I stumbled across this page comparing the two models. I do not speak for the accuracy of this site . . . just something I found.
Please keep in mind you need an FCC License to transmit on some of the frequencyâs these radios offer.
The need for an FCC license is not determined by which frequencies you transmit on. It is determined by the capabilities of the radio (power level and ability to transmit on a repeater) you are using. This radio is low power (0.8 watts) and is not repeater capable. An operator of this radio is not required to obtain his own FCC license. The radio itself has an FCC license. Motorola Solutions, . 2-Way Portable Radio with FRS and Weather Band receiver 89FT4929 FCC ID AZ489FT4929
Iâd have to disagree.
The FCC page you point to is the FCCâs product ID for the radio, indicating that the FCC has looked at the documentation submitted for the model and determined it emits only FRS and GMRS frequencies and is within tolerances for other emissions. The radio(s) are âcertifiedâ for operation. For example, in the past, the FCC has confiscated CB radios that have not been through this process.
Hereâs what the FCC says about GMRS:
âA valid individual license is required to operate a GMRS station.â
https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-47/chapter-I/subchapter-D/part-95/subpart-E
There is no exception for âlow powerâ.
Fortunately, the cost of the license has been lowered AND the period has been increased! They used to be about $70 and last for 2 or 3 years - now itâs $35 and is now good for 10 years.
There is no âskillâ requirement (like more code used to be for Amateur Radio). Just fill out the form and pay $35.
Now - the radios have limited, fixed antennas, but thatâs because theyâre also made for FRS, which is a âlessorâ service, i.e. âno license requiredâ.
That said, you can probably use GMRS all day and for years without a license and there would be no problem. Itâs not like they go after 2 watt users in the forest operating without a license.
Be cooler if everyone did though.
Sorry. I used the wrong wording. Me saying the radio has a âlicenseâ is incorrect. There is no license required to operate an FRS unit. You are correct that the FCC ID is not a license and it is just a certification. But note that the certification equipment class is listed as a Part 95 Family Radio Face Held Transmitter.
You are mistaken. You arenât looking at the subparts of part 95 that governs FRS.
https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-47/part-95#subpart-A
https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-47/part-95#subpart-B
§ 95.305 Authorization to operate Personal Radio Services stations
Pursuant to 47 U.S.C. 307(e)(1), this rule section authorizes eligible persons to operate part 95 Personal Radio Service stations and part 96 Citizens Broadband Radio Service stations without individual licenses, except as provided in paragraph (a). Such operation must comply with all applicable rules in this part.
(a) Individual licenses. A valid individual license may be required under this part to operate or use stations in a particular service, certain types of stations, stations transmitting on certain channels or frequency bands, or stations transmitting with power above a certain level. Any such requirements applicable to stations in any of the Personal Radio Services are set forth in the subpart governing that specific service. See e.g., § 95.1705. Otherwise, the FCC does not require or accept applications for an individual license to operate any type of Personal Radio Service station.
From subpart B:
§ 95.563 FRS channels.
The FRS is allotted 22 channels, each having a channel bandwidth of 12.5 kHz. All of the FRS channels are also allotted to the General Mobile Radio Service (GMRS) on a shared basis.
It then goes on to list the channels and frequencies that the Motorola T260 uses. Not a coincidence.
Also from subpart B:
§ 95.567 FRS transmit power.
Each FRS transmitter type must be designed such that the effective radiated power (ERP) on channels 8 through 14 does not exceed 0.5 Watts and the ERP on channels 1 through 7 and 15 through 22 does not exceed 2.0 Watts.
There is your definition of what channels/frequencies FRS radios use and what power at which they are allowed to transmit. This radio fits squarely inside the parameters of the FCCâs FRS rules, therefore, no individual license is required even if it is transmitting on GMRS frequencies. These rules became effective on 9/28/2017. I donât know what the rules were before that date, so it is possible your interpretation may have been correct prior to the rules changes.
https://bettersaferadio.com/fcc-adopts-long-awaited-changes-prs-bands-gmrs-frs-cb-murs/
All that said, this is a decent deal for these low power radios considering what their original price was. Are they the best radios to spend $35 on? Maybe, maybe not. But if you prefer Motorola, this is a good price.
I donât get how California was able to force nearly all manufacturers to have that stupid Prop 65 label on everything, but the FCC canât come up with a simple sticker for these radio manufacturers to put on their products that simply says: âLicense Required!â or âNo License Required!â.
It is clear from the discussion so far that interpreting the FCC rules may lead to similar ill effects that Prop 65 is trying to avoid.
Btw, these models(T260 and T200) were discontinued and has been around since 2016 (right before the rules changed). The new models (T270 and T210) might have more updated literature on the whole license thing.
Cunninghamâs Law proved correct AGAIN!
Well damn all theses technical notes! I just wanted to know if I could hear police crime calls in my neighborhood. Can I get a answer thatâs easy to understand
It will not work for that. This uses unlicensed spectrum, and police generally use licensed spectrum.
You donât realize how deep a rabbit hole you are going down with this desire, lol.
Buy a cheap Baofeng on Amazon and research the frequencies of your local services here:
And all I want to do is talk to weather balloons. 
Fight fight fight! Nerd Alert! What we really wanna know⌠This thing talk to Aliens or what!?
I feel the need to hide one of these around a recliner or fridge, wait for the right time, and absolutely freak someone out. And then continue to verbally harass them, until they find the walkie talkie and inevitably destroy it.
Thank You SO much for dumbing that down for me. I appreciate advice
Woo-hoo thank you
The FCC rules may seem confusing because these are hybrid FRS and GMRS transceivers.
- Use of an FRS radio to transmit only on the Family Radio Service (FRS) channels does not require a FCC license.
- GMRS radios can transmit on FRS channels if they meet the FRS standards and when so used do not require a license.
- Use of GMRS radios to transmit in the GMRS bands still requires a GMRS license as of 2022.
" § 95.1705 Individual licenses required; eligibility; who may operate; cooperative use.
A valid individual license is required to operate a GMRS station. To obtain an individual license, an applicant must be eligible and follow the applicable rules and procedures set forth in this subpart and in part 1 of this chapter, and must pay the required application and regulatory fees as set forth in part 1, subpart G of this chapter."
From the Motorola Manual:
The manual is out of date. These are FRS radios. No license is needed to transmit on any of the channels this radio can use.
They are GMRS/FRS hybrid radios not simply FRS. Please re-read the rules governing the GMRS portion which are not out of date.
- People who purchased on the mothership called the FCC and confirmed.
- Risk may be low of enforcement (you are on your own if you do). Penalties if found in violation make the $70 look like a bargain.
- The liberalization of the rule is that only one license is needed in a family (yes that is strange).
That is incorrect. Read the FCC rules I posted. The ERP wattage on these radios put them squarely under the FRS rules. Since they are under the FRS rules, the GMRS rules section of part 95 does NOT apply to these radios.
Note this in the GMRS part 95 subpart E
§ 95.1761 GMRS transmitter certification.
(d) Effective December 27, 2017, the Commission will no longer issue a grant of equipment authorization for hand-held portable unit transmitter types under both this subpart (GMRS) and subpart B of this part (FRS).(e) Effective December 27, 2017, the Commission will no longer issue a grant of equipment authorization under this subpart (GMRS) for hand-held portable units if such units meet the requirements to be certified under subpart B of this part (FRS).
There is no longer such thing as a GMRS/FRS hybrid radio. It is either one or the other. This radio was first certified before the 2017 rules change, but then recertified in 2018. Look at the certification grants listed on the fccid link I posted above. This radio is in equipment class " Part 95 Family Radio Face Held Transmitter" and transmits at 1.0 watt and 0.5 watt. This is clearly an FRS radio and no one using it needs any license from the FCC.
A CSR at Amazon has no idea what the FCC rules are. Thatâs the equivalent of buying these radios at Walmart (they do sell them there) and asking the cashier if you need an FCC license.
If historical precedent is any indication, the risk is zero. The FCC must publicly publish every single enforcement action it takes. The FCC has literally NEVER punished anyone for transmitting on FRS/GMRS channels with a GMRS radio without a license. So even if this were a GMRS radio in which you needed a license (itâs not), you still wouldnât have to worry about getting one because no one has ever been punished for not having one and using the channels this radio uses. Also, itâs now down to $35 to get a license to use a walkie talkie on invisible airwaves that the federal government says we are allowed to talk on after we pay them.
FRS and GMRS refer to assigned frequencies. It has nothing to do with wattage.
From a dealer:
Do I have to get a GMRS license if I live outside of the United States?
You only need a FCC GMRS license if you are using the GMRS frequencies within the United States.
I need a radio, but I donât want to pay for a GMRS license. What can I do?
Almost all GMRS radios also support FRS frequencies, which can be used without a license. Channels 8-14 on a typical 22 channel consumer radio reserved exclusively for FRS. These [FRS] channels can be used license-free, but are limited to a half watt of transmit power and will have limited range.