Radios, frequencies and such

[Cidertom]

A few posts recently about radios and use have me a bit concerned. While you can buy these really cheap and easy to use radios from ebay/amazon/? Just because you can buy them doesn't make them legal. Federal law prohibits the sale or use of "front panel" programmable radios with very few exceptions. FCC enforcement actions are happening, and import restrictions are being increased.

Why? Well most frequencies are licensed to specific users in each geographical area. The idea is that someone with the equipment/software/knowledge to program radios would also have the knowledge to obtain the appropriate licenses to use frequencies.

Reality is: If you have a license for a specific frequency and program it into your radio, most likely no one would ever say anything. The issue comes in when people don't have a license and use the frequency anyway. Several of the preprogrammed frequencies in the most common Bao* radio are public safety frequencies. Police, fire etc. Program them with GMRS/ FRS and no one will ever care. But please don't use licensed frequencies unless you hold that license.

Perhaps some group would like to take the lead and obtain nationwide itinerant licenses for us to share as "snocatradio".

CT

[topwelder44]

y do we need radios ?

[Cidertom]

Originally Posted by topwelder44

y do we need radios ?

At big gatherings it is frequently easier to communicate to all via a radio than otherwise. Also for some of our area cell is spotty at best. coordination, help, convoy etc.

[PJL]

I'm with Cider on this one. Here is the FCC's take on personal radio services. FRS and low power GMRS channels are your best bet.
https://www.fcc.gov/consumers/guides...-keeping-touch

[topwelder44]

ok---- so stay away from government------go buy some hunting radios------I have 3 airplanes and will not get my license sometimes people just need to say no just sayin----how about this one ----here in ny. law states atv must be registered. but there are no legal trails to ride on---yes we ride them here ---but talking with the forest ranger they are only legal on your own land and have to b registered ----so again stay away from the government just do your own thing-----o ya ny state sure loves wheelers when we r on a search for a missing person----or when you take your killer big tire rzr in a swamp to bring out the dead guy on the hood like a dead deer

[Patroller]

Originally Posted by Cidertom

Reality is: If you have a license for a specific frequency and program it into your radio, most likely no one would ever say anything. The issue comes in when people don't have a license and use the frequency anyway. Several of the preprogrammed frequencies in the most common Bao* radio are public safety frequencies. Police, fire etc. Program them with GMRS/ FRS and no one will ever care. But please don't use licensed frequencies unless you hold that license.

Perhaps some group would like to take the lead and obtain nationwide itinerant licenses for us to share as "snocatradio".

CT

I agree with all you mention on the subject. And it would be great if we had an itinerant license. Fortunately, most of the remote areas where rides take place have no interfering users when using the pre-programmed radios and simply changing channels can avoid conflicts.

[Cidertom]

One problem I have had to chase down twice: The unlicensed radio is on the input frequency for a repeater. No one on those radios hears any chatter as the licensed units were also handhelds and a several miles away. But, the repeater hears them and rebroadcasts them. Jamming the legal users.

I don't want this to get bogged down in us-them-gov't but I am trying to provide some information to keep folks in the clear. What we, as a group, don't need is someone tracking interference to us. Even worse, what if someone tracked a "jammer" down to a cat with a sheriffs ID on it...

While groups and companies are prohibited from owning high power GMRS licenses. We can have use of those frequencies. My "family" can call Jinn's "family" legally. And to be honest, no one is going to check licenses on those frequencies.

You as individuals can do as you see fit, but I think if/when we are doing things as a group (whichever group that may be) this is one item everyone needs to feel OK with.

[Patroller]

Originally Posted by Cidertom

One problem I have had to chase down twice: The unlicensed radio is on the input frequency for a repeater. No one on those radios hears any chatter as the licensed units were also handhelds and a several miles away. But, the repeater hears them and rebroadcasts them. Jamming the legal users.

I don't want this to get bogged down in us-them-gov't but I am trying to provide some information to keep folks in the clear. What we, as a group, don't need is someone tracking interference to us. Even worse, what if someone tracked a "jammer" down to a cat with a sheriffs ID on it...

While groups and companies are prohibited from owning high power GMRS licenses. We can have use of those frequencies. My "family" can call Jinn's "family" legally. And to be honest, no one is going to check licenses on those frequencies.

You as individuals can do as you see fit, but I think if/when we are doing things as a group (whichever group that may be) this is one item everyone needs to feel OK with.

Your points are absolutely legit. I checked the pre-programmed freqs on the elcheapo radios and they do, in fact, have some random frequencies that should not be used. I will be reprogramming all of them to only GMRS channels so they are ready for the next outing.
If time allows, I may also look at the potential for an itinerant frequency.

[JimVT]

when out i use 2 meter and if talking a lot we switch to a simplex frequency .we have our ham license and several radios in our cats but on a search mission we use a channel all the cops have. gmrs is used by our snowmobile club and i have used it often.