GMRS license questions

[mmckenna]

"The guy bought the wrong radios." That's what I thought. Like I said, he's not very radio savvy but you would have thought he would have done a little research before buying them. I'll give him all the info you and the others here have provided and see what he does. Thanks.

Yeah, there is no easy way around this.

Amazon only cares about making money. They won't do anything that would cut into their sales, like suggest licenses are necessary to use them. The Chinese manufacturers of these radios don't give a dang about the laws in the USA and are more than happy to feed into the system as long as it makes them money.

The vast majority of consumers wouldn't understand FCC rules anyway. All they know is that it was a cool looking radio on Amazon, so it must be legal to use however they want. The don't understand the risks of interfering with other users, and they don't understand that while they may not hear anyone else, they can still be causing problems.

Used to be that getting radios like this required the involvement of a radio shop and a competent salesperson or technician. That's no longer the case. Now it's the uneducated masses on the internet that don't understand the technology, don't understand FCC rules, and don't understand how radios like this can interfere with legit users, even public safety.

It's an uphill battle we'll never win.

If he won't get properly licensed, at least program them to -ONLY- transmit on 464.500 or 464.550. There's enough unlicensed users on those itinerant frequencies that it would go unnoticed and they won't be interfering with actual licensed users.


It's a shame because he could have got some really nice Icom MURS radios that would have been perfectly legal and would have run circles around the Chinese crap.

 

[RFI-EMI-GUY]

GMRS and FRS can be used for businesses. It is not only for personal use (unlike Amateur).

FRS can be used for businesses. GMRS cannot in almost every case.

The exceptions;
1) a family business where radios are used exclusively by family members.
2) A business where every radio user has own GMRS license. (Very unlikely).

 

[K9KLC]

A friend just purchased 6 GMRS handheld radios

No, he actually didn't. I guess they can be programmed to GMRS frequencies but they are not GMRS radios given the frequency range.

Those radios are Part 90 only and not legal for use under GMRS or FRS.

This is correct. They are not legal for GMRS or FRS.

If they were going to ignore rules (not saying they should….) there are safer places to put these radios where they would likely go unnoticed. Just saying if one was to program their scanner for 464.500 or 464.550, they'd probably find a lot of users on those freq's that probably were not legally licensed, either. Not saying you should program the radios there. They should get properly licensed….

Exactly the last sentence they should get properly licensed. I'm am sure there are a lot of users on the frequencies mentioned that just get the radios that come pre-programmed with some of the itinerant frequencies that never get licensed.

 

[mmckenna]

FRS can be used for businesses. GMRS cannot in almost every case.

The exceptions;
1) a family business where radios are used exclusively by family members.
2) A business where every radio user has own GMRS license. (Very unlikely).

3) Grandfathered GMRS Business licenses (I have two at work, and can legally still use GMRS frequencies for business, although I don't)

Only pointing that out because there was a towing company that was legally licensed to use GMRS near me, even had a repeater. New GMRS users would pop up on their repeater and start chewing them out for being "illegal". Ultimately it did drive them off GMRS, but not because of licensing, but because of uneducated GMRS users playing Radio-Cop®

 

[RFI-EMI-GUY]

3) Grandfathered GMRS Business licenses (I have two at work, and can legally still use GMRS frequencies for business, although I don't)

Only pointing that out because there was a towing company that was legally licensed to use GMRS near me, even had a repeater. New GMRS users would pop up on their repeater and start chewing them out for being "illegal". Ultimately it did drive them off GMRS, but not because of licensing, but because of uneducated GMRS users playing Radio-Cop®

There can't be more than a dozen of those grandfathered licenses. Hardly worth mentioning because newbies need not apply.

 

[Hans13]

FRS can be used for businesses. GMRS cannot in almost every case.

The exceptions;
1) a family business where radios are used exclusively by family members.
2) A business where every radio user has own GMRS license. (Very unlikely).

Context.

AK9R stated, "GMRS, which is Part 95E, is for personal use only." I was simply correcting that statement. I wasn't making a statement on how often or the particulars. It wasn't necessary to refute the incorrect statement.

We've used GMRS in a business setting where we all had our own licenses (use case #2). We also used it extensively for our family farm (use case #1 and #2). The local gravel pit was set up to communicate on GMRS (use case #1) and FRS (use case #2). When drivers had GMRS licenses, they used it. I've ran into drivers that have their GMRS license and use it from time to time to facilitate their commercial endeavors. I disagree with your statement, "GMRS cannot in almost every case."

 

[RFI-EMI-GUY]

Context.

AK9R stated, "GMRS, which is Part 95E, is for personal use only." I was simply correcting that statement. I wasn't making a statement on how often or the particulars. It wasn't necessary to refute the incorrect statement.

We've used GMRS in a business setting where we all had our own licenses (use case #2). We also used it extensively for our family farm (use case #1 and #2). The local gravel pit was set up to communicate on GMRS (use case #1) and FRS (use case #2). When drivers had GMRS licenses, they used it. I've ran into drivers that have their GMRS license and use it from time to time to facilitate their commercial endeavors. I disagree with your statement, "GMRS cannot in almost every case."

That may very well be the case, and there may be many family owned businesses that might want to use GMRS and can qualify in one of those use cases.

However, with little exception, the questions about non personal GMRS use on this board are usually from employees of businesses, non profits and churches that do not qualify, and in many cases, have already purchased radios (Amazon again) that are not GMRS certified radios. The argument is always about the cost of compliance (Frequency coordination, FCC license, pricey Part 90 dealer radios)

Maybe we need a sticky on this topic because the question comes up over and over. It comes up about ham radios as well from time to time.

 

[Hans13]

That may very well be the case, and there may be many family owned businesses that might want to use GMRS and can qualify in one of those use cases.

However, with little exception, the questions about non personal GMRS use on this board are usually from employees of businesses, non profits and churches that do not qualify, and in many cases, have already purchased radios (Amazon again) that are not GMRS certified radios. The argument is always about the cost of compliance (Frequency coordination, FCC license, pricey Part 90 dealer radios)

Maybe we need a sticky on this topic because the question comes up over and over. It comes up about ham radios as well from time to time.

You are throwing around generalities and making assumptions based on your personal experiences or opinions. Why is this important enough to you so that you drag a thread off topic? With respect, it doesn't make much sense.

It plays out like this... Business traffic is allowed on FRS and GMRS. If one is using GMRS then they need to follow the rules set forth under their licensing. That's all the sticky message that is needed.

AGAIN, this began when a user posted that FRS and GMRS were ONLY for personal traffic. I simply posted that was incorrect and provided proof. Why all this other noise that doesn't fit the context to what I was replying or even the thread?

 

[Hans13]

I was going to edit it and just put "nevermind" as I, too, am dragging things off topic. However, I could not find edit. lol

Still brotherly love, RFI-EMI-GUY.