Baofeng UV5RA on GMRS

the Baofeng uv5ra is not type 95 “approved” but it will operate just fine and within the legal limitations of GMRS. I’m sure thousands of people are using this radio on these frequencies because lets be honest who wants to buy a $400 radio that is repeater capable. Does the FCC really care, they all ready dont enforce GMRS licensing and are probably going to phase it out eventually. Thoughts?

Well, this forum is concerned with legal operation. The rules are in place, and should be followed. If, and when, regulations are relaxed… time will tell.

The uv5r varieties are extremely poor at discriminating between the GMRS repeater channels 15 - 22 and the interstitial FRS channels. You can program in the close frequency steps just fine, but two channels will receive at the same time. This makes it difficult to use as a scanner unless you just put one set of frequencies or the other in memory. For example, only use what would be 1 - 14 on a bubble pack radio or only put in the repeater frequencies.

There are GMRS radios well under $100 a pair that are repeater capable. The Motorola Talkabout MR355R, MS350R and MS355R are three that immediately come to mind. With these options, repeater capability is hardly an incentive to violate FCC rules.

I forgot to mention the Motorola bubble packs that are repeater capable but who wants to use a gmrs radio that’s only 1.5 watts output and has a molded garbage antenna. I just think the uv5ra should be accepted as part 95. (440) amateur band is the same thing as GMRS (462) it’s 70cm the only difference is the offset. What I’m really getting at though is do you think a repeater owner will care that much as long as your licensed? How would they even know you operating a non part 95 radio without asking? Most gmrs repeater owners are hams to begin with they most definitely use there own equipment on gmrs that is not part 95 cert.

There is a GMRS approved Wouxun radio the KG-833. Powerwerx sells its own labeled version of it.

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Pretty sure most self-respecting hams understand the rules and reasons for the rules and would not intentionally violate the rules (in the USA) by operating without authority on FRS or GMRS frequencies with any transmitter that is not properly certified in Part 95. Using a ham license to commit a federal crime (operating a radio transmitter without a license) seems like a “really bad idea”. 47 U.S. Code § 301, 47 USC § 502.