Are these a good brand/deal?
It is, if the units work. I bought this deal a while ago and had to return it because one of the units was off-frequency. I wonder if that’s why the price is so low.
They are probably “cheap” because they are relatively old. The fact they have the license disclaimer means they were made somewhere around 2017/2018. The radios themselves should be fine, but the included NiMH batteries may not hold as much of a charge due to age.
The note about requiring a license can be safely ignored. These units were probably produced right before the rule changes in 2017 and so have the old disclaimer as was required at the time.
As of September 2017 there is no license requirement to transmit on all FRS/GMRS frequencies so long as the unit transmits under 2 watts, has a fixed antenna, and does not support repeater use.
FCC docs related to these radios
FCC Test report
FCC FRS Information
PS - I don’t have these radios, but the 32 mile range claim on any bubblepack radio is purely marketing. Actual range “depends”, but its unlikely one will ever get that 32 mile range even in perfect conditions.
PPS - Why do I care? Because back in 2017 I was going on a cross county trip with a large group and researched FRS/GMRS radios. I learned of the rule changes which had been approved, but wouldn’t take effect until after the trip. I bought new radios anyway knowing full well I couldn’t legally use them on their “high power” mode or GMRS-only channels without license until after the trip. Even so, using just the 0.5W channels, the radios did well for comms between two vehicles up to a mile or so apart. In some instances they were our only comms as cell phone service outside of the cities west of the Mississippi gets quite spotty. Anyway, TL;DR The rule change isn’t something advertised outside of the radio community and older FRS/GMRS radios with their original verbiage was grandfathered in, which is why I speak up whenever I see these thing come up for sale.
I bought these at the same price about a month ago. I also bought the 10 yr license ($70) through the FCC although I doubt you need that to operate these devices. Firstly, the 32 mile range is laughable. Unless you are out in the wilderness (where there is absolutely no interference), expect about a mile (if that). I did a few tests from my house with the other receiver in the car. I generally got about a mile. The real negative is the battery life. On standby, it will generally die overnight if not hooked up to the charger or power source. A nice feature is that you can charge them via USB. That’s nice in the sense that you could use a portable battery source to power them in a pinch. The units are clear when speaking and seem rugged enough to handle falls and such. Overall, I liked them enough @ $40 to not send them back.
You might want to confirm your source.
An FCC license is required to operate GMRS system. Licenses are issued for a ten-year term and can be renewed between 90 days prior to the expiration date and up to the actual expiration date of the license. After a license expires, an individual must request a new GMRS license.
The FCC rules are convoluted at times but from the website itself, it’s pretty clear, if you want to use these radios on the GMRS bands, you still need a license. IMO, get a CB radio with SSB and call it a day. No license what so ever needed for that (and has a much longer range lol).
Go read the full Title 47 part 95 subpart B.
Again, the TL;DR version is no license is needed so long as the unit transmits under 2W, has a fixed antenna, and does not support repeaters (eg. interstitial frequencies).
PS - CB rules were changed at the same time. Might want to read up on those changes as well. More or less it allows everything people were doing illegally at the time.
I’m not talking about FRS. I’m pointing out as per the most recent rules on the FCC site, GMRS still requires a lic. FRS has not required a licence for many years. As with CB’s. As with EVERYTHING in the communications world, yes, there are some caveats and it’s mostly about power output. CB’s 12/4watts, you can’t “modify” the amps but you do not need a lic to operate on the CB bands or SSB mode. Not going to get into a interpretation debate. The radios WOOT is selling today are decent and inexpensive radios. Uniden has always made some solid units. So, below is a CUT AND PASTE of what the FCC states about FRS and GMRS. Though many like to run them together, it’s clear to see, the FCC views them not the same as due to the lic requirements.
** Family Radio Service (FRS)
- FRS allows two-way voice communications over short distances (generally less than one-half mile on the 0.5 watt channels and up to two miles on the 2 watt channels, depending on conditions).
- An FRS unit looks and works much like a walkie-talkie.
- There are older, dual-use, FRS-General Mobile Radio Service (GMRS) units, but you may legally use only the FRS channels unless you have a GMRS license. The label on the unit or the operations manual should indicate the service the unit is certified for. FRS-only units transmit at lower power levels and have antennas that are integrated with the unit; GMRS units transmit at higher power levels and may have detachable antennas. Note that dual use FRS-GMRS radios may no longer be sold.
- You can operate your FRS unit anywhere in the U.S. and its possessions.
General Mobile Radio Service (GMRS)
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GMRS is a land-mobile radio service available for short-distance, two-way communications.
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A GMRS system may legally be operated only with an FCC license. The individual licensee is responsible for the proper operation of the GMRS system. A licensee may permit his or her immediate family members to operate the GMRS system.
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A GMRS system is made up of station operators and a mobile station consisting of one or more mobile units. It may also include one or more land stations. Some land stations operate as repeaters, thereby extending the range of GMRS mobile units. And FWIW, you do not require a lic to use MURS and it’s restricted to 2watts. Just like VHF-FM radios, that use to require a license, it not longer does, but you can still get fined for abusing Ch16/VHF-FM calling and distress.
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New GMRS licenses are granted only to individuals, but GMRS licenses granted to non-individuals (such as businesses) before July 31, 1987, can be renewed if certain conditions are met. You can apply for a GMRS license online, or by filing FCC Form 605. The FCC sets license filing fees annually, and licenses are granted for 10 years.**
Yes, you need a license for GMRS. I didn’t say you don’t. My intention was to say these radios do not require any license.
The confusion lies in the fact that FRS and GMRS share the same frequencies. As of September 2017 what used to be referred to as FRS-Only, FRS/GMRS shared, and GMRS-only channels all became available for FRS or GMRS use. Now what determines whether you have an FRS or GMRS radio is the capabilities of the radio itself. This is why the rules for both FRS and GMRS must be referenced together.
Let’s get away from the FCC for a moment. Here is a nice chart showing all the FRS and GMRS frequencies. See the difference? Hint: Maximum transmit wattage.
So, based on the chart and knowing from my first post that these radios:
A: Transmit at 0.43 watts on channels 8-14 (formerly FRS only)
B: Transmit at 1.91 watts on channels 1-7 (formerly FRS/GMRS shared)
C: Transmit at 1.91 watts on channels 15-22 (formerly GMRS only)
D: Cannot transmit on frequencies 467.5500 or above (GMRS repeater freqs)
E: Have fixed antenna
How would you classify these radios?
Hello,
The good stuff.
- Build quality seems good for the price.
- Pass thru design. When this is plugged into micro usb wired power source even if you don’t have batteries you can use the radio.
Things that could be done differently / betterment.
- The light switch. AHHHH. If you leave these in a bag, when you open the bag the light will be on. I am still trying to figure hacks to avoid accidentally turning on the light.
- The BEEPS. You cannot the beeps off. beep beep beep. Each button press is a beep.
- Still pretty large. In my opinion the radio could have been designed to be even smaller. Or if it is as big as it is, it should have accommodated for 4 AA or 4 AAA batteries. I am going to carry something this big I would want the extra usable duration that comes from having 1 extra battery in there.
I have to yet test out the distance.