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I have a Baofeng UV-5RA, and I need to know what frequencies on the "channel mode" (what the lady says when you press the "V/M" button on the radio) don't require a ham license. I am in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Frequencies: 138.550, 155.700, 157.650, 172.750, 402.225, 402.225, 437.425, 438.500, 453.225, 454.325, 455.425, 456.525, 457.625, 458.725, 459.825, 461.925, 462.225, 463.325, 464.425, 465.525, and 479.975.

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    $\begingroup$ The Technician license is quite easy to get and you'd be licensed for frequencies between 144-148 MHz and 420-450 MHz. The reason everyone is so serious about don't transmit without a license is because "they" (the FCC and others) can pinpoint your location and serve you a big fine. $\endgroup$
    – Zach Mierzejewski
    Commented Jul 20, 2016 at 19:44
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    $\begingroup$ Another reason is that "they" includes "us" - those who have gone the legal route and do not want unauthorized people to generate headlines making our hobby sound illegal or dangerous. You are in the north of the US so you must consider Canadian law in those frequency ranges in that part of the US. Ever watched Highway through Hell? They rely on their radios for weather reports. Just imagine if you messed up one of the trucker frequencies and caused a big rig to wreck? There would be some insurance company out to get you, then, too. $\endgroup$
    – SDsolar
    Commented Jan 23, 2017 at 5:28
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    $\begingroup$ Plus, they can transmit on the aviation band. The Feds and insurance companies would both be out to get you. $\endgroup$
    – SDsolar
    Commented Jan 25, 2017 at 23:16
  • $\begingroup$ Not to mention public service bands, with default Chinese-seller programming (get one sold by the major American importer and it'll have this "fixed"). Seriously, either get rid of the radio, or use a programming cable and CHIRP software to disable transmission on all frequencies -- set up that way, those make decent police/fire scanners. $\endgroup$
    – Zeiss Ikon
    Commented Apr 30, 2019 at 11:14

5 Answers 5

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None of them.

You say you are in the United States. In general, all radio transmissions fall into one of three categories:

  • The operator is allowed to transmit on that frequency (amateur, "business band", aviation, military, etc.)
  • The radio is allowed to transmit on that frequency (CB, FRS, MURS).
  • The transmissions are very low-power ("Part 15": WiFi, Bluetooth, lots of other things).

You do not have an amateur or other radio license, the radio is not approved for a specific service that works that way, and it does not meet Part 15 restrictions. Therefore you may not transmit with it.

I highly recommend getting an amateur radio license — it's cheap and easy, and studying for it will help you understand what you can do.

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    $\begingroup$ It say's channel numbers on the side, just like a walkie talky though, and no one use's the channels, so still? $\endgroup$
    – SPC Philadelphia
    Commented Jul 7, 2016 at 18:13
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    $\begingroup$ Yes. Everyone using “a walkie talkie” needs to have a license appropriate for the frequencies they're using. It's not a special category, just a shape. $\endgroup$
    – Kevin Reid AG6YO ♦
    Commented Jul 7, 2016 at 18:28
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    $\begingroup$ @SPCPhiladelphia why do you think it's called a license or a licensed band if you didn't need the first to use the second? $\endgroup$
    – Marcus Müller
    Commented Jul 9, 2016 at 13:56
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    $\begingroup$ @SPCPhiladelphia - Just for your information, here's a handy chart of the bands and permissions you'll earn when you pass the Technician test and earn your license: arrl.org/files/file/Tech%20Band%20Chart/Tech%20Band%20Chart.pdf $\endgroup$
    – user157
    Commented Jul 9, 2016 at 14:55
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    $\begingroup$ Even part 15 (and equivalent legislation in other countries) devices are subject to type approval of the equipment. It's amateur radio that's really the odd duck out there; I'm not aware of any other radio service where using equipment that is not type approved for use on the particular band is not only acceptable, but to some extent outright encouraged. $\endgroup$
    – user
    Commented Jul 11, 2016 at 15:02
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  • There are lots of "radios" for sale on places like EBAY that are not legal to use in the U.S.
  • There are lots of radios of recent manufacture for sale in many places that include the ability to transmit on a wide number of out-of-band frequencies (CB's that do 10M, 10M ham rigs that do 11M (CB), etc.)
  • There are a bunch of cheap radios that are just mega-splatter factories that send all kinds of spurious emissions off frequency and are nearly deaf

IMHO: Get or build a well engineered radio, and get a license.

That being said: getting a Technician license (In the U.S.) is about three times harder than getting a CPR certificate.

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    $\begingroup$ Plus CW access on 80, 40, 15, and 10m and absolutely all of the microwave and higher bands! Voice, data, and CW radiogram handling! The features are everywhere! $\endgroup$
    – user2943160
    Commented Jul 10, 2016 at 1:45
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Additional to the answer given:

You may want to check your local, and country legislation if it is legal to own the device.

I am not in the US and certainly not familiar with all legislation as such, but in my country it would be illegal to own the device without a valid Amateur Radio License.

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    $\begingroup$ Oh. In the US, you can have one without a license, but you need a license to talk on one. $\endgroup$
    – SPC Philadelphia
    Commented Jul 8, 2016 at 16:59
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    $\begingroup$ @Edwin I'm a bit surprised it's forbidden – I don't think anyone in the EU would see penalties for owning e.g. an SDR device that could work anywhere between DC and 6 GHz as long as it's not used outside legal boundaries (or being made available to a country suspect to an applicable embargo). $\endgroup$
    – Marcus Müller
    Commented Jul 9, 2016 at 14:08
  • $\begingroup$ I am not saying that anyone is seeing penalties, nor am I saying that the law is enforced, or even enforcable. In fact the law is probably unenforcable... I am just saying that your country could have laws like that. Which then makes it illegal, even when the chance of getting caught are slim or non existant. $\endgroup$
    – Edwin van Mierlo
    Commented Jul 11, 2016 at 7:28
  • $\begingroup$ Why the down vote ? please explain so I can learn. Thank you. $\endgroup$
    – Edwin van Mierlo
    Commented Dec 10, 2018 at 10:05
  • $\begingroup$ Some American states have laws against possessing certain kinds of receivers, never mind transmitters that require a license. Check the penalty for simple possession of a radar detector in Virginia... $\endgroup$
    – Zeiss Ikon
    Commented Apr 30, 2019 at 11:10
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None of them.

The Baofeng UV-5RA is legal to own, but they are not legal to transmit on here in the U.S. unless you get your license.

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None of them.

You should reprogram on 154.570 & 154.600 low power (MURS Radio Service FCC part 95)

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    $\begingroup$ The radio isn't certified for MURS as required by part 95 rules. $\endgroup$
    – mrog
    Commented Dec 5, 2018 at 22:17

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