880H Out-Of-Band

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jtech48

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I recently purchased an 880H transceiver to monitor VHF/UHF fire and police frequencies. Ive been searching online and trying to find a way to maybe modify this radio to TX out of band into GMRS range. Out of the box the radio only transmits 144-148mhz, 430-450mhz but receives 118-173.995, 230-549.995, 810-823.990, 849-868.990, 894-999.990 MHz. Is there a way this could be done?
 

gewecke

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No, Just be happy it receives what it does, and if you don't have a amateur radio license then DO NOT transmit on it.

If you want GMRS then purchase a GMRS radio, that radio is not it. ;)
Your GMRS license doesn't allow you to transmit on radios intended for the amateur radio service.

73,
n9zas
 
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jtech48

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I know my limitations, I have plenty of radios that do the 450-512, I was just wondering if someone had found a way to do it on this radio. I never mentioned if I even had amateur repeaters on this radio or that I even tried to transmit on them. I was simply asking a question not related to amateur service
 

gewecke

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Nope, no mods for it. It's just a good quality dual band ham rig. :)

73,
n9zas
 

WB4CS

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While a radio can be modified to TX out of band, it is not legal to do so. (The modification is legal, using it to transmit is not) That Icom model is an amateur radio designed for the Part 97 amateur radio spectrum. In order to use a radio on GMRS the radio must be FCC Part 95 certified.

Please read over this thread to fully understand why it's not a good idea to do what you're trying to do:
Why is Out of Band Transmit Illegal?
You'll notice on page 2 there is a quote from an FCC Enforcement Officer which plainly states it is illegal and can impose several thousand dollars of fines.

If you're looking for a radio that can do GMRS, I'd recommend looking over the GMRS forums here for advice on radios that can do GMRS and are Part 95 certified.
 
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Icom ID-880H Mods « NE-FL D-STAR System

I know several people who have "expanded" their ID-880. I found the above link on a quick Yahoo search.

I, too, do not endorse opening up HAM equipment, though express myself with a bit less attitude than some others. There are technical reasons involving the equipment that generally drive my primary
argument against it, vs the legal side. I know operators using it in GMRS, FRS, and MURS, as well as Fire and Law personnel who have their "Company" freqs programmed in.

Get your Amateur Radio license. It will open up a whole new perspective for you on these matters.
 

gewecke

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I don't condone illegal operation either, that's WHY I refrain from posting the mods to do so...

73,
n9zas
 

Spankymedic7

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Hi Brandon,

This is entirely unrelated to the thread, but I had to tell you that I LOVE-LOVE-LOVE your "How To Sound Like A Lid" site!
 

N8IAA

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FWIW, I believe that GMRS is narrow band transmit width, which the 880H doesn't do. There are cheap mobiles out there (read Chinese) that are certified for operation on the bands you are looking for. The 880H is a great, inexpensive D-Star mobile.
Larry
 

WB4CS

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FWIW, I believe that GMRS is narrow band transmit width, which the 880H doesn't do. There are cheap mobiles out there (read Chinese) that are certified for operation on the bands you are looking for. The 880H is a great, inexpensive D-Star mobile.
Larry

I don't believe GMRS is subject to narrowband.

The cheap Chinese radios are Part 90 certified, but not Part 95 certified for GMRS, FRS, or MURS.
 

n4lne

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YES there is a MARS/CAP mod for the 880H. It is simple to do and it does open the radio up. Is legal to do the mod YES it is. Is it legal to use the radio outside of the ham bands NO it is not. There are no real technical problems if you do the mod as the radio is designed to work on those expanded frequencies when the radio is sold in other countries without all the petty laws we have here protecting manufactures. No I did not post the link here but the needed info is in the service manual. Enjoy
 
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I have been researching radios that are legal to use on GMRS (FCC Part 95a). The FCC web site has a list, and there are exceptions made for some Part 90 radios. Just beware the site is sloooow, and there are 980 radios listed as Part 95 compatible. Some used Part 90 equipment may be a good option.
 

DanoScan

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MSX8g1wm6U8 You Tube Video on how to do it. Remove the two diodes shown. I have not done this mod, so I cannot tell you what bands and frequencies it expands. To all the FCC armchair deputies who answered your question with a FCC rules and regulations crash course, WE KNOW THAT. When the SHTF, nobody will give a rats behind. If it weren't for curious minds and experimentation, we would not have a ham radio hobby at all. Better to have the mod done and not need it, than to need it and not have it. And as you are aware, transmit at your own risk.
 

robertmac

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Is this the same as licensed to carry a gun, but not legal to shoot someone?
 

AK9R

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The OP asked a question over three years ago. KG5FBR posted some new info about how to do the mod, so that information is relevant to the thread. The FCC rules comments are not. Just let it go.
 

N4KVE

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In the past, the mod had to be done to RX, as well as TX out of band. But in the newer radios, the rx mod is already done, & the radios receive DC to daylight. So the TX mod is not necessary. Just last weekend at a hamfest I saw plenty of part 90, & 95 radios for $25 each. This is why many of us use commercial radios which are perfectly legal to use in the ham band. But it does not work the other way around.
 
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