what is the skinny on this ffc licence, is there a place that tells me in simple terms what i need to do to legally operate these midland 2 way radios? whats the process and fees-regards
If you have a set of Midland consumer radios, your radios support both the Family Radio Service (FRS) and the General Mobile Radio Service (GMRS).
You can operate the radios on the FRS without purchasing a license. The problem is, with FRS you are limited to .5 watts of output power, so your range will be limited. You are compliant with FRS if you use channels 1-7 and switch the radio to low power mode, or if you use channels 8-14 (radio will automatically switch to low power mode).
With GMRS you can operate the radios at full power, but you are technically required to get an FCC license. GMRS channels are 1-7 and 15-22.
A GMRS license costs $85 and is good for five years. One license covers you and your immediate family, including a spouse, children, parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, nephews, nieces, and in-laws. You can purchase the license online using the FCC’s Univeral Licensing System (ULS) or by manually filling out FCC form 605. You can learn more by checking out our GMRS Licensing FAQ or the FCC’s GMRS page.