Comment by ajsnigrutin

Comment by ajsnigrutin a day ago

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> And as you also know: You do NOT require a radio license when operating under emergency situations, which is the context on this case.

In portugal? Yes, you need one. Probably in every other EU country too

In USA too.

I have no idea where people got the myth of not needing a licence in emergencies, probably due to not reading the actual rules.

Also, you cannot use the same device for PMR and ham radio bands, the PMR device needs to be certified for PMR use, that means that it can only transmit on pmr frequencies and nowhere else. Other devices (eg. ham radio) cannot be used on PMR frequencies.

It's not FUD, it's regulation which exists for good reason, because in cases of actual emergencies, trained ham operators can assist actual emergency services with communication, and that's impossible if every idiot with a baofeng jams the channels.

elevation a day ago

> I have no idea where people got the myth of not needing a licence in emergencies, probably due to not reading the actual rules.

Parent is referring to the “Safety of life and protection of property” rule [0].

[O]: https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-47/chapter-I/subchapter-D...

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  • misteriji2 20 hours ago

    > No provision of these rules prevents the use by an amateur station of any means of radiocommunication at its disposal to provide essential communication needs in connection with the immediate safety of human life and immediate protection of property when normal communication systems are not available.

    This rules applies to:

    > the use by an amateur station

    Not every billy and bobby with a baofeng are an amateur station.

    Luckily, at the beginning of part 97 there are definitions of such words (you have to open the full document, not just this article)

    > Amateur station. A station in an amateur radio service consisting of the apparatus necessary for carrying on radiocommunications.

    So, for something to be an "amateur station", you need an "apparatus" (some kind of radio transmitter) and it has to be a part of "amateur radio service". That too is defined in the same document:

    > Amateur radio services. The amateur service, the amateur-satellite service and the radio amateur civil emergency service.

    It's not RACES (that's defined below), not satellite, so let's see what "amateur service is", again, definition in the same document

    > Amateur service. A radiocommunication service for the purpose of self-training, intercommunication and technical investigations carried out by amateurs, that is, duly authorized persons interested in radio technique solely with a personal aim and without pecuniary interest.

    So, for that rule to apply, you need a device (an apparatus), that has to be used for self-training etc (read above), for noncommercial, personal aim by a licenced ("duly authorized") person. Only then can you break other rules (eg power limits) in situations described in rule 403 you linked above.

    Without a licence, a radio is just a radio, eg. a business band radio (like many motorolas are), and nothing in the part 97 (regulating amateur radio) applies to the user of that radio. Only when a licenced ham uses that (or any other radio, or even a homemade transmitter), in a specific way (described above) that "just-a-radio" becomes an amateur station.

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nunobrito a day ago

Again with FUD.

In Portugal you are legally permitted to use channel 9 (27.065 MHz) in addition to the PMR channels. The hard line has always been on public safety bands. From a long time cooperation with the authorities (especially around the Azores) there was always an informal permission for that kind of usage across boats and islands because communication is difficult there.

Last but not least: taking the radio license exam is NOT a drama. Anyone can apply and get the radio license when they are serious into this topic.

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  • ajsnigrutin a day ago

    What fud?

    Channel 9 is a CB channel, and neither quanshengs nor baofengs work on those frequencies at all, but you need a certified/type-accepted CB radio to use on that frequency.

    Same with PMR, you need a PMR radio to use on pmr frequencies.

    It's not FUD, it's just hardware limits and regulation.

    Yes, 12yo kids can get an amateur radio licence, it's easy, but you still need a licence to transmit on ham bands, and you still cannot legally use a baofeng (except the few pmr models) or a quansheng on PMR frequencies, those radios don't transmit on cb freqencies at all, and there are no legal "you don't need a licence in an emergency" exceptions.

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    • harvey9 a day ago

      I have a ham radio and still not got around to getting my license. I never transmit on it now but in a proper crisis I am not going to worry about being prosecuted by the radio authority.

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      • nunobrito a day ago

        And you shouldn't worry about such thing under those situations. Wouldn't make any sense except for bureaucrats.

        You should worry about knowing the procedures, the channels, how to engage in communication with the hardware available to you.

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        • misteriji2 20 hours ago

          The same applies to driving... you have to know the road rules, how the car behaves in what situations, how to drive in bad weather, heavy traffic, etc.

          Now the best way is to get licenced and drive (=use a radio) in "normal" cirumstances to get experienced before an emergency. Somehow 12yo kids manage to get licenced, but preppers can't.

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      • misteriji2 a day ago

        Your neighbor has access to a car, but still hasn't got around to get his drivers licence. In a proper crisis, he'll google "how to drive a car?" and "what does the third pedal do in a car?", and won't worry about being prosecuted by the driving authority.

        You will in turn have to share the road with him in the same way as other radio amateurs (and possibly rescue services) will have to share the spectrum with you. You transmitting on a repeaters input frequency without a subtone set will in turn jam the repeater (PLL is before the TSQL) will make communications impossible in the same way as your neigbor stuck in the middle of the road with a burnt clutch will make driving impossible for others.

        But hey, stay lazy, don't get a licence, i'm sure you'll be able to figure it all out fast when you're knee deep in flood waters.

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