid back-and-forth with no gaps is sometimes called "doubling" and can cause both stations to walk on each other.
Not all repeaters are open. Before transmitting on a repeater, check myGMRS.com to see if it's listed as open to all licensed users or if it requires permission from the owner first. Transmitting on a closed repeater without permission is inconsiderate at best and can create conflict. See the repeater etiquette guide for more on being a good repeater citizen.
CTCSS tone 141.3 Hz on channel 19 (462.6500 MHz) is the unofficial GMRS "travel tone," a widely recognized calling frequency for travelers. Monitor this if you're on a road trip and want to connect with other GMRS users nearby.
"Kerchunking" means keying up and releasing without saying anything, just to see if you can hit a repeater. Doing this repeatedly is poor etiquette and will annoy other users. If you want to test your radio or confirm you're accessing a repeater, identify yourself: "WXYZ123 testing." That way anyone monitoring knows who's on the air.
GMRS doesn't have the same deep traditions as amateur radio. You don't need to use Q-codes (QSL, QTH, QRZ) or 10-codes unless the people you're talking with prefer them. Plain English is completely fine and often clearer. "I copy," "understood," or "got it" work just as well as "QSL." See the Q-codes guide if you're curious about the abbreviations you might hear.
When conditions are poor or you're talking to someone for the first time, spell your callsign using the NATO phonetic alphabet. Letters like B, C, D, E, G, P, T, and V are easy to confuse on radio. Phonetics eliminate the ambiguity.
FCC rules prohibit certain types of transmissions on GMRS regardless of what others may be doing:
If you hear someone declare an emergency on any channel - "break break, emergency" or "Mayday" - stop transmitting immediately and keep the frequency clear. Relay the message to emergency services if needed and stand by in case you can assist. Emergency traffic always takes absolute priority over routine conversations. Once the situation is resolved, normal traffic can resume.