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| | **There is much confusion associated with 22-channel hybrid      |  |
| | FRS/GMRS radios.**                                               |  |
| |                                                                  |  |
| | According to the FCC use of 22-channel hybrids on anything other |  |
| | than the low power 500mw FRS only channels 8-14 requires a       |  |
| | license. The interstitial simplex channels 1-7 in these radios   |  |
| | are shared with GMRS and transmit at higher power on these       |  |
| | radios. So their use requires a license.                         |  |
| |                                                                  |  |
| | This effectively limits CERTs using these radios without a GMRS  |  |
| | license to using FRS channels 8-14, because these are the only   |  |
| | channels in which software defaults to low power on transmit.    |  |
| | Channels 15-22 are split frequency repeater pairs only used in   |  |
| | GMRS, and their use requires a license.\                         |  |
| | \                                                                |  |
| | CERTs groups should seek 14-channel FRS-only radios so that they |  |
| | may use all 14 channels legally without any license requirement. |  |
| | FRS-only radios are becoming harder to find, because the         |  |
| | manufacturers and mass market distributors \"push\" the hybrid   |  |
| | radios, often with ludicrous range claims. An FRS radio which is |  |
| | appropriate for this purpose and still available is the IC 4008  |  |
| | <http://universal-radio.com/catalog/frs/4088.html>\              |  |
| | \                                                                |  |
| | **For further information please read the following extracted    |  |
| | from** <http://www.popularwireless.com/pra/PRA_CERTetal.html>\   |  |
| | \                                                                |  |
| | There is a growing interest among large and small organizations  |  |
| | to use the inexpensive "bubble-pack" GMRS radios for             |  |
| | neighborhood emergency response teams, including CERT.           |  |
| | Misconceptions are common regarding the purpose of GMRS and the  |  |
| | potential for volunteer groups to operate their radios which     |  |
| | results in misuse in violation of FCC rules and incompatible     |  |
| | with the services. These questions are designed to help you      |  |
| | understand the role the GMRS can play for these groups and       |  |
| | exactly what the responsibilities of the licensee are operating  |  |
| | a GMRS system.\                                                  |  |
| | \                                                                |  |
| | Offices of Emergency Management, CERT teams, and other organized |  |
| | neighborhoods, and neighborhood watch groups are the best places |  |
| | to set up very-local FRS supplemental, emergency communications. |  |
| | Please take into consideration the following points as you set   |  |
| | up your program.                                                 |  |
| |                                                                  |  |
| | **General Mobile Radio Service (GMRS) Definition**\              |  |
| | \                                                                |  |
| | FCC R&R 95.1 \[Definition of the GMRS\]: \"The General Mobile    |  |
| | Radio Service (GMRS). (a) The GMRS is a land mobile radio        |  |
| | service available to persons for short-distance two-way          |  |
| | communications to facilitate the activities of licensees and     |  |
| | their immediate family members. Each licensee manages a system   |  |
| | consisting of one or more stations.\"\                           |  |
| | \                                                                |  |
| | FCC R&R 95.143: \"Managing a GMRS system in an emergency. (a)    |  |
| | The stations in a GMRS system must cease transmitting when the   |  |
| | station operator of any station on the same channel is           |  |
| | communicating an emergency message (concerning the immediate     |  |
| | protection of property or the safety of someone\'s life). (b) If |  |
| | necessary to communicate an emergency message from a station in  |  |
| | a GMRS system, the licensee may permit:                          |  |
| |                                                                  |  |
| | \(1\) Anyone to be the station operator and (2) The station      |  |
| | operator to communicate the emergency message to any radio       |  |
| | station.\"\                                                      |  |
| | \                                                                |  |
| | An emergency is not a planned or anticipated event, practice     |  |
| | drill, exercise, day-to-day routine radio traffic of a service   |  |
| | club or volunteer group. Nor is it disaster related tactical     |  |
| | communication not immediately associated with the immediate      |  |
| | protection of life or property.                                  |  |
| |                                                                  |  |
| | No group organized to provide assistance to the public in an     |  |
| | emergency is not permitted to monopolize, "own" a GMRS channel   |  |
| | for routine tactical communication. Groups may not discourage    |  |
| | authorized users others from sharing the frequency or interfere  |  |
| | or preclude others from conducting useful personal or family     |  |
| | communication. Groups may not reserve channels by busying-out    |  |
| | channels through the use of frequent drills, network-like        |  |
| | activity, dispatch operations, or conducting public safety       |  |
| | training activities, networks etc.. Such activity is             |  |
| | inconsistent with the definition of the General Mobile Radio     |  |
| | Service.                                                         |  |
| |                                                                  |  |
| | GMRS licensees are required to share (FCC R&R 95.7) a tiny       |  |
| | allocation of eight repeater pairs and seven interstitial        |  |
| | frequencies. Sharing cannot occur unless public-safety-oriented  |  |
| | volunteer groups and their volunteers use the spectrum           |  |
| | responsibly.                                                     |  |
| |                                                                  |  |
| | **[The Frequently Asked Questions]{.underline}\                  |  |
| | **\                                                              |  |
| | **\"As a CERT volunteer may I use a GMRS radio?\"\               |  |
| | **Yes, as long as you have a GMRS license.\                      |  |
| | \                                                                |  |
| | **\"I have been told that since I am a CERT volunteer I do not   |  |
| | have to obtain a GMRS license to use my twenty-two channel       |  |
| | GMRS/FRS hybrid radio. Is that true?\"** No. You must obtain a   |  |
| | GMRS license to use a twenty-channel hybrid. The misconception   |  |
| | that no license is required is perpetuated by irresponsible      |  |
| | retailers so they can sell the more expensive "hybrid"           |  |
| | twenty-two channel radios.\                                      |  |
| | \                                                                |  |
| | FCC: \"If you operate a radio that has been approved exclusively |  |
| | under the rules that apply to FRS, you are not required to have  |  |
| | a license. FRS radios have a maximum power of ½ watt (500        |  |
| | milliwatt) effective radiated power and integral                 |  |
| | (non-detachable) antennas. If you operate a radio under the      |  |
| | rules that apply to GMRS, you must have a GMRS license. GMRS     |  |
| | radios generally transmit at higher power levels (1 to 5 watts   |  |
| | is typical) and may have detachable antennas. The current fee    |  |
| | for a new GMRS license is \$85\"\                                |  |
| | \                                                                |  |
| | **\"I was told that as long as I use the FRS channels on a       |  |
| | twenty-two channel GMRS/FRS hybrid radio that I do not need a    |  |
| | GMRS license.**                                                  |  |
| |                                                                  |  |
| | **Is that true?\"** The FCC website clearly states that if a     |  |
| | radio was approved/certified by the Commission as a GMRS radio   |  |
| | then the operator requires a GMRS license to operate that radio. |  |
| | The presumption is that you will use all of the channels in the  |  |
| | radio not just the FRS channels. There would be no requirement   |  |
| | to use a GMRS call sign on FRS channels 8-14 on a twenty-two     |  |
| | channel radio; however, there may be a requirement to use a GMRS |  |
| | call sign on FRS 1-7 IF the 22 channel radio you own uses more   |  |
| | than the FRS legal power of one-half watt on those channels. An  |  |
| | FRS-ONLY radio requires NO FCC license.\                         |  |
| | \                                                                |  |
| | **\"But our university CERT program leaders wrote in our radio   |  |
| | instructions the following, \"Since only channels 8--14 have     |  |
| | transmission power of 0.5 watts, we will limit our use to those  |  |
| | channels. The other channels on the radio have 1 watt of         |  |
| | transmission power, which requires a license from the Federal    |  |
| | Communications Commission for use. They will not be used except  |  |
| | in exceptional cases, as described under Channel Allocation.     |  |
| | Channel 7, Subcode 53 This is a 1 watt channel, which will not   |  |
| | be used normally by CERT. It should be used only when a person   |  |
| | finds themselves in a truly emergency situation and cannot get a |  |
| | response on the normal CERT channels. This channel will be       |  |
| | monitored by the Incident Commander.\"** No. Your CERT leaders   |  |
| | do not have this authority. The University, in this case, has no |  |
| | authority to use or issue GMRS radios to anyone. Anyone using a  |  |
| | radio approved as a GMRS radio must have a GMRS license, and the |  |
| | University has NO authority to allow anyone to use GMRS without  |  |
| | a license no matter how well intentioned.                        |  |
| |                                                                  |  |
| | From the FCC: \"Before any station transmits on any channel      |  |
| | authorized in the GMRS from any point within or over the         |  |
| | territorial limits of any area where the FCC regulates radio     |  |
| | services, the responsible party must obtain a license. The FCC   |  |
| | usually grants GMRS system licenses for a five-year term. To     |  |
| | apply for a GMRS system license, you may file online through the |  |
| | Universal Licensing System (ULS), or file FCC Form 605 manually. |  |
| | New filers can learn more about ULS in its getting started       |  |
| | tutorials. See Fee Requirements for FCC Form 605 for current     |  |
| | licensing fee information.                                       |  |
| |                                                                  |  |
| | "**What are the benefits to obtaining a license? "\              |  |
| | **                                                               |  |
| |                                                                  |  |
| | The benefits are many.                                           |  |
| |                                                                  |  |
| | • You may use up to fifty-watts transmitter output power FCC R&R |  |
| | 95.135 on base stations and mobile units with home rooftop or    |  |
| | vehicle rooftop antennas.                                        |  |
| |                                                                  |  |
| | • You may use up to five watts effective radiated power on FRS   |  |
| | 1-7                                                              |  |
| |                                                                  |  |
| | • You may have a Small Base Station FCC R&R 95.139on FRS 1-7.    |  |
| | (Five watts ERP or less and antenna height not to exceed twenty  |  |
| | feet.)                                                           |  |
| |                                                                  |  |
| | • You may use radios with removable antennas. Such antennas are  |  |
| | forbidden by FCC Rules on twenty-two channel hybrid radios       |  |
| | because these include FRS frequencies eight through fourteen.    |  |
| |                                                                  |  |
| | • You may use radio repeater stations to increase your range.\   |  |
| | \                                                                |  |
| | **\"Can my CERT group reserve a GMRS channel for our use in a    |  |
| | specific area?\"** No. You have no specific right to a channel.  |  |
| | You are required to share this resource with other users just    |  |
| | like everyone else does.                                         |  |
| |                                                                  |  |
| | **\"May we do CERT emergency drills on GMRS?\"\                  |  |
| | **Unlike the Amateur Radio Service, GMRS users may ONLY drill    |  |
| | when asked to do so officially at the direction of a civil       |  |
| | emergency organization. (FCC R&R 95.181(d)(3) During drills you  |  |
| | must continue to share the radio frequency you are using.\       |  |
| | \                                                                |  |
| | **\"We want to set up a repeater for CERT. Is that a good        |  |
| | idea?\"\                                                         |  |
| | **Your group repeater would be more compatible with GMRS if all  |  |
| | licensees in the area were allowed to use the repeater for       |  |
| | family business as defined in the rules. It could then be used   |  |
| | in time of emergency by those same families that are also CERT   |  |
| | volunteers. This is common practice among REACT groups across    |  |
| | the United States.\                                              |  |
| | \                                                                |  |
| | **\"Can the local jurisdiction issue GMRS radios to              |  |
| | volunteers.\"**\                                                 |  |
| | Only if those volunteers are licensed in the GMRS. This would    |  |
| | preclude issuing radios for practice drills unless every user is |  |
| | licensed in the GMRS. Any radios issued to volunteers must also  |  |
| | be radios approved for use in the GMRS. (FCC R&R 95.603, 95.129) |  |
| | The licensed operator of that radio is also responsible for the  |  |
| | proper operation of that radio.                                  |  |
| |                                                                  |  |
| | **\"What is the most efficient way to use my radios before,      |  |
| | during, and after an emergency?\"** Plan ahead, use appropriate  |  |
| | identifiers (tactical call signs, first names) so you know who   |  |
| | is who, agree on a communications protocol and relay mechanism   |  |
| | for your neighborhood. Get your local Amateur Radio Service      |  |
| | operators and GMRS licensees involved in the planning! Be        |  |
| | polite, listen before transmitting, and communicate quickly and  |  |
| | precisely so that others can also use the channels. Use your FRS |  |
| | radios to stay in touch with your children as they play and      |  |
| | encourage your neighbors to do the same. Always listen carefully |  |
| | before transmitting. Never yell or shout into a radio and avoid  |  |
| | the use of call tones.\                                          |  |
| | \                                                                |  |
| | **\"What is the best way for me to get communications for my     |  |
| | CERT group?"** Don\'t reinvent the wheel and "KISS.\" Hopefully  |  |
| | your group agency sponsor has a committed leader with disaster   |  |
| | planning experience, knowledge of communication systems, the     |  |
| | ability to manage resources and supervise volunteers to          |  |
| | accomplish the mission. Leadership makes all the difference in   |  |
| | disaster planning. The biggest mistake any jurisdiction can make |  |
| | is allowing poor leadership to Balkanize critical communications |  |
| | resources.\                                                      |  |
| | \                                                                |  |
| | Service providers such as Salvation Army, Red Cross, and CERT    |  |
| | should benefit primarily from communications service provided by |  |
| | the Amateur Radio Service and that should be organized in        |  |
| | concert with the local OEM/OES as part of a local disaster       |  |
| | communications plan. Your jurisdiction\'s disaster plan should   |  |
| | have the Amateur Radio Service volunteers provide you with links |  |
| | back to your OES/OEM headquarters.\                              |  |
| | \                                                                |  |
| | Hams can also advise new CERT volunteers on organizing           |  |
| | communication at the local level showing you how to use GMRS and |  |
| | FRS radio equipment properly. Many Hams also hold GMRS licenses. |  |
| | There are GMRS licensees in a community that would be happy to   |  |
| | help your group.                                                 |  |
| |                                                                  |  |
| | Someone in your neighborhood could become a Ham if a Ham         |  |
| | volunteer cannot be assigned. Your local Ham Radio Operator can  |  |
| | relay important radio messages back to an OES or OEM             |  |
| | headquarters if your neighborhood is cut off in an emergency.    |  |
| | Your neighborhood and CERT team should be a part of a            |  |
| | Multi-Hazard Functional Plan and everyone\'s role should be      |  |
| | defined. Setting up a communication system on your own won\'t    |  |
| | help you if it is not part of the larger plan.\                  |  |
| | \                                                                |  |
| | Setting up competing communications groups is not productive.    |  |
| | Setting up neighborhood communications plans IS productive;      |  |
| | however, you need to use existing resources effectively. Plan a  |  |
| | very-local method of communicating between your neighborhoods.   |  |
| | Do it wisely and work within the FCC Rules.                      |  |
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