Is it legal to use the marine radios on land...if so, what is the range? FYI...I live in Pa.
Marine radios on land
- Thread starter Twister_2
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Pimpala03
Member
No it's not legal.
Don_Burke
Member
You can get licensed to use marine radios on land if you are communicating with craft on the water.
And on a couple, you can have spare channel slots programmed with land mobile frequencies (as they are also part 90 legal) but that is not what you are really asking about, so I agree with Pimpy with the answer of No, you're not really going to be able to use them on land.
I couldn't begin to count how many hunters in my area have marine radios installed in their pickups. CB used to be the big thing but marine radios have replaced them and they are used all the time now. The locals claim that the state game wardens use them too. That should be interesting if the FCC would ever look into it. Likely tho they won't. They seem to be too busy jacking frequencies around so they can auction them off to corporate America so people have more broadband to watch music videos & movies on their phones while the drive.
ONLY in coastal areas where you are talking with a vessel. NO mobile to mobile,or mobile to base comms allowed!
Are you near a major waterway,or coastal shipyard...then maybe.
n9zas
RKG
Member
Not quite.
The license most boats have is a "Maritime Mobile" license, and this is limited to transmissions from the vessel holding the license or any tenders while in the water.
In order legally to transmit on a marine channel from a land-based station, you need a "Limited Coast" license. In general, these are only available to maritime service entities: marina, fuel depots, pilot entities, and the like.
Yes you can.
Quote = " Private coast stations are not common carriers -- they cannot charge for communications services. Instead, they provide information to associated vessels. Only those entities that provide some sort of service to vessels or control a bridge or waterway may become a private coast station licensee. Some common uses of private coast stations include: marinas, radio repair shops, bridges, locks, and yacht clubs. " Source = FCC: Wireless Services: Coast Radio Stations: Services:
I use to work on barges on the Ohio River. I am not doing the work for you , but you can google / search
47 CFR ( Code of Federal Regulations ) . I am sure that you can find more than one stature that will let
you install , own a land based Marine Radio Station. There is "Non-Commerical" allocations within the
Marine Band...among the many other allocations ( State Control ,DNR / Coast Guard / US Govt Only ).
Its not big deal. Contact the FCC, they will tell you how to go about getting a license.
FF - Medic !!
Quote = " Private coast stations are not common carriers -- they cannot charge for communications services. Instead, they provide information to associated vessels. Only those entities that provide some sort of service to vessels or control a bridge or waterway may become a private coast station licensee. Some common uses of private coast stations include: marinas, radio repair shops, bridges, locks, and yacht clubs. " Source = FCC: Wireless Services: Coast Radio Stations: Services:
I use to work on barges on the Ohio River. I am not doing the work for you , but you can google / search
47 CFR ( Code of Federal Regulations ) . I am sure that you can find more than one stature that will let
you install , own a land based Marine Radio Station. There is "Non-Commerical" allocations within the
Marine Band...among the many other allocations ( State Control ,DNR / Coast Guard / US Govt Only ).
Its not big deal. Contact the FCC, they will tell you how to go about getting a license.
FF - Medic !!
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mike_gain
Member
I've seen many of pickups tooling down the highway displaying Mossy Oak decals and the like, while also sporting Shakespear marine base loaded antennas. Probably purchased from Bass Pro of maybe even West Marine. I would at least spray paint the coil black.
K
kb0nly
Guest
What i get a kick out of is the boat shops that sell mag mount antennas for marine radio use, you know they are targeting mobile use, i mean come on a mag mount on a boat?? LOL
I know of two who were fined for using marine radios on land mobile to mobile. One $5000 the other $10000. This was a few years back but they were hammered for it.
vdubb16
Member
Is it only FCC that would enforce this? I also see many trucks with marine antennas bolted to their gang or dog boxes. Most every hunter in this area carries atleast one or more icom marine vhf radio. Is this something marine fisheries "or back in PA the Game Warden" might play a role in enforcing? Or it might be on their "way to much paperwork list"
cousinkix1953
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Commercial fishermen traded in their FCC type accepted marine radios many years ago. 55 channels on 156-157 mhz were not enough. They can buy modified 2 meter ham rigs for less money. Everybody has his own illegal secret business channel and a linear amplifier. Some employ scrambling devices. Look for these sea going pirate broadcasters anywhere on the VHF high band.
The FCC is a big joke. How do these illegal radios get passed the annual USCG inspections?
The FCC is a big joke. How do these illegal radios get passed the annual USCG inspections?
cousinkix1953
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And modified 2m ham radios...
These are prob marine style cb antennas. Shakespeare was a popular brand.
n9zas
cousinkix1953
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One way to do it is join the US Coast Guard Auxiliary. They also have MARS nets around 149 mhz and on the HF bands. One of my neighbors had the special license for his base station...
trixwagen
Member
If you have to use VHF, just use the MURS frequencies...legal and no license required.
Hunters, farmers, and high school kids(I was one of them) used marine radios where I grew up. Nobody complained, everyone kept to their own channel.
Tim K.
Tim K.
There are water ways and locks near the quad cities which use marine radio every day. I'm surprised that you were not told by the coast guard in keokuk to stay off marine frequencies?
The USCG doesn't play well with freebanders.
n9zas
Maybe that used to be the case years ago when a friend and I were chewed out royally by commercial operators for chatting on their channel. (We made a quick decision to cease and desist.) These days I hear "freebanders" all over the band and nearby unused railroad frequencies, even channels reserved for USCG and state Marine Police use only and nobody says a word about it. Something tells me that besides the NJSP Marine Division migrating to the statewide 800Mhz trunked system the Coast Guard doesn't monitor its own channels anymore. One thing I've never heard are hunters, if there are any using Marine Band they're WAY out of range and I've never carried any of my radios into the woods. Maybe I'm missing all the fun? Oh well.
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