Modding Ham Radio Equpiment

[62Truck]

I have a question. don't mean to open up a can of worms here. I am curios and looking for answers here. I know with some folks modding ham equipment is like a big no no. So my questions is why do the manufactures make it so you can? I know years ago when they outlawed listening to portable/cell phone freqs and the scanners were made in such a way you couldn't. So if it illegal to mod ham equipment so they say (never seen anything officially, saying it was) why don't that add that black epoxy stuff they put on scanners?

 

[prcguy]

Its not illegal to mod ham equipment to transmit out of band. It is illegal to transmit out of the ham bands for which the radio is type accepted for even if you have a license for those frequencies.
prcguy

 

[GTR8000]

........................

 

[Nap]

I guess it's about people buying internationally. For example, here in Canada there are no legal restrictions on the analog cellular band reception (and we don't have any analog cell phones left around either). Buying an US version of the radio and "unlocking" the bands that are legal to receive in Canada will produce a radio that is legal to operate in Canada. So not all "mods" are doing illegal things.

 

[K9WG]

Its not illegal to mod ham equipment to transmit out of band. It is illegal to transmit out of the ham bands for which the radio is type accepted for even if you have a license for those frequencies.
prcguy

With exception of MARS.

 

[prcguy]

Ok there are a few exceptions like USCG AUX which is governed by NTIA instead of the FCC. But most people would not be able to legally use a modified ham rig out of band.
prcguy

With exception of MARS.

 

[LtDoc]

Speaking only for the amateur service.
It's not illegal to modify amateur equipment to be capable of operating out of band. It IS illegal to operate that equipment out of band. Being a member of MARS means that you do have permission to operate out of the amateur bands in specific instances. Big difference in being able to and actually doing so.
- 'Doc

 

[Nap]

It IS illegal to operate that equipment out of band.

Unless there is an immediate danger to your life and you transmit a distress signal.

 

[62Truck]

Unless there is an immediate danger to your life and you transmit a distress signal.

That is the only reason why my FT60 and my FT8800 is modified. If I want to talk on murs or GMRS I have commercial radios for that. So I guess if it was that much of a big deal then they wouldn't make the radios so you could modify them.

 

[reedeb]

Unless there is an immediate danger to your life and you transmit a distress signal.

The trouble is MOST [but not all] cellphones will work as they have coverage, and almost [but again not all] folks have cellphones. I would understand using it in an area where cell service is unavailable and you couldn't find anyone on a repeater.

 

[Nap]

That is the only reason why my FT60 and my FT8800 is modified. If I want to talk on murs or GMRS I have commercial radios for that. So I guess if it was that much of a big deal then they wouldn't make the radios so you could modify them.

I wish they could do them "moddable" in a different way than the current one. Something that you could do easily in an emergency.

E.g. to mod my current radio I would need some elaborate disassembling steps, cutting off a very small diode then assembling the whole thing back. I'm not sure I could do it in an emergency. I'm not willing to do it now either, as the "factory" setup prevents me from accidentally transmitting on the wrong frequency, which is a Good Thing.

 

[K9WG]

The trouble is MOST [but not all] cellphones will work as they have coverage, and almost [but again not all] folks have cellphones. I would understand using it in an area where cell service is unavailable and you couldn't find anyone on a repeater.

I fall under the [but not all] catagory. My cell phone stopped working halfway through South Dakota and I didn't have coverage in WY and MT. I did however have my trusty 2-meter... :lol: