Walkie Talkies : Legality
 

Hello

I just bought a pair of "8-mile" walkie talkies for only $48 at Walmart. I am returning home (to England) at the weekend. Am I going to get in trouble using them?

These: http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B0...1.MZZZZZZZ.jpg

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/AS...607254-2815014

Thanks,

Steve.

they've got walkie talkies in Lidl, not sure of the range but i got a set from tandy years ago with a 4 mile range, i don't know why you should get in trouble unless you use them for a bank heist:)
http://www.lidl.co.uk/C1256C790050C7.../04_0665_s.gif

Check what frequency they're using and then look up a radio frequency chart for the UK. It lists what frequencies are being used by who and what are free to use.

If you find that it's same range as some goverment official or emergency service then you could be in the poo.

The EU ones are on dedicated frequencies that have been set aside for punters with low wattage radios like these.

Even if they were illegal, bar using one right in front of an informed official, how would you get caught. You've already bought them so sod it, just use 'em! :D

Manual: http://media-server.amazon.com/media...L000051587.pdf
Spectrum allocation table: http://ukspec.tripod.com/specbw.html

could you buy me a set ?

No, the US-sold ones are FRS and the UK-sold ones are PMR446.

"In the USA there is a similar service know as the Family Radio Service (FRS)
Unfortunately these sets are not useable in the UK as they clash with other services
listed below.

Channel 1 - 462.56250 - In Use
Channel 2 - 462.58750 - In Use
Channel 3 - 462.61250 - In Use
Channel 4 - 462.63750 - In Use
Channel 5 - 462.66250 - In Use
Channel 6 - 462.68750 - In Use
Channel 7 - 462.71250 - In Use
Channel 8 - 467.56250 - OnBoard Ship Comms
Channel 9 - 467.58750 - OnBoard Ship Comms
Channel 10 - 467.61250 -
Channel 11 - 467.63750 -
Channel 12 - 467.66250 - In Use
Channel 13 - 467.68750 -
Channel 14 - 467.71250 - In Use"

The UK PMR 446 ones have the following channels:
Channel 1 - 446.00625
Channel 2 - 446.01875
Channel 3 - 446.03125
Channel 4 - 446.04375
Channel 5 - 446.05625
Channel 6 - 446.06875
Channel 7 - 446.08125
Channel 8 - 446.09375

If the RA found out you could be in the sh1t.

The spectrum link that Andy posted shows:
462.500=... H.O., to 462.75=
mobile for Fire channels 2,5,70 (from 455/457)

(US GMRS/FRS handies - and white/black/orange "dot" handhelds)
GMRS ch 1 to 8 at 462.55 to 462.725 (25kHz steps) with mobile at +5MHz
FRS ch 1 to 7 at 462.5625 to 462.7125 (25kHz steps) also used for GMRS single
& ch 8 to 14 at 467.5625 to 467.7125 (5MHz above ch 1 to 7)
462.756 ... JFMG fixed sites talkback (split +6.7375/+6.875: 469.493-469.868) 6.25kHz offsets
463.000=... ST, see 457.5=
464.000=... H.O., to 467.25= see 450.025= (466.075 Paging)
(464.5 & 464.55 USA brown and yellow "dot" unlicensed handhelds)

467.25=..(managed by DTI), to 469.875= (mostly JFMG)
467.2625=...JFMG... links and talkback (+airborne)
467.275 ... see 457.25
467.525 .. Marine on-board, to 467.575 single, or dual: see -10 NOT USA/Can./Philippines
467.55... USA GMRS/FRS, to 467.725 - see 462.55
467.75... USA/Can./Philippines Marine on-board, to 467.825 (split -10.225: 457.525-457.6)
(467.7625 & 467.8125 USA J and K-dot unlicensed handhelds)
467.85... USA silver,gold,red,blue "star" radios, to 467.925

467.6... Euro railways T/R 22-01 (Malaga-Torremolinos 1975), to 468.1 (split -10) 25kHz ch

which I reckon means you could be upsetting a lot of people...

Hello

Yes, if you wish. The price is $49 + 7% tax.

But I don't think it would be worth it unless you are around Crowborough somewhere to pick them up? I leave tomorrow (Friday), but will be coming back here every few weeks for the foreseeable future.

Steve.

Steve

I've got a pair of GMRS / FRS walkie-talkies that I bought in the US a year or two ago. Motorola ones, similar to the spec of yours. I bought them as they are higher power than the UK PMR446 ones, and were reasonably cheap (about double what you're paying). I knew what I was buying and didn't care about the legalities....

Before using them at all, I left one on scan/monitor of all channels - for about 6 hrs - to see if it picked up ANYTHING. Result - nothing, not a squeek.

I think some channels are Home Office ones (could be dodgy!), others are Marine / SHipping channels - so probably not a massive problem unless you live within range of shipping that's likely to get upset by your transmissions.

I use mine in the Alps, ski-ing, and they work very well. Very few other people were using the US freqs this year, but compared with the clutter on the 'legal' PMR446 channels - where you can't get a free channel to save your life (possibly literally!) - they are brilliant.

No sign of any feds at my door just yet........ though I'd act dumb if they did turn up and quietly hand over the 'illegal' transmitting devices. Hardly a kings ransom lost.

Buy 'em and enjoy 'em - and as long as you don't use them on too regular a basis I'd guess you'll be fine. Plenty of Yanks come over here on holiday and bring 'em - completely oblivious to the fact that PMR446 even exists and that their units could be any different at all, let alone illegal.... "You mean George W really doesn't own the whole world...???"

Shades

I bought some in walmart 4 years ago and was told i couldnt use them... used them hundreds of times in the UK and never heard anything from anyone else or had a problem

When you go back I'd love a set :)

You can buy them here pretty cheaply. I have the Motorola ones (T5522), but the BT Freeway ones are cheaper. You can get them from Argos, but I bought them from somewhere online. I can't remember whom, but if you're really interested I can dig out the details.