[SFDXA] FCC Turns Away Petition to Allow Hams to Operate Non-Certificated Transmitters on GMRS.

[Bill]

 From Chuck W4ROA

FCC Turns Away Petition to Allow Hams to Operate Non-Certificated 
Transmitters on GMRS.
> *
> *
> 07/07/2014
> The FCC has *denied* 
> <http://www.fcc.gov/document/dismissal-friedlander-gmrs-rulemaking-petition> 
> a /Petition for Rule Making/ (*PRM* 
> <http://apps.fcc.gov/ecfs/comment/view?id=6017689262>) filed by a 
> Florida radio amateur that sought to permit hams who also hold General 
> Mobile Radio Service (GMRS) licenses to operate on GMRS channels with 
> transmitters that have not been certificated for GMRS use, provided 
> the transmitter meets GMRS technical standards. Mark Friedlander, 
> KV4I, of New Smyrna Beach had asserted in his May 29 filing that the 
> proposed rule change would facilitate interoperability in emergency 
> situations, since many emergency response groups utilize both radio 
> services.
> “I think it would facilitate emergency communications with CERT groups 
> and other EmComm workers if we could eliminate the need to check with 
> the FCC for each radio,” Friedlander said in a statement seeking 
> support for his petition and which was posted on the East Coast 
> District ARES (Florida) forum. “Doing so would also minimize confusion 
> about the permissibility of ham operators using their radios for 
> transmitting on both services.”
> Transmitters used in the Part 95 GMRS must have FCC certification 
> prior to sale and marketing; in general, Part 97 Amateur Radio 
> transmitters do not.
> In a June 20 letter to Friedlander, the FCC pointed out that GMRS 
> transmitters that also can be used on Amateur Radio frequencies will 
> not be certificated. The FCC said it adopted that rule “to prevent the 
> possible proliferation of GMRS equipment that is also capable of 
> operating on frequencies for which the GMRS licensee is not authorized.”
> Friedlander has noted that the Amateur Service and the GMRS operate on 
> similar frequencies. He argued that Amateur Radio operators who are 
> authorized to design, build, and operate transmitters without 
> equipment certification in the 420-450 MHz amateur band should be 
> allowed to do so on the 462/467 MHz GMRS channels, the FCC said.
> “We conclude that the proposed rule change would undermine the 
> prohibition on GMRS equipment with Amateur Radio frequency 
> capability,” the FCC said. “An exception to [the rule] would allow for 
> the proliferation of home-built, non-standardized transmitters in the 
> GMRS, with no practicable way for the Commission to monitor and 
> enforce regulatory compliance for these devices.”
>