Itinerant Business License What forms needed?

[DanOfWA]

Our organization is going to be filing for Industrial Pool itinerant UHF license for a non profit
What forms do I need? (paper preferred as online is VERY clunky)

I have tried to go thru the FCC web page but it is VERY confusing and obtuse.
Trying to use the online filing is soooo slow (when it works) as it uses old Java version and does not work with current version.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

We were hoping to have the license by July 1 (fat chance from what I can tell)

Due to budget constraints we can not afford to hire a consultant to help us thru the process

Dano
danofwa@gmail.com

 

[SCPD]

Hey there! I was in your situation just a few months ago. I am a representative of a non-profit and am responsible for radio communications. My organization is known as Christmas Tree Lane, and we maintain and decorate trees along a mile stretch of road. We use UHF radio to coordinate our maintenance operations and for staff communications during our annual ceremony. We were going to apply for an itinerant license, however, apparently, we were ineligible. Instead, we had to get a single frequency license. This license issued us one frequency we and only we could use. If you use radios in one location only, this is probably what you'll have to do. Now, to answer your question...
In terms of what forms to fill out, I'm not entirely sure. The FCC does, however, have a forms page here:
https://www.fcc.gov/licensing-databases/forms
Try looking about here, and maybe you will find what you need. Now, here are some alternative options that I HIGHLY recommend.

Alternative option 1: MURS
MURS is a fairly quiet radio band that can be used for voice communications WITHOUT A LICENSE! There are 5 channels you can choose from, or not and simply use all 5. MURS equipment is rare and hard to come across, however, Motorola does make a very good MURS radio called the RMM2050. This radio runs for about 189 dollars a piece and is worth every penny. It is very very VERY durable, as it is the same type of radio you would find being use on other licensed frequencies. I highly recommend going this path.

Alternative option 2: Still get your license... but...
If you are dead set on getting a license, I don't blame you. There are plenty of advantages to this. If you want to get a license, however, I recommend going through a broker rather than filling out the forms yourself. I personally used this method when applying for my organization. Buytwowayradios.com is a great source. They will communicate with you, and help you find the license you need and the frequencies that will be best for you, your area, and your radios. If you don't have radios, you can get them from there too. They will even program your radios for you.

I hope I could help you out. Best of luck. If you have any questions, feel free to respond. I'm happy to help as a 15-year-old who LOVES radios.

Regards,
Joshua

 

[romanr]

Hi Dano,
I just sent you a PM. It's not that difficult and does not take that long - once you get the software working. Good Luck.

 

[DanOfWA]

Thanks for the info but we need a License and we do qualify as non profit (501 c3)
MURS is not workable due to low power and lack of range - terrain is semi hilly, very wooded and covers approx 245 acres (we tried MURS didn't work well)

We need min 2w (preferably 4w via industrial pool) with repeater

 

[SCPD]

I understand. In that case, you should really contact the broker service I mentioned. They will really help you out a lot. Additionally, I don't think itinerant UHF frequencies can be repeated. You will need another, individual frequency pair for that.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[DanOfWA]

actually you CAN use repeaters on Itinerant UHF and using a broker is not cheap
Again I need to know what Forms/documentation I need.. not what freqs/radios to se

 

[toastycookies]

actually you CAN use repeaters on Itinerant UHF and using a broker is not cheap
Again I need to know what Forms/documentation I need.. not what freqs/radios to se

FCC Form 601.

https://www.fcc.gov/Forms/Form601/601.pdf


I am not quite sure why there has not been a sticky thread on how to license / coordinate with the amount of queries.

Admins? Could we get a sticky HOWTO on this?

 

[Rred]

Forgive a silly question but have you tried calling the FCC's licensing division? They often can answer your questions and mail/fax/email you whatever forms are needed.

In hilly terrain, it is possible that NO handheld, on any frequency, at any power, is going to be of any use to you unless that repeater has a direct line of sight to all locations. Which may require a overlook from a higher place, not just a field tower. Hopefully you've actually tested options for the entire route to find out what actually will work.

 

[DanOfWA]

Rred
Yes but have you ever tried calling? talk about LONG wait times - thought asking here would be faster

And the hand helds we use do work but in areas near the edges tend to cut out. Using 4 w radios in a test (I know its a no no for portables to run at 4w) it worked ok. The repeater location is elevated with line of sight over the entire acreage.. we have checked all that stuff.. now just need to do the licensing

 

[SCPD]

Rred
Yes but have you ever tried calling? talk about LONG wait times - thought asking here would be faster

And the hand helds we use do work but in areas near the edges tend to cut out. Using 4 w radios in a test (I know its a no no for portables to run at 4w) it worked ok. The repeater location is elevated with line of sight over the entire acreage.. we have checked all that stuff.. now just need to do the licensing

I've called the licensing department before, and the folks over there were friendly and fast. I know this for a fact because I have the attention son of a millennial (since I am a millennial) and can't tolerate long waits. The people over at the FCC will be happy to assist in any way they can, especially since licensing is their deal. Also, I'm not sure what frequency you are using, but 4 watt portables are fine when you have a business license depending on what frequency you are using. And also, it looks like you ARE using the radios at one location only. You may or may not be eligible for itinerant frequencies, in which case you may have to get your on frequencies. The reason I say frequencies (plural) is because you need at least two for your repeater. So yeah, you should probably get your own repeater frequency pair. And again, hit up that licensing department. They should help a lot.

 

[Rred]

Dan-
I have no idea of the current wait times, but that's what "speakerphone" is for.(G)

Four watts should be no problem for handhelds or their users, as long as you're in a service that allows it.