Rugged Radios finally gets an FCC Smack-Down

[burner50]

Anytime I see "Rugged Radios" at an event, I cringe... A youtuber that I follow was singing their praises for giving him some complete systems for his drag week cars complete with intercom systems... as far as I could see they weren't transmitting, but it looks like everything they sell is cheap aliexpress junk from the same suppliers as all of the other "cheap radio" dealers.

There's a reason that companies like Racing Electronics charge so much more... Because you're getting a real radio with actual, NR ratings on your headsets and accessories meant for the application... Not the cheapest parts that could be sourced.

 

[bill4long]

Baofeng and such sure. I meant more along the line of a state of the art Apx8000 or equivalent. In that regard its just market manipulation because it obviously fast exceeds specifications.

You could use them on MURS or FRS or GMRS frequencies. Who's gonna know or care? I probably wouldn't use them on those bands for the long haul at a fixed location, such as managing a restaurant or a warehouse, but for itinerant use, say, for car-to-car during convoys, or out camping, or riding motorbikes out in the desert? If you don't tell, I won't.

 

[PrivatelyJeff]

You could use them on MURS or FRS or GMRS frequencies. Who's gonna know or care? I probably wouldn't use them at a fixed location, such as managing a restaurant or a warehouse on those bands, for the long haul, but for itinerant use, say, for car-to-car during convoys, or out camping, or riding motorbikes out in the desert? If you don't tell, I won't.

That’s my attitude at it. I don’t use GMRS enough to warrant buying type accepted radios so I use some CCRs but I make sure they are programmed within the spec and also at the lowest power.

 

[bill4long]

At very least the FCC should get off their lazy duffs and "allow" analog Part 90 radios on GMRS. People are doing it anyway, and worse. Like the plague. Eventually the Will of the People makes the decision in obvious cases like this. They already have. The cow is out of the barn and she ain't going back.

 

[12dbsinad]

At very least the FCC should get off their lazy duffs and "allow" analog Part 90 radios on GMRS.\

This.

It's funny, I bet a majority of the "legacy" repeaters and equipment the FCC referenced back during the whole GMRS review are not part 95 certified.

 

[N4GIX]

The majority of the long established GMRS repeaters in the Chicagoland area are using recycled Part 90 gear...

 

[DeoVindice]

Now I'm curious as to witch Rugged itinerants line up with mine....

I run my side business on a few UHF itinerants and have only ever encountered co-channel users in the middle of Albuquerque, including what I believe was a GPS survey base. Fortunately that rebranded Baofeng trash hasn't gotten much traction in this region.

(We're also licensed for 35.04 and 43.04 - I'd be shocked if I ever hear co-channel users on those outside of summer E-skip! TK-190s with MBITR antennas are a good deep woods solution so I keep those freqs.)

As far as VHF CB, I'd like to see more done with MURS. One thing I've pondered is giving GMRS licensees use of the MURS frequencies with higher PEP limits, say 35 or 50W. Unfortunately the cat is out of the bag with the Chinese radios with phony type acceptance; it seems reasonable to try to contain this stuff to FRS/GMRS/MURS frequencies where it can't do as much harm.

 

[Project25_MASTR]

I run my side business on a few UHF itinerants and have only ever encountered co-channel users in the middle of Albuquerque, including what I believe was a GPS survey base. Fortunately that rebranded Baofeng trash hasn't gotten much traction in this region.

My main reason for even being curious is due to my use of itinerants on the trails between vehicles and people. Over the last few days I've entirely remapped my personal bandplan and I've been watching a lot of clubs/groups passing my barn on the way into the mountains as I've been spending some time at my Colorado property (as well as loading the kids into the Jeep and taking them into the mountains).

 

[bill4long]

One thing I've pondered is giving GMRS licensees use of the MURS frequencies with higher PEP limits, say 35 or 50W.

There are a lots of MURS users and I think that would be cause a lot of problems with current MURS users using 2w radios. As it is, MURS is a nice service that does not suffer from the bubble-pack interference syndrome. I'd hate to see it messed up. And so would a lot of users, I believe.

I think what is really needed, and would be appreciated by several types of users, is a new license-free set of frequencies that allow use of Part 90 radios, simplex-only, analog and digital, with 50w limit.

 

[DeoVindice]

There are a lots of MURS users and I think that would be cause a lot of problems with current MURS users using 2w radios. As it is, MURS is a nice service that does not suffer from the bubble-pack interference syndrome. I'd hate to see it messed up. And so would a lot of users, I believe.

I think what is really needed, and would be appreciated by several types of users, is a new license-free set of frequencies that allow use of Part 90 radios, simplex-only, analog and digital, with 50w limit.

Wal-Mart uses MURS near me, but I've never heard any other users. It's just not common in this region.

Yes, a license-free service would be nice but I don't think the spectrum is there without reallocating from other services. The existing itinerant and dot/star frequencies could be the best candidates, similar to how MURS came about.

 

[mmckenna]

The existing itinerant and dot/star frequencies could be the best candidates, similar to how MURS came about.

Yeah, the FCC lost control of the Itinerants back in the 90's when Home Depot started selling Motorola 'business' radios off the shelf. Like others, users were supposed to do 'self licensing', but most never did. When FRS came out en-mass, the market sort of went away. But at work, I can still scan the UHF itinerants and hear a -lot- of traffic.
And then there were radio shops that would sell radios to end users and just dump itinerants in the radios and let them go. Some shops even charged for licensing, but never bothered to actually do it.

While not good for hand held use, I wish someone would take the time to petition the FCC to allow FM on CB, like they allow in other countries. Cleaner audio, and would let CTCSS/DCS take care of most of the noise. Wouldn't take much, most of the big CB manufacturers already have the products, just need to get them type accepted for US market.

 

[bill4long]

Wal-Mart uses MURS near me, but I've never heard any other users. It's just not common in this region.

Around here, Walmart (of course), several businesses, including a municipal airport's service staff.

 

[62Truck]

And then there were radio shops that would sell radios to end users and just dump itinerants in the radios and let them go. Some shops even charged for licensing, but never bothered to actually do it.

There is a shop by me that was notorious for setting up customers with rental radios on FRS.

One of their former customers had a conventional VHF DMR repeater for hospital security. The shop had a link radio set up at the shop, cross banding the VHF system to FRS so the hospital greeters could communicate with security.

 

[12dbsinad]

There is a shop by me that was notorious for setting up customers with rental radios on FRS.

One of their former customers had a conventional VHF DMR repeater for hospital security. The shop had a link radio set up at the shop, cross banding the VHF system to FRS so the hospital greeters could communicate with security.

Besides the fact how insanely stupid this is, why would they set it up at their shop and not at the hospital itself?

 

[Citywide173]

Besides the fact how insanely stupid this is, why would they set it up at their shop and not at the hospital itself?

Control. They probably charge them a per radio/per month fee. No pay, repeater goes off. If it was on site, it would make it much more difficult.

 

[DeoVindice]

Besides the fact how insanely stupid this is, why would they set it up at their shop and not at the hospital itself?

Stupidity aside, I almost have to admire the audacity of the thing. Choosing VHF for in-building use is a head-scratcher though.

 

[12dbsinad]

Stupidity aside, I almost have to admire the audacity of the thing. Choosing VHF for in-building use is a head-scratcher though.

"Just when I thought you couldn't get any dumber......... you go and do something like this............ and totally redeem yourself!"

That's a direct quote from Dumb n Dumber movie, I can only imagine them playing out this scene at that radio shop.

 

[AK9R]

Meanwhile, back at Rugged Radios.

Did they respond to the FCC "smack down"? Did they change what they are selling? Their "V3" radio could be a Baofeng in a blue case? Does it have FCC certification?

 

[radiowizard]

Any body know who makes the rdh16 radio that rugged radios sells? they have 2 handhelds listed besides the 1 motorola, ones a

look alike and thens there this rdh one its just a 16 channel analog and dmr thanks

 

[nd5y]

https://fccid.io/2AWYH

I didn't look at all the pics to see if that was one of the ones they got certified.