March 12, 2007

CB Radio or Two Way Radio?

The basics of how a CB radio works is similar to that of a two way radio. Both allow you to communicate with others over the public airwaves, but there are circumstances where one would be preferable to the other. I will try to outline the major differences here.

CB Radios

CB radios are primarily used in vehicles, so if you are looking to communicate with others only while in a vehicle then a CB is a great choice. With a CB you are not limited to talking to others in your caravan, it is acceptable to strike up a conversation with anyone.

Most CB's are designed to be connected to an external antenna, which can offer range far greater than that of a two way radio. Some individuals mount antenna's on their roofs to allow them to communicate via CB with homes that are miles away. With a 2 way radio, this would require a repeater which can be very expensive.

CB radios are better if you need to a way to call for help. Although it is rare, In some areas channel 9 is monitored by authorities for emergencies.

Bottom line: CB radios have an advantage when travelling and when you need more range without buying expensive equipment. They are great for communicating with both friends and strangers, and do not require a license. Disadvantages are portability, privacy, and the perform poorly inside buildings.

Two Way Radios

Two way radios (walkie talkies) are small and hand held, which makes them very portable. You can use a 2 way radio to communicate with a family member in another vehicle while travelling to a theme park, and then take the radio with you to use in the park. This wouldn't be possible with most CB radios. Even handheld CB radios can be rather large.

While conversations are not at all private on either a CB radio or a two way radio, two way's provide better perceived privacy. They offer features such as privacy codes which filter out the transmissions of other radios, making it appear that your group has the frequency all to yourselves. This makes two way radios a good tool for communicating with a group but, unlike a CB, they are not especially useful for communicating with strangers.

Two way radios are available in many frequency ranges. VHF two way radios work well outside, while UHF radios (such as GMRS and FRS radios) work well in many environments including inside buildings. Many types of two way radios, however, require a license which can be an added expense.

Bottom line: Two way radios have an advantage in portability, size, and privacy. They operate adequately in most environments including inside buildings. They are not intended for communicating with people you don't know, and range is usually less than 2 miles unless you buy expensive equipment like a repeater. Some types require a license.

Posted by Danny at 04:49 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

September 20, 2006

Two Way Radio FCC Licensing

Two way radios communicate with each other by using using radio waves, which are regulated in the United States by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). The FCC decides what types of devices are allowed to use various frequency ranges, and they have the power to charge users of these devices a registration fee. A registration fee is required for many types of two way radios.

Keep in mind, we are not the FCC. We are only providing this information as a benefit to our customers. If you have detailed questions concerning licensing, we suggest that you contact the FCC directly. An FCC license is not required before purchasing radios from us, and we do not provide information to the FCC about our customers.

Below, I list several popular types of two way radios and provide important details such as how to register and the cost of registering. This information is only applicable to customers using two way radios within the United States. Customers from outside the United States should check with their governments for information on any two way radio regulations that may apply.

FRS Radios

The FCC does not require a license if you are using FRS.

The Family Radio Service (FRS) was intended to be used by family, friends, and associates to communicate within a neighborhood or while on outings. Radios used for FRS cannot transmit at more than one half watt of power and they must have non-detachable antennas. Because of these rules, the range of FRS radios is typically limited to a half mile or less.

It is now actually rare to see a radio that only operates on the FRS. Most consumer radios now support both FRS and GMRS. If you purchase a FRS/GMRS dual service radio you can use it for FRS only (and avoid the license requirement) by staying within the FCC's rules for FRS. Basically, just be sure that you are only using channels 1-14 and have the radio in low power mode. In low power mode the radio will automatically limit it's power to one half watt of power.

GMRS Radios

According to the FCC, the General Mobile Radio Service (GMRS) is a land-mobile radio service created for short-distance communications for an adult individual and his/her immediate family members.

A GMRS license is good for five years, and is renewable. One license covers the individual named on the application and their immediate family members. The FCC defines "immediate family members" as a spouse, children, parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, nephews, nieces, and in-laws.

A GMRS license is currently $80, and the easiest way to get one is to apply online through the FCC's Universal Licensing System (ULS). The ULS Radio Service Code for GMRS is "ZA". If you would prefer not to file online, you can file FCC Form 605 manually.

Business Radios

The business two way radios that we offer operate in the 150-174 Mhz (VHF) and 450-470 Mhz (UHF) frequency ranges. These frequencies fall under the FCC's part 90 regulations for Industrial / Business communications.

The licensing cost for business frequencies is usually much less than the cost of a business licensing consumer (GMRS) frequencies, but the license process is much more involved. Before applying for a license, the business must contact a Frequency Coordinator to be assigned frequencies that are not already used in their area. After receiving your frequencies, you can complete the license application using the Universal Licensing System (ULS). Getting started tutorials for ULS are available through the FCC's web site.

The cost for a license varies based on the frequency, but for the frequency ranges that our radios support the cost is $155. A license is usually issued for 10 years, and is renewable.

Posted by Danny at 02:29 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Business Or Consumer Two Way Radio - Which Is Best?

We frequently get questions from business customers asking if they really need to buy a "business" two way radio. Business radios are generally much more expensive than consumer radios and the features are often very similar, so it is easy to see why this can be confusing. In this post I'll try to explain the common differences between these types of radios, and hopefully provide enough information for you to decide what's best for your business.

FCC Regulations

Whether a 2 way radio is "business" or "consumer" is decided by the frequencies that it uses to transmit and receive communications. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has set aside 22 UHF frequencies as general frequencies for use by consumers. These frequencies make up GMRS and FRS channels that are supported by the consumer radios that we sell.

Technically, use of the GMRS channels requires an FCC license. This license is good for 5 years and covers the applicant and his/her immediate family. GMRS licenses are not issued to businesses. Here is a note from the FCC's GMRS license application form (form 605):

Note: For GMRS: effective January 1, 1989, new or major modification applications may NOT be filed by non-individual (business) applicants/licensees. (See Rule 1.929(c) (4) & 95.5(b).

For GMRS radios to be legally used by businesses, each person using the radios would need an individual GMRS license ($80 each). A business could use the radios on an FRS channel without a license, but when using FRS channels the radio cannot transmit at more than a half watt of power. This is generally only good for a quarter to a half mile of outdoor range.

Business radios use different frequencies ranges that have been approved by the FCC for business use. These frequencies are not as popular, so you typically don't have to worry about "chatter" on your channels. You can also get business radios that operate on VHF frequencies, which work better than UHF outdoors or inside of and around wood structures. An FCC license for your business is $105. You will pay more upfront for your business radio, but if there are several employees that will use it you will likely save money after factoring in the license cost.

Durability

Business radios are usually designed to hold up to abuse better than consumer radios. Consumer radios are usually built for infrequent use: weekend hunting trips, multiple car caravans, skiing, camping, amusement parks, etc. They are usually lightweight with a thin plastic casing. Business radios are designed to be used for hours every day, and they will hold up better than consumer radios. Many are built to military specifications.

Battery Life

If your business plans to use radios for more than a few hours a day, battery life is something that you will not want to overlook. Most consumer radios include rechargeable batteries that are good for 8 hours or less of use. As is typical of batteries, this life will likely diminish slightly over time. Some business or professional radios are also limited in their battery life, but others will typically 13 hours or more on a charge.

Accessories

Business radios typically have a better selection of accessories than consumer radios. If accessories, such as headsets or earpieces, are important to your business, you should look at what accessories are available before you choose a radio. Things like rapid chargers and multi unit chargers are only available for business radios.
Accessories

Common Scenarios

There are some scenarios where a business radio is always your best choice. For example, anytime you expect to use the radio frequently and for more than 7 hours with each use. If you purchase a consumer radio for this, there is a good chance you will be disappointed with the battery life. Also, if you are in a "tough" work environment, such as a construction or industrial situation. Consumer radios are not designed to take this kind of beating.

It would best to choose a consumer radio in a light-duty situation where very little range is needed. This would allow you to get away with only using the FRS channels and avoiding the license fees. A great example is a school that needs radios for directing traffic in mornings and afternoons.

I hope this has been helpful. If you have any specific questions you can, as always, feel free to call or email us!

Posted by Danny at 02:24 PM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

FRS and GMRS Frequencies

All of our consumer two way radios operate on either the GMRS or FRS channels, and most support both. We are sometimes asked for the exact frequencies of these channels. Below is a table showing the channel number, type of channel, and the frequency.

Posted by Danny at 12:36 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)