So I’m wanting to get some MURS radios that also can do FRS so at events/festivals I can still attempt to communicate with my cheap friends who just get FRS bubble pack radios, but I can still have a decent chance at communicating with those that spent the little bit more and got MURS. However I’m finding they don’t exist. Thanks FCC not wanting to allow multi-service radios.
So what do ya’ll think of getting a Baofeng UV-82 or the like, and leaving it set to 1W (I know, higher than FRS is supposed to allow) and programming it with FRS & MURS? Or should I just bite the bullet and get a proper MURS radio and a separate FRS/GMRS for friends with FRS. And that leaves me open to GMRS if I want to pay the fairly cheap license fee and use it properly.
And if I do option 2, separate radios, any recommendations on a decently priced MURS?
The only option I can legally suggest is to go with separate, service-legal radios and get properly and fully licensed (along with any of your friends who also want to use the spectrum). Also note that MURS is not legal outside the US and you may not be legally operating if you use it at festivals sufficiently close to either border for that reason. There are many reasons why multi-service radios are not permitted.
If you need genuine range and useful conversational ability, and none of these services are really up to par, I strongly suggest you all get your amateur tech class tickets. The higher power levels and ability to use repeaters really comes in handy and the license is easy enough to get.
Yeah, that’s kinda how it sounds like it has to be. sigh
However range is up to a mile or so good enough, so MURS should be fine in general, and a lot more clear the FRS channels at a festival. And I can’t expect my friends to go get a HAM license and all, just not going to happen. I might get mine someday though, so I’ll probably get one of those Baofeng once I do.
Ah, fair enough! Yeah, use case is definitely just in the US.
LOL, well, they’re pretty great, but not necessarily interested in these sorts of things. Set a channel # and push a button to talk would be more or less what I’d expect from them. Maybe could get them on MURS/GMRS, but no way would they go so far as to get a HAM license and all that.
Wikipedia for FRS says “”" After May 18, 2017, FRS radios are limited to 2 Watts on channel 1-7 and channels 15–22.[1] Previously, FRS radios were limited to 500 milliwatts. All 22 Channels are shared with the General Mobile Radio Service (GMRS)."""
Channels 8-14 are still 0.5W, although the rest are 2W. Although you’re right, technically if I kept to 2W ERP or less a radio that operated on 1-7/15-22, and 2W or less on MURS channels would meet the technical definition for the channels, even if not the legal license requirements, since the FCC basically has said, for part 90 equipment you can’t operate in part 95, and part 95 equipment you can do multiple services with a single radio.
Hm, just came across DMR, although for the FCC it’s just considered part of HAM radio, so still would require that license to use.
Which brings back around to use FRS/MURS, or maybe GMRS.
