Should I return Radios? - Licensing-Practical Use

[nonperson]

The odds are slim that you would get caught using GMRS radios without a license. The FCC does not travel around and monitor frequencies like they used to. However if someone files a complaint that is legally licensed the "men with the gold badges" could show up and they will hurt you...financially because their fines apply to each radio and each frequency that you have illegally. They are non-negotiable and always win so they can justify the trip. Take the chance if you want to. I don't want to so I got my GMRS license. A few years ago the busted a sheriff's office in southern California because their license had expired. Their fine was around $250,000.00.

I doubt they "always win," there is an appeal process in place and the fine(s) if any are based on their ability to pay. Sure the maximum fine may be $XXXX but if the guy is living in his car on $100 a week unemployment they're not going to get $XXXX. He will NOT be seeing any jail / prison time for transmitting on a GMRS frequency with out a license. Just saying!

 

[hhrj]

Snip...A few years ago they busted a sheriff's office in southern California because their license had expired. Their fine was around $250,000.00.

Where did you glean this information, what's the name of the town or city and date?
Inquiring minds would like to know.
Thanks

 

[willgrah]

I do not know why my last poster shows blank, but here goes another one. I say see if the FRS works for your intented purpose. It may be just what you need unless you property is over 1/4 mile. Depending on the terrain FRS may do better than that.

If they do not work, post back to us and maybe we can set up you with something that does the job, more datails about your property would help..

The GMRS channels on your radio will offer you a bit more power but will not change the whole scenario, if the FRS are right on the edge a little wattage may help. But if they are useless I doubt that the higher power channels will do much more for you.

I say do a good test and see what happens. If you make no contact with the FRS, try the GMRS channels and see if they work. If they do, buy the license. With the license you can use radios much more powerful than the HT's you bought. Your intentions are right, lets see about the equipment.

You are free to operate the radios you have in any of the FRS dedicated channels. The weather alert is a nice feature.

 

[nwiscan]

I do not know why my last poster shows blank, but here goes another one. I say see if the FRS works for your intented purpose. It may be just what you need unless you property is over 1/4 mile. .

I say do a good test and see what happens. If you make no contact with the FRS, try the GMRS channels and see if they work. .

Thank you for your reply (and everyone elses). In my application, the FRS channels are crystal clear and work excellent. In fact, I can walk or drive around my entire neighborhood with the FRS channels and everything works exceptional. Ive also been monitoring to see if there are people using them within my range. There is very little to no traffic on either FRS or GMRS frequencies. I will have to give it another go during the work week when there may be work crews in the area which I wouldnt want to walk over.

So it seems FRS is just what I needed for my very little use of the radios, I probably could have saved a few bucks picking up a pair of FRS only radios though.

 

[scanningisfun]

You won't find any work crews on FRS/GMRS...:wink:

Jacob

 

[gewecke]

You won't find any work crews on FRS/GMRS...:wink:

Jacob

During summer months, you will here in Ill.

73,
n9zas

 

[nonperson]

You won't find any work crews on FRS/GMRS...:wink:

Jacob

During summer months, you will here in Ill.

73,
n9zas

I heard some one guiding a crane operator on a GMRS frequency not long ago.

 

[SCPD]

For a long time I used to think the FCC was too busy to worry about FRS / GMRS violators especially with the budget cuts, short staffing, and heavy case loads but if attract enough unnecessary attention to yourself they will come for you and it will be very costly. I live in the Phoenix Metro area of Arizona and there have been two cases here where a car dealership used bubble wrap FRS / GMRS radios out of the package for their commercial business use to avoid FCC fee's for a proper licenses and type accepted radio's this cost them 10 grand here is a link to the actual FCC report http://transition.fcc.gov/eb/Orders/2011/DA-11-157A1.html

Another case involving a hotel golf resort that was using FRS frequencies on a repeater located on site running a whole bunch of power it was heard for miles. These people were even warned they were causing harmful interference but they ignored the warnings and complains from the local GMRS and Ham Radio community this cost them 16 grand. you can read the actual FCC report at this url http://transition.fcc.gov/eb/FieldNotices/2003/DOC-287328A1.html

GMRS and Ham Radio are full of self policing volunteers who monitor the airwaves for violators if you are in a large metro area chances are someone will snitch and rat you out to the FCC after all there is at least 10 grand in it for the feds to follow up on these reports

 

[hhrj]

There's a big difference between a large business using bubble packs on a constant daily basis with a repeater (or several) and a private individual's occasional use. You got any reports on a person getting busted in the last 4 years?

 

[nd5y]

http://transition.fcc.gov/eb/rfo/ActAct.html
http://transition.fcc.gov/eb/FieldNotices/
http://transition.fcc.gov/eb/Orders/Welcome.html

 

[SCPD]

There's a big difference between a large business using bubble packs on a constant daily basis with a repeater (or several) and a private individual's occasional use. You got any reports on a person getting busted in the last 4 years?

The dealership WAS NOT running A REPEATER and I do not condone unlicensed use .I am not like some of the "what will it hurt" people,look at the way this country is headed and it is b/c of people who have that same attitude!!!

If you do not want to do the right thing stay off the radio!!!

 

[hhrj]

EB - Field Activity and Actions
EB - Field Issued Citations, Notices of Apparent Liability (NAL) and Notices of Violation (NOV)
Enforcement Bureau - 2012 Orders

How many of these did you actually read? I asked for a report of a person, not a business that has been found in violation of operating a transmitter on the GMRS (implied as this is the GMRS section and thread) frequencies in the last 4 years.

I looked at the reports that were filed against an individually named person. It's quite a list and by reading just the first paragraph to find the offending frequencies it appears the lion share of violations refer to broadcasting music and or commentary (DJ) on the FM commercial broadcast frequencies. The remainder had violations for tower descrepancies, CB, interference of FAA, GPS, or cell phones. There were also false "Maydays" on marine VHF, a couple of hams operating uncoordinated repeaters or out of band, and ELT's.

I did find one (and only one) notice of violation for a person operating on the 450-470 mhz band to interfere or jam radio transmissions. This is the only frequency range listed in the hundreds of reports that I reviewed that would cover GMRS.

 

[gewecke]

Back to the Op now....
Nope, don't return the radios. Just use em'!


73,
n9zas

 

[nd5y]

How many of these did you actually read? I asked for a report of a person, not a business that has been found in violation of operating a transmitter on the GMRS (implied as this is the GMRS section and thread) frequencies in the last 4 years.

I didn't read any of them. If an individual was busted it would most likely show up on one of the links I posted. If you want a report served to you on a silver platter it isn't going to happen. You will have to do your own research or ask the FCC to do it for you.

 

[hhrj]

The dealership WAS NOT running A REPEATER and I do not condone unlicensed use .

Well, I guess that I made the mistake of implying that they were. I will proof read my posts better next time. However, does it really matter exactly what the violation was?

I am not like some of the "what will it hurt" people,look at the way this country is headed and it is b/c of people who have that same attitude!!!

You are missing my point... The FCC has made a mess out of GMRS by allowing FRS bubble pack radios to operate on the same frequencies. Funny how you don't hear about the FCC hanging around the malls, amusement parks, playgrounds....
The FCC has no interest in enforcing GMRS regulations while they happily collect the licensing fee, what a racket!!!

If you do not want to do the right thing

Where did you get the idea that I didn't want to do the "Right thing"? The right thing would be to petition the FCC to stop their GMRS scam.
I have 4 bubble pack radios that I used years ago and have been in the attic since 2005. My HT1000 can be programmed with the frequencies but I see that as a complete waste of time. I have no desire to talk to anyone on a radio, any radio!!!
There's only 59 GMRS license holders in the 35 mile radius of my house and I only recognize a single name that I know, that of an old high school friend's dad who must be about 100 years old by now.

stay off the radio!!!

Well that's pretty strong, under what authority do you have the right to tell another person on a forum to "stay off the radio"?

 

[WayneH]

Lets please return to the original scheduled programming. No more OT about the misuse of radios or the thread's getting closed.

 

[hhrj]

Close the Thread!!!

I didn't read any of them. If an individual was busted it would most likely show up on one of the links I posted. If you want a report served to you on a silver platter it isn't going to happen. You will have to do your own research or ask the FCC to do it for you.

I DID research it and now you're posting that you didn't...
That's the problem with forums, too many people post 3rd party stories, conjecture, and hearsay to support their views.
Reminds me of the writings on the truckstop bathroom walls.

I think that since the OP got an answer to his question that this thread should be closed. Nothing to see here anymore!!!

Sorry Wayne, I added the title before I knew that you had posted. Didn't want you to think that it was an order.

 

[SCPD]

Never mind.....................