FRS / GMRS Radio FCC licensing
 

Well, I got a nice little Christmas present, a pair of Motorola T4500 FRS
(or so I thought) radios. Seems that these broadcast on both the FRS (Family
Radio Service) channels and the newer GMRS (General Mobile Radio Service)
frequencies.

When FRS came out, they were nice little radios that didn't require a
license, and had a good range, relatively inexpensive, etc. Of course,
somebody couldn't leave good enough, so they came out with the GMRS
frequencies. The radios use a higher power on the GMRS frequencies.

Well guess what? To be strictly legal, you have to get a license for these
new GMRS frequencies. $75 for 5 years from the FCC, you have to fill out
forms 605 and 159. Now, I can of course operate these radios on channels
8-14 ONLY without a license and be legal, because these are the old FRS
frequencies. Sheesh, the license is more than the radios!

Now how many folks who got these for Christmas do you think are going to
apply for an FCC license? Sure reminds me of the old CB radio days. Just
another taxation scheme.

FRS / GMRS Radio FCC licensing
 

I got some and am going through the same headache. To make matters worse I
heard someone made a mistake on his form so the FCC did not grant him a
license. They did however cash his $75 check. I am not sure how it ended.

"Keith" wrote in message
...
Well, I got a nice little Christmas present, a pair of Motorola T4500 FRS
(or so I thought) radios. Seems that these broadcast on both the FRS
(Family
Radio Service) channels and the newer GMRS (General Mobile Radio Service)
frequencies.

When FRS came out, they were nice little radios that didn't require a
license, and had a good range, relatively inexpensive, etc. Of course,
somebody couldn't leave good enough, so they came out with the GMRS
frequencies. The radios use a higher power on the GMRS frequencies.

Well guess what? To be strictly legal, you have to get a license for these
new GMRS frequencies. $75 for 5 years from the FCC, you have to fill out
forms 605 and 159. Now, I can of course operate these radios on channels
8-14 ONLY without a license and be legal, because these are the old FRS
frequencies. Sheesh, the license is more than the radios!

Now how many folks who got these for Christmas do you think are going to
apply for an FCC license? Sure reminds me of the old CB radio days. Just
another taxation scheme.

FRS / GMRS Radio FCC licensing
 

I got some and am going through the same headache. To make matters worse I
heard someone made a mistake on his form so the FCC did not grant him a
license. They did however cash his $75 check. I am not sure how it ended.

"Keith" wrote in message
...
Well, I got a nice little Christmas present, a pair of Motorola T4500 FRS
(or so I thought) radios. Seems that these broadcast on both the FRS
(Family
Radio Service) channels and the newer GMRS (General Mobile Radio Service)
frequencies.

When FRS came out, they were nice little radios that didn't require a
license, and had a good range, relatively inexpensive, etc. Of course,
somebody couldn't leave good enough, so they came out with the GMRS
frequencies. The radios use a higher power on the GMRS frequencies.

Well guess what? To be strictly legal, you have to get a license for these
new GMRS frequencies. $75 for 5 years from the FCC, you have to fill out
forms 605 and 159. Now, I can of course operate these radios on channels
8-14 ONLY without a license and be legal, because these are the old FRS
frequencies. Sheesh, the license is more than the radios!

Now how many folks who got these for Christmas do you think are going to
apply for an FCC license? Sure reminds me of the old CB radio days. Just
another taxation scheme.

FRS / GMRS Radio FCC licensing
 

In the early 70's the CB band also required a license. When the "CB boom"
hit in the mid 70's, the FCC found it didn't have the resources to handle
the huge influx of applications, or the the resources to enforce people
operating without a liscense. So to save face - they threw the service
open to free usage.

To date, I've never heard of a case of FCC enforcement on CB that didn't
involve numerous complaints about the same operator coupled with the FCC
being spoon fed the location of the offender. These complaints always
involved very excessive power, or extremely profane operation. Unliscensed
operation was way too petty to squander resources on.

-W


"Keith" wrote in message

Now how many folks who got these for Christmas do you think are going to
apply for an FCC license? Sure reminds me of the old CB radio days. Just
another taxation scheme.

FRS / GMRS Radio FCC licensing
 

In the early 70's the CB band also required a license. When the "CB boom"
hit in the mid 70's, the FCC found it didn't have the resources to handle
the huge influx of applications, or the the resources to enforce people
operating without a liscense. So to save face - they threw the service
open to free usage.

To date, I've never heard of a case of FCC enforcement on CB that didn't
involve numerous complaints about the same operator coupled with the FCC
being spoon fed the location of the offender. These complaints always
involved very excessive power, or extremely profane operation. Unliscensed
operation was way too petty to squander resources on.

-W


"Keith" wrote in message

Now how many folks who got these for Christmas do you think are going to
apply for an FCC license? Sure reminds me of the old CB radio days. Just
another taxation scheme.

FRS / GMRS Radio FCC licensing
 

In article ,
"Keith" wrote:

Well, I got a nice little Christmas present, a pair of Motorola T4500 FRS
(or so I thought) radios. Seems that these broadcast on both the FRS (Family
Radio Service) channels and the newer GMRS (General Mobile Radio Service)
frequencies.

When FRS came out, they were nice little radios that didn't require a
license, and had a good range, relatively inexpensive, etc. Of course,
somebody couldn't leave good enough, so they came out with the GMRS
frequencies. The radios use a higher power on the GMRS frequencies.

Well guess what? To be strictly legal, you have to get a license for these
new GMRS frequencies. $75 for 5 years from the FCC, you have to fill out
forms 605 and 159. Now, I can of course operate these radios on channels
8-14 ONLY without a license and be legal, because these are the old FRS
frequencies. Sheesh, the license is more than the radios!

Now how many folks who got these for Christmas do you think are going to
apply for an FCC license? Sure reminds me of the old CB radio days. Just
another taxation scheme.



If you actually knew what you were talking about you would be DANGEROUS.
GMRS predates FRS by only about 30 years. FRS is an unlisensed Service
because the power of the radio's is small. GMRS Radios have more power
and therefor are capable of interfering with other radio systems that
SHARE the same frequencies. This is why they are LICENSED, so that if
you interfere with someone else's LICENSED system, they can identify you
and get you to STOP. If you aren't capable of filling out the LICENSE
FORM or can't AFFORD the fee, then you need to stay on FRS or CB where
Mooron's belong.

me

FRS / GMRS Radio FCC licensing
 

In article ,
"Keith" wrote:

Well, I got a nice little Christmas present, a pair of Motorola T4500 FRS
(or so I thought) radios. Seems that these broadcast on both the FRS (Family
Radio Service) channels and the newer GMRS (General Mobile Radio Service)
frequencies.

When FRS came out, they were nice little radios that didn't require a
license, and had a good range, relatively inexpensive, etc. Of course,
somebody couldn't leave good enough, so they came out with the GMRS
frequencies. The radios use a higher power on the GMRS frequencies.

Well guess what? To be strictly legal, you have to get a license for these
new GMRS frequencies. $75 for 5 years from the FCC, you have to fill out
forms 605 and 159. Now, I can of course operate these radios on channels
8-14 ONLY without a license and be legal, because these are the old FRS
frequencies. Sheesh, the license is more than the radios!

Now how many folks who got these for Christmas do you think are going to
apply for an FCC license? Sure reminds me of the old CB radio days. Just
another taxation scheme.



If you actually knew what you were talking about you would be DANGEROUS.
GMRS predates FRS by only about 30 years. FRS is an unlisensed Service
because the power of the radio's is small. GMRS Radios have more power
and therefor are capable of interfering with other radio systems that
SHARE the same frequencies. This is why they are LICENSED, so that if
you interfere with someone else's LICENSED system, they can identify you
and get you to STOP. If you aren't capable of filling out the LICENSE
FORM or can't AFFORD the fee, then you need to stay on FRS or CB where
Mooron's belong.

me

FRS / GMRS Radio FCC licensing
 

On Fri, 26 Dec 2003 11:01:34 -0600, "Keith"
wrote:

Well, I got a nice little Christmas present, a pair of Motorola T4500 FRS
(or so I thought) radios. Seems that these broadcast on both the FRS (Family
Radio Service) channels and the newer GMRS (General Mobile Radio Service)
frequencies.

When FRS came out, they were nice little radios that didn't require a
license, and had a good range, relatively inexpensive, etc. Of course,
somebody couldn't leave good enough, so they came out with the GMRS
frequencies. The radios use a higher power on the GMRS frequencies.

Well guess what? To be strictly legal, you have to get a license for these
new GMRS frequencies. $75 for 5 years from the FCC, you have to fill out
forms 605 and 159. Now, I can of course operate these radios on channels
8-14 ONLY without a license and be legal, because these are the old FRS
frequencies. Sheesh, the license is more than the radios!

Now how many folks who got these for Christmas do you think are going to
apply for an FCC license? Sure reminds me of the old CB radio days. Just
another taxation scheme.


Answer - Zero......and I suspect the bureaucrats at the FCC know it.

Notice to government - You cannot arrest thousands of GMRS illegal
users, no more than you could arrest thousands of 10KW CB
operators......


Larry W4CSC

NNNN

FRS / GMRS Radio FCC licensing
 

On Fri, 26 Dec 2003 11:01:34 -0600, "Keith"
wrote:

Well, I got a nice little Christmas present, a pair of Motorola T4500 FRS
(or so I thought) radios. Seems that these broadcast on both the FRS (Family
Radio Service) channels and the newer GMRS (General Mobile Radio Service)
frequencies.

When FRS came out, they were nice little radios that didn't require a
license, and had a good range, relatively inexpensive, etc. Of course,
somebody couldn't leave good enough, so they came out with the GMRS
frequencies. The radios use a higher power on the GMRS frequencies.

Well guess what? To be strictly legal, you have to get a license for these
new GMRS frequencies. $75 for 5 years from the FCC, you have to fill out
forms 605 and 159. Now, I can of course operate these radios on channels
8-14 ONLY without a license and be legal, because these are the old FRS
frequencies. Sheesh, the license is more than the radios!

Now how many folks who got these for Christmas do you think are going to
apply for an FCC license? Sure reminds me of the old CB radio days. Just
another taxation scheme.


Answer - Zero......and I suspect the bureaucrats at the FCC know it.

Notice to government - You cannot arrest thousands of GMRS illegal
users, no more than you could arrest thousands of 10KW CB
operators......


Larry W4CSC

NNNN

FRS / GMRS Radio FCC licensing
 

On Fri, 26 Dec 2003 19:21:40 GMT, Me wrote:


If you actually knew what you were talking about you would be DANGEROUS.
GMRS predates FRS by only about 30 years. FRS is an unlisensed Service
because the power of the radio's is small. GMRS Radios have more power
and therefor are capable of interfering with other radio systems that
SHARE the same frequencies. This is why they are LICENSED, so that if
you interfere with someone else's LICENSED system, they can identify you
and get you to STOP. If you aren't capable of filling out the LICENSE
FORM or can't AFFORD the fee, then you need to stay on FRS or CB where
Mooron's belong.

me

Back behind the scenes at all this 2-way-radio nonsense, there's
someone who's been pulling the FCC's string for decades. It's

M-O-T-O-R-O_)$(&@#_)(%&_)(#$*_)@(#&^%_)NO CARRIER


Larry W4CSC

NNNN