What kind of activity is heard on MURS radios now days?

[kc0bus]

Hi,
I've been thinking of possibly getting a MURS radio. But exactly what type of radio traffic can be heard on MURS on the air now days? Is there any kind of activity and if so what kind? Is it personal communications or is it business or both or just what exactly? Is there very much activity or none at all?
Thanks

 

[nd5y]

What you hear will depend on your location. Is there something preventing you from programming the MURS frequencies in a scanner and actually listening to activity in your area?

 

[ScanWI]

Walmart uses it at most stores, typically 154.570

 

[K7MFC]

Once in a while I'll hear retail activity on MURS when I pull into a parking lot. Other than that, I don't hear much. MURS was carved out of old business band dot/star channels and companies like Walmart and other national retailers often have licenses allowing for nationwide low power use of MURS frequencies. I personally don't have any use for a MURS radio at this time, but I do like that there is a low power, license-free VHF service available for common use should I ever need it!

 

[wrath]

Every now and then I hear children playing war or getting into arguments over childish crap ,it's usually late in the evening and constantly makes me wonder who though these radios are appropriate to give to children & why ? Sure when I was younger I had a CB handheld that i could talk to truckers on,but these are actual children not 16 or 17 and these are wholly not appropriate for there age group. Other than them I don't hear much , the city is licensed for MURS with a repeater but i have never heard anyone use it.


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[nd5y]

companies like Walmart and other national retailers often have licenses allowing for nationwide low power use of MURS frequencies.

Not any more. Show me one.

 

[wtp]

like

the 4 walmart's in my county and sam's club and the walmart neighborhood market.
just to start the list.

 

[pinballwiz86]

Businesses use MURS for the most part. Consumers use bubble pack (FRS, GMRS).

 

[alcahuete]

Not any more. Show me one.

Uhhhhhhhh......there are tons all over the country.

One of our local Wal-Mart and Sam's Club uses MURS. The other Wal-Mart uses MURS for the general employees and GMRS for the managers. The managers carry both on their belt.

 

[nd5y]

Uhhhhhhhh......there are tons all over the country.

One of our local Wal-Mart and Sam's Club uses MURS. The other Wal-Mart uses MURS for the general employees and GMRS for the managers. The managers carry both on their belt.

Show me a link to a currently active nationwide license for Walmart on a MURS frequency. MURS is license by rule. Station licenses are not required.

 

[alcahuete]

Show me a link to a currently active nationwide license for Walmart on a MURS frequency. MURS is license by rule. Station licenses are not required.

Oh, I have no idea about the licenses. I didn't make that claim. I'm just saying they are in use by businesses all over the place. Correct that station licenses aren't required anymore, though they used to have them, i.e. for the Blue Dot and Green Dot frequencies. Do they still have licenses for them that are still valid and haven't expired? I haven't a clue.

 

[NC1]

I am in a very rural area and hear people using them all the time. Mostly it's local farms or workers who are in the area. I do hear people at campgrounds and parks in the area (both visitors and employees), and golf courses almost any time of the day, and on all the frequencies.

I have a commercial VHF antenna which is 30 feet up, and am located on a high ridge top with almost 360 degree views, so I can hear many miles away. MURS is a lot more active than people realize simply because they cannot receive much for a number of reasons.

 

[doctordruidphd]

From the wikipedia article on MURS:

Because previous business band licensees who have maintained their active license remain grandfathered with their existing operating privileges, it is possible to find repeaters or other operations not authorized by Part 95 taking place. These are not necessarily illegal. If legal, such operations may enjoy primary status on their licensed frequency and as such are legally protected from harmful interference by MURS users.

That's one reason it's called "Multi Use Radio Service."

154.470 (blue dot) and 154.460 (green dot) are former Part 90 (I believe) frequencies, and license holders for those frequencies were "grandfathered in", so it is indeed very possible to hear them on these two freqs. In the area where I live, the local school buses still operate on blue dot.

Otherwise, I hear absolutely nothing on any of the MURS channels, But then, I hear nothing on FRS or GMRS, either. Lucky me, I suppose.

 

[NC1]

That's one reason it's called "Multi Use Radio Service."

154.470 (blue dot) and 154.460 (green dot) are former Part 90 (I believe) frequencies, and license holders for those frequencies were "grandfathered in", so it is indeed very possible to hear them on these two freqs. In the area where I live, the local school buses still operate on blue dot.

I believe you mean 154.570 and 154.600. Those two frequencies are not subject to narrow banding, but the other 3 are.

 

[doctordruidphd]

Sorry about that. That's what happens when the cats "help" with the typing.

 

[KR7CQ]

I thought that MURS had been renamed to "the Walmart band" lol? I haven't heard anyone else use it in my area in years. I would think that if you stay off of the frequency that the nearest Walmart uses, you would mostly have the other frequencies to yourself. I can pick up a MURS handheld from 6-7 miles away, and I don't hear a peep other than nearby Walmarts.

 

[K7MFC]

Not any more. Show me one.

Just a guess, not necessarily a statement of fact. I'm not gonna start digging thru FCC licenses for Wally World lol

 

[KK4JUG]

Just a guess, not necessarily a statement of fact. I'm not gonna start digging thru FCC licenses for Wally World lol

Don't bother. Everyone knows he right.

 

[dmaria]

the 4 walmart's in my county and sam's club and the walmart neighborhood market.
just to start the list.

They have a license, or do they just use it? Because it doesn't require a license.

 

[6079smithw]

Lots of Walmart traffic on 154.570 here in the Reno/Sparks NV area. I've also heard surveyor crews and a couple of car rental outfits out at the airport on 154.60. May be a warehouse on 151.880; infrequent use and pretty weak signal..