Today, on reddit’s /r/amateurradio, a fellow posted:
I recently got a radio for myself and my brother so we could communicate via radio during our airsoft games. From looking online and through some of these posts I see that to transmit we would need a license. I’m not exactly sure which license I would need to get and where to get it (is it via FCC). Thanks for the help.
I replied:
Let me dig out my can opener and open up a can of worms here……
While technically it would be illegal for these guys to use their UV-5Rs on Family Radio Service (FRS) frequencies, would it really be such a terrible thing if they do? They could set their radios to the lowest power setting, and I doubt that they’d interfere with anyone doing so.
I’d call down all the fire and brimstone (what the heck is brimstone, anyway?) I could manage on them if they used amateur radio frequencies, though.
To which, a third fellow responded:
I’d say it’s somewhere between going 10 MPH over the speed limit and not coming to a complete stop at stop signs.
I think that’s pretty much what I was thinking, except that I only go 5 mph over the speed limit. :) What do you think?
Jason VE3MAL says
The sub has a hard and fast rule against encouraging illegal operation. I think that’s a good thing, as it is tough to judge case by case whether some illegal operation is “reasonable” or not. The sub is also a very big front-page for a lot of technical people to be introduced to the hobby and should really present it at it’s best.
There are, of course, plenty of smaller subs that will wink-wink nudge-nudge help anyone do just about anything.
Myself, I would suggest either getting licensed, or selling the baofengs and buying some frs/gmrs radios. Motorola talkabouts are really much, much better radios for that specific purpose, and cost about the same.
Dan KB6NU says
I totally understand the rule about encouraging illegal operation.I have no argument with that. As far as buying other radios, why should he since he already has the Baofengs?
Frank K4FMH says
Barney Fife has several rules. No. 1 is: Obey all rules. It may not hurt anyone for them to do so. Once.
Merry Christmas, Dan!
Derek KN4AGX says
I pretty much agree. My only real quibble is–aren’t there some FRS radios that are the same price, more or less?
Dan KB6NU says
I understand, but I don’t see the point in buying another set of radios.
Rob W4ZNG says
This doesn’t really bother me if it goes no further than a couple of guys, but depending on the area it probably won’t stop there. In my radio-dead corner of the world, it would be a miracle if anybody even noticed; YMMV.
Honestly though, some bubble-pack FRS radios would work just fine for them.
Goody K3NG says
It’s not a terrible thing to use UV-5Rs on FRS. The spurious emissions from these units are another story.
Ira Sacher says
In a large sense it is about honor.
Honor is akin to pregnancy, you are honorable or you are not.
Not obeying simple rules for your personal convenience is simply wrong.
No amount of mealy mouth excuses make it right.
Steve Stroh N8GNJ says
Initially, I misread the post that the people using the UV-5Rs were licensed Amateur Radio operators that wanted to use them on FRS. Oops.
While using a UV-5R on FRS isn’t such a bad thing, it’s just a bad idea for someone who isn’t an Amateur Radio Operator to be using the designed-ostensibly-for-Amateur Radio UV-5R. It’s just too easy to screw up, unintentionally or deliberately and transmit on frequencies other than FRS.
That said, the FCC has exhibited “pragmatism” time and again in its determination of what is, and what isn’t legal in licensing, operations, and equipment. Two that come readily to mind are requiring a license to use Citizens Band and MURS radios, and then deciding that no license is required for operations in those services. Another is FM wasn’t legal on CB, until the FCC decided it was. Yet another was data wasn’t legal on FRS, until the FCC decided it was.
My “vote” is to get some FRS radios – “Motorola” Talkabouts are pretty good units and even have some data capability paired with a smartphone.