Major Rules Changes for Part 95 Personal Radio Services

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jimh
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Major Rules Changes for Part 95 Personal Radio Services

Postby jimh » Thu Sep 28, 2017 9:17 am

Major Rules Changes for Part 95 Personal Radio Services

On September 28, 2017 (today), the FCC rules for Part 95 Personal Radio Services will change, and the previously announced new rules will be in effect. The rule changes are numerous and affect several popular radio services, such as Citizen's Band (CB), the Family Radio Service (FRS), and the General Mobile Radio Service (GMRS). The new rules are described in detail in a FCC FACT SHEET that was published earlier this year on April 27, 2017; see:

https://apps.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attac ... 4617A1.pdf

The rules changes most likely to affect recreational boaters are ones regarding use of FRS and GMRS radios. The signifiant changes for FRS and GMRS are as follows:

--the number of communications channels for both GMRS and FRS will increase;

--the digital capabilities currently allowed for FRS will expand to GMRS;

--the power and range for certain FRS channels will increase;

--multi-service radios are no longer permitted

Family Radio Service

The Family Radio Service will now have 22-channels. The 22-channels typically found on combination FRS and GMRS radios today will all become FRS channels. In addition, all FRS channels will be alloted to GMRS on a shared basis.

FRS radios are allowed to transmit digital data. The digital data can be a brief text message or location information. FRS radios can initiate an automatic reply to a polling request from another radio. (This sounds much like the VHF Marine Band digital selective calling position polling feature; note that DSC does permit text messaging, there are provisions for that feature to be added to VHF Marine Band in the VHF Data Link or VDL.)

FRS radio transmitter power can now increase to 2-Watts effective radiated power (ERP) from 0.5-Watts, but must still be restricted to 0.5-Watt ERP on channels 8 to 14.

FRS will continue to be licensed-by-rule, that is, the radios do not need individual FCC station licenses. And most present combination FRS/GMRS radios will qualify as FRS radios, as long as they conform to the 2-Watt ERP power restriction.

General Mobile Radio Service

Radios for the General Mobile Radio service can now have 30 channels, consisting of 16 main channels and 14 interstitial channels. They continue to be able to make use of repeaters. And GMRS can now transmit digital data consisting of location or short text messages. An FCC station license is still required, but the license term increases to ten years from five years. All immediate family members of the licensee are authorized to use the radio.

All Personal Radio Services Radios

Voice Scrambling is now prohited in ALL Personal Radio Services, but continued use of radios with scrambling is allowed. Future manufacture, import, or sale of radios with voice scrambling is prohibited.

Radios that combine multiple services will no longer be allowed, including specifically radios that combine FRS and GMRS. This change will eliminate radios that combine the VHF Marine Band with FRS or GMRS.