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Congrats. I just passed my Technician License test with 34/35. It wasn't as hard as I thought it'd be. Now I need to set up a couple of my radios for HAM use so I'll be ready when I get my call sign.

Just finished my test, 34 out of 35. I'm a HAM, LOL.

True, under FCC Part 97 Rules and Regulations, an Amateur Radio Station is forbidden from excepting compensation for using Amateur Radio Service. I'm sure that the case FCC Part 95 D & 95 E... However, I think the FCC made an exception for long term crisis, but that only for First Responders that are licensed. Mean you can relay messages from EOC to Hospital. You just can't use Amateur Radio Service for normal communication.

Oops, sorry. I failed to see that it was your post instead of @WSAA635

Hello, my name is Dan SWENSON currently living in St. Paul, Minnesota; and have been an active GMRS registered user call sign WRWC555. I have actively tried using different GMRS repeaters where ever I may be, and have a hard time reaching anyone in my area, I only can hit a few repeaters sometimes, but wanna know if there’s people out there who would like to make a club if so, contact me on here otherwise my email is daniel@sandswelding.com

I took the test in January 2024. Just changed my call sign this April.

Are you done? How did it go?

Thank you! I agree that existing regulations should be either enforced or repealed.

I only needed one. Just had to be able to pan around to prove I wasn't cheating.

My initial reaction was hell no, do your own research; I'm just here for discussion, not to provide legal documents or research papers. But anyway, this is the most obvious and other sections supply details about specific requirements: § 95.391 Manufacturing, importation, and sales of non-certified equipment prohibited. No person shall manufacture, import, sell, or offer for sale non-certified equipment for the Personal Radio Services except as provided for in §§ 2.803(c)(2)(i) and 2.1204(a)(11) of this chapter. See § 302(b) of the Communications Act (47 U.S.C. 302a(b)). See also part 2, subpart I (§ 2.801 et seq.) of this chapter for rules governing marketing of radiofrequency devices; part 2, subpart K (§ 2.1201 et seq.) of this chapter for rules governing import conditions. [86 FR 52100, Sept. 20, 2021] And besides what in the regs, it's how FCC chooses to enforce some things. They did go after a vendor in Texas and I think an importer in California over the UV5R and similar radios, probably back around 2017 give or take. It even affected BTWR; they stopped selling them, then started back briefly and quit again for other reasons.

Please provide specific citations about distribution and sales. Certainly regulations prohibit operating non-certified transmitters for GMRS, but I see nothing in part 95 about distribution and sales. I might have missed it.

I'm reading this thread, thinking the same thing.... while wearing this shirt...

I keep the mobile squelch pretty low. The base can be pretty high because of the known signal strengths. I keep most of the repeater stations at high (9) because I live in a pretty noise filled area that stops my scan a lot for no reason.

Yes. All the regs that refer to what is required for certification (bandwidth, deviation etc). (Assuming of course that no radio nuts are building their own GMRS radios.) Although it's the manufacturer that controls that, vendors have to sell radios that meet U.S. requirements. Enforcement against Baofeng radios targeted vendors or importers. Our responsibility is to just use certified radios and not modify them in a way that breaks the rules so we don't negate the certification .

I went ahead and set up a PayPal account linked to my Debit Card so that should be fine for payment. I had PayPal years ago(mainly for EBay buying and selling) then they got hacked and they were doing some shady stuff so I deleted my account. I guess I'm stuck with another PayPal account now, LOL.

You’ll do great! Often companies use PayPal just to process credit cards so you wouldn’t necessarily need your own PayPal account. Best wishes!! I am eager to learn that you did great!

You need 26 out of 35 to pass. I've been getting anywhere from 32 to 35 on my practice tests. Lord Willing I should pass just fine. I just need to make sure of the payment method since I don't have PayPal. I registered with N1UVO for a 2pm session. The email said they take PayPal but the website said they'd also do Zelle. I hope so.

Really? What percentage of GMRS users who go H.A.M. eventually drop it and stick with GMRS, in your estimation? I'm tempted to get a DMR radio just for RX. As my primary interest is the SHTF scenarios common here in Hurricane Central, the more info that can be gathered the better. I can see getting updates from HAMS and relaying the info to the neighborhood via GMRS. What's the passing grade for a Tech license? I once took one of those mini tests on-the-fly and did rather well, but I don't recall the score.

That reminds me of the weird kid across the street when I was growing up used to brag to me about how he just got some new crystals for his radio.

Right, that's why experienced input and research is important so there are no unintentional consequences.

I'm old enough to remember when this thread was about pre-programmed frequencies and settings.

Are there any regulations regarding distribution and sale? I don’t know of any. If I’m correct, that would mean an addition of regulations. A person should never request more regulation.

The lead VE will be the one to set the camera placements. I've never done a remote test but I've done about 50 in-person exams. l

Ok, more good points. It's not just because of the radio for me. They are cheap enough to buy the right one. It's more of a quest, in what appears to be a rare opportunity, to give the gov't ideas on deregulation. I feel the need to be part of it. I don't know if you saw the above conversation I had with UncleYoda, but his thought for the radio cert is "to enforce the distribution and sale aspect" which if true, is a problem that should be addressed.

I pulled out my old Logitech USB camera to use with the one on my AIO ThinkCenter. I also took all the papers off of any desk near my desk.