Can a ham radio communicate with frs or gmrs?

[TroyBoy]

I'm planning on replacing my cb with either a mobile gmrs or a mobile ham radio. I would like to get a ham radio because it could be used as a lifeline if I am wheeling by myself but I also need to communicate with people I wheel with and they use frs.
I like the midland mxt275 which is a gmrs 15 watt radio but I’m unsure if that will be adequate as a lifeline if I am wheeling by myself.
One option would be a hand held gmrs and a mobile ham radio. What would you guys suggest? I would prefer to have just one device.

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[paffemt]

FRS and GMRS can talk, but a ham radio can only receive FRS and GMRS if it has a wide enough receiver. GMRS cannot transmit on ham frequencies legally and ham radio cannot transmit on GMRS frequencies legally.

 

[TroyBoy]

Any point to having a 15 watt mobile gmrs radio, or stronger, as apposed to just a hand held gmrs?

 

[StammesOpfer]

It is all about rules. There is nothing preventing many HAM radios from TX on FRS, GMRS, MURS freqs but per the FCC a radio must be type accepted for those services to legally use them. Part of certification is that it can't TX on any other freqs therefore you can't have a type certified radio be multi certified. This is the reason why FRS/GMRS combo radios are going away. Also FYI you are supposed to have a license to use GMRS. FRS and MURS is unlicensed for use with a type certified radio.

HAM radios are the wild west as far as equipment but the license requirement is supposed to make sure you (the operator) know what you are doing so that you can stay within the law yourself rather than the equipment keeping you within the law.

As for the reason to have a higher wattage GMRS with the recent expansion of GMRS it allows for repeaters and that opens up longer distance communications which may benefit from higher power. If you are just on the trail talking to the guy in front of you then it doesn't matter.

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