I am seeing ads for 10m radios, that also seem to have CB channels built in. Sounds handy for the car. What are the pros and cons?
Wise of you to ask, Geek. Here's a few pros and cons that I'm aware of:
1. Anybody can have one in the car. No law against having one to listen on.
2. If you're a licensed radio amateur, you can also transmit on it, provided that you're operating on the licensed amateur radio frequencies that you hold a license for.
3. They are not type accepted by the FCC, meaning that it's contrary to the regulations to key the microphone and/or transmitter by anybody, licensed or not, outside of the Part 97 frequencies.
4. Ditto for anybody in the business of selling them commercially. No Type-acceptance; huge fines for getting caught selling them, regardless of whether the customer is a licensed amateur or not.
One interesting point about all this is that I have two of them. Had 'em given to me some years back and they're just sitting here. I've had them both out on loan to various "Elmerees" but that frequency range is so very poor that they all quickly lost interest and sent them back to me. As for me, I don't do voice modes anyway.
Since I'm not in the business of selling radios, I'm free to sell them as I wish, particularly to an already-licensed radio amateur.
Now and then I get thinking about networking them together on Pactor, WINMOR, or maybe even 300 baud packet, maybe with a neighbor ham. But as somebody told me earlier today, I already have too many pipes in the plumbing.
73
Luck, WA4STO
http://wa4sto.wordpress.com