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.

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.

Clams Canino wrote:


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


You're probably right, but with the current political atmosphere in
Washington, DC, and the lunatic in the AG's office, you never know.
Perhaps an investment in Campbell's zoup cans and string...




--
Email sent to is never read.

I thought about that...... and postulated that what FCC resources were
reallocated to monitor these bands as part of the anti-terror campaign,
would also be too busy focusing on "chatter" that sounded encripted in some
way.

I still don't think they have the time, or tools, to hassle the operator
that says: "Hey, while on your way to the ramp, grab an extra pizza and a
milk. And hollar when you're close so I can come meet you."

( I have a pizza place trained to deliver to my boat anyway.... heh)

The liscense requirement may well be a way to generate revenue, but if they
really need big money all they need to do is wait for Stern to commit more
full frontal nudity on the radio. hehe

-W

"Harry Krause" wrote in message
...
Clams Canino wrote:


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


You're probably right, but with the current political atmosphere in
Washington, DC, and the lunatic in the AG's office, you never know.
Perhaps an investment in Campbell's zoup cans and string...




--
Email sent to is never read.