Description: Advises retailers and operators that VHF/UHF two-way radios must comply with FCC technical requirements before they may be marketed, imported or operated
DA/FCC #: DA-18-980
There is a LOT of confusion regarding what this means about all of the handheld radios many of you have as part of your Commo preps.
In September 2018 the FCC took action against the importer of the popular radio for non-compliance of the type certification it applied for in order to import these radios.
The importer requested type 90 certification, the rules for type 90 regulated frequencies and power outputs and how the radios are programmed. Ever notice that police or business band radios do not have keypads for programming, or the bubble pack walkie talkies can only change channels, add privacy codes and adjust volume? That's because of type 90 certification.
Amateur Radio operators do not operate type 90 radios however they too are limited to only transmit within the amateur radio bands and certain legal modifications for the MARS (Military Affiliated Radio Service) *known as the CAP/MARS Mod, but there are currently no civilian radio available for use with the CAP (Civil Air Patrol).
The confusion is that the FCC has stated to retailers and operators must not offer to sell, advertise or use these radios until they are brought into compliance with the the FCC regulations.
Good news is that licenced radio amateurs can still use these INSIDE the amateur radio bands 2m/440 but cannot legally use them as MURS, GMRS/FRS radios. Those who are using them outside of the amateur radio bands are in effect using a non-type accepted transmitter. That's the legalities.
The bad news, as of September 30, 2019, advertising, importing and use of the non-type accepted radios will be illegal until the radios are brought into compliance. New radios will be specific to be ham radio transmitters, with transmitting frequencies blocked outside of the ham bands. Or they will be strictly an FRS radio limited to .5W and a fixed (not interchangeable) antenna and only on the FRS shared and Primary channels. The third type may be GMRS with the higher power output and the use of the interchangeable antennas however I do believe that the keypad programming would be removed from the radio and only programmed at the manufacturer.
The BOTTOM LINE
If you've been waiting to expand your comms beyond the bubble pack radios, time is short. After September 30 the popular BeoFeng handheld VHF UHF portable radios will no longer legally be allowed to be sold, offered, imported or otherwise purchased in the United States.
PS: yes.
From the Document DA-18-980
Amateur Radio Exception. There is one exception to this certification requirement: if a device is capable
of operating only on frequencies that the FCC has allocated for use by Amateur Radio Service licensees, it
does not require FCC equipment authorization,8 and an amateur licensee may use his or her license to
operate such radios. However, many two-way radios that purport to operate on amateur frequencies also
operate on frequencies that extend beyond the designated amateur frequency bands
Get your back ups now
Yeah. I ordered mine as most have these as MURS GMRS FRS use. Thinking it's bad form for a defacto commo guy not to have the same capabilities of the others.
@Patriotic Trucker options are options. I need to snag a few more sets and get on some things. Funny how life gets in the way of living.
@JS Badger lol story of my Life. Though I only bought the one.
To all of the above: yup.
Just put in an order for final 5 Baofeng 2m/440 radios on Amazon
@TyMoore it'll be interested to see if beofeng will market the same radio as GMRS or Ham as essentially the FCC is saying no dual service radios. Uv-8H (ham) uv-8G (GMRS?) Interesting idea just came to mind....73s
Lol, yup, it could be entertaining.....
Essentially they will be "hobbled" and the firmware "PROM"d as in they will flash it once at the factory and then that will be it. Most Yaesu, Icom, Kenwood, Alinco are done this way. The actual user operating frequencies, and repeater configurations are stored in nonvolatile EEPROM so they are still programmable.
Well here we are, October 26 nearly a full month into the ban on the sale of these and there they are. Good to go. Maybe the government was just blowing smoke up our...
@Patriotic Trucker , still going to get some backups and extras.
i have a few of these, the bf-8hp units no issues , along with a kenwood tm-v71a mobile unit so far made contact 50 miles away on simplex with the kenwood .
alot of HAM'S are snobs. the baofeng are great for backup radios or primary unit in you B.O.B back the batteries are work horses and with the correct adapters you can charge them with a portable hand held solar charger
50 miles on simplex? Great! How many Watts you pushing? Flat land?.....Baofengs are functional, got no complaints. I use one regularly. I'm going to try to upgrade my other(mobile) 2 meter units for the cars, and house. If I can't right away, that'll be okay, but I'm starting to have issues with my cheap chinese mobile units so I am saving bucks to upgrade.
@Winfield Johnson hams are snobs in certain circumstances. Most I think it's product affiliation and dare I say jealousy that they spent hundreds if not thousands on radios that are surely more limited than the Chinese radios. NOAA, fm broadcast, ham, GMRS FRS and MURS. All for one very low cost handheld. It really cannot be beat. I have no qualms about what radio you're using as long as the audio is warm and clear. I dislike a lot of radios for the tinning sound (speaking into a mic at the bottom of a paint can) but what matters is getting the message through. 73s
@Patriotic Trucker Oh yeah, a lot of them are very loyal to brand names. I think it has a lot to do with what brand you get used to. They all seem to have their own ways of programming, and operating. The main complaint I have with the Chinese radios is that the ones I have used are very difficult to program without a computer, and paying for a special program. I haven't tackled Chirp yet, and I've been told there is another program that is easier to use than Chirp for $50.00.....Right now that's fifty bucks that need to go to another project. I do have an acquaintance that has all those programs and special cables, etc. but I hate depending on someone else to change my channel list. So I guess I'm kinda stuck right now. I think I'm going to ask around to see if there's a brand of radio that's easier to use that I can afford sometime in the near future. I'll prolly be looking in the used market, but I'm not proud. I just need it to work, and be something the local Elmers can give me advice on.
Pushing 50 watts most likely wasnt flat terrain 25 miles through MA and 25 miles into NH
Gotcha, that's still pretty good.