Commercial License

[Wrvq441]

Just saw a “NotARubicon”  video on the Motorola XTS5000.

In the video Randy stated that in order to please the frequency gods, one must have a FCC Commercial License to operate this radio.

I went to the FCC website and there are several different types of Commercial Licensing and it looks like they all involve a certificate of passing a test of some type.

Can some elaborate on what licenses is required to operate the above mentioned radio, what the license actually covers, and how to certify for it?

Thanks!

[OffRoaderX]

Search for FCC form# 601 ... Watch the LMR part of this video for more infos: 

https://youtu.be/fuErcUjv_fA

 

Edit/update: I dont know anyone (including myself) that has actually applied for a business license themself - everyone I know paid a company/service to do it for them.

Edited February 26, 2023 by OffRoaderX
add the part about paying to get the license.

[Lscott]

9 minutes ago, Wrvq441 said:

In the video Randy stated that in order to please the frequency gods, one must have a FCC Commercial License to operate this radio.

If you want to operate the radio on Part 90 frequencies, yes. A commercial license can't be obtained to operate on the Part 95E GMRS frequencies. You must have a GMRS specific license. Also if the radio has encryption that also can not be used on GMRS.

He was very carefully avoiding the issue of the radio not having Part 95E certification, it does have Part 90. In that case technically you need a commercial license to legally operate the radio on commercial Part 90 frequencies.  He made that statement because he knew there would be a flood of comments pointing out the lack of Part 95E certification and the requirement to have a commercial license to legally operate the radio. Apparently he does have some Part 90 frequencies he is licensed to use, thus having the radio, which "just so happens" to have GMRS frequencies programmed into it.

With some of the YouTube content creators you must be very careful about what they say. They hedge their comments and some of the info they hand out is misleading at best and just plain wrong at the worst. Unfortunately there are a few that seem to have a large following and have given bad info at times that soon spreads like a virus.

[Wrvq441]

I am aware that it is not legal to use encryption on GMRS. I’m just curious about the different licensing out there. I never felt misled by the video.

[OffRoaderX]

I hedge my info to bring out "some people" so all the normal people can laugh at them... 

I'm glad to see that it's still working.

[Wrvq441]

Just watched the video of the link that you posted. 

It answered my questions.

I also posted a question on encryption under technical questions.

Thanks!

And I never really watched YouTube before, but after stumbling across one of yours this past year, I’m hooked. It’s great to learn and laugh at the same time.

Edited February 26, 2023 by Wrvq441
Additional material

[Lscott]

8 hours ago, Wrvq441 said:

I am aware that it is not legal to use encryption on GMRS. I’m just curious about the different licensing out there. I never felt misled by the video.

In all fairness I think he wanted to cover all the bases and tried to avoid most of the objections. He does have a sort of dry sense of humor, entertaining to watch. There are some points he makes in the videos that I think are wrong or disagree with, but nobody is perfect.

[gortex2]

To get a commercial license or LMR license you need a reason. A home repair shop is a valid excuse and will allow you to apply for a frequency. In the LMR world a license is mostly for 1 frequency. Not a huge block like GMRS or Ham. In public safety world you can apply for multiple as well as in business LMR. Location will dictate what frequencies are available in your area and what sections of frequencies you can apply for. All Part 90 frequencies require coordination so even if you fill out the 601 your self it needs to go to a frequency coordinator for approval prior to the FCC. There are various frequency coordinators for public safety, business, etc. Each one will require a fee on top of your FCC fee. When I did alot of these for work we would quote $500 for 1 frequency. Many came in around that but the last channel I did was $250 per frequency (460/465 mhz) so it was $500 just in coordination plus FCC fees as well as our fees for our work. 

Public Safety still pays coordination fees, but is exempt mostly from the FCC fee. The other major issue is location. Some locations have no frequencies available and frequency reuse happens. Also above Line A requires all FCC licenses to go to Canada. Our last SAR frequency was in Canada for almost 2 years until we got approval.

 

[Lscott]

On 2/26/2023 at 8:22 AM, gortex2 said:

To get a commercial license or LMR license you need a reason. A home repair shop is a valid excuse and will allow you to apply for a frequency. In the LMR world a license is mostly for 1 frequency. Not a huge block like GMRS or Ham. In public safety world you can apply for multiple as well as in business LMR. Location will dictate what frequencies are available in your area and what sections of frequencies you can apply for. All Part 90 frequencies require coordination so even if you fill out the 601 your self it needs to go to a frequency coordinator for approval prior to the FCC. There are various frequency coordinators for public safety, business, etc. Each one will require a fee on top of your FCC fee. When I did alot of these for work we would quote $500 for 1 frequency. Many came in around that but the last channel I did was $250 per frequency (460/465 mhz) so it was $500 just in coordination plus FCC fees as well as our fees for our work. 

Public Safety still pays coordination fees, but is exempt mostly from the FCC fee. The other major issue is location. Some locations have no frequencies available and frequency reuse happens. Also above Line A requires all FCC licenses to go to Canada. Our last SAR frequency was in Canada for almost 2 years until we got approval.

 

Question, if the application is for a nation wide Itinerant frequency does it still have to go through a coordinator? I thought I read it doesn't.

[kc9pke]

1 hour ago, Lscott said:

Question, if the application is for a nation wide Itinerant frequency does it still have to go through a coordinator? I though I read it doesn't.

This is correct, applications for new Part 90 licenses on itins only can be directly submitted to ULS without coordination

[kc9pke]

3 hours ago, gortex2 said:

To get a commercial license or LMR license you need a reason. A home repair shop is a valid excuse and will allow you to apply for a frequency

I've seen one license state "farming and s**t spreading" listed as their justification for a frequency

[gortex2]

Correct. Most Itinerant frequencys do not need coordination but you should do your own. Getting a UHF repeater pair the same as the warehouse across the street is not the best. And yes it has been done. 

[WRUE951]

19 hours ago, OffRoaderX said:

I hedge my info to bring out "some people" so all the normal people can laugh at them... 

I'm glad to see that it's still working.

I dont think it's working   LMAO

[PACNWComms]

I started with an amateur license, as it helped when I was working interop with local Community Emergency Response Teams (CERT) and emergency communications auxiliary organizations while in the Air National Guard.

Then came commercial licenses for emergency comms within the oil industry.....which was needed as I operated radio, satcom and dispatch gear on a fleet of ships that also had helipads on them. Aviation and marine radios.

Last was my GMRS license, after the changes of 2017, and the proliferation of GMRs radios across the United States.

The amateur license also allowed for scanners in vehicles, at least justification in states that do not otherwise allow for that. Covering bases, it is good to have both commercial and amateur licenses, especially if you have Part 90 gear in use in vehicles or vessels.

In some areas, public safety and in my own experience Transportation Security Administration (TSA), they are also at railways stations, ports/piers and many oil transfer station, tend to get a huge ego if anyone else is using high end commercial gear near them. Things go easier if you can produce licenses in secure areas that fall under MARSEC levels for example.

XTS5000's are great radios, used many of them while in government service.....although that is also why I would probably not buy one myself, I know how many of them were treated...lol. 

[WQWX838]

On 2/25/2023 at 9:44 PM, OffRoaderX said:

I hedge my info to bring out "some people" so all the normal people can laugh at them... 

I'm glad to see that it's still working.

OK, I have quietly followed suit. I have my application in for a commercial license. GMRS is nice but with the cheap boxes and discounted license fee's, I needed an escape hatch. Lots and lots of people flocking from hammy bands into GMRS for some reason too. On the other subject, your efforts are notable, yet getting a certain personality type to stop taking themselves so seriously won't happen. I have no idea what secret warehouse they are being manufactured in, but they wear the same style of super extra tight underpantaloons.

[WRQC527]

1 hour ago, WQWX838 said:

yet getting a certain personality type to stop taking themselves so seriously won't happen. I have no idea what secret warehouse they are being manufactured in, but they wear the same style of super extra tight underpantaloons.

You just can't help yourself, can you. When that guy with the YouTube channel berates "some people", it's probably because one of them got on his channel and made some idiotic comment. At least he actually brings some decent content to the table. You, on the other hand, pride yourself on belittling folks for no reason. Welcome to my Ignore User list. You'll like it there. Lots of people there with your same mentality.

[FlatTop]

On 2/25/2023 at 9:51 PM, Wrvq441 said:

And I never really watched YouTube before, but after stumbling across one of yours this past year, I’m hooked. It’s great to learn and laugh at the same time.

Oh boy.  YouTube is an awesome way to burn through a few hours in what seems like a few minutes.  It's so easy to go down the multitudes of rabbit holes on YouTube.  I might start out looking at Radio related videos, then I see a video about fishing, then more about fishing, cooking fish, cleaning fish, uh oh...there's one about how to make biscuits and gravy, and another one about guys dumpster diving for fame and profits....then here comes one about musicians, old bands...next thing you know it's dinner time. 

[WRQC527]

2 minutes ago, JoCoBrian said:

It's so easy to go down the multitudes of rabbit holes on YouTube

I look for videos about how to replace this or that on my van... Three hours later, I know how to completely tear down, clean, and reassemble several different antique watches and a 1929 bench vise... but I'm still in the dark about how to change the three spark plugs on the back of the engine.

[SteveShannon]

1 hour ago, WRQC527 said:

I look for videos about how to replace this or that on my van... Three hours later, I know how to completely tear down, clean, and reassemble several different antique watches and a 1929 bench vise... but I'm still in the dark about how to change the three spark plugs on the back of the engine.

Wasn’t it the Chevy Vega that required the engine removed to replace the right rear plug?

[WRQC527]

20 minutes ago, Sshannon said:

Wasn’t it the Chevy Vega that required the engine removed to replace the right rear plug?

Only if the car lasted long enough to need a spark plug change. My sister had one but it was the 4 cylinder. 

[SteveShannon]

3 minutes ago, WRQC527 said:

Only if the car lasted long enough to need a spark plug change. My sister had one but it was the 4 cylinder. 

I thought it was only available with a 4 cylinder.

[WRQC527]

55 minutes ago, Sshannon said:

I thought it was only available with a 4 cylinder.

I stand corrected. I thought they came out with a V6 before they went away. I do know of a few guys in my high school who did wedge V8s into them, and one guy wo did stick a Buick V6 in his. 

[Lscott]

I thought this thread was about getting a commercial radio license, not for motor vehicles. My mistake.

[WRQC527]

25 minutes ago, Lscott said:

I thought this thread was about getting a commercial radio license, not for motor vehicles. My mistake.

Yep, sometimes these threads deviate from the original subject. Although having a commercial radio in a Chevy Vega would make it faster to get a tow truck rather than going through a middleman like AAA. So there is that.

[WQWX838]

On 3/10/2023 at 8:46 AM, WRQC527 said:

You just can't help yourself, can you. When that guy with the YouTube channel berates "some people", it's probably because one of them got on his channel and made some idiotic comment. At least he actually brings some decent content to the table. You, on the other hand, pride yourself on belittling folks for no reason. Welcome to my Ignore User list. You'll like it there. Lots of people there with your same mentality.

Ok.... When shall I report for my weekly beating?