FCC after your BaoFeng!

**bogey1** · October 6th, 2018, 10:48 PM

A lot of things are illegal, who cares.

**gun-bunny** · October 6th, 2018, 11:46 PM

That's how it starts, my friend.

**Daycrawler** · October 7th, 2018, 03:17 AM

They are great little radios. We use them while hunting in the mountains. The range is incredible compared to some of the other units on the market. Exflyguy don't throw it out. Streaker will put it to good use.

**pacodelahoya** · October 7th, 2018, 06:02 AM

Originally Posted by bogey1

A lot of things are illegal, who cares.

All out of rep. Qft

**Gripsafety** · October 7th, 2018, 10:23 AM

Originally Posted by streaker69

They can have my Baofeng when they pry it from my cold dead hands, and I only ever use it in the FRS bands.

The high power setting is too much for all of the FRS channels, and the low power setting is still too much for channels 8-14. If you pay The King $90 for a GMRS license and get entered into his database, you get to use full (5W) power on channels 1-7 of The King's airwaves. It is one of the FCC's silliest rules.

For amateur frequencies, nobody is asking to see a license when you buy a radio or power amplifier. You can buy a marine radio or a radio that operates on just about any useful frequency without showing a license. The only problem with the Baofeng is that it's cheap and other radio manufacturers are feeling the heat.

I can make a radio transmit on any frequency I want (including commercial broadcast) and at any power level I want. The only obstacles are money and desire to do so (and the fact that use of such radio would be illegal).

**Gripsafety** · October 7th, 2018, 10:25 AM

**Gripsafety** · October 7th, 2018, 10:38 AM

Originally Posted by streaker69

It's for programming it: https://chirp.danplanet.com/projects/chirp/wiki/Home

You should have gotten a USB programming cable with it, if not, you need order one, of if you like I'm sure one of us here with one would program it for you.

They don't come with a USB programming cable; you have to buy one. The cheap ones with Prolific chips can be a royal PITA to get working right. The $20 ones with FTDI chips just work right out of the box. Of course, the radio only costs $24, but it is still well worth it, especially if you have more than one radio.

As Streaker said, there are several here who would program it for you if you want.

BTW, it only took 20 seconds in the hands of a 7 YO boy to turn the thing into a Chinese speaking brick. It was easily put back right with Chirp.

**streaker69** · October 7th, 2018, 10:44 AM

Originally Posted by Gripsafety

The high power setting is too much for all of the FRS channels, and the low power setting is still too much for channels 8-14. If you pay The King $90 for a GMRS license and get entered into his database, you get to use full (5W) power on channels 1-7 of The King's airwaves. It is one of the FCC's silliest rules.

For amateur frequencies, nobody is asking to see a license when you buy a radio or power amplifier. You can buy a marine radio or a radio that operates on just about any useful frequency without showing a license. The only problem with the Baofeng is that it's cheap and other radio manufacturers are feeling the heat.

I can make a radio transmit on any frequency I want (including commercial broadcast) and at any power level I want. The only obstacles are money and desire to do so (and the fact that use of such radio would be illegal).

Most of the FCC rules are rather silly and completely unenforceable. I'll be concerned about the power output on the FRS bands when the FCC actually gets off their asses and does something about every single power supply that comes in from china interfering with the FM and AM band.

A few years ago, someone, probably with a Baofeng, was fucking around with the Lancaster City PD. They would continually broadcast music over the actual police channels. It went on for weeks before they stopped, don't know if they got caught or what, but if the FCC can't even be bothered to deal with a major safety issue such as that in a reasonable amount of time, they certainly don't have the time to go after anyone that might be using these radios with a little too much power on the FRS band.

I realize it's meant to be on the "honor" system, but in reality, it's a bullshit regulation.

**streaker69** · October 7th, 2018, 10:45 AM

Originally Posted by Gripsafety

BTW, it only took 20 seconds in the hands of a 7 YO boy to turn the thing into a Chinese speaking brick. It was easily put back right with Chirp.

Yeah, how the fuck do the kids figure that out? Same thing happened to one of mine.

**Bug44** · October 7th, 2018, 12:25 PM

Petition is just about at its goal. Do you think the petition will have any effect? I also read on another site that the restriction was a typo or it was not suppose to be sent out. I don't know if that has been confirmed yet.