Help and contact for the TrailBand app.
Contact
Questions, bug reports, or feedback, email shop@skunkriverresto.com and we’ll get back to you.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between FRS and GMRS?
They share the same 22 channels. FRS needs no licence, requires a fixed antenna, and is limited to 2 watts on channels 1 to 7 and 15 to 22, and half a watt on channels 8 to 14. GMRS needs an FCC licence, which is a single fee with no exam, lasts ten years, and covers your whole immediate family. In exchange GMRS allows up to 50 watts on channels 15 to 22, a removable or roof-mounted antenna, and the use of repeaters.
What is a privacy code, and why can’t I find it on my programmable radio?
The code number printed on a consumer walkie-talkie is a CTCSS tone. Codes 1 to 38 are the 38 standard tones in order, so code 1 is 67.0 Hz, code 8 is 88.5 Hz, and code 22 is 141.3 Hz. TrailBand shows the code number beside every standard tone, and has a full chart under Reference. Note that a privacy code is not privacy: it only decides whether your own speaker opens. Anyone on the channel with no code set hears everything you say.
Can I use my Baofeng or similar handheld on GMRS?
Honestly: not legally for transmitting. The inexpensive handhelds most offroaders own are certified under Part 90 for commercial land mobile use, and often for the amateur bands, but not under Part 95 for FRS, GMRS or MURS. A radio has to be certified for the service it transmits in. Programming these frequencies in and listening is a different matter and is always fine, and it is genuinely useful on a trail. If you want to transmit legally, a Part 95E certified radio costs about the same, and a 50 watt GMRS mobile with a roof antenna will outperform any handheld anyway. TrailBand gives you the same frequencies and settings either way.
Why does the app tell me to use a 12.5 kHz tuning step?
Channels 1 to 14 sit on 12.5 kHz interstitials, for example 462.5625 MHz. A radio left on its default 5 kHz step physically cannot land on those frequencies, so you have to key the frequency in directly and set the step to 12.5 kHz. MURS is the opposite case: 151.8200 MHz is not on a 12.5 kHz grid, so those channels want a 5 kHz step. TrailBand sets the step per channel rather than globally, both on screen and in the exported CSV.
How do I use the CHIRP export?
Tick the channels you want on any channel screen or with the quick-select buttons in the Export tab, then choose CHIRP CSV file and send it to yourself. On a computer, open CHIRP, read from the radio first so the import lands in a real memory map, then use File, Import, and upload back to the radio. CHIRP is free open-source radio programming software and is not affiliated with us.
What is MURS, and why would I use it?
MURS is five VHF channels between 151 and 154 MHz, no licence, 2 watts for everybody. The band is the point: VHF travels better through trees and over rolling terrain than the UHF that FRS and GMRS use, and the channels are quiet because almost nobody knows MURS exists. It also permits an external antenna, which FRS does not. The catch is that MURS cannot talk to FRS or GMRS at all, so it only works if everyone in the group has a programmable radio.
Which country do these frequencies apply to?
The United States. The channel plan, bandwidths and power limits follow 47 CFR Part 95. Canadian FRS and GMRS overlap heavily, but the rules differ and MURS is US-only, so check your own regulator before transmitting elsewhere.
Does the app work offline?
Yes. TrailBand makes no network requests of any kind. The channel data is built into the app, and your tones, favorites and notes are stored on your device.