Hello, everyone. My nay is Hunter and I am new to the forum. I have bought some 2-way radios for a job my company is working on and wanted to get some help since I know very little about 2-way radios. We are a small construction company and neede a way for my guys to communicate while they are working on the side of the road. I need help figuring out what frequency I should use. Is there a better frequency to use that will give me further range or clarity? What frequencies am I not allowed to use? Here are the specs on the radios.
Baofeng UV-5R
High / Low Power Settings (4W/1W) Programmable Amateur Radio; Frequency Range: 65-108 MHz (Only commercial FM radio reception) VHF: 136-174 MHz(Rx/Tx). UHF: 400-520 MHz(Rx/Tx)
1500mAh Battery; Broadband (Wide) 25khz / Narrowband (Narrow) 12.5khz Selectable. Monitor two different frequencies (even on different bands (VHF/UHF)) and the radio will monitor both frequencies giving priority to the first station to receive an incoming call
You are not allowed to use ANY frequency without an appropriate licence. This is an amateur radio, and you will need a Ham radio licence to transmit on amateur radio bands.
You cannot legally transmit on GMRS, FRS or MURS bands with this radio.
You cannot transmit on business (Part 90) bands without an appropriate licence from the licence authority in your country. (FCC in the United States.) If your construction company has been assigned a business licence, then use that frequency. If it hasn’t been assigned a licence, you will either need to apply for a business licence and a dedicated frequency or return those radios for ones that will transmit on licence-free bands such as FRS, MURS or 900MHz FHSS.
Transmitting on any frequency with those radios except the one frequency that has been assigned to you is not just illegal; it is also potentially interfering with a licenced business or a public service agency. Transmitting on the frequencies they come from the factory with, can potentially put life at risk.
If your construction company has a business licence, it will have the assigned frequency marked on it. If it doesn’t, your radio dealer sold you the wrong radios. Just because a radio has the capability to be programmed to certain frequencies, does not make it legal to program them to transmit on those same frequencies.
I would also add that the Baofeng UV-5R is not the best choice of radio for a road construction site. Although it is not specifically a consumer grade radio, the UV-5R is not built for heavy operations or industrial use, meaning they are not dust, shock or waterproof.