Commercial License

[MarkInTampa]

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.

 

Stupid question.. is a LMR license transferrable to a new user? If a company I work for decided to ditch LMR for cellular could I take over the repeater and transfer the license to my name or maintain the current license and just set it up for me and my buddies?

[gortex2]

Yes. As long as its business to business. Basically the business or license holder can transfer it to another business or organization (501C3). Our SAR team got a couple UHF channels like that over the years we use in training. All the rest are public safety channels. I have also assisted in transfer when a business sold to another (ie: trucking company, concrete, etc) where a name change happened. I think it can only be done once. 

Personally it would depend on the plans for the channel. In reality if the business wanted to maintain the repeater and any fees associated and approve you to use it they could also. If its at a tower site that requires insurance that may be a better way to do it. 

[BoxCar]

Actually, the person requesting to transfer the license only needs to be eligible to hold the license. It does not need to be business to business for 90.35 frequencies. The same is true for Part 90.20 licenses as well. The transferee must be eligible under the rule to hold a public safety class license. The classes of individuals are listed but include veterinarians and disabled persons.

[MarkInTampa]

3 hours ago, gortex2 said:

Yes. As long as its business to business. Basically the business or license holder can transfer it to another business or organization (501C3). Our SAR team got a couple UHF channels like that over the years we use in training. All the rest are public safety channels. I have also assisted in transfer when a business sold to another (ie: trucking company, concrete, etc) where a name change happened. I think it can only be done once. 

Personally it would depend on the plans for the channel. In reality if the business wanted to maintain the repeater and any fees associated and approve you to use it they could also. If its at a tower site that requires insurance that may be a better way to do it. 

Thanks. The company I'm doing some contract work for is a bonding company that took over a now defunct multi site DOT contractor that went under. Once we finish up some existing jobs the doors will be closed in 18 months or so. There is a onsite 120ft tower that had a 15 mile or so point to point microwave doing T1 service to a old remote office as well as having a repeater on 452.xxx. The microwave stuff is still there but hasn't been used in 10+ years and the remote site is long gone and they haven't put a radio in a vehicle in 5+ years. I turned the repeater off 3 months ago and nobody has even noticed or complained that I'm aware of. Thought it would be cool to take it over or convert to GMRS but I know time on the tower is limited so figured it's just not worth the effort.

[nokones]

You don't need a Commercial license to operate and/or repair stations operating under Part 90 rules. You only need a Radio Station Authorization (License) for operating on a specific Part 90 Frequency(ies). This means you can operate your Motorola Any Series/Model radio that is "type accepted" for Part 90 operation on GMRS without possessing a Commercial Radio License providing you have a GMRS Radio Station Authorization (Class ZA) (license)

A Commercial Radio Operators License is only required for the operation and/or repair of specified Aircraft and/or Marine stations within the United States.

And a radio station operating under the authority of Part 90 rules, regardless who the licensee is, by FCC definition, does not require the radio user to possess a Commercial Radio Operator's License. If the Radio Station is used for a commercial operation as defined by Part 90.35(a)(1-4), the licensee must meet the eligibility, and operate only on the frequency(ies) granted and per the stated restrictions and limitations, per the Radio Station Authotization (License).

[KAF6045]

... and if maintenance is all one needs it for the GROL would be the one to study/obtain.