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Uniden
Mobile Radio Mayhem
Uniden CMX560
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Uniden
Mobile Radio Mayhem
Uniden CMX560
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Midland
Mobile Radio Mayhem
Midland T65VP3K GMRS radios
By Perry Mack
In a world of cell phones, why would anyone want to use a mobile radio? Handheld units are hard to hear clearly, dash mounted units are relatively large, require ugly antennae’s, take up valuable dash space and you have one more thing to learn how to use.
At a minimum, the handhelds can make for a better day on the trails letting you know why the group is stopping, or allowing you to ask for help (need a chainsaw, a pull, or help with a lost bead). They allow you to ask/answer to the whole group at once.
Since you can be wheeling where there is no cell service, a call for help on a mobile radio may be your only chance. It doesn’t reach just a particular person, which is great because you need anybody who can hear you (from farther than you can scream).
The confusion comes from the fact that there are several different kinds of mobile radios, with different licensing requirements, which change depending on which side of the border you are on.
CB radios (Citizens Band, also known as GRS or General Radio Service in Canada), don’t need cell towers to function, you don’t need a specific phone number to call for help, and you can talk to your entire off-road group at the same time.
In the US, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is responsible for regulating the use of CB radios, however in Canada Industry Canada (IC) handles it. They don’t have the same rules. So if you are Googling what to buy, or if you need a licence, make sure you are getting the information from the right agency.
You do not need a licence to operate a CB radio, nor do you have to apply for a ‘call sign’. You can buy it, install it and use it. There are no monthly fees to pay, no contracts to sign, but as the 40 channels are shared, you should know the protocols and courtesies in use by all operators, which are the same around the world.
There are however, restrictions in place on the power of the radios. This is 12 watts peak power for SSB (single side band) and 4 watts for other types of emissions – CB radios use AM (amplitude modulation). In this respect, all CB radios are the same. Manufacturer claims of more power than this are bogus marketing smoke and mirrors. The power regulations are same in both Canada and the USA.
The only way to improve your reception/transmission is by using an external antennae (and there are lots of rules).
You’ll also hear the term GMRS (General Mobile Radio Service), and FRS (Family Radio Service). While the names and frequencies are the same on both sides of the border, the regulations are not. GMRS/FRS is like CB in that they are two-way radios. However, GMRS/FRS operate at higher frequencies; have a shorter range (8-10 km over water but can be less than 0.5 km in urban or off-road environments), but a better quality signal.
They operate in the UHF (ultra high frequency range) of 462-467 MHz. Channels 1-7 (shared GMRS/FRS ‘interstitial’ frequencies), 15-22 (GMRS only), and channels 8-14 (FRS only).
In the USA, FRS radios are allowed a maximum of 0.5 Watts and can be used without a licence. GMRS can be used at up 5 Watts on most channels, but up to 50 Watts on repeater frequencies, but GMRS use requires a licence. This licence is an online registration – no exam required. It is $65 USD, good for five years, and your whole family can be on the single/same licence.
BUT, in Canada, GMRS is allowed a maximum of only 2.0 Watts, but doesn’t require any licencing, and FRS is the same as the USA at 0.5 Watts. Also in Canada, these FRS/GMRS radios are only allowed to be hand-held – no external antennae, no mobile mounted units, no 50 Watt power max on repeater channels are allowed.
How would you know if the radio is legal in Canada? It must have an Industry Canada certification/registration number on the unit. So no, you can’t ‘import’ the skookum higher-powered GMRS units into Canada.
So why the power (wattage) restrictions? Why are GMRS radios not allowed to have external antennae in Canada? It’s all about space. CB, FRS and GMRS are open channels that virtually anyone can use at anytime. Only by limiting the range of the transmitters (either by power – wattage, or antennae size) can we separate our communications.
Amateur or ham radios require obtaining a licence and passing an exam. There are a multitude of frequencies available for use, which allows you to talk to people around the globe. It is a hobby unto itself, portable units will run you upwards of $500 CDN and they are not really used by many in the wheeling world because of the cost of the units and the time and effort to obtain the licence.
When shopping you’ll also see VHF (very high frequency) radios operating between 136-174 MHz, and UHF from 403-470 and 800-900. These frequencies are reserved for commercial use, and you need to apply (FCC or IC) for a single frequency for your company to use. They are still shared frequencies but your frequency is assigned so that companies in close range don’t overlap (too much).
Check with your local wheeling group to see which radios are most prevalent.