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I have a Baofeng UV-5RA, and I need to know what frequencies on the "channel mode" (what the lady says when you press the "V/M" button on the radio) don't require a ham license. I am in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Frequencies: 138.550, 155.700, 157.650, 172.750, 402.225, 402.225, 437.425, 438.500, 453.225, 454.325, 455.425, 456.525, 457.625, 458.725, 459.825, 461.925, 462.225, 463.325, 464.425, 465.525, and 479.975.

Scott Earle
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SPC Philadelphia
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5 Answers5

38

None of them.

You say you are in the United States. In general, all radio transmissions fall into one of three categories:

  • The operator is allowed to transmit on that frequency (amateur, "business band", aviation, military, etc.)
  • The radio is allowed to transmit on that frequency (CB, FRS, MURS).
  • The transmissions are very low-power ("Part 15": WiFi, Bluetooth, lots of other things).

You do not have an amateur or other radio license, the radio is not approved for a specific service that works that way, and it does not meet Part 15 restrictions. Therefore you may not transmit with it.

I highly recommend getting an amateur radio license — it's cheap and easy, and studying for it will help you understand what you can do.

Stephen Smith
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Kevin Reid AG6YO
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4
  • There are lots of "radios" for sale on places like EBAY that are not legal to use in the U.S.
  • There are lots of radios of recent manufacture for sale in many places that include the ability to transmit on a wide number of out-of-band frequencies (CB's that do 10M, 10M ham rigs that do 11M (CB), etc.)
  • There are a bunch of cheap radios that are just mega-splatter factories that send all kinds of spurious emissions off frequency and are nearly deaf

IMHO: Get or build a well engineered radio, and get a license.

That being said: getting a Technician license (In the U.S.) is about three times harder than getting a CPR certificate.

Gregory R. Sudderth
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3

Additional to the answer given:

You may want to check your local, and country legislation if it is legal to own the device.

I am not in the US and certainly not familiar with all legislation as such, but in my country it would be illegal to own the device without a valid Amateur Radio License.

Edwin van Mierlo
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2

None of them.

The Baofeng UV-5RA is legal to own, but they are not legal to transmit on here in the U.S. unless you get your license.

Mike Waters
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Red Pirate
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-6

None of them.

You should reprogram on 154.570 & 154.600 low power (MURS Radio Service FCC part 95)

Roberto A Alvarez
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