Baofeng Legal Questions

[SSTJ]

So let's say that I want to use a Baofeng UV-5R (or one of its recent variations) on Ham channels. No problem, so long as I have a license of course.

But let's say I want to use it on FRS channels. No license required, but the Baofeng doesn't meet FCC regulations (detachable antenna, capable of transmitting at too much power, etc.). But if, hypothetically speaking, one were to set the radio to just 1W (low), which is below the 2W limit for the first seven FRS channels, would it cause any harm to communicate with other FRS radios?

Similarly for GMRS. If properly licensed, and If transmission power is kept below the limits for each channel, is there any harm done?

I guess I understand that the FCC would ban these Baofengs for FRS and GMRS due to their ability to break the rules, but if one were to follow the rules then no other radio users would get inconvenienced, right?

 

[matkal]

 

[BugoutJeep]

I'm pretty sure they aren't legal for any bands, because they have the capability to go beyond even ham bands. IMO, use the power as low as possible, stay mobile and use them, even on FRS or GMRS. I typically use them for those modes, because most people I know don't have their Ham license and honestly there's a lot of rules and I'd rather stay on frequencies that have less rules.

IMO most people are cool with good etiquette. There are A holes though and they very well are probably correct, just sucks to learn a lot of rules and jargon when the law is involved, this has been what has made me hesitant to fish for years.

 

[SSTJ]

I'm pretty sure they aren't legal for any bands, because they have the capability to go beyond even ham bands. IMO, use the power as low as possible, stay mobile and use them, even on FRS or GMRS. I typically use them for those modes, because most people I know don't have their Ham license and honestly there's a lot of rules and I'd rather stay on frequencies that have less rules.

IMO most people are cool with good etiquette. There are A holes though and they very well are probably correct, just sucks to learn a lot of rules and jargon when the law is involved, this has been what has made me hesitant to fish for years.

Thanks. I'm cool with rules, and actually enjoy learning them. So I'm about to get my Ham license anyway. Just curious about using the Baofeng on FRS and GMRS.

 

[jjvw]

 

[matkal]

IMO let common sense guide you. IF I had one of these and IF I decided to use it ONLY in my(alleged) Jeep on trail rides with other off roaders I would not bother to get a license. AND I would probably (allegedly) use it on frs and gmrs freqs if that’s what the group was using to communicate.

Disclaimer: the preceding is fiction and not meant to influence or coerce anyone into illegal activities.

 

[SSTJ]

I guess I am just wondering why they are banned. Is it just because they have the ability to transmit at too much power, or is there some other way that using them on FRS or GMRS would cause trouble?

 

[Zorba]

Just legalese. They're not "type accepted" by the FCC for GMRS, FRS, or MURS, so its technically illegal to use them for those purposes, even if ALL technical parameters are adhered to. Apparently, its not possible to have a radio type accepted for more than one radio service. Given the mess the FCC has made out of FRS/GMRS and how one tells the difference between the two, this isn't surprising.

Which is why I have both a Ham transceiver as well as a GMRS transceiver (and the two different licenses to go with them) in my Jeep - even though my Ham radio can be programmed for GMRS/FRS and MURS. Probably overkill, but I tend to be very paranoid about "the man".

With all this said, there actually is a good set of reasons for the weirdnesses of GMRS/FRS and their power limits and bandwidth. Has to do with GMRS repeater frequencies.

 

[SSTJ]

Thanks @Zorba . Yea, I’m just curious. CB comes tomorrow, and I am enjoying my UV-5R so far (listening only—I take the exam next month).

 

[Zorba]

Thanks @Zorba . Yea, I’m just curious. CB comes tomorrow, and I am enjoying my UV-5R so far (listening only—I take the exam next month).

If you pass the Tech test, take the General. Its all the same price. I aced the Tech, and passed (barely!) the General. I had spent all my time boning up for the tech, and only took 4 practice tests for the General - failed 3 of them, squeaked by the other one - but it was just enough for me to pass the real thing.

 

[Zorba]

The V.E. in charge of the testing encouraged everyone to try the General. There were 14 there, I think about 12 tried. I was the first to pass the General, about 1/3rd of the way through. I don't know if anyone else passed after I left or not. I don't know who was the most surprised, the V.E., or me! Other than the afore mentioned 4 practice tests, I didn't study at all for the General - just looked at the explanations of the the questions I missed on the practice tests. Some of it I knew, some of it was common sense, some I was able to figure out, some of it was a "SWAG", much of it was a "WAG"! I got lucky!

The V.E. told the story of a guy who came in to take the Tech. He aced it. So after "much" encouragement, he took the General. He aced that too. The V.E. told him that he was going to punch him in the kisser if he didn't try the Extra...

... he friggin' aced that too!

 

[SSTJ]

The V.E. in charge of the testing encouraged everyone to try the General. There were 14 there, I think about 12 tried. I was the first to pass the General, about 1/3rd of the way through. I don't know if anyone else passed after I left or not. I don't know who was the most surprised, the V.E., or me! Other than the afore mentioned 4 practice tests, I didn't study at all for the General - just looked at the explanations of the the questions I missed on the practice tests. Some of it I knew, some of it was common sense, some I was able to figure out, some of it was a "SWAG", much of it was a "WAG"! I got lucky!

The V.E. told the story of a guy who came in to take the Tech. He aced it. So after "much" encouragement, he took the General. He aced that too. The V.E. told him that he was going to punch him in the kisser if he didn't try the Extra...

... he friggin' aced that too!

Ha, well I'll just be happy if I pass the Technician! But yes, if I ace it, I'll take your advice and try General.

 

[Zorba]

Ha, well I'll just be happy if I pass the Technician! But yes, if I ace it, I'll take your advice and try General.

My advice would be to certainly concentrate on the Tech - I knew I'd either ace it or only miss 1 due to a possible brain fart. The hardest stuff for me was the legalese and "ham culture" stuff. BUT - at the very least take a few General practice tests, and read the explanations for the ones you miss. I used "hamstudy.org".

 

[BugoutJeep]

I took the tech and aced it and failed the general. Some of the stuff is arbitrary to the rules, but probably not enough to fail. I had to really study to ace my general, but I just don't mess with electrical stuff that often and I'm not comfortable tx on ham and haven't done much with the antennas.

Mostly I just use handheld frs stuff or handheld CB though I have a nice setup for ham freq, but I only rx on that but just don't have the need to tx. I keep meaning to mess around more with coms, but I've just been so busy I get a bunch of stuff together and then something comes up and don't get around to anything for like a year when I've forgotten what I was gonna do.

 

[Stinkbug]

I guess I am just wondering why they are banned. Is it just because they have the ability to transmit at too much power, or is there some other way that using them on FRS or GMRS would cause trouble?

My guess is you are right, too much transmitting power. We have all heard the guys blasting mariachi music from Baja Mexico to the Canadian border on CB and how that F’s anyone else trying to carry on a normal conversation.

I would imagine that same knucklehead modifies his HAM setup to blast 100 watts through Jellystone park so he can be sure to talk to his buddy 3 campsites over on FRS or GMRS and screws everyone else’s communication.

I believe it’s about keeping that portion of the band available to as many people as possible.

 

[BugoutJeep]

I wish most people, including me, would truly understand antennas for tx/rx and how to use the least amount of power to tx. That's most of the reason we need rules are because of that abuse or ignorance I think.

It's like being in a library screaming and if you turn away from the people you are talking to and scream in the other direction it's even more annoying.