KE7IZL
Member
It's in the lowest part of the VHF band. Where can I ask about that? I don't see a forum section for general VHF discussion.
I have a question about a band just above 30MHz
- Thread starter KE7IZL
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Its generally called the VHF lo band and for most radios it covers 30-50MHz. For military radios more like 30-90MHz.
KE7IZL
Member
I'm not asking the name of the band. I'm just asking about forum policy. Where should I discuss radio services that use VHF frequencies just above 30MHz so that one might be tempted to discuss them in the HF forum section, but since it's technically VHF instead of HF it actually is a discussion that belongs in another section? My problem is that I don't see a VHF section in this forum. There are sections for specific services that use VHF frequencies, but there's no general VHF section, while there is a general HF/MF/LF section.
mmckenna
I ♥ Ø
While bands like HF do have a forum section here, not all other bands do.
Probably your best option is to be a bit more specific:
If it's military specific: Military Monitoring Forum
If it's railroad specific: Railroad/Railfan Monitoring Forum
If it's skip/tropo ducting: Skip / Tropospheric Ducting Forum
If it's commercial/LMR, try one of these: RadioReference.com Forums
If it's state specific, try one of these: RadioReference.com Forums
If it's just general scanning related, try here: General Scanning Discussion
Generally if you just ask a question on a forum you think is right, someone will answer. If the powers that be don't like the location, they will be happy to relocate it for you.
Probably your best option is to be a bit more specific:
If it's military specific: Military Monitoring Forum
If it's railroad specific: Railroad/Railfan Monitoring Forum
If it's skip/tropo ducting: Skip / Tropospheric Ducting Forum
If it's commercial/LMR, try one of these: RadioReference.com Forums
If it's state specific, try one of these: RadioReference.com Forums
If it's just general scanning related, try here: General Scanning Discussion
Generally if you just ask a question on a forum you think is right, someone will answer. If the powers that be don't like the location, they will be happy to relocate it for you.
Maybe RR needs to add some band specific sections for things that don't fit what's there now. VHF lo spans many different types of comms and if someone is discussing reception of multiple services on VHF lo, where do you put it?
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How about ask your question, then we can decide where best to place it.
Exactly.
TAC4
Member
You would post in the Skip/Troposheric Ducting Forum. Let us know if you pick up any DX . It is a fascinating band. I got to many antenna projects on the go but want to make a dipole cut just for that band.
KE7IZL
Member
My question was simply this.
What is the name of the walkie talkie service that operates in the 49MHz band? I know newer walkie talkies operate in the UHF band and are part of the FRS or GMRS services. Some older walkie talkies operated on CB radio channel 14. But some other old walkie talkies, and walkie talkies intended for use as kids toys, tended to operate around 49Mhz. So I'm trying to figure out what the name of the service they are using is. I know it's not CB radio or ham radio, nor is it FRS or GMRS. Is it even a named service at all?
As you can see, this question doesn't really fit into any existing section of this forum.
What is the name of the walkie talkie service that operates in the 49MHz band? I know newer walkie talkies operate in the UHF band and are part of the FRS or GMRS services. Some older walkie talkies operated on CB radio channel 14. But some other old walkie talkies, and walkie talkies intended for use as kids toys, tended to operate around 49Mhz. So I'm trying to figure out what the name of the service they are using is. I know it's not CB radio or ham radio, nor is it FRS or GMRS. Is it even a named service at all?
As you can see, this question doesn't really fit into any existing section of this forum.
mmckenna
I ♥ Ø
I never knew it to have a name other than "49MHz".
Looking at old Radio Shack catalogs from the late 1980's/early 1990's, it was just "49MHz".
Looking at old Radio Shack catalogs from the late 1980's/early 1990's, it was just "49MHz".
mmckenna
I ♥ Ø
They did, as did some baby monitors, intercoms, remote control toys, etc.
It was a Part 15 radio service. I've never seen it called by any other name that "49MHz".
KE7IZL
Member
I thought maybe there was an official name for the FCC designated service they operated in.
That brings up another question. Are those old walkie talkies still legal to operate, at least without a license? Or has the FCC repurposed that 49MHz band for another use (like for specific types of industrial or commercial communications), possibly even requiring a license for transmitting in that band now?
TAC4
Member
I think you are getting confused with cordless phones vs
kid walkie talkies. I know because I was kid in that era and
had one lol.
Kid walkie talkies were never found on the 49 Mhz band at least not in Canada, they were assigned channel 14, 27.125 Mhz at 100 milliwatts
no license required at that power, only when you put out 4 watts
on AM then you needed a license which started with the
the letters XM in Ontario.
Cordless phones back in the day were assigned to 49 Mhz
band. 9 bucks was a steal for this walkie talkie, it took about
a month worth of saved allowances to buy one, I would have been 8 at the time.
kid walkie talkies. I know because I was kid in that era and
had one lol.
Kid walkie talkies were never found on the 49 Mhz band at least not in Canada, they were assigned channel 14, 27.125 Mhz at 100 milliwatts
no license required at that power, only when you put out 4 watts
on AM then you needed a license which started with the
the letters XM in Ontario.
Cordless phones back in the day were assigned to 49 Mhz
band. 9 bucks was a steal for this walkie talkie, it took about
a month worth of saved allowances to buy one, I would have been 8 at the time.
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Aaah, nope, lots of 49MHz bubble pack walki talkies were marketed around the late 70s through maybe the late 80s. Possibly not up there but definately down here.
mmckenna
I ♥ Ø
Maybe why it never caught on?
Or maybe it was the range measured in 'yards' and mostly cheap construction.
Still legal under Part 15. No license required.
There are some part 90 frequencies nearby, but not the same ones used by these radios.
TAC4
Member
Must be a USA thing. Still not sure were the OP is going with
this thread ?
mmckenna
I ♥ Ø
Maybe not in Canada, but absolutely in the USA. Radio Shack sold them. I used to have a few. They were absolutely 49MHz, because at the time I had a radio that would pick them on 49MHz.
Cordless phones used 49MHz for part of their link (other half of the link was down near 1800kHz, if I recall correctly)
Radio controlled toys used 49MHz also, I found out pretty quick that if I whistled at the right pitch, I could make my friends RC car take off in the wrong direction...
Baby monitors, too. Had a neighbor with one. We figured out we could trick the mom. All fun and games until we got caught.
Check out page 57 on this old Radio Shack catalog:
1991 Radio Shack Catalog
Flip through the 1991 Radio Shack catalog containing: stereo systems, tape players, radios, computers, scanners, gaming devices, HAM radios, TVs & VCRs, phones, electronics, test equipment & more!
radioshackcatalogs.com
49MHz was a dumping ground, at the time, for short range radio devices.
Same in the USA, Channel 14, 100mw or less, was under FCC Part 15 and a lot of low end walkie talkies worked there. Different than the 49MHz walkie talkies….
paulears
Member
I remember 49mhz here in the UK and checked. Low power devices are still licence free in 49MHz, but with very low 10mW power, but licences to use 49MHz for land mobile are still able to be issued, but there is a ban on airborne use. It is also available to broadcasters. I suppose its just a bit of a useless band, as there’s no equipment to buy, and no people to talk to?
KE7IZL
Member
You said kid walkie talkies were not using 49mhz, but then in the same post you attached a picture showing an old Archer Space Patrol walkie talkie. Those were made by Radio Shack, and were definitely intended for kids. No adult would ever use these for serious communication like for a boss to talk to his workers on a construction site.
