FCC LICENSING - FACT or FICTION
Not so many years ago, only a few organizations were using two-way
radios to communicate. Traditional users such as the police, fire and sheriff's
departments used radio spectrum to communicate. We would see them on TV talking to one
another, saving lives and so forth. These days everybody and everything utilizes radio
spectrum to communicate. Parents, children, babies even cats and dogs. From radios, Cell
phones & pager to baby monitors, invisible fences, alarms & traffic signals. Who
makes all the rules to govern all these frequency users? The Federal Communications
Commission (FCC) that's who! There are a lot of misconceptions regarding the rules and
regulations that apply to RF users.
Let's play Fact or Fiction!
Statement--If I am using an itinerant or GMRS (dot)
frequency I won't have to get a FCC license.
Fact or Fiction?
Answer--All business band frequencies, including
itinerant or GMRS are required to be licensed prior to operation.
Statement--It only takes a couple of weeks to acquire a
FCC license.
Fact or Fiction?
Answer--It can sometimes take up to 6 months to get a
license. If you are within 50 miles of the Canadian border, you may also need to get
approval from the Canadian equivalent to the FCC, the DOC. These two factions sometimes
don't work and play well with each other, causing long delays and in some cases, no
license approval at all.
Statement--I can get a clear frequency to operate on my
own private channel.
Fact or Fiction?
Answer--The number of radio users, has caused the FCC to
create more radio spectrum to operate on. The VHF, UHF, 800, 900 MHz frequencies have so
many users the FCC has been splitting frequencies to create more spectrum, to accommodate
more radio users. It is not uncommon for the FCC to approve multiple users of a specific
frequency to operate in the same area. So the chance of getting a clear frequency is
virtually impossible.
Statement--I have received a bill with an official looking
letter saying my FCC license needs to be renewed at a cost of ????.
Fact or Fiction?
Answer--Unless it is from the Federal Communications
Commission, don't pay anything. The FCC will notify you six months prior to the expiration
of your license, and the cost is $120.
The FCC has almost as many rules, regulations & forms as the IRS.
You undoubtedly have enough distress & worries with your day to day operations without
having to study the code of federal regulations. Midport Electronics Inc. is available to
answer any questions you have regarding acquiring, maintaining or modifying FCC licenses.
