MURS pre programmed equipment

[PastorGary]

I am in Northern Maine, where the logging trucks all use the MURS frequencies. Each road maintained by the Maine North Woods has signage which directs you which MURS channel to use. "4 wheelers" or road users such as myself are required to announce their location as a matter of safety. I was seeking a good quality MURS handheld for this purpose; I've ordered the Ritron PT 150M which operates exclusively on the MURS channels. It looks like a good solid unit and I like that it is American made. I am waiting for it to arrive, does anyone have experience with this model?

 

I'm sure that the Riton users will get to your question soon.

 

In the mean time, Joseph, welcome to the forum.

[PICrow]

Thanks PastorGary, very interesting threads here. Great site.

[PastorGary]

[Ronsales]

M/ACOM Panther 605m mobiles fall into this group, they are high low power computer programmable

for 5 watt low and 20 watt high power. I program each individual channel twice for close and long

distance mobile use with the Harris software I bought. TAIT 2020 is the same radio and its software is

just for that radio. I have both the uhf and vhf models of the 605m and they both work great.

[PastorGary]

Anyone here have experience with the Motorola RDM2080D series MURS dedicated radios recently?  Looks a little pricey as compared to some...

[mellowcream]

I would recommend these: http://www.amazon.com/Dakota-Alert-Wireless-Handheld-M538-HT/dp/B0002XRPNA I have a buddy who has four and loves them

[zap]

Nearly all of the Ritron VHF radios are MURS accepted. Even their little intercoms are type accepted for Part 95A and Part 95D operations (as well as Part 90). 

 

The Motorola VX series are pre-programmed with MURS frequencies as some of the channels.

 

Motorola RDM series as well.

 

GMRS ERP is never listed. Just transmit power. The 675 system in Lubbock, it runs 50W right out of the transmitter, looses about 1/2 dB going through the duplexer and then goes up to the tower mast about 80 ft in 1-1/4" hard line to a DB420 that is mounted roughly 360 ft up. ERP through that (including line loss and loss through the duplexer) is around 615W...if only we had put a DB413 up there instead. It only talks for about 40 miles (due to the fact it's perfectly flat up here).

 

Path loss is just about insane to begin with. Low band, high band, UHF...higher frequencies means more practical gain antennas. Remember, NASA sent video nearly a quarter million miles from the moon using about 1.7W (UHF).

[Billy]

"Nearly all of the Ritron VHF radios are MURS accepted. Even their little intercoms are type accepted for Part 95A and Part 95D operations (as well as Part 90)."

 

Ritron is the only company that I know of that applies for 95A acceptance from the get go. 

[zap]

"Nearly all of the Ritron VHF radios are MURS accepted. Even their little intercoms are type accepted for Part 95A and Part 95D operations (as well as Part 90)."

 

Ritron is the only company that I know of that applies for 95A acceptance from the get go.

Kenwood. Most UHF analog Kenwood gear is 90/95A. 2 out of 3 of their current analog UHF mobiles are 90/95A.

[quarterwave]

I didn't do much research, but thought I would ask aloud, with the MURS rules for 2 watts, I wonder how many licensed and non licensed radios are being used on .570 and .600 at wideband and 5 watts simply because they were grandfathered on the freqs. 

[PastorGary]

Common to hear numerous warehouse and retail op's on 570 and 600. My VHF Kenwoods are programmed for those two, low power, wideband and they can be very useful in our disaster responses by simply turning off the CTCSS if we have to coordinate with another response group.

[Ronsales]

_{Not many users in this area use the .570 or the .600}

_{but we know they are available for HT use if we}

_{need them.}  

[quarterwave]

I figure it's like the GMRS rules, where we, the licensees mainly keep the hobby in check. With MURS, no one going to even know how or that they should complain....not many people could/would even realize someone is using 5 watts versus 2, and probably wouldn't care anyway. Can't imagine the FCC caring at all, since they don't tend to want to keep FRS-ers off of GMRS for us. 

 

I'm in a semi rural area, used to hear more on .600 and .570 than I do now. I think alot of drive through's have switched to digital systems, seemed to be alot of them using these freqs in years past.

 

I know that one business around here used to have .600 in their 45 watt mobiles. When they converted to narrow for the rest of their system, .600 came out of the programming and a newly licensed itinerant went in it's place, so they are legal now. They never had a license for .600 anyway, my source said they started using it in portables many years ago to coordinate with a contractor and just never stopped...ended up in mobiles...and through changing people overseeing radio for them, the upkeep and legalities got lost in the shuffle. They are square now, but it just shows how things get forgotten about and companies end up getting fined...all because people changed jobs, left, ball got dropped, no one paying attention. And for every one that gets fixed, there is probably 10 more not.

 

I worked for a radio shop years ago, so I learned the right way.....follow the rules, and it's no one's fault but your own if you don't. 

[roadrunnernm]

Hello All, 

 

As a side note,  I have monitored all 5 MURS frequencies here in Albuquerque (both my QTH and driving around town) and have heard NOTHING.  Granted, I'm sure someone is using MURS but in several weeks of testing (with an eye to communicating with my daughter across town) I've heard no one. 

[jvfreetage]

You can now add the 8R series from AnyTone to the list of MURS radios.

 

http://www.anytonetech.com

 

73

James

W8JVF

WQUL457

[PastorGary]

Thanks, James - Much appreciated.

[NevadaBlue]

I live in an area that is pretty dead radio wise. I just discovered a pair of Dakota Alert MURS base stations that I bought a few years ago and forgot about. I'll try to get them tested sometime soon. I need a 'local net' that connects just a few people. These may work for that. I read that they put out 1.1 watts, but I can't confirm that.

[captdan]

West coast of Florida the Wal Mart's use MURS # 4  154.570.  It's used in their stores and the Wal Mart trucks apparently have the radios also as I hear store personnel calling on the air for the truck drivers to back into a particular loading ramp to be unloaded. 

MURS # 1 151.820 is used by automated alarms in this area also.  I have no positively identified the users but sounds like some of the horse farms in the area.  Frequently the automated message - "Alarm in area 1"  and 2, 3, and area 4.  Best I can tell so far is they are attached to farm gates, when a gate is open it is announced on MURS. 

 

Just recently I read some prepper groups are encouraging the use of MURS #1 as a universal prepper channel. 

 

Prepper Net Every Tuesday night at 8:30PM CST on 151.8200 Mzh Some folks have come together and chosen a frequency or channel that all preppers can use. They assume that you probably have a Baofeng or Wouxun type radio, or other radio capable of transmitting in the MURS band. We picked this frequency because you do not need a license. You do not need to be a ham radio operator. Just program 151.820 into your radio and label it as PREP. It is our intention to have as many members of our community as possible to use this frequency. Every Tuesday night at 9:30pm est just monitor that channel. At some point, after we get enough people, you may begin to actually have contacts on that channel. Perhaps you are going to travel and you may find preppers on that channel

 

For what it's worth.

[WQYC236]

I've been using the TERA TR-505's for about six months now.  They were initially marketed as GMRS/MURS radios (mine even says that on the front) but have since changed the way they are marketed. They are fully programmable radios with VHF/UHF frequencies ( if you buy the cable and down load the free software) with Hi/Low power settings.

 

VHF is 5 watts /2 watts, UHF is 4 watts & 1 watt (although the measured output seems to be a little hotter than what's claimed,more like 5.7 & 5.2 but low power is right on the money). There have been many discussions on the web about whether they are actually Part 90 & 95 certified and I never did see any real conclusions one way or the other, but like I said, when I bought them they were advertised as legal GMRS/MURS radios and I have never seen a recall issued.

 

They come with a substantial default antenna and optional 15" antenna that is almost as good as the short, 3 db, mag mount they also offer. I switched back and forth between mag mount and long antenna at a range of five miles (rolling rural terrain of Virginia) and the other operator couldn't tell the difference. I have since switched to a proper 6db, dual band mag mount which makes a big difference. The 15" antennas are well worth the money and, from my observation, will add approximately 40% or more to your range. About any kind of accessory you could want is available for these radios at reasonable prices. The initial cost is around $90 to $100.

 

Dennis 

[WQYC236]

An addition to my last post: 

 

They also have a nice audio voice feature that talks to you when you change channels or make adjustments (can turned off if you wish).  It rally makes it nice in the dark when you are fumbling to change channels or wondering what power setting you are on. With this feature the radios also become intuitive to a "new to radio" end user. They always get the right channel and make the right adjustment because it tells them what they are doing. 

 

The radios are small and solid, they just feel good in the hand, more like a high end business radio. 

 

Dennis

[jwilkers]

I've been using the TERA TR-505's for about six months now. They were initially marketed as GMRS/MURS radios (mine even says that on the front) but have since changed the way they are marketed. They are fully programmable radios with VHF/UHF frequencies ( if you buy the cable and down load the free software) with Hi/Low power settings.

 

VHF is 5 watts /2 watts, UHF is 4 watts & 1 watt (although the measured output seems to be a little hotter than what's claimed,more like 5.7 & 5.2 but low power is right on the money). There have been many discussions on the web about whether they are actually Part 90 & 95 certified and I never did see any real conclusions one way or the other, but like I said, when I bought them they were advertised as legal GMRS/MURS radios and I have never seen a recall issued.

 

They come with a substantial default antenna and optional 15" antenna that is almost as good as the short, 3 db, mag mount they also offer. I switched back and forth between mag mount and long antenna at a range of five miles (rolling rural terrain of Virginia) and the other operator couldn't tell the difference. I have since switched to a proper 6db, dual band mag mount which makes a big difference. The 15" antennas are well worth the money and, from my observation, will add approximately 40% or more to your range. About any kind of accessory you could want is available for these radios at reasonable prices. The initial cost is around $90 to $100.

 

Dennis

That would be a simple matter of looking up the fcc id of the radio on the fcc website.

 

AntiSquid disclaimer: All information provided is personal opinion only and may or may not resemble actual fact.

[n4gix]

Look at the FCC Certification for the TR-505. Part 95A for GMRS, Part 95J for MURS:

 

https://fccid.io/2ACK8TR505D

 

http://puu.sh/qOn35.png

[WQYC236]

Wow! Thanks for the information guys...I am still learning and had no clue that information was available.  This is a great group of people!

[WQYC236]

It's interesting that they approved the TR-505 for the licensed upper 15-22 and repeater channels but not the shared channels 1-7 with the FRS guys.  Still it's a nice option for a combined GMRS/MURS radio.

[SteveC7010]

It's interesting that they approved the TR-505 for the licensed upper 15-22 and repeater channels but not the shared channels 1-7 with the FRS guys.  Still it's a nice option for a combined GMRS/MURS radio.

 

My docs on GMRS/FRS show the 7 interstitial frequencies are all above 462.5500 and below 462.7250 which means that they are included in the FCC Type Acceptance for Part 95A. Or am I missing something?