New forum member new baofeng uv-5r owner no ham license

[Preynolds79]

Is there freq's I can broadcast on with my baofeng without violating fcc regulations? I am a prepper and i bought this radio to monitor emergency channels and communicat with friends and family during emergencies where normal cellphone and landline communications are down. I have CHIRP software but this radio lacks any decent directions on programming it manually or with the CHIRP software. since I only wish to use it in those rare situations how do i set this up? Is there a site I am unaware of that has the image files I need to listen to weather local police and state police channels but not transmit. And also any regular of the shelf radio frequencies I can test transmission on for future personal use during emergencies?

 

[nd5y]

Is there freq's I can broadcast on with my baofeng without violating fcc regulations?

No. It is probably only legal to use buy licensed amateur radio operators.
Depending on who the actual manufacturer and importer was, it might have FCC Part 90 certification. That means It is legal to use on private land mobile radio frequencies by licensees (a company or a state/local goverment) or with permission of a licensee.

For manual programming information see UV5R, UV6R, GT3 Info - Miklor.
The Chirp web site Home - CHIRP has complete documentation for Chirp software.

 

[willstuder]

You will have a hard time finding help due to abuse of these radios. Feel free to PM me or contact me via my website n7wsy.com and I will be happy to assist.

 

[Preynolds79]

That is unfortunate people should be able to use the item's they purchase provided there's no regulations on the market for that item until they abuse the privilege. It is my understanding that this radio is over qualified for the functions I wish to use it for, however there is a much wider selection of accessories then a common Wal-Mart walkie talkie and I wouldn't need a second scanner. Also I'm willing to face whatever penalty I would have to answer for on my own in a situation where I needed to break fcc regulations to make sure my people's are okay so i don't understand why someone else would be hesitant to point me in the right direction.

If it turns out I need to get a ham license then I'll pursuit it but I'd rather not have to learn a bunch of boring legal information on something I don't have a lot of interest in and will only be using in a rare set of circumstances

 

[Preynolds79]

Bah turns out fcc regulations have more bite then I had realised. I can't use the store bought radio frequencies because I could cause interference by walking over someone I cannot even hear because the uv5r transmission power levels...

 

[dkscan]

Have a look at this thread: https://forums.radioreference.com/threads/baofeng-uv-5r-make-scanner-only.290897/

 

[jaspence]

Most of today's emergency communications are on frequencies that the radio cannot receive. It can monitor NOAA and ham weather nets, but that is the limit the radio's ability.

 

[buddrousa]

You can buy a car and not have a drivers licensee and you have broken no laws until you drive the car with out a drivers licensee also it is not against the law to buy a car but it is against the law to drive the car without insurance you also have to buy car tags and register the car.

 

[mmckenna]

If it turns out I need to get a ham license then I'll pursuit it but I'd rather not have to learn a bunch of boring legal information on something I don't have a lot of interest in and will only be using in a rare set of circumstances

I'd encourage you to get your amateur license. Not only will it make it legal to use the radio to transmit on amateur radio frequencies, but it also gives you access to a lot of resources you won't get without it.
Most of this country is covered by amateur radio repeaters. Unless you get out in the sticks, chances are you'll be able to communicate through one of the many open/free 2 meter or 70 centimeter band amateur radio repeaters. That can greatly increase your coverage.
It also gives you a larger population of people to communicate with. Being able to reach someone outside your own circle can be a valuable tool to have.
While you can make these radios work on GMRS, FRS, MURS, etc. the resources there are much more limited, not to mention the legal issues.

The amateur radio license test is mostly entry level technical stuff, some questions about the rules as they apply to amateur radio, and some memory stuff about where you can legally transmit and where you can't. The test is really easy. You can study on line and take the test at local amateur radio clubs.
The technical knowledge you'll start to pick up (and hopefully continue to grow as you progress) will be valuable in any sort of disaster situation where you need a radio. In a true disaster having a consumer radio with little knowledge about how to make it work to the best of it's capabilities is going to limit you. On the other hand, having some technical knowledge will really help improve your chances of having reliable communications when you need it.


None of us here are the "radio police". We only try to share accurate information so you can make an educated decision. What you chose to do with your radio is up to you. You've been given some good advice about the legalities of it. It's up to you….

 

[sparklehorse]

If you’re not interested in getting a Ham license then I’d get a set of good FRS radios and be done with it. No license, no real learning curve, you just use them. Here’s the thing: No matter what frequencies or power level you use with your Baofeng you will not get significantly greater distance coverage than you’d have with FRS radios. I know because I’ve tried. All of these handheld radios, whether 1 watt, 2 watts or 5 watts, are only effective over a half mile to maybe one mile under typical terrain conditions. Forget any advertising you see that says 35 miles, 12 miles, or even 6 miles. Ain’t gonna happen unless you’re standing on the summit of a mountain. Any of these types of radios, including your Baofeng, are great for coordinating a caravan of cars cruising down the highway, or letting your hunting partner know where you’ve spotted game, but that is about it. Any idea you might have of talking to loved ones across town when all the cell towers are down is not realistic. This is where a Ham license can make sense, because with that, and your Baofeng programmed correctly, you actually can talk across town using a Ham repeater system, which is up on a mountaintop. But then your loved one you wish to talk to must also be a Ham. So I say stick with FRS radios but be aware of the limitations.

https://www.amazon.com/Motorola-Talkabout-T465-Rechargeable-Two-Way/dp/B00W75BL1S

.

 

[KR7CQ]

Having that Baofeng does not mean that you won't need a scanner. It is not a true scanner, it can't scan most of what you would likely want to hear, and it's scan speed is painfully slow. As sparklehorse said, your only non-license option is to buy cheap FRS radios (and use only the FRS frequencies if it has GMRS frequencies as well which require a license).

The wattage difference between the cheap FRS radios and the Baofeng means little in reality. Maybe a quarter mile range vs. a mile. Anything more than a few hundred yards away where the radios are not in sight will get sketchy regardless of wattage anyway, so hopefully you only need very short range communications. If you need longer range communications with non-family members get your ham license, it's incredibly easy to pass the first level of testing so that you can do access repeaters and several bands. For family-only use GMRS might be worth looking into, but repeaters are few and far between, and that puts you back to point to point simplex with a bit more wattage than FRS, but again, we are talking about reliable communications being limited to several hundred yards. Good luck.

 

[vagrant]

Is there freq's I can broadcast on with my baofeng without violating fcc regulations?

I was in a similar position as you. I had a Baofeng and wanted to use it without causing myself any grief.

I had some options:

- While I never intended to use it for Amateur stuff, I wanted to be legal if I needed to use it. A test, some online paperwork and $15 was all it took. That license lasts 10 years and is easy to renew at no additional fee.

- The no test option is a GMRS license which costs $70 and lasts for 10 years. Again, no test but some online paperwork and fee payment. I had my GMRS license within 24 hours, but I already had an FRN number. Your GMRS license covers you and your immediate family. It would appear that the GMRS license would work for your needs and allow you to talk with your family. Your friends should have their own GMRS license too. ( I believe someone made a thread on here regarding each step to get your GMRS license. )

There may be one or more GMRS repeaters in the area you live.
myGMRS.com - GMRS Repeater Directory

 

[ScanRite]

Another option is license free VHF MURS frequencies.

MURS: Unlicensed VHF

 

[plughie]

Short answer: no
Long answer: read Part 95 and Part 97

 

[cmdrwill]

Another option is license free VHF MURS frequencies.

MURS: Unlicensed VHF

NO not unlicensed, Licensed By Rule IF you follow ALL the FCC MURS Rules then you may operate.

And the RULE Require the radio to be Type Certified, and most baofeng radios do not meet the regulations.

 

[ScanRite]

I said nothing about the Bao radio being type accepted, only that it was an option for communication. Appropriate radios would be required.

And yes, they are unlicensed.

The Multi-Use Radio Service (MURS) is a two-way radio service consisting of five frequencies in the VHF spectrum. Established by the U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) in the fall of 2000, MURS is a radio service allowing for "licensed by use" operation, meaning that a FFC issued license is not necessary to operate a MURS transmitter. The FCC formally defines MURS as "a private, two-way, short distance voice or data communications service for personal or business activities of the general public".
There are some limitations to MURS: radio power is limited to 2 watts, MURS stations may not be connected to the public telephone network, radio repeaters are not permitted, and the highest point of any MURS antenna must not be more than 60 feet above the ground or 20 feet above the highest point of the structure on which it is mounted.