Author |
Message |
Buck
| Posted on Saturday, January 18, 2003 - 10:01 pm: |
|
I was surfing around and I found this.... I saw one in walmart the other day and just about bought it..... That was before I thought about how stupid I would look talking to my watch http://www.spiegel.com/shop/style.asp?style_id=75359&index=0&nav_cat_id=674&gp_cat_id=283&category_id=677
|
Insider
| Posted on Sunday, January 19, 2003 - 7:06 am: |
|
Speaking of Dick Tracey type watches. Microsoft has plans to launch a service by which stock reports, traffic, ect will be deliverend to their brand of wrist watch computer through the carriers of local FM radio stations. From what I've heard, Microsoft has already begun leasing space on FMs. I wonder what services will be added once IBOC is put into full operation. Funny though. Notice how as audio technology has progressed over the last decade, the quality of the main product has gone down? To hear a sample of IBOC-DAB ("HD" Radio) go to http://www.ibiquity.com/hdradio/hdradio_experience.htm and play with the buttons of the receiver. |
bruce
| Posted on Sunday, January 19, 2003 - 7:20 pm: |
|
HEY BUCK ! I sent my younger brother a watch which also was a infer red control for the TV SET! Heck he has everything ... except a wife ( SELF ANSWERING QUESTION )and you know why he has it all! |
Buck
| Posted on Sunday, January 19, 2003 - 7:44 pm: |
|
Yep that explains it all!!!!!! |
de
| Posted on Sunday, January 19, 2003 - 10:04 pm: |
|
Re Buck.... I saw that watch myself. It has 22 channels which means that it is a GMRS radio. To legally operate it the license will cost you 75 bucks for a 5 year license. The no license Family Service has only 14 channels. |
Buck
| Posted on Monday, January 20, 2003 - 12:51 pm: |
|
yea I noticed that it was gmrs also.....it wasnt all that high priced....around $25 |
USA194
| Posted on Monday, January 20, 2003 - 3:26 pm: |
|
I does have 22 channels, but if you only use it on the 14 FRS channels, you shouldn't have to pay for the license. 1-7 are shared GMRS/FRS, 8-14 are FRS only, 15-22 are GMRS only. |
de
| Posted on Monday, January 20, 2003 - 9:20 pm: |
|
Re 194: Unfortunately the FCC does not view it that way. The radio is type accepted as GMRS reguardless of which freq you opt to use. But if you think about it 15 bucks a year is not going to bankrupt you either. |
USA194
| Posted on Tuesday, January 21, 2003 - 12:35 am: |
|
True, although in reality, the radio in question meets both the power requirement for FRS(no more than 500mw) and the bandwidth, even though it has GMRS capabilities. I have not found any regulations that specifically address using GMRS type accepted radios on FRS. The regulations only state the radio must be type accepted for FRS, which it obviously is by default. I suppose if one wanted to use one on FRS only, and pay the FCC 15 bucks a year, that's OK. I mean, they do need some funding after all... |
bruce
| Posted on Tuesday, January 21, 2003 - 10:27 am: |
|
Also several companys wanted to make a MURS / GMRS /FRS radio but the FCC said NO way! I dont see why not it would be a very usefull radio .... and guys will not have to mod the dual band ham radios to work on thoes bands Bruce |
Sarge
| Posted on Tuesday, January 21, 2003 - 3:19 pm: |
|
Actually, there is no such thing as "using a GMRS on FRS". GMRS was there first. It is the FRS radios that are being allowed to use 7-channels in the GMRS service. GMRS radios are not restricted to FRS power levels when operating on GMRS channels shared with FRS. So if a radio is type accepted as a GMRS it can put out the full 2-watt power output on all 22-channels. That is why it must be licensed regardless of what channel you intend to use it on. |
USA194
| Posted on Tuesday, January 21, 2003 - 5:31 pm: |
|
OK, evidently we are not all checking the equipment in question. Here's an excerpt from their ad.. "...One-half watt of power provides range of up to two miles (depending on terrain/conditions) in GMRS (General Mobile Radio Service) and FRS (Family Radio Service) modes..." The FCC says: "...95.637 Maximum transmitter power. (d) No FRS unit, under any condition of modulation, shall exceed 0.500 W effective radiated power (ERP). ..." If the wrist radio power level is 1/2 watt, and the radio is by default type accepted for FRS, then there should be no license requirement for use on FRS channels. |
de
| Posted on Tuesday, January 21, 2003 - 6:57 pm: |
|
Power is not the issue. Many ham handi talkies operate at 250 or 300 miliwatt but you still need a ham radio locense to use them. The determining factor is for which service is the transmitter type accepted. |