Using FRS/GMRS/MURS in USA

[kamen]

Hello all, I am a HAM newbie from Canada. Just got my amateur radio licence last year and still have a lot of confusion and questions.

I plan to go to Disneyland with my family in this summer. Thinking about we might need an walkie talkie as a communication tool, while we are in Disneyland and in a shopping outlet. In my experience with the Motorola FRS/GMRS radio, we really need a good sight of view in order to have a good communication quality. If my wife was somewhere in the other side of the shopping outlet, the chance to talk to her with the FRS is very low.

How about MURS? What I learned, MURS is also required no licenses in USA but with a power limit of 2 watts (instead of 0.5w in FRS/GMRS). Would this be a better option? I know some HT UHF/VHF radios has 136-174mhz and 400-520mhz, which should cover the MURS 151mhz. Also, those HT can set to low power at 1 watt or 2 watts. Or do you have any suggestion on HT radio for this MURS application?

My wife does not have the ham license, is this legal for her to use the HT radio which is locked to MURS frequency with 1 watt or 2 watts power?

Thanks in advance.

 

[nd5y]

If you want to be legal then you have to use a radio certified for MURS (Part 95 J).
One of the requirements for MURS certification is the radio cannot be capable of operation on any other frequencies.
As far as I know only Motorola, Dakota Alert and Ritron currently make MURS radios.

 

[kamen]

If you want to be legal then you have to use a radio certified for MURS (Part 95 J).
One of the requirements for MURS certification is the radio cannot be capable of operation on any other frequencies.
As far as I know only Motorola, Dakota Alert and Ritron currently make MURS radios.

"If I want to be legal...." Haha....

Thanks for the info anyway.

 

[n1das]

Grandfathered Part 90 equipment is allowed on MURS provided it meets all MURS technical requirements. The radio has to meet all technical requirements for MURS (power level, bandwidth, etc.) and have been Part 90 type accepted prior to the cutoff date in late 2002 (November, IIRC).

I own a pair of Motorola CP100 VHF portables. They are Part 90 portables and are a variant of the popular XTN series portables you often see used in Walmart* and other retail outlets. They have all 5 MURS freqs plus several other VHF business freqs (27 total) available to program in the radio. These radios meet all technical requirements for MURS but are Part 90 radios. They received Part 90 type acceptance a few months before the cutoff date in late 2002 for grandfathering of Part 90 equipment in MURS. Part 90 equipment type accepted after the cutoff date is technically not legal for MURS use. The only reason I'm holding onto these radios is they are squeaky clean and legal as MURS radios because of the grandfathering of older Part 90 radios.

 

[mmckenna]

How about MURS? What I learned, MURS is also required no licenses in USA but with a power limit of 2 watts (instead of 0.5w in FRS/GMRS). Would this be a better option?

Answered well above...

I'll add that in the USA, GMRS is not limited to 0.5 watts. We can actually run up to 50 watts. Difference between US and Canada is that in the US it requires a specific GMRS license. Your amateur radio license doesn't give you any GMRS privileges in the USA.

Cell phones are going to be your best bet. In an around Disneyland there can be a lot of FRS and GMRS traffic. Pipsqueak consumer grade radios will work, but you may be disappointed.

 

[bill4long]

Not legal per FCC regulations. But in that situation I would get two UV-82C Baofeng (part 90 certified), program them for MURS and use them without losing a bit of sleep. Keep in mind MURS channels 1-3 are "narrow band", channels 4 and 5 are not.

 

[kamen]

Grandfathered Part 90 equipment is allowed on MURS provided it meets all MURS technical requirements. The radio has to meet all technical requirements for MURS (power level, bandwidth, etc.) and have been Part 90 type accepted prior to the cutoff date in late 2002 (November, IIRC).

I own a pair of Motorola CP100 VHF portables. They are Part 90 portables and are a variant of the popular XTN series portables you often see used in Walmart* and other retail outlets. They have all 5 MURS freqs plus several other VHF business freqs (27 total) available to program in the radio. These radios meet all technical requirements for MURS but are Part 90 radios. They received Part 90 type acceptance a few months before the cutoff date in late 2002 for grandfathering of Part 90 equipment in MURS. Part 90 equipment type accepted after the cutoff date is technically not legal for MURS use. The only reason I'm holding onto these radios is they are squeaky clean and legal as MURS radios because of the grandfathering of older Part 90 radios.

Great info. Thanks a lot.

 

[kamen]

Not legal per FCC regulations. But in that situation I would get two UV-82C Baofeng (part 90 certified), program them for MURS and use them without losing a bit of sleep. Keep in mind MURS channels 1-3 are "narrow band", channels 4 and 5 are not.

UV-82C is part 90 certified? But I believe it's not grandfathered, right?

Well, I can hardly find one selling Motorola CP100 at $115 + shipping, while UV-82C is only half of the price...

 

[kamen]

Answered well above...

I'll add that in the USA, GMRS is not limited to 0.5 watts. We can actually run up to 50 watts. Difference between US and Canada is that in the US it requires a specific GMRS license. Your amateur radio license doesn't give you any GMRS privileges in the USA.

Cell phones are going to be your best bet. In an around Disneyland there can be a lot of FRS and GMRS traffic. Pipsqueak consumer grade radios will work, but you may be disappointed.

Thanks. Good to know.

My kids are 4 and 10.... have them carrying a cell phone probably not a good idea. Plus the roaming charge is $2.00 per minutes. Could have lots of surprises after the trip....

 

[mmckenna]

Thanks. Good to know.

My kids are 4 and 10.... have them carrying a cell phone probably not a good idea. Plus the roaming charge is $2.00 per minutes. Could have lots of surprises after the trip....

Yeah, not a lot of options.

I wouldn't trust a 4 year old with anything more than an FRS type radio. 10 year old should be just fine. Probably won't want them wandering around on their own. I know I wouldn't let my 10 year old wander around Disneyland on his own, or anywhere else in California.

MURS legal issues aside, the low end Chinese radios might be an option. If you were looking for legal advice, I think it's been well covered. MURS tends to be pretty sparsely used.

 

[gewecke]

"If I want to be legal...." Haha....

Thanks for the info anyway.

. IF not then go back where you came from. :wink: 73, n9zas

 

[bill4long]

UV-82C is part 90 certified? But I believe it's not grandfathered, right?

Correct on both accounts

 

[mike_gain]

Most of the bubble pack FRS/GMRS ht's are only limited to .5 watts on the 7 shared channels. The rest of the channels usually run a couple of watts.

 

[kamen]

Most of the bubble pack FRS/GMRS ht's are only limited to .5 watts on the 7 shared channels. The rest of the channels usually run a couple of watts.

Oh it's true. I just checked the manual of my Motorola. The FRS channel has 0.5 watt. GMRS and GMRS/FRS channel has 1 watt.

 

[bharvey2]

My wife has a thing for Disneyland so we're there a couple of times a year. If radios are your tool of choice, I'd go with UHF since there are a lot of buildings to get in the way. Although I've seen a lot of families with bubble pack radios, I just wouldn't expect much mileage out of FRS. 5W GMRS radios would be a better way to go but I'm not sure if GMRS licenses can be obtained by non US citizens. (I could be wrong, I've just never researched this.) Furthermore, I don't know what your feelings are about supplying your 4 yr old with a full 5W radio. (My kids are in their 20s so that isn't a problem)

Most of my radio activity in the Parks have been HAM related. As I alluded to above, I've had a little better lick with UHF over VHF. Some of that activity has been hitting local repeaters so that may not be a fair test.

I'm not sure of the cost but have you considered pre-paid phones? You buy the cheapest ones you could find in Anaheim and wouldn't need to worry about roaming.

 

[N4GIX]

Non-citizens of the U.S. may certainly obtain a GMRS license for their transient family use. I'm not sure $65 USD is a worthwhile expense though. I think the pre-paid disposable cell phones is the best idea yet.

 

[AI7PM]

"If I want to be legal...." Haha....

Thanks for the info anyway.

That pretty much cover the sentiment on GMRS and FRS ops in the US anymore. Pretty much becoming the new CB Land.

 

[bill4long]

Use MURS frequencies. No problemmo.

 

[kamen]

My wife has a thing for Disneyland so we're there a couple of times a year. If radios are your tool of choice, I'd go with UHF since there are a lot of buildings to get in the way. Although I've seen a lot of families with bubble pack radios, I just wouldn't expect much mileage out of FRS. 5W GMRS radios would be a better way to go but I'm not sure if GMRS licenses can be obtained by non US citizens. (I could be wrong, I've just never researched this.) Furthermore, I don't know what your feelings are about supplying your 4 yr old with a full 5W radio. (My kids are in their 20s so that isn't a problem)

Most of my radio activity in the Parks have been HAM related. As I alluded to above, I've had a little better lick with UHF over VHF. Some of that activity has been hitting local repeaters so that may not be a fair test.

I'm not sure of the cost but have you considered pre-paid phones? You buy the cheapest ones you could find in Anaheim and wouldn't need to worry about roaming.

For sure no cell phone or 5W radio for my 4 years old. My 10 years old daughter could handle a radio but a bit worried with a phone (unless I can find an old phone, not smartphone).

Anyway, both should stay either with my wife or me at all time. I would not let them going somewhere far by themselves except washroom or gift shop.

The radio is just a backup resource... (cross my fingers).

Pre-paid phone card is good suggestion, but not as convenience as radio in my opinion. Let me do some research. Thanks for the suggestion.

 

[kamen]

Non-citizens of the U.S. may certainly obtain a GMRS license for their transient family use. I'm not sure $65 USD is a worthwhile expense though. I think the pre-paid disposable cell phones is the best idea yet.

It is expensive for a week use, in my opinion. But good to know. Thanks.