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Internet linking connects repeaters across cities, states, or even countries using Voice over IP (VoIP) technology. When two repeaters are linked, a transmission on one is heard on the other - and vice versa. This is extremely common in amateur radio, but internet linking is prohibited on GMRS under FCC rules. This guide explains what linking is, why you'll encounter references to it, and what the rules actually say.
Internet linking is prohibited on GMRS. Two sections of FCC Part 95 apply:
On August 14, 2024, the FCC updated its published GMRS guidance to explicitly clarify that the internet qualifies as an "other network" under these rules. The FCC stated:
"Repeaters may not be linked via the internet - an example of an 'other network' in the rules - to extend the range of the communications across a large geographic area. Linking multiple repeaters to enable a repeater outside the communications range of the handheld or mobile device to retransmit messages violates sections 95.1733(a)(8) and 95.1749 of the Commission's rules, and potentially other rules in 47 C.F.R."
See the FCC's official GMRS page for the full guidance.
To be clear: telephone and internet networks may be used for remote control of a GMRS repeater station (turning it on/off, adjusting settings, per 95.1745). They may not be used to carry GMRS voice communications from one repeater to another.
The FCC also explained why linking is harmful beyond the rule violation itself: because GMRS spectrum is limited and shared, the service only works well on a localized basis where users can hear each other and cooperate. Linking repeaters uses up shared spectrum over much larger areas than intended, limiting local availability of repeater channels.
Internet-linked GMRS repeaters do exist in the wild, but they operate in violation of FCC rules. Using a service like EchoLink's phone app to transmit into a GMRS repeater via the internet compounds the issue - the app user is transmitting on GMRS frequencies through an internet gateway, potentially without being at a licensed GMRS station at all.
RF linking (connecting two repeater sites via a dedicated radio link on GMRS frequencies) does not involve a non-radio network, so 95.1733(a)(8) and 95.1749 do not apply. RF-linked stations must still comply with all other GMRS rules including power limits, authorized channels, and station identification (95.1751). Some repeater systems use RF links to extend coverage across a local area without any internet dependency - if one site can hear the other via radio, the link works.
Since linking is widely used in amateur radio and you'll encounter references to it in the broader radio community, here's how the technology works. A linked repeater has a computer (called a "node") connected to both the internet and the repeater's audio system. When someone transmits on the repeater, the audio is digitized, sent over the internet to the linked node, and played back through the remote repeater. The result is that two radios hundreds of miles apart can communicate as if they were on the same local repeater.
These systems are used primarily in amateur radio, where internet linking is permitted:
On amateur radio repeaters that support linking, users connect to remote nodes by keying up and sending a DTMF code sequence from their radio's keypad. The exact codes depend on the linking system and the repeater's configuration - typically a connect prefix followed by a node number. A confirmation announcement plays when the connection is established, and a separate disconnect code unlinks the repeaters when the session is done. If you hold both a GMRS and amateur radio license, you may encounter these systems on the ham side.
Internet linking introduces noticeable latency - typically 0.5 to 2 seconds of round-trip delay. This makes rapid back-and-forth conversation feel unnatural and requires longer pauses between transmissions. VoIP compression also reduces audio quality compared to direct radio communication. Voices may sound slightly robotic or muffled, and background noise can be amplified by the compression codec. AllStar generally offers the best audio quality of the three systems because operators can configure higher-bitrate codecs, while IRLP and EchoLink use fixed compression that prioritizes bandwidth savings.
In amateur radio, linking is widespread and explicitly permitted - thousands of repeaters participate in EchoLink and AllStar networks, and large conference bridges connect dozens of repeaters simultaneously across entire regions or continents. On GMRS, this is not permitted. The few GMRS repeaters that do offer internet linking are operating in violation of FCC rules, typically run by operators who also hold ham licenses and brought the concept over from their amateur radio experience without recognizing (or choosing to ignore) the regulatory difference between the two services.