Hi Boon, I am a rider for NEG (National Escort Group, motorcycle escorts for British Cycling road races, if your not familiar). I have Autocom fitted and have Autocom battery eliminator adapter cable for Kenwood TK-3201. 3201 is 446 and great for bike to bike. But as I am now part of NEG I need a Licenced UHF set.
As I have Autocom bits it makes sense to buy a compatible radio and so far identified TK-3302T as a suitable candidate. Though this is some what more expensive than buying something second hand, it will at least be a slick solution. Having picked up on this post I assume you might have some expertise in this and might have other suggestions?
I have list of NEG frequencies which total 15 so a 16 channel set is needed. I have plenty of experience in Marine radio including holding full GMDSS operator certificate and have needed to carry out lots of programming of radio kit in past. But Land Mobile is an area I have had no real experience. I spotted this thread as a result of looking for software to programme TK-3302T and thus thought worth asking for your advise and help save me from having to fork out more than I need as we don't get compensated for buying radio. I have Puxing PX-888K's (sourced from China off e-bay) in mine and my wife's bikes, these run 5 watts and an external antenna if required. You can easily set these up to work on any VHF/UHF frequency, including all the PMR or US FRS channels with CTCSS. I've got the PMR channels programmed in and in works great, but can also work anything on 2m or 70cm wavelength if I want with no need to reprogram, it's just a case of tuning.
For wiring, they use the Kenwood 2-pin connector and I've hard wired a supplied battery eliminator into the switched power, so they run off the bike. They look real good. But have to admit I am little cautious to use anything that does not have UK or EU certification. But can see attraction in buying what looks like a lot more for the money. I have Puxing PX-888K's (sourced from China off e-bay) in mine and my wife's bikes, these run 5 watts and an external antenna if required. You can easily set these up to work on any VHF/UHF frequency, including all the PMR or US FRS channels with CTCSS.
I've got the PMR channels programmed in and in works great, but can also work anything on 2m or 70cm wavelength if I want with no need to reprogram, it's just a case of tuning. For wiring, they use the Kenwood 2-pin connector and I've hard wired a supplied battery eliminator into the switched power, so they run off the bike. I have Puxing PX-888K's (sourced from China off e-bay) in mine and my wife's bikes, these run 5 watts and an external antenna if required. You can easily set these up to work on any VHF/UHF frequency, including all the PMR or US FRS channels with CTCSS. I've got the PMR channels programmed in and in works great, but can also work anything on 2m or 70cm wavelength if I want with no need to reprogram, it's just a case of tuning. For wiring, they use the Kenwood 2-pin connector and I've hard wired a supplied battery eliminator into the switched power, so they run off the bike.
I have a similar set-up, though just plain PX888 UHF, not the K. However, using these sets in any official capacity (i.e. NEG) isn't advisable as these radios are in breach of OFCOM regulations.
As an individual the risk is probably slight with confiscation the probable outcome (never heard of an enforcement case to date). Used by an organisation/business I think the risk of prosecution makes investing in fully compliant kit and having the VHF licence (£75 for 5 years for the whole organisation ISTR) the sensible course of action. Yes I agree it's not worth the risk. As I also hold full GMDSS (marine) radio operators licence and I would not like to risk losing that on top of a fine etc. NEG are fully licenced. £75 is not bad value and might be a good way for a club, group or buddies to go, especially if looking for better performance than 466 and staying on right side of law.
I have a similar set-up, though just plain PX888 UHF, not the K. However, using these sets in any official capacity (i.e.
NEG) isn't advisable as these radios are in breach of OFCOM regulations. As an individual the risk is probably slight with confiscation the probable outcome (never heard of an enforcement case to date). Used by an organisation/business I think the risk of prosecution makes investing in fully compliant kit and having the VHF licence (£75 for 5 years for the whole organisation ISTR) the sensible course of action. I have a similar set-up, though just plain PX888 UHF, not the K. However, using these sets in any official capacity (i.e.
NEG) isn't advisable as these radios are in breach of OFCOM regulations. As an individual the risk is probably slight with confiscation the probable outcome (never heard of an enforcement case to date). Used by an organisation/business I think the risk of prosecution makes investing in fully compliant kit and having the VHF licence (£75 for 5 years for the whole organisation ISTR) the sensible course of action. Surely they're only in breach (power and removable antenna) if you're an unlicensed operator? Otherwise they operate perfectly within the constraints of a ham license?
Breaches can fall into 4 types but not all are always applicable i.e. All radio (transmitting) equipment must be approved for use in the country or region it's being used in. If you operate equipment only approved for use outside UK i.e. USA, it can be confiscated and fines applied by OFCOM if caught using it in UK. Same could be true if abroad, even licence free UHF 446 PMR radios for use in UK could get you in trouble in some countries. So you have to check what the relevant laws are in the country you are visiting. This is mainly to ensure the radio equipment meets local requirements and does not interfere with other radio services.
Not every country uses bands for same thing i.e. 446 may be used for other uses in other countries (just an example, not necessarily accurate). Thus you might unwittingly find yourself using a frequency used by a government service or local authority. This could easily get you well noticed as you chat away to your buddies on a long road trip:eek: 3. User licence to operate i.e.
Ham, Air band or Marine Licence. These licences are given to a operator after passing exams in correct use of radio in specific bands. For instance I hold a full GMDSS certificate which allows me to operate all marine radio, VHF, MF and HF SSB etc. I can operate a radio telex on HF and basically use any transmitting equipment that is designed for international marine use. I am not allowed to use Ham equipment as I do not have a Ham licence. The reason for having such licence is that the radio spectrum used by ships is internationally the same and very special care is needed when operating as all other users have to be considered. The only time this is not true is in a life or death situation or on a frequency that is not an international frequency i.e.
Channels M and M2 which are UK channels and an operators certificate is not required. But at same time you still need a ships radio licence (which is free), to carry a radio on board a named vessel or ships mobile licence to carry a handheld without a nominated vessel.
But you can only use this equipment on board a vessel. So M and M2 are not free to use as felt. You need a licence for business VHF and UHF that just allows the use and not related to operators skill.
This is not so that OFCOM can make money. It is so that they can control and distribute frequencies to organisations that will be essentially private. Thus if you operate a radio in these frequencies without a licence, it means that you have no allocated frequency and thus operating on frequencies that have been allocated to a business for their exclusive use. This could be any sort of business or organisation, from ships for on-board 2 way communications (yep even the marine equipment is not used for this, normally), councils, security companies, utilities, port operators, refineries etc.
Due to the nature of some of these operations there can be big safety considerations and denial of use due to someone in the locality using same frequency could lead to real accidents. Licences or frequencies are not infinite so often a licence will only allow a given business a fixed area of operation.
This allows same frequencies to be used in other areas without interfering with others. Therefore using radios that are not for UK use and not having a licenced frequency to use is 2 or more laws broken. Thus the only safe bet is to use licence free UHF 446 PMR in UK and check if same ok in countries you are traveling to. If you need better equipment you have no choice but to use licenced radio equipment, but it is almost a definite that if you take it outside your licenced area i.e. UK it will not be legal. I think Ebay has to take a lot of the blame for not helping consumers understand the law when it comes to 2 way radio. For instance there are plenty of sellers selling Marine VHF radios for USA market which are completely illegal for use in Europe.
But they are often cheaper (until you get stung for import duty and VAT on top), so people buy them. Surely they're only in breach (power and removable antenna) if you're an unlicensed operator? Otherwise they operate perfectly within the constraints of a ham license? Surely they're only in breach (power and removable antenna) if you're an unlicensed operator?
Otherwise they operate perfectly within the constraints of a ham license? Not fully up to speed on this but I think VHF and Ham licences are distinctly different. For the former you fill in a form and send off a cheque and the whole organisation is covered for given frequencies, the latter you have to actually qualify for, and are then licensed, as an individual:nenau Having said that I'll continue to use my Puxing, on PMR frequencies only I hasten to add (they're programmed in and the only ones available without a lot of fiddling in the menus). Yes I do use an external antenna which actually isn't illegal for PMR if the resultant ERP remains =. Yes and No:-) Ham, Ships Radio, Air Radio user licences are qualifications for using radios that fit into a specific use i.e. Ships radio user licence (long range or full GMDSS) allows operator to use 'Ships' VHF, MF, HF SSB etc.
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But a ships radio user licence does not allow use of a air band VHF, only someone who has sat an exam in Air Radio can operate Air Radio and so on. But a Business VHF Radio needs no exam to use, just a licence which you pay for on application. This licence in return gives you the right to operate on an allocated frequency or frequencies depending on what you pay for. Thus if you have a multi band, user settable frequency radio, you would only be permitted to use the frequency or frequencies stated on your licence. If you used any frequency other than that on the licence you would be breaking the law. Normally a business radio would be programmed by the authorized dealer with the frequencies on the users licence and no more.
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I am not sure about the law on business VHF or UHF and if it is acceptable to have a radio that can be set by the user to any frequency. VHF is just a band of spectrum that many types of radio use but separated into sectors such as Air, Ships, Business, Military etc. Thus one type of VHF or part of the band is different to another and governed by different law. Thus if one has a Multi Band Multi Frequency radio transmitter and uses a pot luck frequency that is protected by international treaty i.e.
Air and Ships or by a country by licencing, you would be open to prosecution. In addition to using a frequency illegally you may be breaking the law if the radio is not type approved for use in the country that its being used in.
Example, a Ham HF SSB is much the same as a Marine HF SSB. The only real difference is the frequencies that are available for use. Sometimes a Ham will have a Ham radio opened up to the Marine frequencies which usually is quite easy.
But once this has been done the radio no longer meets its type approval and thus the it becomes illegal, at least in the case of the UK it would. The only radio equipment in the UK that you can use without any form of licence is 446 (not sure about CB now). This link might help a little: Not fully up to speed on this but I think VHF and Ham licences are distinctly different. For the former you fill in a form and send off a cheque and the whole organisation is covered for given frequencies, the latter you have to actually qualify for, and are then licensed, as an individual:nenau. Yes and No:-) Ham, Ships Radio, Air Radio user licences are qualifications for using radios that fit into a specific use i.e.
Ships radio user licence (long range or full GMDSS) allows operator to use 'Ships' VHF, MF, HF SSB etc. But a ships radio user licence does not allow use of a air band VHF, only someone who has sat an exam in Air Radio can operate Air Radio and so on.
But a Business VHF Radio needs no exam to use, just a licence which you pay for on application. This licence in return gives you the right to operate on an allocated frequency or frequencies depending on what you pay for. Thus if you have a multi band, user settable frequency radio, you would only be permitted to use the frequency or frequencies stated on your licence. If you used any frequency other than that on the licence you would be breaking the law. Normally a business radio would be programmed by the authorized dealer with the frequencies on the users licence and no more. I am not sure about the law on business VHF or UHF and if it is acceptable to have a radio that can be set by the user to any frequency. VHF is just a band of spectrum that many types of radio use but separated into sectors such as Air, Ships, Business, Military etc.
Thus one type of VHF or part of the band is different to another and governed by different law. Thus if one has a Multi Band Multi Frequency radio transmitter and uses a pot luck frequency that is protected by international treaty i.e. Air and Ships or by a country by licencing, you would be open to prosecution. In addition to using a frequency illegally you may be breaking the law if the radio is not type approved for use in the country that its being used in. Example, a Ham HF SSB is much the same as a Marine HF SSB. The only real difference is the frequencies that are available for use.
Sometimes a Ham will have a Ham radio opened up to the Marine frequencies which usually is quite easy. But once this has been done the radio no longer meets its type approval and thus the it becomes illegal, at least in the case of the UK it would. The only radio equipment in the UK that you can use without any form of licence is 446 (not sure about CB now). This link might help a little: Very interesting reading (for me). I'm soon to take my Foundation Ham license so I'm sure a lot of this will become clearer. I fully understand what you're saying about the frequencies you can operate on and unless you get searched, it's the only thing that anyone remote to you can 'police'.
So although strictly if you're using a 0.5W radio with an external antenna without a HAM license, you're breaking Ofcom regs as soon as you transmit, but you're using it on the PMR frequencies (which as I understand it aren't even really policed) no-one would really care unless you were causing a lot of bother. That's the premise I'm currently operating under. So once I get my Foundation license my expectation is that I can 'legally' use the equipment I have on the PMR bands at 5W with the external antenna, but I can also operate on the Ham frequencies (eg 2m/70cm) if I wanted, BUT some of the bands, may have restricted frequencies (allocated to business license holders for example) that although the equipment can operate on, I would not be allowed to transmit on?
So essentially I see a Ham license as a license to operate within certain guidelines (eg. Geographical, and avoiding reserved channels) with more advanced/powerful/better equipment, and the business license is a reservation of a particular frequency/range and the right to transmit on it. Ham equipment doesn't have to be type approved. I have a full amateur licence and as such I can make a radio and broadcast on it and as long as I keep within the bands and modes and less than 400 watts I won't invalidate my licence. With a full amateur licence you can buy any other equipment such as marine HF equipment and modify it to be used on amateur bands too.
You cannot modify amateur radio equipment to be used on Marine bands. I have a marine VHF licence and an amateur radio licence. I can buy a marine radio and modify it to be used on the ham bands. But I then can't use that radio to broadcast on marine frequencies because my amateur licence won't allow me to do that. And I can't use the equipment with my marine licence because it is no longer type approved because it has been modified. Ship, pmr and avionics equipment all use type approved equipment to prevent them broadcasting where they are not allowed. So once I get my Foundation license my expectation is that I can 'legally' use the equipment I have on the PMR bands at 5W with the external antenna, but I can also operate on the Ham frequencies (eg 2m/70cm) if I wanted, BUT some of the bands, may have restricted frequencies (allocated to business license holders for example) that although the equipment can operate on, I would not be allowed to transmit on?
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I have just checked up on this because I wasn't sure but. No you can't. You can only use type approved PMR radios on the PMR band regardless of licence.
Description The Kenwood TK-2302 series provides users with clear and reliable communications in a variety of testing conditions and boasts ergonomic excellence, with MIL-STD 810 C/D/E/F and IP54/55 classifications. Based on a proven compact design, the TK-2302 has been refined and updated with enhanced features along with performance and power to satisfy even the toughest user requirements. Features include:. Voice Annunciation With rotary and key controls, the TK-2302 series can provide voice confirmation of the radios status or operating mode which is particularly useful if the user keeps the radio in their pocket. Enhanced Audio Quality With Kenwood's decades of expertise, the TK-2302 series boasts powerful audio which means the radio can be used in the noisiest of conditions more effectively.
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In-Built Inversion Scrambler Providing basic protection against casual eavesdropping. Other features include: VOX ready, QT/DQT signalling, 5-tone signalling (encode only), programmable function keys, 16 channels, read/write password protection, wide/narrow channel spacing, companded audio, Talk Around, busy channel lockout, key lock, 3 colour LEDs, scan/delete/add, Electronic Serial Number, (ESN), adjustable microphone gain and Microsoft Windows PC programming/tuning. Supplied with: Li-Ion battery, rapid charger, antenna, belt clip and user manual. Description The Kenwood TK-2302 series provides users with clear and reliable communications in a variety of testing conditions and boasts ergonomic excellence, with MIL-STD 810 C/D/E/F and IP54/55 classifications.
Based on a proven compact design, the TK-2302 has been refined and updated with enhanced features along with performance and power to satisfy even the toughest user requirements. Features include:. Voice Annunciation With rotary and key controls, the TK-2302 series can provide voice confirmation of the radios status or operating mode which is particularly useful if the user keeps the radio in their pocket. Enhanced Audio Quality With Kenwood's decades of expertise, the TK-2302 series boasts powerful audio which means the radio can be used in the noisiest of conditions more effectively. In-Built Inversion Scrambler Providing basic protection against casual eavesdropping. Other features include: VOX ready, QT/DQT signalling, 5-tone signalling (encode only), programmable function keys, 16 channels, read/write password protection, wide/narrow channel spacing, companded audio, Talk Around, busy channel lockout, key lock, 3 colour LEDs, scan/delete/add, Electronic Serial Number, (ESN), adjustable microphone gain and Microsoft Windows PC programming/tuning.
Supplied with: Li-Ion battery, rapid charger, antenna, belt clip and user manual.
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