Changes to GMRS/FRS rules/regs Possible import restrictions on Baofengs

[Downs 99]

Probably not as AMS related anymore since they switched to Itinerant frequencies but there's been some significant changes to the FRS/GMRS bands as far as rules and regs from a changing of frequencies to help clear up the confusing FRS/GMRS shared frequencies.  For FRS anyway GMRS is still kind of complicated when talking about the repeater frequencies, and an increase in power for SOME but not all FRS frequencies from .5 to 2 watts.  Quite a significant increase in transmit power allotment.  A quadruple increase in transmit power all other things being equal theoretically results in a double increase in range.  This power increase puts it in MURS territory as far as allotted legal power output.  

 

Now on the Baofeng import restrictions.  These changes are also supposed to restrict the import of radios that are capable of operating in the FRS band unless approved for those bands.  The Baofengs on the market aren't certified for use on FRS freqs but are capable of operating on that band even without computer programming. 

 

Basically with the new rules unless importers are going to be willing to software or hardware restrict the radios to HAM only bands they may or will be restricted from import in a little over a year.

 

 

Here's some links that can probably explain it a bit better than I just have haha.  

 

http://codegreenprep.com/2017/11/new-fcc-regulations-frs-gmrs-radios/

 

Frequency changes

http://codegreenprep.com/2017/11/new-2017-frs-gmrs-radio-frequencies/