Ham Radios & High Frequencies

HF (High Frequency) Radios

In the event your entire region, state, or even country is struck with a disaster, you’ll need an HF radio to get the job done. HF (high frequency) radios can communicate over long ranges, reaching cross-country and even around the world.

To use the HF frequencies, you need to upgrade your operator license to a General level. You’ll also need to invest in new equipment like a base station, tuner, and backup power solutions like batteries, generators, or solar power.

UHF/VHF

These radios are another great option for emergency situations. UHF (ultra-high frequency) radios work both indoors and outdoors and can penetrate both concrete and steel. VHF (very high frequency) is meant for the outdoors and doesn’t penetrate buildings very well. It’s commonly used with boaters.

They don’t transmit quite as far as HF radios, but they are capable of handling higher amounts of data and giving clearer communication.

FRS (Family Radio Service) and GMRS (General Mobile Radio Service) radios are common types of radios as well. The GMRS and FRS frequency range is 462 MHz to 467 MHz, and it’s divided into channels. Additionally, GMRS radios require a license to use, while FRS radios do not. These devices are primarily used for short-range communication, so their use in emergencies is more limited than 10-meter radios. 

Conclusion

To sum up, ham radios play a vital role in emergency communication, especially when regular methods like cell phones and the internet fail. These radios can work without relying on any existing infrastructure, making them ideal in disasters like earthquakes or hurricanes. The community of ham radio operators, trained through licensing processes, are often the first to provide critical communication during emergencies. Despite being seen as old-fashioned, the value of ham radios remains high. They are not just a link to our past but a vital tool for handling future challenges.

I HAVE A LIST OF EMERGENCY SERVICES USED LOCAL BELOW!

I WOULD SUGGEST INSTALLING ON YOUR HT'S AND MOBILE TO MONITOR DURING A EMERGENCY EVENT !

PUBLIC SERVICE, RX ONLY !

460.500 INTERCITY

463.000  HOSPITAL

464.225  ALLPAGE

463.050  FT SANDERS

453.500 LIFESTAR1

463.000 MED1

463.925  MED2

462.950 MED9

453.5125  CAT CHAP FD

453.125  ENG MT FD

453.7375  PIT CENTER FD 1

460.575  PIT CENTER FD2

154.310  SEYMOUR FD

154.250  WAL CREEK FD

151.175  WEARS VALLEY FD

451.400 SEVIER FIRE PAGE

460.2875 SEVIER FIRE OPS

FOR A COMPLETE LIST

CONTACT ME, REMEMBER 

DO NOT TX ON !!!! LISTEN ONLY

 SIMPLEX HAM FREQUECY LIST, NOTE I PROGRAM THESE IN ALL RADIO"S

2-Meter Band

146.52*   146.535   146.55   146.565   146.58   146.595

147.42   147.435   147.45   147.465   147.48   147.495

147.51   147.525   147.54   147.555   147.57   147.585

* National  simplex frequency

70-cm Band
446.000     446.500     446.050     446.075     445.925

445.950     445.975

1.25-Meter Band

223.420   223.440   223.460   223.520   223.500   223.400

6 METERS

50.525

10 METER

29.600

*********************************

Update on use of HAM -GMRS & MURS/DOT USE

The Agent I first Spoke With Was Wrong !!!!!!!!!! Figure That !

I apologize for the confusion, was relying on the facts from FCC agent that I spoke with first !!

FCC Rules for Ham Radio Equipment

No Certification Needed: Unlike FRS, GMRS, or CB radio (which require specific FCC equipment certification), amateur radio operator rules (Part 97) allow hams to use store-bought transceivers, imported radios, kit-built devices, or even homemade equipment.

Technical Standards: While pre-approval certification isn't mandatory, any radio used must still meet strict technical requirements. This includes staying within clean signal parameters, avoiding out-of-band emissions, and maintaining proper bandwidth and power limits for the specific amateur band.

Amateur (ham) radios do not require specific FCC equipment certification (type acceptance) to be used on amateur bands under FCC Part 97 rules..

. In fact, under United States FCC regulations, a factory-certified combined radio does not exist and is explicitly illegal to manufacture.

Under FCC Part 95 (which governs Personal Radio Services like GMRS, FRS, and MURS), the rules are highly restrictive

The Loophole: Commercial Part 90 Radios

While you cannot buy a legal "Ham/GMRS combined" radio, many radio operators look to Part 90 (Land Mobile Radio / Commercial Business) certified radios

Because hams can legally use any radio that meets spectral purity requirements, a ham can program a commercial Part 90 radio (like certain Kenwood, Motorola, or legacy Anytone models) to operate on the Part 97 ham bands

Additionally, historical FCC updates previously permitted certain Part 90 commercial radios to cross over or be used on GMRS channels

If you want to stay strictly legal while operating both services, you will need to buy two separate radios: a dedicated ham radio and an FCC Part 95 certified GMRS/FRS radio.

Part 90 radios cover the adjacent amateur bands, such as 2m and 70cm. (For example, the Anytone AT-D878UV is Part 90 certified and covers 140-174 MHz and 400-480 MHz.)   So this does open up the possibility of using a Part 90 radio under a Part 90 license and using it on the ham bands. A typical scenario is when a Search and Rescue member has a Part 90 radio set up to use the S&R frequency as well as the 2m/70cm amateur bands. The key to this is starting with a radio that is Part 90 certified and then programming it for the amateur band.  Of course, you need to be authorized to use the Part 90 frequency and have an amateur radio license.

Rule Part

47 C.F.R, Part 95 Subpart E

Services that provide functionality similar to GMRS include the Citizens Band Radio Service (CBRS), the Family Radio Service (FRS) and the Multi-Use Radio Service (MURS).

Restriction on Amateur Bands: Per FCC regulations, a GMRS-certified transmitter cannot be equipped with the capability to operate on uncertified services like amateur radio bands unless it holds dual certification.

Rule Part

47 C.F.R, Part 95

The Multi-Use Radio Service (MURS) uses channels in the 151 – 154 MHz spectrum range. The most common use of MURS channels is for short-distance, two-way communications using small, portable hand-held radios that function similar to walkie-talkies.

Similar services include General Mobile Radio Service (GMRS) and Family Radio Service (FRS).

MURS is authorized five channels that were previously in the industrial/business radio service and were known as the “color dot” frequencies in Part 90 of the FCC rules

Identification: A legal MURS radio must feature a physical label with an FCC ID that you can look up in the FCC database to verify Part 95 authorization.

So in short, no you cannot use a HAM radio for GMRS or MURS, can program and listen,  but no acceptable , its your call and license..

I hope this clears up the questions , for anyone who wants to double check call 1800 921 4834 FCC Direct