[chirp_users] Programming Arcshell-5

Tue May 12 11:55:50 PDT 2020

The license isn't a physical license, that part is only to use the higher
powered GMRS frequencies that are usually included in blister pack radios
from big box stores.

"FRS is licensed by rule. This means an individual license is not required
to operate an FRS radio provided you comply with the rules. You may operate
an FRS radio regardless of your age, and for personal or for business use
if you are not a representative of a foreign government."

https://www.fcc.gov/wireless/bureau-divisions/mobility-division/family-radio-service-frs

That said, the Arcshell radios are most certainly not legal for FRS (for
many different reasons), and probably not for GMRS by (at least) not being
type accepted for part 95 use.

-Chance

On Tue, May 12, 2020 at 2:45 PM Bernhard Hailer <ae6yn at arrl.net> wrote:

> > GMRS  does require a license, and FRS doesn't.
>
> This statement is incorrect. Even FRS requires a license, but in the case
> of this service it is free of cost: the license comes with the radio, *which
> must be FCC approved* for this particular service. Many of the cheap
> radios don't fulfill this requirement and are not legal to use.
>
> As stated by other posters already: it would be your best option to get a
> ham radio Technician license. It's not very difficult, you must go to an
> exam session (35 questions multiple choice, easy; the difficult thing these
> days with COVID-19 is the availability of such exams, though). With a
> Technician license you are legally allowed to use radios not approved by
> the FCC while operating on ham bands - but still not on GMRS or FRS or CB
> or MURS. These services *always *require FCC approved equipment.
>
>
> Regards
> Bernhard AE6YN
> Fremont, CA
>
> On 12-May-20 08:11, Mark Blackwell wrote:
>
> GMRS  does require a license, and FRS doesn't.  A citizens band radio
> doesn't require a license either, but I don't think its your best choice.
> Hilly terrain may be an asset or a big problem if you have neighbors on the
> other side of the hill.
>
> Not being FCC approved may involve more than just which frequencies are
> being used.  I is certainly possible, or even likely that even if its on
> the right frequency, the transmission may not meet the requirements to be
> legal.  For your system to work, it needs regular practice.
>
> From your brief description, the best option I see is having neighbors in
> key spots get an amateur radio license.  It does require a test, but the
> first test isn't that hard.  There are three level of licenses in amateur
> radio.  The technicians license is the lowest, and the test isn't that
> hard.    It's likely to work for most of your options.  The General License
> allow a lot more privileges, but it is a harder test.  The Amateur Extra is
> the highest level, and by far the toughest test.  For me I was really ready
> for the Tech in about 2 weeks.  The General took about a month of study and
> the Extra about 2 months.  This is a few minutes of study a day, not an 8
> hour a day crash course.  Not everyone would necessarily need a license.
>
> The benefits are many.  Even without power, many larger more powerful
> units can be powered with batteries, generators or a host methods that
> don't require the grid to be working.  It also counts on no infrastructure
> like cell towers or the internet.  Though some in amateur radio use the
> internet for many things, if its out it isn't essential
>
> Check out the ARRL website.  There is a lot there that is good information
> that I think will go a long way to helping you make the best decision for
> your community.  Also local ham clubs are a good starting point as well.
>
> --
>   Mark Blackwell
>   markshamradio at pobox.com
>
>
>
> On Mon, May 11, 2020, at 6:53 PM, Jonathan Pierce wrote:
>
> Best wishes from a Noob,
>
>
>
>    I am a FireWise neighborhood council member in a rural, high-risk
> forested area (70 miles from the Paradise Fire) of northern California.
> Several neighbors and I want to set up a backup evacuation radio
>  notification system for our neighborhood in the event that power (lose
> cable internet and VOIP phone service) and cell towers are down (the local
> tower burnt last year during an event). And we have spotty cell coverage at
> best.
>
>    We found the best-seller Arcshells on Amazon are powerful and reach
> through our hilly neighborhood OK. But I understand that 1. The devices are
> not FCC approved; 2. Antennae is removable; 3. Stock programming is a mix
> of FRS and GMRS frequencies. Fire chief has given go ahead for us to use
> them if we don’t interfere with any of the EMS, police, and fire
> frequencies. The stock frequencies programmed in the Arcshell AR-5 are
> indeed different than all the official ones used.
>
>    But some neighbors want the radios reprogrammed so they are strictly
> only using FRS frequencies. I’ve been able to query and download the memory
> from an arcshell, and I believe I have figured out how to save a modified
> memory profile to a file so that it could uploaded to all units.
>
>    Questions: 1. Using the chirp edit function can I just go ahead and
> change all channels’ frequencies to strictly FRS permitted ones? 2. Do I
> need to change any of the other settings like Tone Mode, Tonesql, DTCS
> Code, etc, or can they just remain as is?
>
>    Thanks for your knowledgeable help!
>
> Jonathan
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-- 
Chance Fulton
chance.fulton at gmail.com
810.441.5795
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