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came across a set of kenwood tk-3180's

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StMiLo

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my job has done away with these radios and i was fortunate enough to get a set before they salvaged them. i dont know much about them but push to talk. after reading i learned that you have to have a license to use them. knowing this i assume that the company i work for had a license, how do i take this set and use them for around the house purposes (business to pleasure)? do i even need a license for non-business use? i would assume no because you can just buy a cheap set and just use them right out the box.. would this be any different knowing they came from a workplace? they still have the name on the window (zone + channel) and a diamond shape symbol in the right corner (scrambler) and they don't work (meaning, even though i have them next to each other i can't hear anything). is this because i don't live near my workplace? knowing this i assume i would have to get them reprogrammed? how do i go about doing this? what do i need for these to work at/or aound my house? any thing you all can provide me will be very useful to this noobie... thanx in advance...
 

MTS2000des

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TK-3180s are very fine industrial/public safety grade radios.

Yes, to legally transmit with them, an FCC issued license is needed in the business radio service (aka Part 90). They will also require programming on those frequencies you are licensed for, which can be done by a Kenwood land mobile radio dealer in your area. Getting a part 90 licenses requires both coordinating for frequencies in your area and the FCC license itself. Both have fees associated with them.

These radios can also be used by licensed amateur radio operators in the 440MHz ham band, covered again, under their individual FCC issued amateur radio license of technician class or higher.

They CANNOT legally be used to transmit on FRS (Family Radio Service) frequencies as they are not certified by the FCC as FRS radios and have removable antennas.

You should NOT use them "around the house" or anywhere else for transmitting, as you are transmitting on radio channels that may be in use by someone else in your area (even if you cannot hear them) and may be causing interference. Unlicensed operation of such a radio is a violation of Federal law, and you risk monetary fines and confiscation of equipment if prosecuted.

If all you want is to use them with your family, kids, etc- you can probably sell them for more than enough to buy a set of high quality license free Family Radio Service radios on the used market and have enough left over to take your family to the movies, dinner, etc. :wink:
 

StMiLo

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TK-3180s are very fine industrial/public safety grade radios.

Yes, to legally transmit with them, an FCC issued license is needed in the business radio service (aka Part 90). They will also require programming on those frequencies you are licensed for, which can be done by a Kenwood land mobile radio dealer in your area. Getting a part 90 licenses requires both coordinating for frequencies in your area and the FCC license itself. Both have fees associated with them.

These radios can also be used by licensed amateur radio operators in the 440MHz ham band, covered again, under their individual FCC issued amateur radio license of technician class or higher.

They CANNOT legally be used to transmit on FRS (Family Radio Service) frequencies as they are not certified by the FCC as FRS radios and have removable antennas.

You should NOT use them "around the house" or anywhere else for transmitting, as you are transmitting on radio channels that may be in use by someone else in your area (even if you cannot hear them) and may be causing interference. Unlicensed operation of such a radio is a violation of Federal law, and you risk monetary fines and confiscation of equipment if prosecuted.

If all you want is to use them with your family, kids, etc- you can probably sell them for more than enough to buy a set of high quality license free Family Radio Service radios on the used market and have enough left over to take your family to the movies, dinner, etc. :wink:


this is all really new to me and i don't want to come off as rude or ignorant so if this really is a big deal then i might as well just sell these (which is a really great idea by the way, thank you very much) to business oriented personnel since that is what i assume these radio's are meant for as technical and sophisticated as they seem to be, not for just playing or casual purposes.

how much $ can i get for a set of a couple years used, cosmetically defected (wear and tear) but in great working condition? (2 hand helds, w/ 1700mAh batteries "KNB-33L", belt clip, interchangeable "whip" antenna "KRA-27M", optional d-ring ear pieces w/ptt mic "KHS-27", and 1 rapid rate charging dock "KSC-32") so 2 fully functioning walkies and 1 charging dock.

say i was going to sell them, how would i get the zones and channels to delete what it says from the display like a full wipe and reset? i would have to reprogram them before doing so, right? how would one go about doing this? i dont know of any kenwood land mobile radio dealers in my area that would be able to help me so i would have do this on my own.

out of curiosity, what are the license and frequency fee's that are associated with the fcc that you speak of.. or if you can possibly post a link of where i can see this, that would be very nice..
can anyone be an amateur radio operator? (hense the word "amateur") or do you actually have to be trained to become one?

unlike cell phones where they can see who is who with ip/mac addresses and gps how can the fcc tell who has licenses or not and who is who or what they are doing on radios/walkies with all the different frequencies? do they have fcc police that actually come and find you if you jump frequencies without permission or specific licenses?
 

KevinC

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unlike cell phones where they can see who is who with ip/mac addresses and gps how can the fcc tell who has licenses or not and who is who or what they are doing on radios/walkies with all the different frequencies? do they have fcc police that actually come and find you if you jump frequencies without permission or specific licenses?

It's sort of like speeding, lots of people do it even though it's illegal. The chances of you getting caught are small, but that doesn't make it any more legal or less illegal.

If you aren't interfering with anyone you would probably never get caught (unless some radio nerd hears you and reports you). But if you do get caught the fines can be hefty, as in THOUSANDS of dollars.

It's all about your personal integrity. The place I go camping every spring is in the MOFN and I could use APX7000's on GMRS frequencies with P25 AES256 and never get caught...but I don't because it's illegal.

Some of us here maintain Public Safety radio systems and take interference seriously, which is why you may get responses that seem abrupt.
 

KevinC

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I wonder what happened to him?
 

StMiLo

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I wonder what happened to him?

What happened to who? Me? This is such a random question... its as if you are talking to someone face to face but you asked a question that was meant to be part of your thought process.. If you are talking about me, I don't what more you want. I asked a question, you guys answered it. isn't that what a forum is for??? question and answer... or are all you guys part of a cult and have to talk to each other regularly or something?
 

KevinC

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Yes, I was inquiring about you.

Sometimes people will come back and share what they decided to do.
.
 
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