Should I remove channels 8-14 from my radio? (Kenwood TK-372G)

[ElectricXpert]

I have a Kenwood TK-372G commercial radio programmed for all 22 channels and some repeaters with a Nagoya NA-701G antenna. The Kenwood TK-372G has dual part 90 and 95A type acceptance. This radio outputs 4 watts on high power and 1 watt on low power. The FCC limit for channels 8-14 is 0.5w and this radio does not go that low. Should I remove those channels or disable Tx on them or should I lock the Tx to 1 watt on those channels (which I have done).

[OffRoaderX]

Yes, ASAP!!!1  Because if you ever accidentally transmit on one of those channels with that radio you will get a $10,000 fine.  Its your choice, but are you willing to take that risk?

SOURCE: "some people" on this forum

[WRYZ926]

You are not suppose to transmit on channels 8-14 with more than.05 watts BUT I seriously doubt that you will cause any problems by transmitting at 1 watt. You can either delete channels 8-14, set them for receive only, or set the radio to low power. The FCC isn't going to send jackboot thugs to kick your door in and shoot your dog for transmitting at 1 watt on those channels.

Like Sgt. Schultz, I know nothing, nothing.

[amaff]

2 hours ago, WRYZ926 said:

You are not suppose to transmit on channels 8-14 with more than.05 watts BUT I seriously doubt that you will cause any problems by transmitting at 1 watt. You can either delete channels 8-14, set them for receive only, or set the radio to low power. The FCC isn't going to send jackboot things to kick your door in and shoot your dog for transmitting at 1 watt on those channels.

Like Sgt. Schultz, I know nothing, nothing.

Basically this.
I don't know how easy it is to enable or disable Tx on those, but on the DB-20G it's a menu option on the face of the radio. So I have 8-14 Tx disabled but with the option to switch them on if, for some reason, that ends up being necessary.

[RIPPER238]

11 hours ago, OffRoaderX said:

Yes, ASAP!!!1  Because if you ever accidentally transmit on one of those channels with that radio you will get a $10,000 fine.  Its your choice, but are you willing to take that risk?

SOURCE: "some people" on this forum

O nooo, i have been transmitting on 8-14 at .8 watts. 

 

IMO Kenwood should pay the fine for making a radio that does that by default. 

[amaff]

23 minutes ago, RIPPER238 said:

O nooo, i have been transmitting on 8-14 at .8 watts. 

 

IMO Kenwood should pay the fine for making a radio that does that by default. 

I'm pretty sure Kenwood would say "That's weird, we don't make GMRS radios."

[WRUE951]

Highway speed limit on most highways is 65MPH.....  'When' i drive 65, why does everyone pass me like i'm standing still????   

[Hoppyjr]

Yes, ASAP!!!1  Because if you ever accidentally transmit on one of those channels with that radio you will get a $10,000 fine.  Its your choice, but are you willing to take that risk?
SOURCE: "some people" on this forum

Absolutely agree. Then you should call the FCC and report that you did this, so they can mark your file accordingly. Once completed, come back here and tell us how it went and what your pronouns are.

[WRTC928]

I can't imagine that 1 watt vs. 0.5 watt is going to get anyone's attention. I have my more powerful radios set up to listen only on those frequencies, but I can always change that if I want. I do have a couple of HTs that I measured at 0.7-0.8 watt on low and I leave them set to transmit, although I don't ever recall using them on those frequencies. For me, it's a matter of courtesy. People using FRS radios at 0.5 watt don't want me stepping all over them with 5 watts. I very much doubt you'd get in any trouble with any agency for using 1 watt, and it probably wouldn't be excessively disruptive to people using 0.5 watt. Short answer: do whatever you think is courteous; you are extremely unlikely to get in any actual trouble for it.

[WRYS709]

16 hours ago, ElectricXpert said:

I have a Kenwood TK-372G commercial radio programmed for all 22 channels and some repeaters with a Nagoya NA-701G antenna. The Kenwood TK-372G has dual part 90 and 95A type acceptance. This radio outputs 4 watts on high power and 1 watt on low power. The FCC limit for channels 8-14 is 0.5w and this radio does not go that low. Should I remove those channels or disable Tx on them or should I lock the Tx to 1 watt on those channels (which I have done).

DR;TL (the previous comments)

Here is the scoop: Channels 8-14 are the so-called interstitial channels situated halfway between the Inputs of the 8 Repeater Channels:

Theoretically using higher power and Wide-Band FM on these channels MAY cause interference on the Adjoining Repeater Input channels, so the FCC limits them to HTs using 0.5 watts and Narrow Band.

Since you are in the highly populated SoCal area, probably ALL 8 Repeater channels are populated by some one or more repeaters in your area.

So, using a 4 Watt Kenwood on Wide Band is probably not that advisable and yes, you should lock out these channels (which you have done)!

[wrci350]

467 MHz interstitial channels. Only hand-held portable units may transmit on these 7 channels. The channel center frequencies are: 467.5625, 467.5875, 467.6125, 467.6375, 467.6625, 467.6875, and 467.7125 MHz.

If you want to follow the rules, lock them out.

[WRYZ926]

While I haven't tested it, I doubt that 5 watts on channels 8-14 would cause much of an issue with the nearby repeater channels, especially if you keep channels 8-14 set to narrow band. Now I can see those channels set to wide band and using 20 or more watts causing issues.

Again I would not worry about 1 watt on channels 8-14. Just leave them set to narrow band.

[ElectricXpert]

2 hours ago, WRYZ926 said:

While I haven't tested it, I doubt that 5 watts on channels 8-14 would cause much of an issue with the nearby repeater channels, especially if you keep channels 8-14 set to narrow band. Now I can see those channels set to wide band and using 20 or more watts causing issues.

Again I would not worry about 1 watt on channels 8-14. Just leave them set to narrow band.

I actually set all 22 channels to narrowband except for the named repeater channels. I have one of the function buttons set to toggle the RF power from high to low. On channels 8-14 the button just beeps and stays at low power. I use the low power mode to save battery life and to talk to FRS radios.

[WRYS709]

7 hours ago, WRYZ926 said:

While I haven't tested it, I doubt that 5 watts on channels 8-14 would cause much of an issue with the nearby repeater channels, especially if you keep channels 8-14 set to narrow band. Now I can see those channels set to wide band and using 20 or more watts causing issues.

Why don't you test out your theory and report back for us.

Cruise over to Mexico, MO and go on Channels 9 and 10 and blast away and see if you make any friends on the Mex 600 Repeater!?! 

[WRYZ926]

8 hours ago, WRYS709 said:

Why don't you test out your theory and report back for us.

Cruise over to Mexico, MO and go on Channels 9 and 10 and blast away and see if you make any friends on the Mex 600 Repeater!?! 

I'm not going to upset myself by testing that with the Mex 600 repeater since I am the one that maintains it. 

Edited to add: None of the other users would get upset at me as long as I announce that I am testing before hand.

[WRYS709]

14 minutes ago, WRYZ926 said:

I'm not going to upset myself by testing that with the Mex 600 repeater since I am the one that maintains it. 

I sure hit that one on the nose! hahaha

[WRYZ926]

Well there is no getting to the repeater for a while with all of the snow and ice we have right now.

I did do one test this morning between an unlocked hand held and my base radio. The base antenna is 17 feet directly above my shack. I programmed the repeater input into my Wouxun KG1000G and then used my Wouxun KG-Q10H to transmit on channels 9 and 10. The Q10H puts out 3.5 watts on high power on channels 9 and 10. 

I had the KG1000G side A on the repeater channel  and side B on the repeater input so that I could monitor both. I didn't hear anything on either when I keyed up the Q10H on channels 9 and 10 on high power.  I tried with the HT set to narrow and wide band and no difference between the 2 at 3.5 watts.

I tried with and without tones set on the Q10H and the repeater input. I never heard anything or saw the signal meter move on the repeater's input or output on the KG1000G while transmitting on the Q10H. I didn't expect to hear anything on the repeater's output since I am 21.5 miles away from the repeater site. But if there was going to be any interference, I still should have heard something on the repeater's input with the HT only 17 feet below the base antenna.

I also had another HT on and listening to channels 9 and 10. I did hear the Q10H on the other HT when I transmitted.

I will try it again at the repeater site once all the snow and ice is gone.

But what I can see from my test this morning, I would not worry one bit about interfering with repeater channels by transmitting on channels 8-14 with  3.5 watts or below.

PS: I didn't bother testing with any of my Part 95 certified HT's since they will only transmit at 0.5 watts.