Cheap Comms - Baofeng Radios

[battlemidget]

Wasn't it approved for reduction 2 years ago and has been "supposed to go into effect" for about that long now? I guess the FCC is lacking manpower or a contractor to update the website and payment processor.

Yes. Also, FCC approved F3E (FM as it’s commonly known) for use on CB.
https://cbradiomagazine.com/fcc-appr...usa-cb-radios/

[hollohas]

The radio hardware isn't licensed/certified for use on those bands.

Not only do you the operator have to have a license for operations, but the radio has to be tested/certified/licensed for use on those bands in the US.

As an example, you have LOTS of devices that are known to broadcast RF that have a label that says something along the lines of "this device complies with part 15 (insert other part as necessary for device, band, etc) of the FCC reg's". Your wifi router operates in the ISM band, which does NOT require YOU to have a license, but it has to "licensed"/tested/registered with the FCC before it can be sold in the US.

Someone going to have to explain this a bit more to me, because I'm slow. You're telling me, that an entire BRAND is not FCC Certified?

And if you're not talking about the entire brand but just one device, which one are you referencing as not being FCC Certified to operate on GMRS frequencies?

For example, the UV-5R which is typically what people are talking about when referring to Baofeng and the subject of this thread, is FCC certified as a portable transceiver on 136-174MHZ/400-480MHZ, FCC Identifier ZP5BF-5R. Last I checked, 462MHz and 467MHz were in that range. And you can absolutely set the wattage to operate within the FCC permitted power range for GMRS.

Did they revoke that authorization or am I misunderstanding?

I just this minute downloaded this from the FCC OET website...

[mpatch]

Someone going to have to explain this a bit more to me, because I'm slow. You're telling me, that an entire BRAND is not FCC Certified?

And if you're not talking about the entire brand but just one device, which one are you referencing as not being FCC Certified to operate on GMRS frequencies?

For example, the UV-5R which is typically what people are talking about when referring to Baofeng and the subject of this thread, is FCC certified as a portable transceiver on 136-174MHZ/400-480MHZ, FCC Identifier ZP5BF-5R. Last I checked, 462MHz and 467MHz were in that range. And you can absolutely set the wattage to operate within the FCC permitted power range for GMRS.

Did they revoke that authorization or am I misunderstanding?

I just this minute downloaded this from the FCC OET website...

Who fucking cares?

[gnihcraes]

Power output isn't restricted on this radio for certain bands. 5 watts for the radio but that isn't limited in the radio for gmrs or frs.

Also narrow or wide signal I beleive too.

Technicalities of it.



Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk

[hollohas]

Ah, for FRS CH 8-14 you mean? I can see that since the low power on a UV-5R is 1W and those are limited to 0.5W. But wouldn't that make all GMRS radios illegal? Because every one that I have used allows those channels to be programmed to transmit at higher wattage. All of them depend on the operator using them properly. (Same thing as the legal operation of these particular radios depending on unlicensed users only transmitting on low power even though the radio can transmit on high.)

So is it then only illegal transmit on those particular channels with this radio? All other GMRS frequencies are 5W or 50W which this radio falls within.

So I'm still curious if someone can explain exactly why it would be illegal to use a baofeng on GMRS altogether. Someone said it's because it's not FCC certified and that's not it. What else is it then?

[gnihcraes]

Gmrs wide band and frs narrow it seems. Uv5r can do either but most likely the user isn't going to bother with it. Or maybe because it is programmable, the fcc won't type accept them for it? vs the gmrs or frs radios are not programmable for such settings. Fixed to narrow or wide etc.



Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk

[hollohas]

Ok, so I had to do some digging to get some more specific information.

The ARRL said this about the revised Part 95 rules.

existing GMRS/FRS radios that operate above that power level (2W) will be reclassified as GMRS devices, requiring an individual license.

That makes it seem the UV-5R would simply be reclassified. But still a bit vague. So I pulled up the specific rules

FCC Part 95, Subpart E ? 95.1761

(c) No GMRS transmitter will be certified for use in the GMRS if it is equipped with a frequency capability not listed in ? 95.1763 [462MHz and 476MHz] unless such transmitter is also certified for use in another radio service for which the frequency is authorized and for which certification is also required. No GMRS transmitter will be certified for use in the GMRS if it is equipped with the capabilities to operate in services that do not require equipment certification, such as the Amateur Radio Service. All frequency determining circuitry (including crystals) and programming controls in each GMRS transmitter must be internal to the transmitter and must not be accessible from the exterior of the transmitter operating panel or from the exterior of the transmitter enclosure.

(d) Effective December 27, 2017, the Commission will no longer issue a grant of equipment authorization for hand-held portable unit transmitter types under both this subpart (GMRS) and subpart B of this part (FRS).

So, there it is. They will "no longer" issue authorization for radios like the UV-5R.

But I can't find anywhere that says they revoked it from existing units and the ARRL says the existing device would just be reclassified.

So, as usual, the government rules are clear as mud.

Not a total loss, at least I learned something today.

[kpp80202]

Zombie post

It has come to my attention that the baofeng radios coming out now (at least the uv5r) are locked out from transmitting on GMRS and MURS frequencies. While it is illegal to transmit on these without an approved radio during normal times, it is nice to be able to transmit on whatever you need to in an emergency.

To fix it, turn the radio off, press and hold the PTT, monitor, and VFO/MR buttons, then power on while holding them.If you were locked, you should see "factory" on the boot screen.

Is this all it takes to “unlock” a UV-5r?

[bradbn4]

If I put my way back hat on; some of the limitations of which radio could be allowed to support GMRS/MURS was that the radio must have a non-removable antenna....

If I was to play with the GMRS/MURS community I would pick up a dedicated radio for such support...mostly because those radios are cheap...cheap I tell ya. I remember seeing some prices at 60 dollars for a 2 pack of what looked to be an all weather radio.

If I needed an all-in-one radio - I would look hard at maybe the digital / analog style radio that would let me setup groups that make accessing those areas with the appropriate settings match the standards. While the radio would not be approved of such use for transmitting; it would allow the one device to be used in an emergency.

[00tec]

Is this all it takes to “unlock” a UV-5r?

Yes