Discussion
I think I might have just done something rather stupid!
I bought a pair of 2-way radios on ebay a few days ago. They are made by Midland, a US company, but the company selling them on ebay are in the UK.
They have been delivered today (not that I have seen them yet as I'm still at work), and I was looking forward to playing with my new toys when I got home!
However, I was checking out the manual online, and it appears that they are using a totally difference frequency to what leisure radios use here in UK/Europe. They're using 462.55 ~ 467.7125MHz. Where as I think the free frequency in UK/Europe is 446MHz.
I don't suppose any of you lovely PHers out there know what I'm going on about, and can explain to me if I'll be legal or not. I'm not planning on using them much (if at all) in this country, but will be using them as of this weekend in France (going skiing).
Any advice much appreciated.
Ropey
Edited to add: maybe I should put this in the Plod section, maybe a friendly BiB would know about this??
>>> Edited by ropey on Wednesday 24th March 17:09
I bought a pair of 2-way radios on ebay a few days ago. They are made by Midland, a US company, but the company selling them on ebay are in the UK.
They have been delivered today (not that I have seen them yet as I'm still at work), and I was looking forward to playing with my new toys when I got home!
However, I was checking out the manual online, and it appears that they are using a totally difference frequency to what leisure radios use here in UK/Europe. They're using 462.55 ~ 467.7125MHz. Where as I think the free frequency in UK/Europe is 446MHz.
I don't suppose any of you lovely PHers out there know what I'm going on about, and can explain to me if I'll be legal or not. I'm not planning on using them much (if at all) in this country, but will be using them as of this weekend in France (going skiing).
Any advice much appreciated.
Ropey
Edited to add: maybe I should put this in the Plod section, maybe a friendly BiB would know about this??
>>> Edited by ropey on Wednesday 24th March 17:09
ropey said:
Throuble is, these ones aren't that short range. According to the manufacturer, they're supposed to have a range of up to 10 miles!
Dont worry bout it....i used to run an SSB tranceiver on 28mhz that kept putting the guy down the streets video recorder into slow play mode....never had anyone from "da misistry" kerknocking at the door tho, despite having a 47 foot high antenna swayin about as well!
The best thing you could have done you have ?!!!!
We bought a pair of English Two Way Radios from Maplins stores, The idea was to give one to my 10 year old so i could keep in touch with him. He playa with all his friends in there houses and got fed up calling him or phoning his mates to tell him dinners ready or bed time ,
What a mistake ,,,, every body and their dog was on the same channel meg , got so peed off with listening to people calling and so on , threw them in the bin .
Went to the states bought some from there , Great News . Just me and him .
Youve done the rite thing mate ,
sod the goverment
Marty
We bought a pair of English Two Way Radios from Maplins stores, The idea was to give one to my 10 year old so i could keep in touch with him. He playa with all his friends in there houses and got fed up calling him or phoning his mates to tell him dinners ready or bed time ,
What a mistake ,,,, every body and their dog was on the same channel meg , got so peed off with listening to people calling and so on , threw them in the bin .
Went to the states bought some from there , Great News . Just me and him .
Youve done the rite thing mate ,
sod the goverment
Marty
Ah, ten-four Rubber Duck and all that.
You won't be a kick in the pants off the 70cm amateur band on 430-440 Mhz (assuming it's still there - it's almost 20 years since I had my ham licence) but I can't see too many problems.
Me and a mate used to run a pirate (music) station on 106.2 FM (when there was NOTHING up there at all!!) for hours on end and nobody ever gibbered.
In fact, I used to go on the CB and ask people to tune us in so we could see how far we were reaching after the latest mods to aerial, power etc....
Ah, glory days...
Ian
You won't be a kick in the pants off the 70cm amateur band on 430-440 Mhz (assuming it's still there - it's almost 20 years since I had my ham licence) but I can't see too many problems.
Me and a mate used to run a pirate (music) station on 106.2 FM (when there was NOTHING up there at all!!) for hours on end and nobody ever gibbered.
In fact, I used to go on the CB and ask people to tune us in so we could see how far we were reaching after the latest mods to aerial, power etc....
Ah, glory days...
Ian
Using FRS radios in the UK really isn't such a hot idea. The UHF2 band from 450 - 470MHz is used by the Emergency Services (Police UHF) as well as paging (Mobitex) and telemetry. Although restricted to 500mW Max ERP I have had over 15 miles out of PMR446 radios (same spec as FRS just lower frequency). The cops get really pissy if you trample on their Tx'es.
Why not get PMR446 radios with the CTSS sub codes for 'privacy' and then you're completely legal.
Why not get PMR446 radios with the CTSS sub codes for 'privacy' and then you're completely legal.
Roop, that's what I feared. Having said that, I would really only be using them in France.
I can scan all the channels to make sure that I'm not transmitting on any channels that are being used by anyone else. Especially the police!
Really pi$$ed off if I can't use them at all - that's £70 down the drain!
I can scan all the channels to make sure that I'm not transmitting on any channels that are being used by anyone else. Especially the police!
Really pi$$ed off if I can't use them at all - that's £70 down the drain!
Nevin said:
What frequency do the police use?
When I were a lad I used to be able to hear Lothian and Borders police towards the top end of my FM radio.
A bull on the M8 was my most entertaing broadcast though.
I too remember this occuring! Up around 108 mhz IIRC before stereo stations were common.
Nevin said:
What frequency do the police use?
.
Going back a few years I used to listen to the BiB on an extended 2Meter Amature radio, Up arround 152 Mhz. I think they moved to trunking radio now, harder to follow but better use of bandwidth...
As for your 400Mhz Radios, I wouldn't worry about using them. Just don't flash them or use them stupidly. The DTI would never come looking for you unless you used them in a regular place and they had complaints. I think the unlicensed band is UHF up at the top end of 800Mhz (Just above TV).
so that was you was it 
The FRS radios are illegal here in France.
This is a PMR band and you will need a licence from ANFR to use them.
It is the same in the UK.
If the radios were PMR446 type you can use them here, it is a licence-free band in France.
It may be possible to get them converted as many manufacturers use the same base model (with different programming) for both FRS and PMR446.
Be aware of getting caught with a transmitter without legal approval labels such as CE nnnn (!) and on illegal frequencies and without a licence...
This is a PMR band and you will need a licence from ANFR to use them.
It is the same in the UK.
If the radios were PMR446 type you can use them here, it is a licence-free band in France.
It may be possible to get them converted as many manufacturers use the same base model (with different programming) for both FRS and PMR446.
Be aware of getting caught with a transmitter without legal approval labels such as CE nnnn (!) and on illegal frequencies and without a licence...
shnozz said:
Le TVR - can you use UK bought CB radios ok in France? Thinking about invtesting in some to talk between cars on the way to le mans...
AFAIK radios that have only the CEPT channels would be OK. I think you have other channels available too in the UK and some sets are UK/CEPT?
Maybe the PMR446 handhelds would be more cost effective and you could use them on foot around the circuit too.
Cheers all.
I got one working last night (after buying the wrong batteries
), and scanned the channels. Couldn't pick anything up at all, so I guess I'm not on the police network. Either that or it was a very quiet night!!
I guess I'll probably use them this time, and then maybe buy some on the 446 for next time. I'll make sure I do some scanning of the channels before we select a channel though. If we hear anyone on our channel, we can always change.
Plus, we'll only be using them occasionally to arrange meeting up points, etc. Won't be talking on them for hours!
Thanks all.
Ropey
I got one working last night (after buying the wrong batteries
), and scanned the channels. Couldn't pick anything up at all, so I guess I'm not on the police network. Either that or it was a very quiet night!! I guess I'll probably use them this time, and then maybe buy some on the 446 for next time. I'll make sure I do some scanning of the channels before we select a channel though. If we hear anyone on our channel, we can always change.
Plus, we'll only be using them occasionally to arrange meeting up points, etc. Won't be talking on them for hours!
Thanks all.
Ropey
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