Part 95 rule changes. Finally.

[mmckenna]

Discuss:

http://transition.fcc.gov/Daily_Releases/Daily_Business/2017/db0427/DOC-344617A1.pdf

 

[K4DPA]

Says the link doesn't exist.


-Dawson Adams
GMRS: WQPN413
Warning: I have a strong tendency to be bluntly honest.

 

[n9mxq]

Worked fine here.. Thanks for sharing.

 

[nd5y]

The most important part that nobody will read:

* This document has been circulated for tentative consideration by the Commission at its May open meeting. The issues referenced in this document and the Commission’s ultimate resolution of those issues remain under consideration and subject to change. This document does not constitute any official action by the Commission. However, the Chairman has determined that, in the interest of promoting the public’s ability to understand the nature and scope of issues under consideration, the public interest would be served by making this document publicly available.

 

[n9mxq]

I can tell it's been a long time since I trolled through Part 95 for the CB stuff.. Didn't realize they could use subaudible tone squelch... Found the power limit/distance limit comments funny.. set them how you want.. People are still going to run linears...

 

[insanity213]

Granted I just skimmed the document, but where's the section that lets you beat someone with their bubble pack radio for mashing the call button over and over. I'm ok with beating their parents if they're under 18.

In all seriousness I'll read the document later but I'm skeptical that it will get any traction.

Sent from my Pixel XL using Tapatalk

 

[nd5y]

Tones for selective calling have always been legal.

 

[KG7LER]

Yay! No more combo GMRS/FRS radios will be certified/imported/sold once the rules go into effect.

 

[mmckenna]

What they are proposing:

More GMRS channels, at least low power 467 interstitials.

GMRS will still require a license. Repeaters still allowed.

GMRS will NOT get to run digital. No TDMA/DMR.

GMRS will have 10 year licensing terms. Aligned with part 90 and Amateur.

I didn't see anything that mentioned allowing Part 90 radios being allowed, but I may have skimmed over that part.

FRS/GMRS combo radios will become JUST FRS radios. The 462MHz FRS/GMRS interstitials will become "FRS", so they'll still have the same 22 channels.

FRS will be allowed to run 2 watts across the board.

No changes to MURS, that I saw.

CB gets rid of the stupid distance limitation rule.
No increase in CB power.

PLB's will have to be 406MHz. Can't be a PLB if it's not.

Overall, cleaned up the rules, standardized a bit more.

Considering this all could have gone sideways, they seemed to do a pretty good job of it.
I'm sure there are those that will complain that they are going to be personally injured by these rule changes, but I can't really see anything that was offensive to me. I know people are going to complain that they can't run DMR on GMRS, but the FCC's reasons for that make sense, at least to me.

Aligning the US FRS and the Canadian counterpart makes sense. Glad they did that.

The CB rule changes make sense, however it would have been nice if they'd allowed FM.

Should be interesting to read all your comments once people have had time to read through it. I only took about an hour and probably missed a few things.


It ain't law yet, but it's on it's way. Been a long time coming. What, 10 years now?

 

[KG7LER]

Here is a blip about Part 90 on GMRS:
135 Several commenters are concerned that the proposal to prohibit combination radios would prevent GMRS
licensees from using surplus Part 90 equipment in GMRS. See, e.g., Comments of Jerry Scott Parham at 3. This is
not our intent. We will continue to certify equipment that meets the respective technical standards for Part 90 (land
mobile) and Part 95 (GMRS) in both services, if requested. However, we are amending the language in new section
95.1761(c) to clarify the requirement in old section 95.655(a) that Part 95 GMRS radios will not be certified if they
are equipped with the capabilities to operate in services that do not require equipment certification, such as the
Amateur Radio Service.

 

[nd5y]

Yay! No more combo GMRS/FRS radios will be certified/imported/sold once the rules go into effect.

But they propose reclassifying some equipment to FRS, allowing FRS operation on the eight 462 MHz GMRS channels and increasing FRS power limit to 2 W on all 462 MHz channels.

 

[mmckenna]

The most important part that nobody will read:

* This document has been circulated for tentative consideration by the Commission at its May open meeting. The issues referenced in this document and the Commission’s ultimate resolution of those issues remain under consideration and subject to change. This document does not constitute any official action by the Commission. However, the Chairman has determined that, in the interest of promoting the public’s ability to understand the nature and scope of issues under consideration, the public interest would be served by making this document publicly available.

No, I didn't miss it.
After almost 10 years (?) of this, it's finally gotten some legs and starting to move. I doubt it'll take another 10 years of this to get made into law. Will there be changes, probably. But at least we now have a good idea that they paid attention to the comments that were made and, for the most part, seem to have made pretty good decisions. We'll see come May where this goes. Likely some tweaking, but I can't really see many having serious issues with what's been proposed.

A couple of things I'd have liked to see them add:
Very clear definition stating that either ALL GMRS radio -MUST- have Part 95 certifications or if Part 90 radios that meet the requirements are OK. I know this gets beaten to death, but they are pretty clear they are trying to clean up the mess. Would be nice if they clarified some of the obvious questions.

Really would have liked to have seen FM allowed on CB, just a personal thing. Won't really impact me.

Was kind of thinking that a few of the UHF itinerant channels have gone to the dogs with off the shelf radios. Kind of think that we may still see a "MURS-ification" of some of the UHF channels.

What was funny was Motorola's comments about wanting to limit GPS locations on higher power GMRS channels. You can always tell when Motorola is looking after #1.

 

[N9JIG]

Here is my summary of the proposed changes:

In reading the new rules from the FCC here is my take on what is happening. Once the rulemaking is passed it would take effect 90 days later. It looks like it will be on the agenda for the May FCC meeting, thus if passed should take effect in the late summer 2017.

FRS is being expanded to 2 watts and full unlicensed access to the 8 GMRS 462 MHz. channels with 2 watts. Thus FRS radios will be allowed 2 watts on 22 channels. This effectively legalizes unlicensed use of the 22 channel bubble-pack radios without need for license and allows new radios to be set to 2 watts on all 22 channels.

Radios with power levels over 2 watts on any of these channels are now classified as GMRS and require licenses. No cross-service (FRS-GMRS, FRS-Marine Band etc.) radios will be allowed.

The 467 MHz. repeater inputs are NOT authorized for FRS use and are still restricted to GMRS licensees only.

Channels that had been shared between FRS & GMRS. FRS users were limited to 1/2 watt.
(FRS Channels 1-7)
462.5625 FRS 1
462.5875 FRS 2
462.6125 FRS 3
462.6375 FRS 4
462.6625 FRS 5
462.6875 FRS 6
462.7125 FRS 7

Channels that are/were FRS Only, limited to 1/2 watt.
(FRS 8-14)
467.5625 FRS 8
467.5875 FRS 9
467.6125 FRS 10
467.6375 FRS 11
467.6625 FRS 12
467.6875 FRS 13
467.7125 FRS 14

Former GMRS Only channels often included in Bubble Pack radios
(Now known as FRS Channels 15-22)
462.5500 FRS 15
462.5750 FRS 16
462.6000 FRS 17
462.6250 FRS 18
462.6500 FRS 19
462.6750 FRS 20
462.7000 FRS 21
462.7250 FRS 22

GMRS Licenses will remain to be required.

Other changes include:

• Rule Numbering will change thruout.
• Technical specs will be updated to conform with current technology and terminology.
• Scrambling/encryption will not be allowed.
• Certain portable radios will no longer require GMRS licenses and will be reclassified to FRS.
• GMRS Licenses will be extended to 10 years, making them cheaper per annum since the fee will not change.
• Location info and some texts will be allowed to be sent with GMRS transmissions.
• GMRS will be authorized to use the FRS 467 MHz. channels at the same 2 watt limit now allowed for FRS.
• Other GMRS power limits (50 watts for base and mobiles etc.) will not change.
• Small Bases are now eliminated as they are moot.
• GMRS will not be required to go narrowband and may continue to use either narrow or wide band.
• DMR/TRBO/NXDN/TDMA etc. will not be allowed, only analog FM.

 

[RFI-EMI-GUY]

I read that remote control of GMRS is permitted over any network.

Sent from my SM-T350 using Tapatalk

 

[N2DLX]

Text messaging/location reporting is only allowed on the 462.xxxx channels and is ONLY for radios with a non-removable antenna. That sounds like Garmin's waiver got included without considering other uses for the technology. For one, I think it should be allowed on repeaters (personal preference), but it should be allowed on any HT. Interestingly, it sounds like we could use P25 or NXDN for sending the data, as long as it's less than 1 second, if not for the removable antenna thing.

 

[12dbsinad]

I am assuming still allowing wide band use for GMRS?

EDIT: Answered my own question, wideband is still allowed.

 

[insanity213]

So there are no more GMRS only simplex channels or repeater outputs?

Sent from my Pixel XL using Tapatalk

 

[N9PBD]

So am I and dawsonpadms the only ones that are getting this error message for the link?

Not Found
The requested object does not exist on this server. The link you followed is either outdated, inaccurate, or the server has been instructed not to let you have it.

Edit: I found the doc at this link: https://apps.fcc.gov/edocs_public/index.do?document=344617

 

[mmckenna]

So there are no more GMRS only simplex channels or repeater outputs?

Sent from my Pixel XL using Tapatalk

There are still the 8 each 467MHz "primary" repeater input frequencies.
Repeaters are still allowed.

The change was to add the 7 each 467.xxxx interstitial frequencies that FRS used to the GMRS pool of frequencies. These are the frequencies in between the 467MHz repeater inputs. Used to be they were for FRS only, often referred to as channels 8-14. Now GMRS licensees can legally use those, although it's only 500mw, although it's sort of confusing because in some places it looks like they can run 2 watts.

 

[mmckenna]

So am I and dawsonpadms the only ones that are getting this error message for the link?

Not Found
The requested object does not exist on this server. The link you followed is either outdated, inaccurate, or the server has been instructed not to let you have it.

Edit: I found the doc at this link: https://apps.fcc.gov/edocs_public/index.do?document=344617

It works for me, but I did have it throw that error once.