39 replies to this topic

[berkinet]

OK. I think we all agree you dont like GMRS, dont like the rules of GMRS and dont like the FCC. Simple solution go find another service to use. 

 

If you are referring to WRFS771's posts, and I assume you are, note he has not logged in since his 09/16 post in this thread.  I personally hope he comes back to perhaps explain the basis for his posts. But, I am guessing that won't happen.

[DanW]

I may have missed this in previous posts, but are the Baofeng radios technically legal on any frequency range?  GMRS? I'm seeing what I think are mixed views on whether they are GMRS legal, or not.  They are popular with 4wd and car clubs, and I know many are using them, sometimes on GMRS frequencies, without a license. I've cautioned them on using them and also about using GMRS frequencies without a license but none seem to care.  So can a licensed GMRS user communicate with them on a GMRS channel legally?  And it looks like they are not technically legal for FRS, partly due to too much power.

 

I guess I'm confused as to why they would be permitted to be sold if they aren't technically legal at least somewhere.  That'd be like an illegal drug being permitted to be sold but not used.  Then again, with the federal government, nothing really surprises me.

 

Maybe legal for licensed HAM operators?

 

I just thought of one use that should be 100% legal.  They receive FM radio! Lol!

[mbrun]

Per the letter of the law (FCC Rules) the only radios permissible for use on GMRS are radios that have the Part 95 certification for GMRS. This is either the current 95e or the older 95a (grandfathered). So, unless the radio model in question has one of those certifications it is not legally permitted.

As you read in this forum you will find that many people use higher-cost, higher-quality commercial grade Part 90 radios. Many have stated that there is not a single incident that can be found where the FCC has cited someone for using these higher quality radios. The FCC in one document indicated it was not their intent (when they revised the rules) to exclude the use of Part 90 radios in GMRS, but they have yet to make it officially legal.

No, even an licensed amateur is not permitted to legally use a radio in the GRMS that is not type certified. There is no radio made for amateur radio that is legal for use on GMRS, although many can be ‘modified’ to open it up for GMRS, but even then, it is only permissible to be done by and for use by certain individuals.

I may have missed this in previous posts, but are the Baofeng radios technically legal on any frequency range? GMRS? I'm seeing what I think are mixed views on whether they are GMRS legal, or not. They are popular with 4wd and car clubs, and I know many are using them, sometimes on GMRS frequencies, without a license. I've cautioned them on using them and also about using GMRS frequencies without a license but none seem to care. So can a licensed GMRS user communicate with them on a GMRS channel legally? And it looks like they are not technically legal for FRS, partly due to too much power.

I guess I'm confused as to why they would be permitted to be sold if they aren't technically legal at least somewhere. That'd be like an illegal drug being permitted to be sold but not used. Then again, with the federal government, nothing really surprises me.

Maybe legal for licensed HAM operators?

I just thought of one use that should be 100% legal. They receive FM radio! Lol!

Michael
WRHS965
KE8PLM

[n4gix]

So can a licensed GMRS user communicate with them on a GMRS channel legally?

No, just as a licensed amateur operator cannot legally communicate with an unlicensed person, neither can a licensed GMRS operator legally communicate with an unlicensed person.

[Lscott]

No, just as a licensed amateur operator cannot legally communicate with an unlicensed person, neither can a licensed GMRS operator legally communicate with an unlicensed person.

So a person using a legal FRS only radio and a licensed GMRS user using a Part 95 certified radio can’t communicate for example? That’s after the FCC changed the frequency assignments so simplex operation was facilitated between the two?

[SteveC7010]

So a person using a legal FRS only radio and a licensed GMRS user using a Part 95 certified radio can’t communicate for example? That’s after the FCC changed the frequency assignments so simplex operation was facilitated between the two?

The new Part 95 specifically authorizes FRS/GMRS users to talk to each other. There’s no other interpretation

[AdmiralCochrane]

 I'm confused as to why they would be permitted to be sold if they aren't technically legal at least somewhere.  That'd be like an illegal drug being permitted to be sold but not used.  Then again, with the federal government, nothing really surprises me.

 

Maybe legal for licensed HAM operators?

 

I just thought of one use that should be 100% legal.  They receive FM radio! Lol!

 

They are legal receivers on all frequencies 

As yet, its not illegal to own a transmitter of almost any type.  If you have the cash you can buy a commercial TV transmitter, you just can't transmit on it without a license.

 

These things may change as the government perceives the populace to be a threat.

[MacJack]

So Michael are you getting a KG-UV9G?  If so please wrote a review like you did for the KG-805G.  I looked at the list of KG-UV9G channels, impressive... https://k5q5c8s7.roc...80ch-071920.pdf The only thing missing was CB, joking.  

Jack

The Wouxun KG-805G, of which I own 2, has 128 memories for storing your choice of GMRS repeater pairs and squelch codes. Each memory can be custom named as well.

The radio has full legal access to all 22 GMRS simplex channels plus the 8 main GMRS repeater input channels.

Wouxun also has a new one expected to be released in October. A web search will turn it up. It is the KG-UV9G, a GMRS specific version of their KG-UV9D amateur radio.

Michael
WRHS965



Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[n4gix]

So a person using a legal FRS only radio and a licensed GMRS user using a Part 95 certified radio can’t communicate for example? That’s after the FCC changed the frequency assignments so simplex operation was facilitated between the two?

You are changing the parameters of the original question, which was limited to GMRS operator to non-licensed operator.

 

GMRS licensed operator can communicate with FRS operator - on FRS 'channels' (frequencies).

[AdmiralCochrane]

... while using a properly programmed GMRS/FRS transceiver 

[tricon23]

I set my radio on scan the last 24 hours and mom and her toddler son were on channel 19 recently. 8-14 should be FRS but people that buy the bubble pack's are putting batteries in and start talking because who ever reads the manuals? Should (or would) anyone that is licensed say anything that they are on the wrong channel or am I pushing sand against the tide? In the end tough to regulate the airwaves it seems.

[SteveC7010]

I set my radio on scan the last 24 hours and mom and her toddler son were on channel 19 recently. 8-14 should be FRS but people that buy the bubble pack's are putting batteries in and start talking because who ever reads the manuals? Should (or would) anyone that is licensed say anything that they are on the wrong channel or am I pushing sand against the tide? In the end tough to regulate the airwaves it seems.

If they are “bubble pack” radios, they are automatically low power on 8 through 14. They are built that way and can not be adjusted by the user. Thus they are totally legal.

[tricon23]

I am not saying that the radios are illegal, just users using them on channels other than 8-14. I would assume that mom and jr. talking on CH19 don't have a GMRS license.

[SteveC7010]

I am not saying that the radios are illegal, just users using them on channels other than 8-14. I would assume that mom and jr. talking on CH19 don't have a GMRS license.

FRS use of all 22 simplex GMRS/FRS channels is now legal. You are creating rules that don’t exist.

[tricon23]

FRS use of all 22 simplex GMRS/FRS channels is now legal. You are creating rules that don’t exist.

Thanks for clarifying.

[n4gix]

I am not saying that the radios are illegal, just users using them on channels other than 8-14. I would assume that mom and jr. talking on CH19 don't have a GMRS license.

 

Every year for a few weeks after Christmas there is a LOT of simplex chatter. Unfortunately a lot of those folks are using repeater output frequencies (462.725 for example). Frankly it's very annoying!

[mbrun]

Good Day MacJack.

No, I have no intent to purchase the KG-UV9P Radio. Why you ask?

It does not appear to offer better receive performance than the 805G. I already own the KG-UV9P which has the exact same innards and often times I have both the 805G and UV9P side by side tuned to same frequency or scanning the same frequencies. More times than not, the 805G receives the same or slightly better.
The radio is not physically built any better than the 805G.
The screen is not usable outdoors during daylight hours.
The couple of features it has that are of interest don’t make it worth twice the price to me.
While I love the true dual receive capability and appreciate a radio with it, the UV9 does not mute the second channel while you are actually talking and thus interferes with your transmissions, so it gets turned off frequently because it is a hinderance.
I don’t need another scanner.

Hope that helps.

So Michael are you getting a KG-UV9G? If so please wrote a review like you did for the KG-805G. I looked at the list of KG-UV9G channels, impressive... https://k5q5c8s7.roc...80ch-071920.pdf The only thing missing was CB, joking.
Jack

Michael
WRHS965
KE8PLM

[Lscott]

You are changing the parameters of the original question, which was limited to GMRS operator to non-licensed operator.

 

GMRS licensed operator can communicate with FRS operator - on FRS 'channels' (frequencies).

The post I responded to was:

 

"No, just as a licensed amateur operator cannot legally communicate with an unlicensed person, neither can a licensed GMRS operator legally communicate with an unlicensed person."

 

The nature of the "unlicensed person" was not specified in the post so I used the widest definition that is confined to FRS and GMRS services. It's obvious the FRS operators are not directly licensed by the FCC but communications between licensed GMRS operators and the "unlicensed person", A.K.A. FRS operator, is in fact permitted. That was the point. To add a finer point FRS operators who are using their radios are authorized as licensed by rule, so by some measure they are licensed.

 

While the statement about the amateur operator is correct, everyone MUST have a valid call sign thus licensed, but when extending the analogy to GMRS/FRS, which shares the same simplex frequencies it breaks down.

 

I think when statements like the quote above are made they should be more qualified. Too often new people get needlessly confused. That's the last thing needed here.

[MacJack]

I did not know you had a KG-UV9P already.  You had done a great review of the KG-805G good and bad.  Thank you for your review of your KG-UV9P in your reply.  This helps me see what I should look for through your eyes and usage.  Thanks so much.

Jack

Good Day MacJack.

No, I have no intent to purchase the KG-UV9P Radio. Why you ask?

It does not appear to offer better receive performance than the 805G. I already own the KG-UV9P which has the exact same innards and often times I have both the 805G and UV9P side by side tuned to same frequency or scanning the same frequencies. More times than not, the 805G receives the same or slightly better.
The radio is not physically built any better than the 805G.
The screen is not usable outdoors during daylight hours.
The couple of features it has that are of interest don’t make it worth twice the price to me.
While I love the true dual receive capability and appreciate a radio with it, the UV9 does not mute the second channel while you are actually talking and thus interferes with your transmissions, so it gets turned off frequently because it is a hinderance.
I don’t need another scanner.

Hope that helps.



Michael
WRHS965
KE8PLM

[n4gix]

I think when statements like the quote above are made they should be more qualified. Too often new people get needlessly confused. That's the last thing needed here.

 

Well then, if a licensed GMRS operator is communicating with an licensed-by-rule FRS operator, s/he is doing so as an FRS operator, if we truly wish to be precisely accurate.