The FCC wants YOU to become a DTV Deputy! Visit dtv.gov for the latest on the national conversion to digital television. Get your certification as a DTV Deputy! I took the test and got the cool certificate. Retailers should make it a point to have their staff take the test until they pass it. I’m going to use it in the retail store I manage.

(Huntingtown, MD -) I just renewed my FCC GMRS license for another five years and thought I would share with GMRS applicants and those renewing the current certifications required by ALL applicants including grandfathered licensees that are renewing their licenses. Granfathered licensees in particular need to make sure they have NOT modified their radio system in ANY WAY since their license was first obtained (before 1989.) You are specifically asked to certify that you have MADE NO CHANGES. You are subject to federal penalties if you certify you have not when in fact you have.

In the FCC’s own words:

Certification
General Certification Statements

1 The applicant/licensee waives any claim to the use of any particular frequency or of the electromagnetic spectrum as against the regulatory power of the United States because of the previous use of the same, whether by license or otherwise, and requests an authorization in accordance with this application.

2 The applicant/licensee certifies that all statements made in this application and in the exhibits, attachments, or documents incorporated by reference are material, are part of this application, and are true, complete, correct, and made in good faith.

3 Neither the applicant/licensee nor any member thereof is a foreign government or a representative thereof.

4 The applicant/licensee certifies that neither the applicant/licensee nor any other party to the application is subject to a denial of Federal benefits pursuant to Section 5301 of the Anti-Drug Abuse Act of 1988, 21 U.S.C. § 862, because of a conviction for possession or distribution of a controlled substance. This certification does not apply to applications filed in services exempted under Section 1.2002(c) of the rules, 47 CFR § 1.2002(c). See Section 1.2002(b) of the rules, 47 CFR § 1.2002(b), for the definition of “party to the application” as used in this certification.

5 Amateur or GMRS applicant/licensee certifies that the construction of the station would NOT be an action which is likely to have a significant environmental effect (see the Commission’s rules 47 CFR Sections 1.1301-1.1319 and Section 97.13(a) rules (available at web site http://wireless.fcc.gov/rules.html).

6 Amateur applicant/licensee certifies that they have READ and WILL COMPLY WITH Section 97.13(c) of the Commission’s rules (available at web site http://wireless.fcc.gov/rules.html) regarding RADIOFREQUENCY (RF) RADIATION SAFETY and the amateur service section of OST/OET Bulletin Number 65 (available at web site http://www.fcc.gov/oet/info/documents/bulletins/).

Certification Statements for GMRS Applicants/Licensees

1 Applicant/Licensee certifies that he or she is claiming eligibility under Rule Section 95.5 of the Commission’s rules.

2 Applicant/Licensee certifies that he or she is at least 18 years of age.

3 Applicant/Licensee certifies that he or she will comply with the requirement that use of frequencies 462.650, 467.650, 462.700 and 467.700 MHz is not permitted near the Canadian border North of Line A and East of Line C. These frequencies are used throughout Canada and harmful interference is anticipated.

4 Non-Individual applicants/licensees certify that they have NOT changed frequency or channel pairs, type of emission, antenna height, location of fixed transmitters, number of mobile units, area of mobile operation, or increase in power.

Signature
Name of Party Authorized to Sign.
Name First MI Last Suffix

Title

Failure To Sign This Application May Result In Dismissal Of The Application And Forfeiture Of Any Fees Paid.

WILLFUL FALSE STATEMENTS MADE ON THIS FORM OR ANY ATTACHMENTS ARE PUNISHABLE BY FINE AND/OR IMPRISONMENT (U.S. Code, Title 18, §1001) AND/OR REVOCATION OF ANY STATION LICENSE OR CONSTRUCTION PERMIT (U.S. Code, Title 47, §312(a)(1)), AND/OR FORFEITURE (U.S. Code, Title 47, §503).

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Grandfathered licensees that need additional reference should also read:

FCC Rules and Regulations Part 95.5b and 95.5(c)(3) Prohibition against major modifications by non-individual licensees.

Also FCC Rules Section 1.929 Classifications of filings as major or minor. (The FCC’s definition of a major modification.)

(Huntingtown, MD 080307) – GMRS is not Ham radio. It is also not the private playground of hobby buff groups, long-winded super heroes with a delusional sense of self importance, or national public service organizations that consider family communication ((FCC 95.1(a) The General Mobile Radio Service.)) unimportant on their own radio-activity scale. But today I wondered.

Tropospheric ducting ((See William Hepburn’s Tropospheric Forecasts)) is in big time this morning. I can hear the illegal periodic Morse ID’s (( Repeater ID not required see FCC R&R 95.119(e) )) from free-running automatic GMRS repeaters ((Automatic operation prohibited. FCC R&R 95.103(a) )) ((FCC R&R 95.171 Station Operator Duties. Control operator required)) and then comes the DX’er from Virginia. In a blaze of glory and with great enunciation and fanfare he announces his call sign, his national public service affiliation complete with unit number (in the single digits wow!) as though it gives him some special right to access a repeater for which he happens to have the squelch access tone — a repeater hundreds of miles or more distant. ((GMRS repeaters are private property see FCC R&R 95.103(b) )) He’s DX’ing! (Amateur radio lingo for talking by radio to distant stations.) Woo hoo! Look at me I can talk long distances on a radio intended for short distance family communication! Wowee zowee!

It’s one thing to be using your GMRS radio and find that during tropo you are accessing the wrong or multiple repeaters. It’s another to go fishing for QSO’s. ((FCC 95.33 Cooperative use of radio stations in the GMRS.)) The multiple repeater problem occasionally happens to me and my wife as we use a local 575 repeater. When we find ourselves bringing up more than one repeater we leave the air very quickly so as not to compound the obvious interference problem.

Today, the entire East Coast of the United States of America had to listen to what amounted a Ham radio QSO on 462.550 MHz between two hams that happen to also use GMRS. ((FCC R&R 95.181 Permissible Communications)) ((FCC R&R 95.7 Channel Sharing))

I believe that hams should take advantage of UHF tropo on 440, 220 or 2 meters. Hams have MORE THAN ENOUGH SPECTRUM to enjoy their hobby. That said how about knocking off the repeater DX’ing done solely for self aggrandizement and curiosity. It makes you look foolish and silly and it accomplishes nothing, nada, zip. You make it harder for the rest of us and our families to use our family communication systems.

When tropospheric ducting is active, GMRS licensees should make a conscious decision to reduce their talk time with their local users. ((FCC R&R 95.7(a) Channel Sharing)) Keep transmissions to the point, communicate and leave the air. Use common sense. Be polite. Remember that our rules require all of us to share a VERY TINY resource among thousands of families, and hundreds of UNCOORDINATED repeaters and simplex operations. If you can be heard across thousands of square miles while you discuss the health of a mutual acquaintance maybe you shouldn’t be talking! ((FCC R&R Part 95.7(b) ))

I’d like to know what others think of this. Should we add an item to the PRA GMRS Operator’s Code of Ethics that spells it out? What should our reaction be?

It is hard to take the national public service groups seriously while their members and leadership are DX’ing on GMRS. Those groups should consider a POLICY STATEMENT forbidding repeater DX-ing and insisting their members follow the GMRS rules. It’s the courteous thing to do.

Flash! A repeater owner in New York state sent the blog a recording of this same person’s access to the New York repeater. Hard to believe.