Darth_vader
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The Great Unofficial Radioreference FRS/GMRS/MURS All-Inclusive Fact Sheet
Hoookay. For what it's worth, here is a (rather messy) compilation of some of the most frequently-requested information on these boards regarding operation of the part-95 family/general mobile/multi use radio services (FRS/GMRS/MURS) in the United States. Advantages and disadvantages of each service, as well as comparisons to other services such as HAM and part-90 are avoided to maintain a neutral tone and point-of-view. Hopefully this will answer many of the recurring questions people have and clear up confusion.
DISCLAIMER: This document is for general informational purposes only; NOT intended as legal advice and should not be construed as such. Legal matters should be referred to a qualified attourney or lawyer. All information is considered current as of the date this post was submitted. Since regulations and practises may change over time, it is advisable to consult an official source such as the FCC for the most up-to-date information.
REDISTRIBUTE FREELY!
CONTENTS
1. FREQUENCIES
2. MAXIMUM TRANSMITTER POWER LIMITS
3. BANDWIDTH/DEVIATION
4. LICENCING
5A. TYPE ACCEPTANCE
5B. FINDING TYPE-ACCEPTED TRANSCEIVERS FOR PART-95 USE
6. REPEATERS
7. OTHER FACTS
8. THE FUTURE OF FRS AND GMRS
9. SEE ALSO
================================ FREQUENCIES ================================
Note: Channel numbers are given in this list according to the widely-followed Motorola numbering convention. GMRS channels are also sometimes referred to according to their dial position in kilohertz (e.g. "550" for channel 15) but this is uncommon.
FRS/GMRS
01 462.5625
02 462.5875
03 462.6125
04 462.6375
05 462.6625
06 462.6875
07 462.7125
FRS ONLY
08 467.5625
09 467.5875
10 467.6125
11 467.6375
12 467.6625
13 467.6875
14 467.7125
GMRS ONLY
15 462.550
16 462.575
17 462.600
18 462.625
19 462.650
20 462.675
21 462.700
22 462.725
*Note: for repeater use on 15-22, assume a +5 MHz shift (Tx: 467.xxx/Rx: 462.xxx). Simplex operation is not allowed on 467 MHz GMRS frequencies and are used for repeater input only.
MURS
01 151.820
02 151.880
03 151.940
04 154.570 ("Blue dot")
05 154.600 ("Green dot")
================================ MAXIMUM TRANSMITTER POWER LIMITS ================================
FRS 1-7:
FRS: 0.5 watt
GMRS: 5 watt
FRS 8-14:
FRS: 0.5 watt
GMRS: prohibited
GMRS 15-22 (a.k.a. 550-725)
FRS: not applicable
GMRS: 5 watt (base); 50 watt (mobile/handheld)
MURS
All channels: 2 watt
================================ BANDWIDTH/DEVIATION ================================
FRS/GMRS - All channels
Bandwidth: 11 kHz
Deviation: 2.5 kHz
GMRS ONLY - 15-22*
Bandwidth: 20 kHz
Deviation: 5 kHz
*Note: GMRS may also be worked with 11 kHz bandwidth/2.5 kHz deviation, though most mainstream equipment (e.g. department-store HTs) is fixed for 20/5 operation.
MURS*
Bandwidth
1-3: 11 kHz
4-5: 20 kHz
Deviation
1-3: 2.5 kHz
4-5: 5 kHz
* Note: narrowband (11/2.5) transmissions are also allowed on MURS 4-5.
================================ LICENCING ================================
FRS
No licence required when operating on any channel (1-14) at up to 0.5 watt ERP
GMRS
Licence always required on 15-22 and when operating at power levels greater than 0.5 watt ERP on FRS 1-7
No licence required when operating a combination F/GMRS transceiver on FRS 8-14, or if said device does not exceed 0.5 watt ERP on FRS 1-7.
MURS
No licence required for personal use on any channel
- - - - - - - - - - - -
At the time of this writing, GMRS licencing is handled by the F¢¢. Fee is $85 and the ticket is good for five years. A GMRS ticket is valid for the holder and the immediate members of his family. GMRS licence holder must be aged 18 and up, but the service may be used by his family members of any age. No examination or test/quiz is conducted for GMRS licencing. A part 90/business or HAM radio licence does NOT legally grant any privileges to operate GMRS and vice versa. See also "THE FUTURE OF FRS AND GMRS" below.
People sometimes use handles (nicknames) on all three services. HAM call letters are considered a handle in part-95, as they have no official meaning in these services. If using any handle on GMRS (subject to personal preference), it should be given in conjunction with one's official legal GMRS call, never in place of it. GMRS call letters are not required to be announced on MURS, FRS 1-7 when operating at <=0.5 watt ERP or FRS 8-14.
================================ TYPE ACCEPTANCE ================================
FRS
Equipment must be self-contained; if built to use detachable components (e.g. microphones/headseats) they must be designed specifically for use with their respective transceivers, batteries excepted
Antennae must not be detachable or easily removable
Mobile use permitted, but mobile FRS transceivers are difficult to find
GMRS
Equipment may be self-contained (as in combination FRS/GMRS HTs which are currently very popular in the US) or have detachable components
Transceivers excluding FRS coverage may use detachable aerials, but placement restrictions exist--specifically, antenna cannot exceed 20 feet elevation above ground level. HTs can not have detachable aerials if they include FRS coverage
Mobile use permitted
MURS
Transceivers may use detachable aerials. Antenna height limited to 20 feet above structure (e.g. the peak of a house's roof) or 60 feet above ground, whichever is greater.
- - - - - - - - - - - -
All transceiver equipment used on F/GM/MURS must be part-95 type accepted and meet certain criteria as stated in their respective FCC rules. In general, FRS transceivers cannot have removable aerials; GMRS and MURS radios can have removable aerials (particularly in the case of base or mobile units.) but GMRS transceivers with removable aerials can not be used to transmit on FRS. Tone/code squelch is permitted on all services, although this functionality is sometimes omitted, especially in very low-cost transceivers or children's "toy" HTs where carrier squelch may be used instead. Modifying an F/GM/MURS transciver in ways not intended by the manufacturer or F¢¢ generally voids its part-95 certification and may render it illegal to operate. Equipment can neiter be tunable outside its prescribed frequency bands, nor manually or computer programmable as such. External amplifiers can not be used with any transceiver on F/GM/MURS. These restrictions do not apply to equipment designed specifically for receiving (e.g. a police scanner.)
Many newer imported freeband transceivers marketed for HAM use (Baofeng, TYT, Wouxun, etc.) and modified purpose-built HAM equipment are capable of emulating an F/GM/MURS transceiver. Although sometimes used, such equipment is illegal to operate in these services as they are not type-accepted for part-95 operation, despite extremely lax enforcement by the F¢¢.
================================ FINDING TYPE-ACCEPTED TRANSCEIVERS FOR PART-95 USE ================================
The FCC maintain a searchable database of all transceivers certified for part-95 use on
https://apps.fcc.gov/oetcf/eas/reports/GenericSearch.cfm
1. Under "Application Information: Application Status:", select Grant Issued.
2. Under "Equipment Information: Rule Parts (up to three):", select "95A" for GMRS, "95B" for FRS or "95J" for MURS and tick "exact match" (selected by default). It's probably best to search each one individually, as this narrows your search and reduces confusion.
3. Under "Formatting Options: Show results in", select "HTML" (default).
4. Specify number of search results to display (default: 10).
5. Select "Start serach". It may take several minutes to display if a large number of results is given in step 4.
NOSCRIPT USERS: Temporarily allow "apps.fcc.gov" to use the search page.
================================ REPEATERS ================================
Repeaters on GMRS are usually considered to be specifically for the private use of those who operate them, however many individuals and radio clubs operate "open" repeaters intended for public use. Some of these repeaters may require permission from the operators to work them, but not always (although it is considered polite to ask regardless.) A good resource for GMRS repeater information, including non-exhaustive lists of repeaters around the United States is http://mygmrs.com/. At the time of this writing, the ratio of open versus private ("permission required") systems listed in mygmrs seems to be fairly equal (271:308), indicating a slight bias toward private systems.
All repeater and telephone patch operations are forbidden on FRS and MURS. Telephone patches may not be used on GMRS. As far as I know, there is no restriction on an F/GM/MURS operator relaying communications by voice between their respective band and other radio services like CB or HAM, or other media such as Internet chat servers or telephone calls.
================================ OTHER FACTS ================================
FCC RULES
FRS: 47 CFR 95B
GMRS: 47 CFR 95A
MURS: 47 CFR 95J
- - - - - - - - - - - -
FRS and GMRS always use FM (see "BANDWIDTH/DEVIATION" above.) MURS may use other modulation formats, but FM is arguably the most commonly used.
GMRS channels 19 and 21 (650 and 700) are not allowed to be used near the Canadian border.
FRS transceivers are allowed to be used in Mexico on channels 1-14, however care must be exercised to avoid transmitting on GMRS 15-22 if a combination transceiver is used there.
FRS 1 and GMRS 20 are commonly used and advocated as "de facto" calling and emergency channels, especially when travelling. Usually used with CTCSS 141.3 Hz (Motorola QC #22).
It is legal for FRS and GMRS users to communicate with each other. The low maximum power level of FRS devices may cause problems when communicating to a GMRS station over any significant distance.
CTCSS and digital squelch is allowed on all services, and may be required to access repeaters on GMRS. Usage of a CTCSS tone/DCS code is completely optional on any FRS/GMRS/MURS channel, but one is likely to attract more attention using it.
FRS, GMRS and MURS were originally intended to be used for personal communications within one's group, however there is almost nothing prohibiting deviation from this (see next paragraph). There is no "content police" on F/GM/MURS and in some areas, portions of GMRS and MURS are used as an "alternative" HAM service; the subject matter discussed in them might be similar to what one would find scanning the several HAM bands.
Transmission of music is never allowed on any part-95 band including CB. (That includes YOU, "Fisherman" and "Robocop".) Morse code is allowed but rarely used for anything other than distress signals or automatic GMRS repeater self-identification. Data transmissions are allowed on MURS but may be restricted on the other services.
Business use of GMRS is generally prohibited, principally due to (expensive) licencing restrictions and its reclassification as a personal-use radio service in the 1980s. Exceptions exist for businesses licenced for GMRS before revision of the service's rule in the 1980s and are operating under the "grandfather" regulation. Many businesses are now using FRS for this purpose as it is free of such restrictions.
================================ THE FUTURE OF FRS AND GMRS ================================
It is speculated that licencing requirements on GMRS may be either greatly relaxed or completely eliminated in the coming years, and a slightly revised bandplan implemented. One oft-stated example has GMRS being restricted to 2 watts maximum ERP, simplex communications being allowed on the 467 MHz repeater input channels and repeater usage discontinued. The resulting service would be an "extended" 30-channel implementation of FRS and be regulated as such.
================================ SEE ALSO ================================
http://wiki.radioreference.com/index.php/FRS - FRS description on the Radioreference wiki
http://wireless.fcc.gov/services/personal/family/ - FRS information from the FCC
http://popularwireless.com/gmrsfaqa.html - FRS/GMRS frequently asked questions
http://wiki.radioreference.com/index.php/GMRS - GMRS description on the Radioreference wiki
http://wireless.fcc.gov/services/personal/generalmobile/ - GMRS information from the FCC
http://mygmrs.com/ - GMRS repeater information and directory
http://home.provide.net/~prsg/part95ae.htm - A very in-depth page about GMRS regulations that includes the FCC's rule
http://wiki.radioreference.com/index.php/MURS - MURS description on the Radioreference wiki
http://fcc.gov/encyclopedia/multi-use-radio-service-murs-0 - MURS information from the FCC
http://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?c=ecfr&rgn=div5&view=text&node=47:5.0.1.1.5 - Electronic Code of Federal Regulations title 47 part 95; the official document describing all this stuff (almost reads like an FAQ) (thanks, nd5y)
END
Hoookay. For what it's worth, here is a (rather messy) compilation of some of the most frequently-requested information on these boards regarding operation of the part-95 family/general mobile/multi use radio services (FRS/GMRS/MURS) in the United States. Advantages and disadvantages of each service, as well as comparisons to other services such as HAM and part-90 are avoided to maintain a neutral tone and point-of-view. Hopefully this will answer many of the recurring questions people have and clear up confusion.
DISCLAIMER: This document is for general informational purposes only; NOT intended as legal advice and should not be construed as such. Legal matters should be referred to a qualified attourney or lawyer. All information is considered current as of the date this post was submitted. Since regulations and practises may change over time, it is advisable to consult an official source such as the FCC for the most up-to-date information.
REDISTRIBUTE FREELY!
CONTENTS
1. FREQUENCIES
2. MAXIMUM TRANSMITTER POWER LIMITS
3. BANDWIDTH/DEVIATION
4. LICENCING
5A. TYPE ACCEPTANCE
5B. FINDING TYPE-ACCEPTED TRANSCEIVERS FOR PART-95 USE
6. REPEATERS
7. OTHER FACTS
8. THE FUTURE OF FRS AND GMRS
9. SEE ALSO
================================ FREQUENCIES ================================
Note: Channel numbers are given in this list according to the widely-followed Motorola numbering convention. GMRS channels are also sometimes referred to according to their dial position in kilohertz (e.g. "550" for channel 15) but this is uncommon.
FRS/GMRS
01 462.5625
02 462.5875
03 462.6125
04 462.6375
05 462.6625
06 462.6875
07 462.7125
FRS ONLY
08 467.5625
09 467.5875
10 467.6125
11 467.6375
12 467.6625
13 467.6875
14 467.7125
GMRS ONLY
15 462.550
16 462.575
17 462.600
18 462.625
19 462.650
20 462.675
21 462.700
22 462.725
*Note: for repeater use on 15-22, assume a +5 MHz shift (Tx: 467.xxx/Rx: 462.xxx). Simplex operation is not allowed on 467 MHz GMRS frequencies and are used for repeater input only.
MURS
01 151.820
02 151.880
03 151.940
04 154.570 ("Blue dot")
05 154.600 ("Green dot")
================================ MAXIMUM TRANSMITTER POWER LIMITS ================================
FRS 1-7:
FRS: 0.5 watt
GMRS: 5 watt
FRS 8-14:
FRS: 0.5 watt
GMRS: prohibited
GMRS 15-22 (a.k.a. 550-725)
FRS: not applicable
GMRS: 5 watt (base); 50 watt (mobile/handheld)
MURS
All channels: 2 watt
================================ BANDWIDTH/DEVIATION ================================
FRS/GMRS - All channels
Bandwidth: 11 kHz
Deviation: 2.5 kHz
GMRS ONLY - 15-22*
Bandwidth: 20 kHz
Deviation: 5 kHz
*Note: GMRS may also be worked with 11 kHz bandwidth/2.5 kHz deviation, though most mainstream equipment (e.g. department-store HTs) is fixed for 20/5 operation.
MURS*
Bandwidth
1-3: 11 kHz
4-5: 20 kHz
Deviation
1-3: 2.5 kHz
4-5: 5 kHz
* Note: narrowband (11/2.5) transmissions are also allowed on MURS 4-5.
================================ LICENCING ================================
FRS
No licence required when operating on any channel (1-14) at up to 0.5 watt ERP
GMRS
Licence always required on 15-22 and when operating at power levels greater than 0.5 watt ERP on FRS 1-7
No licence required when operating a combination F/GMRS transceiver on FRS 8-14, or if said device does not exceed 0.5 watt ERP on FRS 1-7.
MURS
No licence required for personal use on any channel
- - - - - - - - - - - -
At the time of this writing, GMRS licencing is handled by the F¢¢. Fee is $85 and the ticket is good for five years. A GMRS ticket is valid for the holder and the immediate members of his family. GMRS licence holder must be aged 18 and up, but the service may be used by his family members of any age. No examination or test/quiz is conducted for GMRS licencing. A part 90/business or HAM radio licence does NOT legally grant any privileges to operate GMRS and vice versa. See also "THE FUTURE OF FRS AND GMRS" below.
People sometimes use handles (nicknames) on all three services. HAM call letters are considered a handle in part-95, as they have no official meaning in these services. If using any handle on GMRS (subject to personal preference), it should be given in conjunction with one's official legal GMRS call, never in place of it. GMRS call letters are not required to be announced on MURS, FRS 1-7 when operating at <=0.5 watt ERP or FRS 8-14.
================================ TYPE ACCEPTANCE ================================
FRS
Equipment must be self-contained; if built to use detachable components (e.g. microphones/headseats) they must be designed specifically for use with their respective transceivers, batteries excepted
Antennae must not be detachable or easily removable
Mobile use permitted, but mobile FRS transceivers are difficult to find
GMRS
Equipment may be self-contained (as in combination FRS/GMRS HTs which are currently very popular in the US) or have detachable components
Transceivers excluding FRS coverage may use detachable aerials, but placement restrictions exist--specifically, antenna cannot exceed 20 feet elevation above ground level. HTs can not have detachable aerials if they include FRS coverage
Mobile use permitted
MURS
Transceivers may use detachable aerials. Antenna height limited to 20 feet above structure (e.g. the peak of a house's roof) or 60 feet above ground, whichever is greater.
- - - - - - - - - - - -
All transceiver equipment used on F/GM/MURS must be part-95 type accepted and meet certain criteria as stated in their respective FCC rules. In general, FRS transceivers cannot have removable aerials; GMRS and MURS radios can have removable aerials (particularly in the case of base or mobile units.) but GMRS transceivers with removable aerials can not be used to transmit on FRS. Tone/code squelch is permitted on all services, although this functionality is sometimes omitted, especially in very low-cost transceivers or children's "toy" HTs where carrier squelch may be used instead. Modifying an F/GM/MURS transciver in ways not intended by the manufacturer or F¢¢ generally voids its part-95 certification and may render it illegal to operate. Equipment can neiter be tunable outside its prescribed frequency bands, nor manually or computer programmable as such. External amplifiers can not be used with any transceiver on F/GM/MURS. These restrictions do not apply to equipment designed specifically for receiving (e.g. a police scanner.)
Many newer imported freeband transceivers marketed for HAM use (Baofeng, TYT, Wouxun, etc.) and modified purpose-built HAM equipment are capable of emulating an F/GM/MURS transceiver. Although sometimes used, such equipment is illegal to operate in these services as they are not type-accepted for part-95 operation, despite extremely lax enforcement by the F¢¢.
================================ FINDING TYPE-ACCEPTED TRANSCEIVERS FOR PART-95 USE ================================
The FCC maintain a searchable database of all transceivers certified for part-95 use on
https://apps.fcc.gov/oetcf/eas/reports/GenericSearch.cfm
1. Under "Application Information: Application Status:", select Grant Issued.
2. Under "Equipment Information: Rule Parts (up to three):", select "95A" for GMRS, "95B" for FRS or "95J" for MURS and tick "exact match" (selected by default). It's probably best to search each one individually, as this narrows your search and reduces confusion.
3. Under "Formatting Options: Show results in", select "HTML" (default).
4. Specify number of search results to display (default: 10).
5. Select "Start serach". It may take several minutes to display if a large number of results is given in step 4.
NOSCRIPT USERS: Temporarily allow "apps.fcc.gov" to use the search page.
================================ REPEATERS ================================
Repeaters on GMRS are usually considered to be specifically for the private use of those who operate them, however many individuals and radio clubs operate "open" repeaters intended for public use. Some of these repeaters may require permission from the operators to work them, but not always (although it is considered polite to ask regardless.) A good resource for GMRS repeater information, including non-exhaustive lists of repeaters around the United States is http://mygmrs.com/. At the time of this writing, the ratio of open versus private ("permission required") systems listed in mygmrs seems to be fairly equal (271:308), indicating a slight bias toward private systems.
All repeater and telephone patch operations are forbidden on FRS and MURS. Telephone patches may not be used on GMRS. As far as I know, there is no restriction on an F/GM/MURS operator relaying communications by voice between their respective band and other radio services like CB or HAM, or other media such as Internet chat servers or telephone calls.
================================ OTHER FACTS ================================
FCC RULES
FRS: 47 CFR 95B
GMRS: 47 CFR 95A
MURS: 47 CFR 95J
- - - - - - - - - - - -
FRS and GMRS always use FM (see "BANDWIDTH/DEVIATION" above.) MURS may use other modulation formats, but FM is arguably the most commonly used.
GMRS channels 19 and 21 (650 and 700) are not allowed to be used near the Canadian border.
FRS transceivers are allowed to be used in Mexico on channels 1-14, however care must be exercised to avoid transmitting on GMRS 15-22 if a combination transceiver is used there.
FRS 1 and GMRS 20 are commonly used and advocated as "de facto" calling and emergency channels, especially when travelling. Usually used with CTCSS 141.3 Hz (Motorola QC #22).
It is legal for FRS and GMRS users to communicate with each other. The low maximum power level of FRS devices may cause problems when communicating to a GMRS station over any significant distance.
CTCSS and digital squelch is allowed on all services, and may be required to access repeaters on GMRS. Usage of a CTCSS tone/DCS code is completely optional on any FRS/GMRS/MURS channel, but one is likely to attract more attention using it.
FRS, GMRS and MURS were originally intended to be used for personal communications within one's group, however there is almost nothing prohibiting deviation from this (see next paragraph). There is no "content police" on F/GM/MURS and in some areas, portions of GMRS and MURS are used as an "alternative" HAM service; the subject matter discussed in them might be similar to what one would find scanning the several HAM bands.
Transmission of music is never allowed on any part-95 band including CB. (That includes YOU, "Fisherman" and "Robocop".) Morse code is allowed but rarely used for anything other than distress signals or automatic GMRS repeater self-identification. Data transmissions are allowed on MURS but may be restricted on the other services.
Business use of GMRS is generally prohibited, principally due to (expensive) licencing restrictions and its reclassification as a personal-use radio service in the 1980s. Exceptions exist for businesses licenced for GMRS before revision of the service's rule in the 1980s and are operating under the "grandfather" regulation. Many businesses are now using FRS for this purpose as it is free of such restrictions.
================================ THE FUTURE OF FRS AND GMRS ================================
It is speculated that licencing requirements on GMRS may be either greatly relaxed or completely eliminated in the coming years, and a slightly revised bandplan implemented. One oft-stated example has GMRS being restricted to 2 watts maximum ERP, simplex communications being allowed on the 467 MHz repeater input channels and repeater usage discontinued. The resulting service would be an "extended" 30-channel implementation of FRS and be regulated as such.
================================ SEE ALSO ================================
http://wiki.radioreference.com/index.php/FRS - FRS description on the Radioreference wiki
http://wireless.fcc.gov/services/personal/family/ - FRS information from the FCC
http://popularwireless.com/gmrsfaqa.html - FRS/GMRS frequently asked questions
http://wiki.radioreference.com/index.php/GMRS - GMRS description on the Radioreference wiki
http://wireless.fcc.gov/services/personal/generalmobile/ - GMRS information from the FCC
http://mygmrs.com/ - GMRS repeater information and directory
http://home.provide.net/~prsg/part95ae.htm - A very in-depth page about GMRS regulations that includes the FCC's rule
http://wiki.radioreference.com/index.php/MURS - MURS description on the Radioreference wiki
http://fcc.gov/encyclopedia/multi-use-radio-service-murs-0 - MURS information from the FCC
http://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?c=ecfr&rgn=div5&view=text&node=47:5.0.1.1.5 - Electronic Code of Federal Regulations title 47 part 95; the official document describing all this stuff (almost reads like an FAQ) (thanks, nd5y)
END
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