Confused on legal Walkie-Talkie use in USA - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / projects

author: Moon Star
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: May 22, 2017, 09:59:19 am
content: My husband and I are like a couple of big kids, and we want a pair of walkie talkies to communicate when we are on opposite sides of the house. I purchased a pair of DuaFire. They had good reviews and were inexpensive.Out of the box are these legal to use in the US? Seems like a lot of people use them, but some say they are not legal unless re-programmed. I did purchase a USB cable to be able to program them. If I need to re-program, what do I program them to? I can't find much information doing Google searches.Any help would be appreciated!!DuaFireModel: DF09042Frequency Range: 462-467MhzRF Rated Power: less than 0.5wChannel Capacity: 20Operated Voltage: 3 AAA batteries

author: spudboy488
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: May 22, 2017, 11:28:45 am
content: Perfectly legal. They are in the Family Radio Service band and are at the 500mW power limit. Seehttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Family_Radio_Service. Now, if you were to try to increase the power or re-program the frequencies, then there may be an issue.

author: jonovid
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 22, 2017, 12:11:08 pm
content: how is the US Family Radio Service different from the old Citizens band radio Service? less power.

author: N2IXK
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: May 22, 2017, 02:03:55 pm
content: The FRS uses UHF frequencies in the 460-470 MHz range, and the common CB equipment operated on HF frequencies around 27 MHz.FRS uses FM modulation, and a maximum output power of 500 mW. CB uses AM or SSB modulation, with a 4W carrier or 12W PEP output power limit.If your radios cover channels 15-22, you need a GMRS license to legally transmit on those channels. Unlicensed FRS operation is allowed only on channels 1-14.

author: stj
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 22, 2017, 02:29:38 pm
content: FRS will cross the street, CB will cross the ocean on a good day!!

author: jonovid
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 22, 2017, 02:34:06 pm
content: Quoteso it looks like CB is still using the old AM 27 MHz. band in the US.As here in Australia CB citizen band radio has two bands,the old AM/SSB 40 channel 27MHz band (26.965 – 27.405 MHz), maximum rf power 4 watts AM, - 12 watts SSB.and the new or now used FM 80 channel 476.4125 – 477.4125 MHz UHF band. UHF CB radio units can use repeaters & send data too. maximum rf power 5 watts. walkie talkies or mobile /base station.I do see that many cheap walkie talkies are just 0.5 watts with the full 80 channel's

author: metrologist
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 22, 2017, 03:00:36 pm
content: You should be confused as mfgs have really muddied the waters with their product configurations. I looked up your radio and found it had 22 channels. That means it covers both FRS and GMRS. The GMRS only frequencies require a license. Below is a a typical frequency list. Note that a GMRS license covers the entire family for 5 years, and is about $70.FRS/GMRS01 462.562502 462.587503 462.612504 462.637505 462.662506 462.687507 462.7125FRS ONLY08 467.562509 467.587510 467.612511 467.637512 467.662513 467.687514 467.7125GMRS ONLY, license required15 462.55016 462.57517 462.60018 462.62519 462.65020 462.67521 462.70022 462.725

author: pigrew
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: May 22, 2017, 03:33:32 pm
content: In addition to the difference in frequencies, GMRS allows higher power and repeater use on certain channels. Also, it allows higher bandwidth (5 kHz FM deviation) versus FRS (2.5 kHz FM deviation)Depending on the bandwidth used by the radio (I can't find its specifications), you may need a GMRS license to use the "shared" channels.Find the FCC ID, and then search the FCC databases to see what they reported about its specifications.

author: cdev
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 22, 2017, 06:19:26 pm
content: FRS does NOT require any license in the US, and can go quite a distance. For example, its 500 mw is enough to communicate from one side of a mall to the other even with some buildings in between, sometimes. I have two Motorola FRS handheld transceivers and they have communicated with one another while more than a mile apart in Yosemite valley and at Chaco Canyon while camping. Note that both were valleys which may have contained and reflected some of the signal.If you are technically literate, you might consider both getting a ham license. Then you can communicate much farther - participate in a community of radio amateurs and exponentially more fun.Don't screw around with unlicensed operation of better radios than is legal. FRS are legal unlicensed. Most GMRS radios also have FRS, use that until you have a license.Ham license does not include GMRS, they are separate animals. Also its my understanding that ham equipment should never be used on GMRS or FRS even if its capable of doing so physically.How does the new (digital data friendly?) MURS fit in? I would be interested in hearing more on that.

author: janoc
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 22, 2017, 06:46:25 pm
content: There is no narrow band FM on 27MHz CB in the US? We used to have the opposite - only FM and no AM/SSB at all allowed.

author: stj
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 22, 2017, 06:59:49 pm
content: this may help - or make things worsehttp://ukspec.tripod.com/rf/handheld.html

author: james_s
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 22, 2017, 07:20:50 pm
content: Yeah the range on FRS radios can be impressive. I have the frequencies in my scanner and frequently hear random people talking. Sometimes neighborhood kids, other times it's people in cars on the highway across the valley.

author: ketimoi
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: September 30, 2017, 05:22:47 am
content: I was also confused after reading your heading. Why it will be illegal? I am using it from last two years. Actually, I bought my first walkie talkie after reading this walkie talkie reviewhttps://totalguide.org/best-walkie-talkie/article. I didn't know much that time about 2 ways radio. But, now i need it for my daily work. I didn't find any law yet which will tell it is illegal in the USA.

author: mathsquid
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: September 30, 2017, 02:16:19 pm
content: Quote from: cdev on May 22, 2017, 06:19:26 pmThat's serious overkill for two people who just want to talk to each other from opposite sides of the house. And it would make the conversations more cumbersome with all the callsign announcements. A pair of cheap FRS radios are a much more appropriate solution.

author: donmr
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: September 30, 2017, 04:49:02 pm
content: The FCC has recently announced changes to the rules (not yet in effect) which will make most of the GMRS channels on the "dual service" radios OK to use without getting a license.

author: metrologist
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 02, 2017, 07:57:21 pm
content: That sounds cool, I'll have to look into the details... I suspect there will still be the 50mW fixed antenna limitation?Edit: Cool, now I can use my 2W radios...http://www.arrl.org/news/fcc-personal-radio-service-revisions-will-affect-gmrs-frs-cb-other-part-95-devices