2 WAY RADIOS REQUIRE FCC LICENSE OR FINES

gws · Jan 11, 2006

( GMRS radio can interfere with public radio services. t so we switched to a GMRS channel and were being picked up by the Houston Police handhelds in that precinct. We always have a couple of police oficers working the show for security and so identified the problem quickly enough to avoid embarrasing consequences.

)

This is total BUNK... Your FRS or GMRS radio is NOT going to interfere with public service radio. While they share similar freq they are not the same feq. YOU MAY hear other frequencies but that because the combo frs/gmrs radio are CHEAP low quality units. Your not going to cause interference with the police with a properly working radio.

gws · Jan 11, 2006

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Has anyone (or know anyone) been put in jail or been fined for using these radios without the FCC license? Please share your experiences.
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Jail, well from a single incident no but people are fined and can be jailed for repeated offences. Check out http://www.arrl.org/news/enforcement_logs/
This is mainly people encroching on the ham bands but also includes other services. Just last month a reall A**hole jammer was found guilty. He was repeately jamming and after being warned. Jack Gerritsen of Bell, California, was found guilty on six counts that included transmitting without a license and willful and malicious interference with radio transmissions. Gerritsen, 69, will face sentencing March 6, according to the office of Debra W. Yang, US Attorney for the Central District of California. He could receive up to 15 years in federal prison.

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Does anyone have the FCC license and what did it take to get it? Apps, time, cost?
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yes I have a GMRS license. Its $80 and about 15 minutes on the FCC web site filling out forms. The license is good for 5 years and is good for your ENTIRE family included some extended family, brothers, sisters, inlaws.

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Does operating the radios on Channels 8-14 mean you DON'T need an FCC license? or what?
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Its totally radio depenant on how the radio was certified. Its sometimes hard to tell what channles you can use. If the channel is listed as FRS/GMRS then its an FRS channel if its listed as FRS then its FRS license free.

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Does anyone operate these radios WITHOUT the FCC license and what is your experience?...Scary question now, huh? /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif )
In many places if you operate and interfere with a licensed user you will be reported. Most will just tell you to get a license.
You usually have 14 channels that should be enough, the extra 8 often dont give you anything more the other 14 dont. DOnt let them power differance fool you. 1/2 watt or 2 watts isnt hat much of a differance in signal when your talking about radio's with crappy receivers.

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Last, share how you feel about this subject and your personal experiences.
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You need a license because tis the law. The radio can be usefull. If your going to get the GMRS license you will find you might as well get a GOOD GMRS radio to go with it. COMBO radio are cheaply make consumer massmaket units.

3RRL · Jan 11, 2006

Thanks all for the replies on this subject, especially those who took the time to address each question. This subject came up during a conversation and I wanted to get more input from other radio users to see how they felt about it. I did not mean to imply any illegal usage, but rather to investigate how some of you use and feel about it.

Under the link there is a section that specifies FRS is not subject to the license, however the following quote from the site makes me wonder about the "exclusively" wording in it.
( "If you operate a radio that has been approved exclusively under the rules that apply to FRS, you are not required to have a license. FRS radios have a maximum power of ½ watt (500 milliwatt) effective radiated power and integral (non-detachable) antennas. If you operate a radio under the rules that apply to GMRS, you must have a GMRS license. GMRS radios generally transmit at higher power levels (1 to 5 watts is typical) and may have detachable antennas.")
It makes me wonder if your radios HAVE the ability to use GMRS, then you NEED to get the license, even if you only use the FRS frequency like so many of us do on your property or hunting or something like that? Or do you think it's Ok not to get the license if only using the radios on the FRS frequency even though your radios have the GMRS frequency capability?

timb · Jan 11, 2006

( It makes me wonder if your radios HAVE the ability to use GMRS, then you NEED to get the license )

That's the way I've read it explained on several sites - the only truely 'license free' radios are the FRS-only radios, not the GMRS/FRS units, even if only operated on in FRS mode. The FCC license rules should spell that out.

As far as interferece with emergency services - that should not happen, but there have been many reports of folks getting hassled by 'mall cops' or 'store security' (too cheap to buy the more appropriate radio equipment for their use) for being on "their" frequency.

mwechtal · Jan 11, 2006

By the way in case anyone wonders, the $80 license covers your whole family.
 The General Mobile Radio Service (GMRS) is a land-mobile radio service available for short-distance two-way communications to facilitate the activities of an adult individual and his or her immediate family members, including a spouse, children, parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, nephews, nieces, and in-laws (47 CFR 95.179). Normally, as a GMRS system licensee, you and your family members would communicate among yourselves over the general area of your residence or during recreational group outings, such as camping or hiking. 
So, it may be a better bargain than you were thinking.

However, I don't see anything about operating procedures. Are you supposed to ID with your call sign every 10 minutes and at the end of an exchange as in Ham radio? And multiple people are using the same call sign?

Mike
KC2MDO

mwechtal · Jan 11, 2006

gws,
Some fire departments DO use them, I assume for short distance, one side of the house to the other, type communication. I think that's a mistake, but they do use them.

Mike
KC2MDO

WVBill · Jan 11, 2006

Does anyone else interpret that to say that even if we were both GMRS licensed, I could not communicate with you over GMRS since you are not my "spouse, children, parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, nephews, nieces, and in-laws"?

3RRL · Jan 11, 2006

Bill,
I don't think it means that.

However, you are right that the wording is such that it can be interpreted that way. I think getting the license allows your communication with others than your immediate family. I think their description refers to the general (intended) use of FRS/GMRS radios in this instance...OF COURSE, I could be wrong?

gws · Jan 12, 2006

( gws,
Some fire departments DO use them, I assume for short distance, one side of the house to the other, type communication. I think that's a mistake, but they do use them.
Mike
KC2MDO )
GMRS freq where NEVER authorized for public safety. GMRS was a semi commerial set of frequency and there are a few corporate lciensed users left. Now only indiviguals can be licnsed. A firestation using GMRS would not be legal.

gws · Jan 12, 2006

( Does anyone else interpret that to say that even if we were both GMRS licensed, I could not communicate with you over GMRS since you are not my "spouse, children, parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, nephews, nieces, and in-laws"? )

You are permitted to talk to ANY licensed GMRS users not just people using your call sign. You can also talk to FRS users on the shared channels (1-7 on most radios'). Note that if you have a repeater capable radio you MUST get permission from the repeater owner before using the repeater.

2 WAY RADIOS REQUIRE FCC LICENSE OR FINES

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