Are these radios legal?

[w6ez]

Just found these on Ebay..

I'm not sure they are legal, ham or otherwise..

<a href="http://cgi.ebay.com/4W-TH278-VHF-CTCSS-138-175Mhz-DTMF-WALKIE-TALKIE-RADIO_W0QQitemZ5731067213QQcategoryZ1502Q
QtcZphotoQQcmdZViewItem" target="_blank">http://cgi.ebay.com/4W-TH27....iewItem</a>

[WB2WIK]

Not type accepted here, so illegal for other than amateur use.

For amateur use, I can't see why they wouldn't be legal. We don't have strict frequency stability standards and can operate 2m anywhere between 144.105 and 147.995 MHz using voice (FM), and type acceptance isn't required for amateur use.

However, these units probably don't have a way to "tune around," the way amateur gear does. They are channelized and programmable. Unless you know exactly what frequencies you want to use, you won't "stumble across" any by using a "VFO" function, because there isn't one.

That's the way 2-way commercial gear is: One of the conditions for licensing is that it *cannot* be VFO-controlled, or capable of operator programming. Ham gear, including our hand-helds, is more flexible than that.

$95 + $35 for shipping = $130. For that price I can buy a Vertex Standard VX-150 which does the same stuff, is new and legal and for sale in the U.S., and has a VFO function (besides having a zillion programmable memories)...

WB2WIK/6

[wg7x]

I guess that would depend on what you wanted to use them for.

US Amateur have a history of using commercial equipment for amateur purposes, and as ham gear does not need type acceptance, why not use them?

Unless they are of poor quality and create problems on the Amateur bands?

I would be more concerned with their quality and useful ness in my application. Legality is not an issue unless the user intends to use them unlawfully.

IOW, ok for Ham use, probably not OK for GMRS, MURS, Business band or any other service that requires type acceptance/certification from the FCC.

73 Gary

[kf4lne]

They should be legal for amateur use. You can use your own homebrew handheld radio if you want to so why not be able to use one of these.

[KI6ADA]

Quote[/b] (WB2WIK @ Mar. 31 2006,17:09)]$95 + $35 for shipping = $130. #For that price I can buy a Vertex Standard VX-150 which does the same stuff, is new and legal and for sale in the U.S., and has a VFO function (besides having a zillion programmable memories)...

WB2WIK/6
I have a Vertex 150, great radio. Right now I have it plugged into an Diamond X-30A. Never thought an HT would make a fun base. I can work repeaters 25-30 miles away. Have a great night http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif

[WA2ZDY]

They are legal to possess and legal to use for transmitting on amateur frequencies as stated above. They aren't certified for any land mobile services here in the US which is what makes them legal for ham use only. Of course they may be used as receivers outside the ham band.

But what I'll bet is not legal about them is their importation. Since they haven't been certified for land mobile use, and because they work easily outside the ham bands they probably haven't been approved by FCC for ham use either, that means they aren't going to be approved for importation.

An interesting legal quandry, isnt't that one?