Is Line A gone for GMRS?

[WSKU631]

I know this has been a previous topic, but search on Line A and you get every use of the word "line."  I've noticed Canada now allows full FRS, parallel to US FRS, including all 22 channels. Am I correct in presuming that the Line A restrictions no longer apply to GMRS? I'm up near the border and my new license has no restrictive verbiage.

[marcspaz]

Line a still exists, but it does not apply to gmrs any longer. The treaty has been amended for some time now.

[nokones]

11 hours ago, WSKU631 said:

I know this has been a previous topic, but search on Line A and you get every use of the word "line."  I've noticed Canada now allows full FRS, parallel to US FRS, including all 22 channels. Am I correct in presuming that the Line A restrictions no longer apply to GMRS? I'm up near the border and my new license has no restrictive verbiage.

Based on your callsign, you received your GMRS license less than a month ago. Is the Line A and/or C restriction(s) listed on your license? If not than your license has no restrictions and you're good to go providing that you follow the rules in Part 95, Subpart E.

[amaff]

12 hours ago, WSKU631 said:

I know this has been a previous topic, but search on Line A and you get every use of the word "line."  I've noticed Canada now allows full FRS, parallel to US FRS, including all 22 channels. Am I correct in presuming that the Line A restrictions no longer apply to GMRS? I'm up near the border and my new license has no restrictive verbiage.

Look at your license. Does it show Line A under Waivers / Conditions? If not, you're good.

(it doesn't. You're good.)

[WRYZ926]

I received my GMRS license in October 2023 and it has the Line A restriction on it. I downloaded a copy from the FCC website in late 2024or early 2025 and the Line A restriction was no longer on my license.

If the Line A restrictions for GMRS were still in plane you would see it on your license under Waivers/Conditions.

Here is the Line A restrictions on my license from October 2023

The copy I downloaded later looks like what @amaff posted above.

 

[Lscott]

57 minutes ago, WRYZ926 said:

Here is the Line A restrictions on my license from October 2203

Wow! They still use radios in 2200? 

[WRYZ926]

14 minutes ago, Lscott said:

Wow! They still use radios in 2200? 

Typo corrected, too much blood in the caffeine system this morning.

[marcspaz]

At the bottom of this post, I put copies of both my licenses that I just downloaded minutes ago.  No reference to Line A or C.  Also, I shared this content back in August....   https://forums.mygmrs.com/topic/10559-im-north-of-line-a-and-just-made-a-big-mistake/#comment-112976

 

Okay... really quick... the short answer is those people on the net are incorrect.  You can use all of the GMRS channels anywhere in the US.

Details without getting too dorky... what used to limit us was a combination of FCC rules and a US/Canada treaty.  The treaty is called "Agreement Between the Government of the United States of America and the Government of Canada Concerning the Coordination and Use of Radio Frequencies Above Thirty Megacycles per Second, with Annexes" also known as the "Above 30 MHz Agreement".

 

A new agreement that was signed in 2021 supersedes that agreement.  The new document is called "General coordination agreement between Canada and the United States of America on the use of the radio frequency spectrum by terrestrial radiocommunication stations and earth stations."   This document discontinued the parts first treaty I mentioned, that impacted GMRS.

 

Now, that only relates to the Treaty / Agreement.  Under FCC rules, the restriction was also lifted.  The older rule was under "§ 95.1761 GMRS transmitter certification" (e).  However, § 95.1761(e) now has new text that is completely unrelated.  Also, Line A is not referenced anywhere in the Personal Radio Service general rules, nor in the GMRS specific rules.  The original text from the FCC (from the wayback machine), again no longer valid, is noted below.

 

§ 95.1761 GMRS transmitter certification
(e) GMRS transmitters intended for use north of Line A or east of Line C* must not be capable of transmitting on channels 462.650 MHz or 462.700 MHz (GMRS Channels 19 and 21), unless such operation is specifically authorized by the Commission pursuant to an application showing that harmful interference to Canadian stations is unlikely.*

 

 

 

 

[WSKU631]

Thanks Marc!

[Jaay]

19 hours ago, marcspaz said:

At the bottom of this post, I put copies of both my licenses that I just downloaded minutes ago.  No reference to Line A or C.  Also, I shared this content back in August....   https://forums.mygmrs.com/topic/10559-im-north-of-line-a-and-just-made-a-big-mistake/#comment-112976

 

Okay... really quick... the short answer is those people on the net are incorrect.  You can use all of the GMRS channels anywhere in the US.

Details without getting too dorky... what used to limit us was a combination of FCC rules and a US/Canada treaty.  The treaty is called "Agreement Between the Government of the United States of America and the Government of Canada Concerning the Coordination and Use of Radio Frequencies Above Thirty Megacycles per Second, with Annexes" also known as the "Above 30 MHz Agreement".

 

A new agreement that was signed in 2021 supersedes that agreement.  The new document is called "General coordination agreement between Canada and the United States of America on the use of the radio frequency spectrum by terrestrial radiocommunication stations and earth stations."   This document discontinued the parts first treaty I mentioned, that impacted GMRS.

 

Now, that only relates to the Treaty / Agreement.  Under FCC rules, the restriction was also lifted.  The older rule was under "§ 95.1761 GMRS transmitter certification" (e).  However, § 95.1761(e) now has new text that is completely unrelated.  Also, Line A is not referenced anywhere in the Personal Radio Service general rules, nor in the GMRS specific rules.  The original text from the FCC (from the wayback machine), again no longer valid, is noted below.

 

§ 95.1761 GMRS transmitter certification
(e) GMRS transmitters intended for use north of Line A or east of Line C* must not be capable of transmitting on channels 462.650 MHz or 462.700 MHz (GMRS Channels 19 and 21), unless such operation is specifically authorized by the Commission pursuant to an application showing that harmful interference to Canadian stations is unlikely.*

 

 

 

 

I Love that Call, Marc !