UHF DOT Freq.

[WRPF281]

Are businesses still allowed to use our GMRS channels for their operations? My channel 16  (White Dot) is used by a local business, during their working hours. 

[WROZ250]

Short Answer is, sadly, Yes.

[tweiss3]

GMRS? Only if they are a grandfathered license. Without any license, they are able to use FRS, which as you should know, overlaps on all 22 channels of GMRS.

[gortex2]

Under 2 watts they don't need a license as stated with a FRS radio.

[axorlov]

Channel 16 is 462.575 MHz, shared with FRS and legal to use for whatever by anyone, if done in accordance with FRS rules with FRS-certified handheld.

[AdmiralCochrane]

I was surprised at the number of grandfathered licenses in my area

[Lscott]

1 hour ago, AdmiralCochrane said:

I was surprised at the number of grandfathered licenses in my area

I'm surprised the house keeping department at a close by mall has been operating without a license on GMRS, they have a repeater so there is no question they aren't operating under FRS rules, since 10/2015. It was never renewed from what I can see. If you look under the "ADMIN" tab in section "Special Conditions" you can see the repeater channel they were licensed to use at the time. I hear them on the radio at times, also the mall security has used it to contact the house keeping staff as well.

FRN: 0002748242

Callsign: KAB1523

https://wireless2.fcc.gov/UlsApp/UlsSearch/license.jsp?licKey=194751

https://wireless2.fcc.gov/UlsApp/UlsSearch/licenseAdminSum.jsp?licKey=194751

I wouldn't be shocked if there are other cases like this around the area.

[PACNWComms]

On 2/23/2022 at 1:05 PM, Lscott said:

I'm surprised the house keeping department at a close by mall has been operating without a license on GMRS

I'm in the process of going through a similar audit for my local mall.....as the noise floor continues to go higher and higher. This was after a corporate user was found using FRS/GMRS Midland T70 radios, when licensed spectrum was being used by the previous license holder, instead of my corporate users, as they heard radio traffic on those radios and channels/frequencies. In many areas, it is common for end users to not know the status of their licenses, and continue to use the radios and system after a license has expired. Part of that is the lack of enforcement and compliance inspections, poor record keeping, lazy radio shop workers, and other factors. 

[WQAI363]

This reply maybe long overdue, but according FCC Rules and Regulations Channels 16, 18 and 20 are technically shared with Part 90 users. White Dot, Black Dot and Orange Dot. I would assume businesses who are licensed and occupy those channels have priority. Same goes for those businesses that were or currently using the MURS channels, such as WAL MART or Home Depot. Althugh, I dault the FCC renews licenses for those users, since the FCC created MURS back in 2000.

I'm not too about those three GMRS channels, but I don't mind as long as both user of those channels respect one another.

[KAF6045]

2 hours ago, Adamdaj said:

This reply maybe long overdue, but according FCC Rules and Regulations Channels 16, 18 and 20 are technically shared with Part 90 users. White Dot, Black Dot and Orange Dot. I would assume businesses who are licensed and occupy those channels have priority. Same goes for those businesses that were or currently using the MURS channels, such as WAL MART or Home Depot. Althugh, I dault the FCC renews licenses for those users, since the FCC created MURS back in 2000.

I'm not too about those three GMRS channels, but I don't mind as long as both user of those channels respect one another.

Per the table at https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-47/chapter-I/subchapter-D/part-90#90.35

Quote

462.525 ......do IP, IW
462.53125 ......do 33
462.5375 ......do 2
462.7375 ......do 2
462.750 Base 29, 36
462.7625 Mobile 67, 86.
462.775 Base 29, 36.

NONE of the GMRS frequencies are Part 90 allocations. GMRS main/repeater channels start at 462.550 and end at 462.725 -- the entire GMRS frequency band fits between the Part 90 462.5375 and 462.7375. However, grandfathered GMRS licenses (possessed by businesses) are allowed to be renewed -- but not modified; for the most part such grandfathered licenses are from the days when a GMRS license was good for -- at most -- two frequency pairs (repeater access). Business GMRS licenses probably only specified one frequency.

Per Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Business_band (emphasis mine)

Quote

Although the term "business band" refers to several discrete frequencies that are not grouped into a single band, examples of some of the frequencies are grouped by band and listed below. These charts also list other frequencies not specifically part of the "business band" but commonly used by businesses. An individual license is still required under GMRS rules. A few manufacturers added these DOT frequencies to Business radios in the 1990s to have more "channels" and aid in selling radios. Part 90 (Business) and Part 95 (GMRS) frequencies are not interchangeable and are not to be used under the same guidelines. Each has different criteria for licensing. Part 95 GMRS frequencies are not "Itinerant", nor business band frequencies.

Quote

Frequency	Name	Notes
462.575 MHz	White Dot	GMRS
462.625 MHz	Black Dot	GMRS
462.675 MHz	Orange Dot	GMRS
464.500 MHz	Brown Dot	Itinerant
464.550 MHz	Yellow Dot	Itinerant
467.850 MHz	Silver Star
467.875 MHz	Gold Star
467.900 MHz	Red Star
467.925 MHz	Blue Star
469.500 MHz	(Brown dpx)	Itinerant
469.550 MHz	(Yellow dpx)	Itinerant

 

[AdmiralCochrane]

More frequencies for my scanner