Baofeng question

[Recusant]

I just bought two baofeng 5r plus radios. Can I legally use the channel mode only to communicate between them, like walkie talkies, if I don't have a license?

[atherts]

I don't think so, but in a SHTF situation I wouldn't worry about it. I just bought one Baofeng and will probably get another for our son for Christmas.

[backwoods_engineer]

Not legally, but it HAS been done (wink wink) on both FRS and MURS.  I love the Baofeng units.  Which ones did you get?  I got the 3+.

[Recusant]

Not legally, but it HAS been done (wink wink) on both FRS and MURS.  I love the Baofeng units.  Which ones did you get?  I got the 3+.

Thanks for the info. I got the 5r plus. Do you like that one too?

[SCWolverine]

I just bought two baofeng 5r plus radios. Can I legally use the channel mode only to communicate between them, like walkie talkies, if I don't have a license?

are you interested in getting one?

[SCWolverine]

I don't think so, but in a SHTF situation I wouldn't worry about it. I just bought one Baofeng and will probably get another for our son for Christmas.

That is correct, in the case of an Emergency. 

There is a recent post on AR15.com in regards to a guy buying the same radio to monitor local conditions during Sandy.  It's a great example as to why it's good to have the ticket (you can practice and hone your skills-legally) and know how to use your equipment before TEOTWAWKI.

He opens his post, dated 10/28 with this:

I bought a Baofeng UV-5R to prepare for Sandy:
And I have no idea how to use this thing. I know I can't broadcast without a license, but I wanted to monitor channels to see whats going on locally. Can anyone tell me the basics?

http://www.ar15.com/forums/t_10_22/660809_I_bought_a_Baofeng_UV_5R_to_prepare_for_Sandy.html

I'm not bashing at all, and it's good that he (like the OP) knew where to go for answers...

The test is super easy to pass, you can register your PO Box to keep your street address off the net, and you can talk all over the world, not just around the farm 

[SCWolverine]

Here is the link to the TSP Episode that Jack and Tim did:

http://www.thesurvivalpodcast.com/ham-and-scanners-tim-glance

Here is a link to a free study service that some rave about:
http://hamexam.org/

Here is a link to a pay study service that I've had success with:
http://www.hamradiolicenseexam.com/study.jsp

Here to help!

SCW

[Recusant]

Thank you all for all the help. I plan on taking the test is a couple of weeks, God willing, I will pass.

[Ralph]

There are 3 levels of test on the ham exam link. Are all 3 necessary to legally transmit on the Baofeng? I put a Baofeng on order after Steven Harris' radio episode. Originally I planned never to key the transmitter, but I am rethinking that idea and want to have a license to be able to transmit legally. After reading around the forum I can see the wisdom of having the experience of transmitting before it's needed for an emergency. Any help on being licensed to make full use of the Baofeng would be appreciated.

[Alan Georges]

There are 3 levels of test on the ham exam link. Are all 3 necessary to legally transmit on the Baofeng?

No, you only need the first level, Technician.  With that you can legally do 100% of what a Baofeng can do.

[Ralph]

Thanks for the info. I found a series of podcasts for the technicians license. I played one section and was surprised I got as many questions right as I did. I don't know I would pass without some study, but I found that encouraging. I did study electronics with some radio courses back when slide rules were the norm and calculators were a new thing. From what I've seen so far I would encourage anyone thinking of a license to look Iinto it. The questions are pretty basic electrictricity and radio. I'll post a link to the podcast next visit here. Thanks again.

[AngusBangus]

No, you only need the first level, Technician.  With that you can legally do 100% of what a Baofeng can do.

There isn't a single license that will allow you to LEGALLY do 100% of what the Baofeng can do. In my opinion, this radio offers a TON of capability to transmit (TX) outside normal limits in an emergency given the following capabilities:
1. Technician HAM license: UV-5R can be configured for the 2m/70cm Ham bands
2. GMRS license: UV-5R can be configured to the GMRS freqs at 5W
3. FRS...: No license available, and UV-5R can be configured to FRS at ILLEGAL TX power of 5W. Limit is 0.5W
4. MURS: No license required, but UV-5R can hold all 5 MURS freqs and associated tones and TX at an ILLEGAL 5W. Limit to 2W.
5. Marine: No license required*, but UV-5R can be configured for all marine VHF channels (but who needs more than CH16 and a couple of other GoTo channels like CH68/CH69 & CH13 for collision)
6. Air band license: Using CHIRP software, UV-5R can be tweaked down to allow RX/TX on civilian air band freqs (~121MHz). I have mine tweaked down to allow RX/TX on 121.5MHz "Guard" frequency in case of emergency, since it's too late to tweak that setting on the radio when SHTF (NEED software). I assume it can also be tweaked to allow RX/TX on the MILAIR bands ~243MHz, but MILAIR monitors 121.5 so it's a moot point.

[Alan Georges]

Doh!  Let me append that to say "on the ham bands"!  Crap, what a weird upside-down way I put that that came out totally wrong.  Or more like "no, if you're only using one of these radios, having a General or Extra license doesn't get you anything more over a Technician license."

And you are completely correct: these Baofengs can do a lot of other stuff, and much of it isn't legal.

Angus, thanks for sticking in a couple of smilies in your reply!

[AngusBangus]

And you are completely correct: these Baofengs can do a lot of other stuff, and much of it isn't legal.

...except in an emergency situation, at which point the FCC allows you to basically throw out just about every rule in the book. I say "just about every" because I haven't read all of them, but everything I HAVE read allows it to be tossed in a bona fide emergency.

Angus, thanks for sticking in a couple of smilies in your reply!

No problem
I got a bit overzealous with them... only meant to throw in one. So now I have to laugh at myself, since I completely rag on my dad when he texts with a string of 5-10 emoticons at the end of each.