A personal radio service is any system that allows individuals to operate radio transmitters and receivers for personal purposes with minimal or no special license or individual authorization. Personal radio services exist around the world and typically use light-weight walkie talkie portable radios. The power output, antenna size, and technical characteristics of the equipment are set by regulations in each country. Many regions (for example, the European Union) have standardized personal radio service rules to allow travelers from one country to use their equipment in another country. Examples of standardized services include PMR446 and FM Citizens Band Radio (CB) in the EU and several other countries/regions. 26–27 MHz CB radio is the oldest personal radio service and is used in nearly every country worldwide, with many countries and regions copying the United States 40-channel frequency plan. In many countries, CB radio is less popular due to the availability of other personal radio services that offer shorter antennas and better protection from noise and interference.
Because radio spectrum allocation varies around the world, a personal radio service device may not be usable outside its original area of purchase. For example, US-specification Family Radio Service radios operate on frequencies that in Europe are allocated to fire and emergency services. Operation of a personal radio device that causes interference to other services may result in prosecution. Some personal radio service frequency plans are regionally accepted, for example, the European PMR446 system is available in many countries, and the American FRS/GMRS system's channel plans have been adopted by Canada, Mexico and some countries in South America.
Operating characteristics Specific details vary between the different national services, but many personal radio services operate in the VHF or UHF part of the radio spectrum, using frequency modulation and a maximum power of only a few watts. Operation is on predetermined channels. Unlike commercial business, marine, aviation, or emergency services radio, all users in an area share access to the available channels, requiring cooperation for effective communications. Unlike amateur radio, experimentation with different types of apparatus, and modes of modulation is not permitted, and equipment must be factory-built and approved. Many of these services require non-removable antennas or place restrictions on antenna size, height or gain. The high-VHF band (137–174 MHz) and UHF bands (325, 900 MHz) are the most popular aside from the 25–28 MHz "HF CB" bands. There are notable exceptions to this, including the 78 MHz and 245 MHz Thai "CB 78" and "CB 245" VHF-FM bands, the 68–71 MHz Finnish band, the 30–31 MHz Swedish "Hunting Radio" band, and the 43 MHz Italian "VHF CB" bands. The lower frequency allocations (especially the 30/31 and 43 MHz bands) often exhibit propagation and communication range characteristics similar to 27 MHz CB radio. Higher frequencies (especially above 200 MHz) are almost exclusively line-of-sight.
These services are different from cellular mobile telephone systems in that no infrastructure (towers, base stations) is required; communications is point-to-point directly between users. However, this also means that communication range is usually limited to line-of-sight propagation, a few kilometres (miles) under the best of circumstances, and much less in heavily built up urban areas. Also unlike mobile telephones, operation is push-to-talk; a user must wait for the shared frequency to be clear before transmitting, and all stations on the frequency may hear the transmission. Since both stations are on the same frequency, the receiving station cannot interrupt the transmitter until it has finished. Generally only voice transmission is allowed under personal radio service regulations, although tone and digital selective calling features are allowed in some countries. Some services permit digital data transmission, either as part of digital "text messaging" and GPS location "sharing" with other nearby radios (such as FRS), or the services themselves involve digital voice and data transmissions (such as DPMR446/DMR446).
Family Radio Service and derivatives
United States In the United States, the Family Radio Service was authorized starting in 1996. Initially, it used half-watt hand-held FM UHF radios with 14 fixed channels near 462 and 467 MHz. For a time dual-standard FRS and General Mobile Radio Service (GMRS) radios were available, that could be operated without individual licensing on the FRS channels, but which required a license to operate on the GMRS frequencies at a power level above the FRS standard. In May 2017 the regulations were changed so that FRS service included operation at up to 2 watts on GMRS channels, and prohibiting the use of dual-standard radios in FRS service that would exceed the 2-watt limit.
Canada American-standard FRS radios have been approved for use in Canada since April 2000. The revised technical standard RSS 210 has essentially the same technical requirements as in the United States. Since September 2004, low-power GMRS radios and dual-standard FRS/GMRS radios have also been approved for use in Canada, giving additional channels. In Canada, no license is required and no restrictions are imposed on the GMRS channels.
Mexico Since tourists often bring their FRS radios with them, and since trade between the U.S., Canada, and Mexico is of great value to all three countries, the Mexican Secretary of Communication and Transportation has authorized use of the FRS frequencies and equipment similar to that in the US. Dual-mode FRS/GMRS equipment is not approved in Mexico, so caution should be exercised in operating hybrid FRS/GMRS devices purchased elsewhere.
South America Dual-mode GMRS/FRS equipment is also approved in Brazil.
Using other UHF and VHF frequencies
Australia and New Zealand
In Australia and New Zealand, the 77-channel (previously 40-channel) UHF CB citizen's band near 477 MHz is used for a similar purpose. In New Zealand hand-held transceivers are "class licensed" and require no individual registration. Repeaters may be used, but these require individual station licences. The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) also allocated a band near 434 MHz for low-powered devices with low potential for interference to other users of the band.ACMA spectrum for 434 MHz LIPD devices .
Bangladesh The Bangladesh Telecommunications Regulatory Commission (BTRC) allows for use of the 26–27 MHz Citizen's Band (CB) allocation from 26.965 to 27.405 MHz (standard 40-channel allocation used in most of the world for CB). BTRC also permits usage of "Short Business Radio" (SBR) in the 245.000 to 246.000 MHz band. This is the same 245 MHz CB allocation as Thailand and uses the same channel plan (80 channels, 12.5 kHz steps). The BTRC considers both the 26–28 MHz CB and 245–246 MHz SBR allocations to be shared resources and all users must share the channels with other users of these two bands.
China
In China, Hong Kong and Macau, the Public Radio Service is a personal radio service similar to the American-style FRS. Twenty UHF channels near 409 MHz are allocated. Sometimes this is called "Citizen Band" or CB in China,我国公众无线电对讲机的频段 (Public Radio Services Frequency of China): but not to be confused with the Citizens Band radio within the 27 MHz band. FRS/GMRS and PMR446 radios are not approved for use in China.
FRS band radios may be found in use in China illegally, starting before the Chinese government opened the 409 MHz band to the public. Legal action against such usage is rare, because of the low power and short range of FRS radios.
List of China Public Radio Service Channels: Channel Frequency [MHz] 1 409.7500 2 409.7625 3 409.7750 4 409.7875 5 409.8000 6 409.8125 7 409.8250 8 409.8375 9 409.8500 10 409.8625 11 409.8750 12 409.8875 13 409.9000 14 409.9125 15 409.9250 16 409.9375 17 409.9500 18 409.9625 19 409.9750 20 409.9875
Europe
In Europe, PMR446 is a personal radio service with two sets of 16 channels and one set of 8 channels available for a total of 40 channels. The original PMR446 allocation for 16 channels from 446.00625 MHz to 446.19375 MHz with 12.5 kHz channel spacing steps has been complemented with two digital channel plans (sometimes called "DMR446" or "DPMR446"). Digital FDMA offers another 16 channels from 446.103125 MHz to 446.196875 MHz with 6.25 kHz channel spacing steps. 4-level FSK modulation at 3.6 kbit/s is used. Digital DMR Tier I TDMA PMR446 channels are also available, eight channels from 446.10625 MHz to 446.19375 MHz with 12.5 kHz channel spacing steps. 4-level FSK modulation at 3.6 kbit/s is used. All three of the PMR446 channel plans occupy the same European-harmonized 446.0 MHz to 446.2 MHz frequency band.
One cannot legally use the FRS radio in Europe or PMR446 in the U.S. The 446 MHz band is allocated to amateur radio in the United States. In Great Britain, FRS frequencies are used for fire brigade communications and this sometimes causes problems when FRS equipment is imported from the U.S. and used without awareness of the consequences by members of the public. A similar situation exists with the German Freenet VHF CB allocation, the American MURS VHF CB allocation, and the Australian/New Zealand UHF CB allocation at 476–477 MHz. Use of Australian UHF CB equipment in the United States would cause severe interference to public safety communications, especially in larger metropolitan areas.
European countries also have LPD devices operating in the 433 MHz band; these devices are restricted to 10 mW output power and are intended to provide an alternative to PMR446 over short distances. Additionally, most European countries allow use of the 26.965 – 27.405 MHz US FCC Citizen's Band Radio allocation (40 channels). Some countries allow more channels (for example, Germany has an extra 40-channel allocation from 26.565 to 27.955 MHz, making a total of 80 available CB channels) or other modes. Many countries allow the use of both AM and FM modulation, with some (including the UK) allowing the use of SSB as well.
Finland Finland has a 26-channel mid-band (68–72 MHz) VHF-FM allocation called "RHA68" consisting of "common channels for hobby usage in general". No license, examination or fee is required to operate in the RHA68 band. The channels may be referred to by their sequential number or by alphanumeric designation per Finnish law. Power limit is 5 watts for hand-portable stations and 25 watts for mobile stations on all of group A channels and on group E channels 15, 16 and 18–21. Base stations may only be used on group A channels with maximum transmitting power of 15 watts.
Channel group A Channel Frequency Usage Power limit 1 68.100 MHz Roadside assistance organizations 25 W 2 68.300 MHz Motor sports 25 W 3 68.425 MHz Voluntary rescue service 25 W 4 68.525 MHz Motor sports 25 W 17 68.225 MHz Voluntary rescue service 25 W
Channel group E Channel Frequency Usage Power limit 5 68.050 MHz General use 5 W 6 68.575 MHz General use 5 W 7 68.175 MHz General use 5 W 8 67.500 MHz General use 5 W 9 71.375 MHz General use 5 W 10 71.425 MHz General use 5 W 11 71.475 MHz General use 5 W 12 71.625 MHz General use 5 W 13 70.200 MHz General use 5 W 14 71.025 MHz General use 5 W 15 71.050 MHz General use 25 W 16 71.100 MHz General use 25 W 18 68.375 MHz General use 25 W 19 71.175 MHz General use 25 W 20 71.750 MHz General use 25 W 21 71.900 MHz General use 25 W 22 71.350 MHz General use 5 W 23 71.550 MHz General use 5 W 24 71.575 MHz General use 5 W 25 71.600 MHz General use 5 W 26 72.325 MHz General use 5 W
Germany In addition to license-free PMR446, CB and SRD/LPD433 radio, Germany has a VHF-FM allocation called Freenet that allows a maximum of 1 W (ERP) of power on six channels in the 149 MHz band.
149.0250 MHz 149.0375 MHz 149.0500 MHz 149.0875 MHz