[tzs]

> MURS is the longest range VHF radio service that can be legally utilized by anyone without the need for a radio license.

The operator does not need a license, but I believe that the radio must be certified for MURS operation. The Baofeng UV-5R is not [1]. It is certified under Part 90. MURS requires certification under Part 95.

[1] http://www.gordonwestradioschool.com/attachments/FCC_Part_90...

[apaprocki]

In addition, GMRS requires an FCC license.[1] Just because the Baofeng allows you to access the frequencies doesn't mean that you can legally transmit on them. I wonder if this is their Capone-tax-evasion-style Achilles' heel. Enforce those FCC regs! :P

[1]: https://www.fcc.gov/general/general-mobile-radio-service-gmr...

[rtkwe]

FCC violations are generally fines instead of prison time. It'd be somewhat effective but not nearly as powerful as the tax evasion charges.

[Aloha]

People have been jailed for violating the ham radio rules.

[hatsunearu]

Any sources? The crazy 14.313 guys just got fined a buttload but not jailed, IIRC.

[hga]

And that was after a warning (14.313 is a wonderful search term): http://www.arrl.org/news/fcc-fines-pennsylvania-ham-11-500-f...

Searching on the term linear amplifier, this was the only example of jail time I was able to find, and that after many previous enforcement actions including revoking his license 20 years earlier: http://www.eham.net/articles/1744

[sliverstorm]

To my knowledge you are correct. Although I kind of hope the rules get reworked a little. As a public service volunteer, it would be beneficial to be able to operate on many services with one radio, and many modern radios are capable of being "good citizens" on multiple services simultaneously.

(For example, we operate on Part 90, but may interact with members of the public who are carrying a Part 95 radio. Luckily as a ham, I believe I can at least operate my Part 90 radio on Part 97 bands.)

[tzs]

> Luckily as a ham, I believe I can at least operate my Part 90 radio on Part 97 bands.

I believe that is correct (also a ham).

For curious non-hams, here is how it works. In the US, generally there are three ways radio bands are licensed.

1. No license is required for the operator to use the band, but the equipment used must be certified for operation in that band.

2. The operator has to have a license to use the band and the equipment must be certified for operation in that band.

3. The operator has to have a license to use the band, but can use any equipment as long as what is actually transmitted meets the legal technical requirements for operation on that band (power levels, modulation types, and so on).

An example of the first method is the Family Radio Service (FRS) bands.

An example of the second method is the General Mobile Radio Service (GMRS). When I say that the operator has to have a license, that does not necessarily mean that the person actually operating the radio has to have a license. With GMRS, for instance, a business can get a license and that covers employee use without the individual employees needing to get licenses.

Ham radio falls under the third method, and offhand I can't think of anything else that does. When a licensed ham is operating a radio all the FCC cares about is what comes out of the antenna, not what equipment produced it.

The way hams get licensed is also quite different. The FCC takes a very hands off approach to ham licensing.

To get a ham license, you have to pass an exam. For the entry level license, that is a 35 question multiple-choice exam that almost anyone here on HN could learn enough to pass in a couple weekends. There is a license level above that which gives you access to more ham bands, which you get by passing another 35 question exam which is a little harder. There is a third license level above that which allows you full access to everything hams are allowed to do. That one is a 50 question exam and is quite a bit harder than the other two.

The FCC neither makes the exams nor administers them. They have authorized 14 organizations as "Volunteer Exam Coordinators" (VECs), and the VECs are responsible for maintaining the pool of exam questions, constructing exams from the question pool, training and certifying people to give the exams, giving the exams, grading them, and reporting the results back to the FCC so the FCC can issue the licenses.

[threeio]

Thats when you end up getting a used Motorola radio as your primary carry... you can't get FRS, but you can at least do GMRS and 70cm... if you do VHF you can do 2m and likely any SAR pairs. -- 73s.

[jameshart]

It seems like FCC-regulatory compliance would not be a top priority for people who believe that the federal government has no authority....

[hatsunearu]

One more thing that the average hacker should know about radio regulation:

You can homebrew a radio yourself and it doesn't need FCC approval if you're a ham operating on ham bands with all the appropriate standards.

You are however not allowed to sell radios at a commercial scale unless it's FCC approved, even if it's for hams. But I think (IANAL) you're allowed to sell homebrew gear in like garage sale-type deals.

[Aloha]

So long as you're fitting within the spectral emissions and power limits expected by the FCC - its highly unlikely that anyone would notice, or much less bother to enforce the rules.