<div dir="ltr"><div>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.<br></div><div><br></div><div>"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."</div><div><br></div><div><a href="https://www.fcc.gov/wireless/bureau-divisions/mobility-division/family-radio-service-frs">https://www.fcc.gov/wireless/bureau-divisions/mobility-division/family-radio-service-frs</a></div><div><br></div><div>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.</div><div><br></div><div>-Chance<br></div></div><br><div class="gmail_quote"><div dir="ltr" class="gmail_attr">On Tue, May 12, 2020 at 2:45 PM Bernhard Hailer <<a href="mailto:ae6yn@arrl.net">ae6yn@arrl.net</a>> wrote:<br></div><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0px 0px 0px 0.8ex;border-left:1px solid rgb(204,204,204);padding-left:1ex">
<div>
> GMRS does require a license, and FRS doesn't.<br>
<br>
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, <i>which must be FCC approved</i> for this particular
service. Many of the cheap radios don't fulfill this requirement and
are not legal to use.<br>
<br>
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 <i>always
</i>require FCC approved equipment.<br>
<br>
<br>
Regards<br>
Bernhard AE6YN<br>
Fremont, CA<br>
<br>
<div>On 12-May-20 08:11, Mark Blackwell
wrote:<br>
</div>
<blockquote type="cite">
<div>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.<br>
</div>
<div><br>
</div>
<div>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.<br>
</div>
<div><br>
</div>
<div>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. <br>
</div>
<div><br>
</div>
<div>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 <br>
</div>
<div><br>
</div>
<div>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.<br>
</div>
<div><br>
</div>
<div id="gmail-m_2284733993259028005sig57183441">
<div>-- <br>
</div>
<div> Mark Blackwell<br>
</div>
<div> <a href="mailto:markshamradio@pobox.com" target="_blank">markshamradio@pobox.com</a><br>
</div>
<div><br>
</div>
</div>
<div><br>
</div>
<div><br>
</div>
<div>On Mon, May 11, 2020, at 6:53 PM, Jonathan Pierce wrote:<br>
</div>
<blockquote type="cite" id="gmail-m_2284733993259028005qt">
<div>
<p>Best wishes from a Noob,<br>
</p>
<p> <br>
</p>
<p> 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.<br>
</p>
<p> 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.<br>
</p>
<p> 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.<br>
</p>
<p> 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?<br>
</p>
<p> Thanks for your knowledgeable help!<br>
</p>
<p>Jonathan<br>
</p>
</div>
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