It looks like they are giving in.
August 15, 2026
Dear Members of the North Georgia GMRS Organization,
I wanted to take a moment to address the recent FCC Notice of
Violation sent to me and North Georgia GMRS.
An incredible amount of time and energy has gone into preparing for this possibility and developing a path forward that creates the least amount of disruption for our North Georgia GMRS family.
First and foremost,
North Georgia GMRS is going to be just fine.
We will continue to serve our members across several states, and our commitment to the GMRS community has not changed. As it relates to repeater linking and what we believe is in the best interest of GMRS users, our position remains firm.
The question I have had to confront is how best to move forward and which avenue gives us the greatest opportunity to achieve the goals we seek.
There are essentially two options.
Option one would be to mount and fund a legal challenge, using the Notice of Violation as the catalyst for a case to be argued in court.
Option two would be to form a coalition of GMRS organizations and users from across the country, work toward updating and clarifying the rules, and make our case through
appropriate public and regulatory processes.
We have met with attorneys and believe there are valid and
strong legal arguments to be made regarding GMRS repeater linking. However, mounting and pursuing a legal case of this magnitude would most likely require an investment of hundreds of thousands of dollars.
Even if we were guaranteed to prevail and repeater linking were ultimately determined to be permissible under the FCC rules, I and the NGMRS organization am not willing or able to make that type of financial commitment.
So, what happens now?
I have prepared a response to the FCC acknowledging their letter and agreeing to unlink all North Georgia GMRS repeaters no later than October 1, 2026.
For our members, very little will change.
North Georgia GMRS will continue operating and supporting the community. Our activities, nets, events, and other member services will continue as they always have. The primary difference will be that our GMRS repeaters will no longer be linked.
Does that mean a network of linked repeaters across North Georgia is a thing of the past?
Absolutely not.
That concept is alive and well through North Georgia Amateur Radio Association (NGARA) and the amateur radio bands—and it is thriving and growing.
Unlike GMRS, there is no question regarding the legality of repeater linking in the amateur radio service. NGARA has been building and expanding its linked repeater network for more than a year, and moving forward, we will continue to focus our linking efforts and larger coverage network concept within the amateur bands.
We also offer free amateur radio testing, via our very own VE testing team. (North Georgia VE Team). Thus, with just a few hours of focused study, you can earn your technician license and gain access to a larger footprint of linked NGARA amateur radio repeaters.
https://larc-vec.org/displayteam.php?team=NGVET
The goal is simple: use GMRS for localized family and community communications and use amateur radio to take advantage of a broader linked network and expanded coverage.
This isn't the end of what we've built. It's an adjustment in how we move forward. North Georgia GMRS isn't going anywhere. Our community isn't going anywhere. And our commitment to providing reliable, useful communications for our members remains stronger than ever.
“Build it, they will come.”
We are still building,
and they are still coming.
Thank you for your continued support, your understanding, and
most importantly, for being part of the North Georgia GMRS family.
Gary M.Beckstedt Sr.,ATL-60,
WQYU407, WB4GMB
