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ltng92
03-06-2006, 07:16 PM
Many skiers are familiar with the two-way radios that many people use to communicate while skiing; however, many of them do not know that the FCC requires users of channels 15-22 to obtain an $80 FCC license before use. These two-way radios are very commonly used by individuals and businesses can be purchased at Radio Shack, Target and Wal-Mart and operate on the FRS (Family Radio Service) as well as the GMRS (General Mobile Radio Service). The FCC designated FRS for use by families, individuals and businesses to communicate over short distances using two-way radios, much like the former 27 Mhz CB radios. FRS channels (Channels 1-14 on most radios) are open to the public and do not require a license to use. Conversely, GMRS channels (Channels 15-22 on most radios) were designated by the FCC for use by licensees due to the higher power exerted by the radios on these channels.

Users of channels 15-22 on FRS/GMRS two-way radios MUST purchase a license and obtain a callsign at risk of a $10,000 fine by the FCC. I visit Sugarbush frequently and constantly hear unlicensed individuals operating on GMRS. For more information, please consult the owners manual which came with your two-way radio or visit www.gmrs.net.tc or wireless.fcc.gov/services/personal/generalmobile.

Plowboy
03-06-2006, 10:31 PM
:?: Does anybody read the owners manual :?:

Lostone
03-07-2006, 07:49 AM
It also says that license is required on the package... which I doubt people look at, either. :roll:

But I got my license. 8)

It is too cheap not to bother with, should anyone ever check.

I doubt this will ever rise to the level of checking by the FCC, but should they check, the cost becomes invisible. :?

Oh... and I read the owner's manual, too. :shock:

Total geek. :cry: :lol:

daevious
03-07-2006, 08:09 AM
Why does the FCC require a license to use these radios?

Tin Woodsman
03-07-2006, 10:37 AM
Seems like unnecessary govt intervention to me. Why should I have to pay to use the airwaves when I'm not exploiting them for personal gain? Try finding me if I use those channels. Good luck.

freeheel_skier
03-07-2006, 01:20 PM
A friend of mine works at a outdoor co-op. He always has customers buying GMRS radios. He says that 60% (conservative) of the people who buy these radios never intend to buy an FCC license. If the FCC is so concerned about governing the GMRS, make it so you need a license to purchase one of these radios. Not the other way around. It almost seems like they are encouraging illegal use of the GMRS the way it is set up now.....my worthless .02!

ltng92
03-07-2006, 06:33 PM
Why does the FCC require a license to use these radios?


Seems like unnecessary govt intervention to me. Why should I have to pay to use the airwaves when I'm not exploiting them for personal gain? Try finding me if I use those channels. Good luck.


http://www.gmrsweb.com/gmrsfaqa.html

Read the answer to the 5th question

ltng92
03-07-2006, 06:34 PM
A friend of mine works at a outdoor co-op. He always has customers buying GMRS radios. He says that 60% (conservative) of the people who buy these radios never intend to buy an FCC license. If the FCC is so concerned about governing the GMRS, make it so you need a license to purchase one of these radios. Not the other way around. It almost seems like they are encouraging illegal use of the GMRS the way it is set up now.....my worthless .02!

I agree with you. I'm surprised that this hasn't been done yet.

castlerock
03-08-2006, 08:32 AM
95%+ have no intention of getting an FCC license for the GMRS band, me included. (and I am probably in the "most likely to apply" group due to demographics and the fact I am an RF engineer)

The reason that the license isn't required for purchase is: There would be no purchase if it was! Trust me, Motorola has people all over the FCC and they weren't about to allow a mandatory licensing process for this frequency. People aren't going to fork over $80 to use something they spent $50 on!

If there was a real need for licensing, there would be real licensing. As I read the well crafted text on "why licensing is good" I was impressed that so many creative, but intangible benefits could be conjured up. But in reality there is no licensing required. They should just end the charade.

Tin Woodsman
03-08-2006, 10:13 AM
Why does the FCC require a license to use these radios?


Seems like unnecessary govt intervention to me. Why should I have to pay to use the airwaves when I'm not exploiting them for personal gain? Try finding me if I use those channels. Good luck.


http://www.gmrsweb.com/gmrsfaqa.html

Read the answer to the 5th question

I read it, and I still call BS. I'm not some wahoo interfering with legit enterprises or activities. I'm just trying to keep in touch with friends and family within a 5 mile radius. If the FCC was really serious and concerned about this, then either the license would be required at the point-of-sale or they would mandate that those radios can't access channels 15-22. Since they've done neither, I have a hard time understanding why I should go out of my way to comply when my activities impact a grand total of no one and are not for commercial/financial gain.

Regardless, what's the difference between licensed users utilizing these channels for weekend skiing and unlicensed users doing so? How exactly does this create additional, if any, chaos? It's a ridiculous statute and state of affairs, and happens to be quite unenforceable. I applaud your efforts to keep the limited bandwidth we have free of interference etc.., but the skiing population who uses GMRS radios is really the wrong group to be targetting with this information campaign. I think most people will just laugh at it.

ltng92
03-08-2006, 04:40 PM
Regardless, what's the difference between licensed users utilizing these channels for weekend skiing and unlicensed users doing so? How exactly does this create additional, if any, chaos?

In most cases, licensees display better operating behavior over the air and are easily recognizable by their callsign usage and professional operating protocol. Licensees are educated about GMRS. Licensees wouldn't normally sing or yell over the radio and they typically don't use the annoying "call" bells (which I heard a lot of on GMRS during my trip to Sugarbush).

I am fed up with unlicensed users on GMRS at ski resorts. You claim that this is unenforceable; however, I disagree. Thanks to a newly formed organization called the PRA (Personal Radio Association), GMRS enforcement is becoming stricter. If you visit www.praweb.org, you can see a list of a few people who were penalized by the FCC for illegal use of GMRS. During my trip to Sugarbush, I also got on the air a few times and spoke to the unlicensed users. Most were actually very cooperative and moved to an FRS channel.

GMRS licensing is very necessary. Unfortunately, FRS/GMRS radios were marketed incorrectly, and the PRA is working to discontinue the sale of FRS/GMRS radios to the public. I strongly urge you to abide by the law and join the millions of other GMRS licensees.

ltng92
03-08-2006, 04:45 PM
People aren't going to fork over $80 to use something they spent $50 on!


Not true!

Although I must admit that there is little respect for GMRS licensing in this country, there are millions of people who have chosen to abide by the law and get their license. I cannot stress the importance of licensing enough!

Abe Froman
03-08-2006, 05:10 PM
I am sorry. I read everything and just don't get it! I DON'T GET IT! Maybe it is just me and people like me who abuse this service. I don't understand why you need a license to use GMRS? If the gov't thinks it is so important to regulate, then they should require a license at the point of purchase. Otherwise, don't complain!

Also, it appears that there are approx. 87k licenses are out there(total including expired). Not millions. That was according to the pra link provided.

Tin Woodsman
03-08-2006, 06:17 PM
In most cases, licensees display better operating behavior over the air and are easily recognizable by their callsign usage and professional operating protocol. Licensees are educated about GMRS. Licensees wouldn't normally sing or yell over the radio and they typically don't use the annoying "call" bells (which I heard a lot of on GMRS during my trip to Sugarbush).

So again, who exactly is this impacting or harming, given the extremely short range of these radios? It might be annoying to you as a hobbyist, but is there any actual harm done here?



I am fed up with unlicensed users on GMRS at ski resorts. You claim that this is unenforceable; however, I disagree. Thanks to a newly formed organization called the PRA (Personal Radio Association), GMRS enforcement is becoming stricter. If you visit www.praweb.org, you can see a list of a few people who were penalized by the FCC for illegal use of GMRS. During my trip to Sugarbush, I also got on the air a few times and spoke to the unlicensed users. Most were actually very cooperative and moved to an FRS channel.
Good luck finding and fining me. Unless we're on the chairlift together, you simply have no hope of enforcing this statute (not that you personally could anyway). Even if it were enforceable, it's hard to imagine a less important use of taxpayer dolars than to pursue unauthorized users of channels 15-22 at ski resorts. Do you realize what a PR debacle this would be for the enforcing agency?



GMRS licensing is very necessary. Unfortunately, FRS/GMRS radios were marketed incorrectly, and the PRA is working to discontinue the sale of FRS/GMRS radios to the public. I strongly urge you to abide by the law and join the millions of other GMRS licensees.

I have yet to see any convincing argument that licensing those Talkabouts is necessary or important. Your point on marketing is the only thing I've seen here with validity. Perhaps the FCC should work with Motorola and its competitors to ensure that products for professional (licensed) and recreational (unlicensed) are separate. Alas, that isn't the case today and absent such changes, this seems like a strangely Quixotic quest.

skibum1321
03-09-2006, 07:33 AM
Sounds to me like someone is a little too attached to their toy radio.

Fourwide
03-09-2006, 09:27 AM
I obtained the license, but only because I'm a lawyer and I'd rather not see my name on some list (or on the front page of the Valley Reporter!). I don't think that the FCC has done a good job explaining why the license is necessary in ski areas. That, of course, doesn't excuse not obtaining the license (even Mahatma Gandhi obtained his), but perhaps (1) the FCC could lower the fee for radios used primarily in ski areas, and (2) a purchaser could obtain the license upon purchase. The paperwork required to obtain the license is now pretty extensive.

Tin Woodsman
03-09-2006, 09:39 AM
Sounds to me like someone is a little too attached to their toy radio.

Naaah. Just hung up on what I see as BS govt interference/bungling.

castlerock
03-09-2006, 09:50 AM
This is amazing. That PRA website is a hoot. Talk about having their "knickers in a twist". We can't educate our kids, the middle east is a mad house, Americans are dying and these folks are fired up about the mis-use of toy radios, that the Govt didn't care about in the first place!

Now for something important.....

Will there be another powder day this year?

skibum1321
03-09-2006, 10:31 AM
Sounds to me like someone is a little too attached to their toy radio.

Naaah. Just hung up on what I see as BS govt interference/bungling.
I didn't mean you

Tin Woodsman
03-09-2006, 02:57 PM
I suck at the interweb.

boze
03-13-2006, 06:32 PM
Channel, schmannel - - a complete & utter waste of our tax dollars.

So sorry to those who may have their BS degree in 2way radio protocol, I'm simply using a convenient & effective & available technology to keep better tabs on my kids & family members. We don't sing into the darn things - unless we hit a monster stash of POW off Exterminator or Heaven's gate woods.

Down with blow-hards who champion futile causes and BS legislation that has zero - I repeat ZERO - benefits from its enforcement. Other than maybe their bloated view of themselves. And just for the record, rescue services use a different bandwidth so there's no issue there.

Talisman
03-14-2006, 12:16 PM
Is there a link between unlicensed FSR radio use and bad snow years in New England? If there is I will become very concerned about this issue.

The FCC did away with the marine band radio license years ago, why the perseveration about a few people yakking on Talkabouts on a chair lift?

ltng92
03-14-2006, 08:54 PM
Channel, schmannel - - a complete & utter waste of our tax dollars.

So sorry to those who may have their BS degree in 2way radio protocol, I'm simply using a convenient & effective & available technology to keep better tabs on my kids & family members. We don't sing into the darn things - unless we hit a monster stash of POW off Exterminator or Heaven's gate woods.

Down with blow-hards who champion futile causes and BS legislation that has zero - I repeat ZERO - benefits from its enforcement. Other than maybe their bloated view of themselves. And just for the record, rescue services use a different bandwidth so there's no issue there.

I realize that you may be trying to keep in touch with your family, but I do not believe it's too much to ask to stay off of channels 15-22. By operating on those channels without a license, YOU ARE BREAKING THE LAW!!! I strongly urge you to get a license. Illegal use is illegal use. There are plently of licensed users who are trying to communicate and do not want to put up with unlicensed users. Just read my website, or the PRA website, or www.gmrsweb.com or the forums at www.popularwireless.com to see that there are plenty of people who have chosen to abide by the law by purchasing the required FCC license. We are not a bunch of morons, we are people who abide by the LAW. I realize that you all believe that GMRS radios wouldn't be sold if the FCC cared about the license requirements; however, if everyone thought that way, cars, fishing rods or hunting rifles wouldn't be sold. I believe that a GMRS license is just as important as a drivers license or fishing license. Even at Sugarbush, after speaking to many people over the air regarding licensing, most people were cooperative and terminated their use of channels 15-22. As a Sugarbush lover and frequent Sugarbush visitor, I started this post to inform skiers at Sugarbush of the GMRS licensing requirement which I saw as a problem at Sugarbush. Clearly, this post does not seem to be getting anywhere. All I am asking is for unlicensed users to do us law-abiding licensed users a favor by staying off of channels 15-22 or purchasing a license.

Mt St Pipier
03-14-2006, 10:12 PM
One has to wonder about someone who would have their own website dedicated to proper usage of GMRS frequencies. A bit uptight for the average MRV skier.

Also, wondering if everytime you order something over the internet with no sales tax, you then cut a check to the state of Connecticut for the use tax you owe. If you don't, you are BREAKING THE LAW.

castlerock
03-15-2006, 01:17 AM
Do you ever drive over 65 MPH?

If so you are BREAKING THE LAW!

What a bunch of drivel!

skibum1321
03-15-2006, 07:42 AM
I believe that a GMRS license is just as important as a drivers license
You're kidding right? I don't think anyone is going to die if you use the radio improperly. :roll:

djspookman
03-15-2006, 08:13 AM
I suggest you go "bug" the larger resorts about their use of GMRS radios. There is WAY more traffic on the radios at larger resorts (more people) than in the MRV. We are only a scratch on the surface. I for one, only use channels 10-13 and their subchannels, so I am not affected by this, but I do think your fight is pretty worthless here. Its not like skiing isn't expensive enough!

dave

tumbler
03-15-2006, 01:39 PM
I realize that you may be trying to keep in touch with your family, but I do not believe it's too much to ask to stay off of channels 15-22. By operating on those channels without a license, YOU ARE BREAKING THE LAW!!! I strongly urge you to get a license. Illegal use is illegal use. There are plently of licensed users who are trying to communicate and do not want to put up with unlicensed users. Just read my website, or the PRA website, or www.gmrsweb.com or the forums at www.popularwireless.com to see that there are plenty of people who have chosen to abide by the law by purchasing the required FCC license. We are not a bunch of morons, we are people who abide by the LAW. I realize that you all believe that GMRS radios wouldn't be sold if the FCC cared about the license requirements; however, if everyone thought that way, cars, fishing rods or hunting rifles wouldn't be sold. I believe that a GMRS license is just as important as a drivers license or fishing license. Even at Sugarbush, after speaking to many people over the air regarding licensing, most people were cooperative and terminated their use of channels 15-22. As a Sugarbush lover and frequent Sugarbush visitor, I started this post to inform skiers at Sugarbush of the GMRS licensing requirement which I saw as a problem at Sugarbush. Clearly, this post does not seem to be getting anywhere. All I am asking is for unlicensed users to do us law-abiding licensed users a favor by staying off of channels 15-22 or purchasing a license.

This post makes me want to buy one of those radios so I can use channels 15 - 22 without a license!

jwilkers
03-16-2006, 04:29 AM
Ah yes the old "they'll never find me agrument".... "why do I need a license"..... "they are only little toys"......

Good God. Grow up! Be adults!

You get a GMRS license because.... It is the daggone law! That is why.

Society has rules you are expected to follow. You don't have the option of selecting which of those rules you follow and which of them you do not. It doesn't work that way.

Either get a license or stay on the low-power channels that are license free.

ohgary
03-16-2006, 07:56 AM
I read it, and I still call BS. I'm not some wahoo interfering with legit enterprises or activities. I'm just trying to keep in touch with friends and family within a 5 mile radius.

Hmm, So your saying you follow proper operating procudures. Before every transmission you listen (open squelch/monitor) for other people using the channel? The key is open squelch to make sure someone else isnt using the same channel but differant privacy code.



If the FCC was really serious and concerned about this, then either the license would be required at the point-of-sale or they would mandate that those radios can't access channels 15-22. Since they've done neither, I have a hard time understanding why I should go out of my way to comply when my activities impact a grand total of no one and are not for commercial/financial gain.

Hmm, Your car can go over the 65mph speed limit on the nations highways, so I guess since the government doesnt put govonvers on your cars its ok to speed? The rules have been stated, the laws are in place you should not have to have devices to enforce them, you should be able to restrict your own actions.



Regardless, what's the difference between licensed users utilizing these channels for weekend skiing and unlicensed users doing so? How exactly does this create additional, if any, chaos? It's a ridiculous statute and state of affairs, and happens to be quite unenforceable. I applaud your efforts to keep the limited bandwidth we have free of interference etc.., but the skiing population who uses GMRS radios is really the wrong group to be targetting with this information campaign. I think most people will just laugh at it.

Hnm, skiing populating is the wrong group, WHO is the right group to let them know they are operating illegal?
Heck skiing may be the perfect group, your up on a mountain and YOUR signals are going to travel further than some hunter at ground level.

ohgary
03-16-2006, 08:01 AM
Your not being ask to STOP using the radio, JUST use the channels that you legally can use. STAY off the GMRS channels and use only the FRS channels. You have 14 channels to use that should be enough. The additional 8 require a license.

Now I will grant you that its hard to tell what channels you can use and that has been done by the radio manufactures. They should have NEVER been allow to mix radio services in the same radio. One of the most stupid things the FCC has done.
But the simple fact is the law says you need a license.... You dont ski down the closed trail becuase the rules say your not allowed. There are rules for a reason, Just bcause they dont seem to impact you doesnt change the fact there are rules to follow.

castlerock
03-16-2006, 09:38 AM
You don't have the option of selecting which of those rules you follow and which of them you do not. It doesn't work that way.

Uhhh.....Yes actually you do have the option.

You do have the option of selecting which rules you follow and which of them you do not. When you do that you also implicitly accept the consequences of your actions, both to yourself and others.....

And in this case there are ABSOLUTELY NONE. Don't you get it? The FCC NEVER CARED and does NOT CARE about this spectrum from a licensing standpoint. Leaving the "legal" requirement for a license was political window dressing to placate the oldschool mobile radio types that feel a proprietary ownership of the spectrum. They want all the new users to join their club on their terms. Hence the ludicrous waste of time website that ltng92 has (and I'm guessing ohgary and jwilkers hang at).

The Plantation Florida (Motorola Land Mobile) boys opened up this spectrum through the FCC and made a bunch of money selling a consumer product. Trust me the last thing that was going to happen was for a REAL liscence requirement to exist

Tin Woodsman
03-16-2006, 10:08 AM
Hmm, So your saying you follow proper operating procudures. Before every transmission you listen (open squelch/monitor) for other people using the channel? The key is open squelch to make sure someone else isnt using the same channel but differant privacy code.

Well, if there is other traffic on the channel/band that I've selected, then I generally move to another channel where there is no competing traffic. Seems pretty simple to me - and I don't even have a license!



Hmm, Your car can go over the 65mph speed limit on the nations highways, so I guess since the government doesnt put govonvers on your cars its ok to speed? The rules have been stated, the laws are in place you should not have to have devices to enforce them, you should be able to restrict your own actions.
So you're telling me that you've never exceeded the speed limit? And you never had an alcoholic beverage prior to turning 21? I'm calling BS on all of that. As with speeding, if you drive 70 and are moving with the traffic, then yes it's perfectly OK to do so. If you are driving 110 and zig zagging through traffic, that's a different story alltogether. If you have a few drinks with friends and then pass out and sleep it off at age 19, what's the harm? If you down a fifth of Jack Daniels and run your car into a tree at age 19, that's a problem. There are so many shades of grey here, and it is not necessary to be licensed to use that portion of the spectrum responsibly. Consequences matter.



Hnm, skiing populating is the wrong group, WHO is the right group to let them know they are operating illegal?
Heck skiing may be the perfect group, your up on a mountain and YOUR signals are going to travel further than some hunter at ground level.

Clearly you haven't operated these devices in many mountain environments. As a general rule, the folds in the mountain topography tend to reduce the effective range of these radios. Most of them claim a 5 mile range, whereas the effective range is often 1-2 miles at best. Try keeping in touch with friends at Mt. Ellen while you're at Lincoln Peak and you'll realize those limitations. Even where there is a clear line of site towards the East, you are looking at a VERY lightly populated Mad River Valley. Signal can't get over Mt. Waitsfield to the Roxbury/Northfield area. If there are only 74,000 licensees in the entire country, how many of those do you think are in the MRV and fuming at the interference people on the mountain are causing? My guess is that you can count it on your thumbs.

random_ski_guy
03-19-2006, 10:44 PM
Hey Radio Guy, a few questions;

i) How did you know you were speaking with licensed or unlicensed operators when skiing at the 'Bush?
ii) Does the FCC limit the licenses of this spectrum what so ever? or should 300 Million radios be sold and 300 Million license applications be submitted, all applicants will be granted a license?

I understand people might be breaking the law, but unless you are running a repeater or a commercial operation with heavy usage this offense seems like jay walking on a dirt road. sure, in many towns jay walking is illegal, but seriously....

ltng92
03-23-2006, 08:27 PM
i.) Licensed users are required to identify themselves with an FCC callsign. Users who do not use their callsigns are considered unlicensed.

ii.) No

Lostone
03-23-2006, 08:53 PM
Licensed users are required to identify themselves with an FCC callsign

I didn't see any requirement for using your callsign on any of the info I went thru to get my license. :?

Do you know where that is stated?

tumbler
03-24-2006, 11:27 AM
OK, I gotta say this. Now, I'm as big a geek as anyone, but ltng92, your call sign takes the cake :lol:

Clearly you take this radio-thing seriously, but as others have tried to point out, NO ONE ELSE DOES! Technically you might be right, but a regulation that gets no enforcement, is really not a regulation. You have not demonstrated any harm to yourself, your business, or others. Your argument seems to boil down to the fact that you paid to be in a "special" club, and others have figured out how to get in for free.

smootharc
12-24-2007, 09:55 AM
Does anyone have direct COMPARATIVE experience (hopefully using a combo unit that has both FRS/GMRS capabilities) with how effective sending/receiving radio transmissions are in the field in the Mad River Valley......FRS vs. GMRS.

FRS broadcast power is so much less than GMRS. Wondering if you've tried both in the MRV.....and how the actual, in the field performance compares.

Very interested. Thanks.

Lostone
12-24-2007, 10:13 AM
Most of the problem with communicating in the valley has to do with line of sight. No matter how much power you have, you ain't not getting thru that ridge. :roll: :lol:

That said, more power gets you farther, in clear line of sight terrain... if you ever find any. :wink:

Yard Sale
12-24-2007, 10:29 AM
I have nothing of value to add here, but your question rejuventating this thread caused me to read the entire thing. I couldn't stop. It is hilarious. Thank you. Merry XMas. Over and Out.

random_ski_guy
12-24-2007, 11:11 AM
I have nothing of value to add here, but your question rejuventating this thread caused me to read the entire thing. I couldn't stop. It is hilarious. Thank you. Merry XMas. Over and Out.

I second your sentiments. I wonder what has happened to our licensed radio friend. Wonder if he/she trolls here waiting for more hand held radio talk.

mattlucas
12-25-2007, 01:24 PM
Red leader,

were you into radio communication before consumer level handheld walkie talkies became decent? If so, I could understand how you're peeved at the explosion of people using transmitters, but if you walked into a radioshack 3 years ago, read all the fine print and DISCOVERED that if you paid 80 bucks, you could have a clear channel for the rest of your life than that just seems a bit naive.

Are these channels even really that busy? Is it just incessent jabbering people parents and their kids? I wouldn't want to hear that either, but I ski the woods by myself, hate phones, ipods, children, parents, liftlines, things that cost money, food, and air too.

But I'm still bummed if anyone has a bad experience at the bush, it's the best mountain around!

Happy turns,

Matt

Hawk
12-25-2007, 06:36 PM
People, just ignore this guy. :roll: This type of thing comes up every year. The end result is if you really care and are paranoid get the licence. You will sleep better. The actual fact of the matter is that the FCC DOES NOT have the resourses to track down individual people so basically it does not matter. There are Tens of thousands of people like myself that do not have one. What, you think the feds are in a van at the base of the mountain monitoring us? I think not. This whole topic is foolish and a waste of time.

Instead I think we should all do a big snow dance. Right Treeskier? :)

skiladi
12-26-2007, 09:24 AM
Your not being ask to STOP using the radio, JUST use the channels that you legally can use. STAY off the GMRS channels and use only the FRS channels. You have 14 channels to use that should be enough. The additional 8 require a license.

Now I will grant you that its hard to tell what channels you can use and that has been done by the radio manufactures. They should have NEVER been allow to mix radio services in the same radio. One of the most stupid things the FCC has done.
But the simple fact is the law says you need a license.... You dont ski down the closed trail becuase the rules say your not allowed. There are rules for a reason, Just bcause they dont seem to impact you doesnt change the fact there are rules to follow.
:twisted:

But I do have a serious question. If your "big" number is in the 1-14 range and your "little" number is in the range over 15 are you still a criminal? Are you half a criminal? If you only use the smaller numbers do you have less power? range? etc. I will gladly change to both small #s. I was just using one that was easy to remember. :roll: I don't use my radio much , anyway. But if I'm ever in trouble I'll use any channel I can find an answerer on! ; }

Tin Woodsman
12-26-2007, 09:35 AM
The offending trolls/clueless folks who turned this thread into garbage when it was first created haven't been seen since. no need to reply to them as if they're still active. If the FCC would like to come and prosecute us for unauthorized use of restricted bandwidth, they know where to find us.

The End.