More frequencies for the Motorola HT1000

[KC9VZV]

Hi all!

Let me start off by saying that I am not sure which topic to put this under, but the 'Motorola Forum' seemed the most appropriate. I apologize in advance if this turns out to be in the wrong topic.

Now to the main question. I just bought a Motorola HT1000 (UHF 450-520 MHz - 16 Channel) on eBay. I bought it mainly to use as a scanner, but I figure I might as well try to find a way to transmit on it while I'm at it. My main question is: Is there any frequency or frequencies that I could LEGALLY transmit on with the HT1000 WITHOUT a license? If you need a location to better answer this question, I live in the Chicago suburban area

Also, seeing as how I am only familiar with scanners, not Motorola radios, I have a couple more quick questions:
The description of the radio says that it has 'MDC1200 signaling'. What is that? How does it work?
The description of the radio also says that it has 'Quik-Call'. What is that? How does it work?

I apologize for my ignorance on this topic.

 

[RRSINC]

No there are no frequencies you can transmit on with an ht1000 without a license

MDC1200 is a signaling protocol - it is used to send the radio caller ID, Emergency Signal as well as other functions such as receiving call alerts and disabling the radio from the console

Quick Call is a used for using your radio as a pager similar to a Minitor pager. When quick call is enabled it will keep the radio silent until it receives a two-tone page to open it up.

 

[KC9VZV]

No there are no frequencies you can transmit on with an ht1000 without a license

MDC1200 is a signaling protocol - it is used to send the radio caller ID, Emergency Signal as well as other functions such as receiving call alerts and disabling the radio from the console

Quick Call is a used for using your radio as a pager similar to a Minitor pager. When quick call is enabled it will keep the radio silent until it receives a two-tone page to open it up.

Thank you very much! Now, are there any frequencies that I can LEGALLY transmit on with the HT1000 within this band-split that I DO need a license for (other than the Amateur Radio frequencies)? I know about the GMRS frequencies, but is there anything other than GMRS and Ham radio? From the little bit I know about the Business Band, it sounds like I couldn't transmit on those frequencies, but I am pretty unclear about the details on that. I am just trying to find some more frequencies to have programmed into the radio seeing as how it is 16 Channel, and I only have between 4 and 6 frequencies to put in currently. Since the HT1000 is such a hassle to program, I would rather not need to have it reprogrammed for a long time.
Thanks!

 

[davidgcet]

sure, you can get a license for business frequencies, it will run you a few hundred bucks for coordination and you must show a need for them. you will only be allowed to use the exact frequency licensed to you, no others. if your radio is not one of later HT1000, then it won't do narrowband and therefore would be illegal to transmit on any UHF frequency(even one you hold a license on) other than GMRS/HAM after 1/1/13.

 

[KC9VZV]

Ok. Thank you! Just to put it basically to make sure I am understanding, there is no public frequencies whatsoever that I can legally transmit on using the HT1000 without some sort of license? I just want to be able to transmit... haha!

 

[davidgcet]

nope, not legally.

 

[KC9VZV]

*sigh* ok. well, thanks for your help!

 

[Skypilot007]

I usually put FRS bubble pack channels in at low power to test. No license required for those channels. You could also go to the FCC web site and get a GMRS license for $85.00 and be almost legal. Yeah I know the radio is not type accepted for those channels....who's gona know and who really cares. Most everybody on FRS/GMRS/MURS channels around here is breaking every rule in the book. Its the new CB band so have at it good buddy.

 

[KC9VZV]

I usually put FRS bubble pack channels in at low power to test. No license required for those channels. You could also go to the FCC web site and get a GMRS license for $85.00 and be almost legal. Yeah I know the radio is not type accepted for those channels....who's gona know and who really cares. Most everybody on FRS/GMRS/MURS channels around here is breaking every rule in the book. Its the new CB band so have at it good buddy.

What is a bubble pack? I still don't want to transmit illegally, just in case...

 

[davidgcet]

to be legal on FRS you have to be low power AND have a non-removable antenna, so the HT will not be technically legal due to the antenna. it would be legal for GMRS, or at least not frowned upon so long as you have a license.

 

[mancow]

Throw the FRS channels in it and have fun. Despite what some may say nobody will kick down your door.

 

[rfradioconsult]

Duh. FRS channels are narrowband, 2.5 KHz deviation.

 

[KC9VZV]

Throw the FRS channels in it and have fun. Despite what some may say nobody will kick down your door.

Thank you, but as long as it is illegal, I will have to put up with the radio being receive-only (or until i get my ham license.)

 

[ssd]

Look the fcc will never know and evey 1 on here who says it illeagl to put in gmrs and frs in the radio is just trying to play rr radio police on here. I have the gmrs and frs in all my uhf radios at high power on tx. And no fcc agent will kick in my door or any thing. You know why cuz the are in there office on there laptops talking to u says don't put in pay us the money we want and we will give 460,12250, well hope u like ur ht1000 it a dam good radio I love the 12 I got. And we ues them all the time in the woods for the kids to talk on. And the big boys got the astro saber in p25 to play with

 

[chrismol1]

In this case you have no intent to do any harm. Your smart enough not to go and just start talking on the radio and be stupid. You might as well put FRS channels in, the FRS radios on store shelves are plentiful so you can play around with the radios like all the kids do. go ahead and have yourself all the fun you want

 

[Gezelle007]

And the big boys got the astro saber in p25 to play with

Lmao, You say this ^ , and your signature says "astro saber mod 3 800 p25"... the FCC might get a pit pissed off if you are using 800mhz to just mess around on...

 

[Gezelle007]

In this case you have no intent to do any harm. Your smart enough not to go and just start talking on the radio and be stupid. You might as well put FRS channels in, the FRS radios on store shelves are plentiful so you can play around with the radios like all the kids do. go ahead and have yourself all the fun you want

they even have the gmrs ones on the shelves and no one ever says anything about having a license to use them... the thing that makes me mad is that people buy them because the advertisements say "20 extra channels!" even though they are just hard coded with PL/DPL...

 

[KC9VZV]

Ok. Well, since it isn't legal, I will not be programming FRS frequencies into my HT1000, but thanks for all of your help, everyone!

 

[chrismol1]

Good luck

 

[N0BDW]

If you get a VHF HT1000 you can legally transmit on MURS with them. MURS is like CB except much less used because it is much less known about. Some businesses still use it (including a lot of WalMart locations). UHF, not so much. The HT1000 UHF 450+MHz model won't do you any good to transmit on the ham band either. The ham band is lower, at 420 - 450MHz (ending right where your radio starts). So, the particular radio you got will not do you any good for transmitting. But you can definitely get HT1000s that will transmit in the ham bands or on MURS.