Beaufang Radios, how to pair with common radios?

Amateur radios that transmit outside of the ham bands are illegal. Lots of truckers buy ham radios and have the transmit range opened up because commercial VHF radios are usually more than twice the cost. The fact they are user programmable is the other attraction. If you don't have the software and programming cable, commercial radios usually have to be programmed at a radio shop for a fee per channel.
Industry Canada sets up inspections at weigh scales in BC infrequently to check for this and confiscate such modified radios. I highly doubt you would ever run into them with a Baofeng radio in your personal vehicle/possession. Best advice is stick to GMRS or FRS frequencies if you want to chit chat Go online and have a look at the spectrum map for the VHF band and have a look at where the aviation, marine, resource road etc..frequencies are. Be courteous and move on if someone comes on the frequency and tells you you're interfering .

Capability to transmit outside ham radio frequencies doesn't make an amateur radio illegal... Transmitting outside the allowed frequencies itself is illegal... Only limitation Industry Canada puts on amateur radios (in terms of radio system capability) is "The transmitting power of an amplifier installed at an amateur station shall not be capable of exceeding by more than 3 dB the transmitting power limits described in this section". See "RBR-4 Standards for the Operation of Radio Stations in the Amateur Radio Service".

Rest of this document states max. allowed transmit power is ###x, max. bandwith you can occupy is ###x, etc...

As a precaution, I limit all my radios to legal ham radio frequencies so I don't transmit accidentally on frequencies I'm not supposed to...
 
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So sick of this talk of legality.... if the government was more reasonable they would reopen the MURS bands for hunters and outdoors men. It's BS we are regulated to operate pathetic FRS/and low powered GMRS hand helds that sometimes won't work more than a few hundred yards apart. Program your Baofengs and enjoy. Until they start throwing us in jail for using them.

That's my 2 cents
Now I have to be waiting for the knock on my door from the CRTC radio cops to throw me in the crowbar hotel
 
Using Baofeng radios without an amateur radio license is illegal. Even with a license, using Baofeng radios on FRS/GRMS/MURS bands is always illegal.

None of us here would advocate illegally owning or operating firearms, so why is it that so many people think it's ok for radios? Seriously, if you want to use a radio, go get licensed. It's not hard, and you'll actually learn a useful emergency preparedness skill.

I get it but, I've been lost in the bush when that no longer mattered, have you?
 
I get it but, I've been lost in the bush when that no longer mattered, have you?

In an emergency, you are always allowed to violate the rules (transmitting with a license, power limits, band privileges, etc). That said, if you've already been lost in the bush once before, why hasn't that spurred you to get properly licensed? There's a lot more to calling for help than just pressing a PTT button and speaking.
 
In an emergency, you are always allowed to violate the rules (transmitting with a license, power limits, band privileges, etc). That said, if you've already been lost in the bush once before, why hasn't that spurred you to get properly licensed? There's a lot more to calling for help than just pressing a PTT button and speaking.

Straw man argument. I choose to stay within the rules in an emergency.
 
So sick of this talk of legality.... if the government was more reasonable they would reopen the MURS bands for hunters and outdoors men. It's BS we are regulated to operate pathetic FRS/and low powered GMRS hand helds that sometimes won't work more than a few hundred yards apart. Program your Baofengs and enjoy. Until they start throwing us in jail for using them.

That's my 2 cents
Now I have to be waiting for the knock on my door from the CRTC radio cops to throw me in the crowbar hotel
My friend is an approved HAM instructor and had the "Radio Cops" in his class. I had him ask them what they do in this case. They said they would investigate maybe if they had many complaints. Even if they catch someone their department policy is to warn, and then only charge if it persists. So yes it violates the FCC rules but there is practically no enforcement of the Public bands.
 
Hmm didn't know my radios were so controversial. They are working well on channel 8

Thanks to the poster listing the full reference chaart for 12 channels
 
It is within the rules to transmit on any frequency you have access to during an emergency regardless if you are licensed for that frequency or not.

Shawn

You might want to double-check that... SOR/96-484 - Radiocommunication Regulations; "48. In a real or simulated emergency, a person operating radio apparatus in the amateur radio service may only communicate with a radio station that is in the amateur radio service in order to transmit a message that relates to the real or simulated emergency on behalf of a person, government or relief organization.".

Will you be punished for it? Probably not, but it is not "within the rules"...
 
I also changed my radio to Chinese, my defence if I'm ever charged by authorities will be that I wasn't aware of what the radio could do because it's in Chinese.. .Also I prefer the Chinese introduction voice to the English.
 
You might want to double-check that... SOR/96-484 - Radiocommunication Regulations; "48. In a real or simulated emergency, a person operating radio apparatus in the amateur radio service may only communicate with a radio station that is in the amateur radio service in order to transmit a message that relates to the real or simulated emergency on behalf of a person, government or relief organization.".

Will you be punished for it? Probably not, but it is not "within the rules"...

Might want to read the rest of it:

Common law principles
(2) Every rule and principle of the common law that renders any circumstance a justification or excuse in relation to a charge for an offence under this Act applies in respect of a violation to the extent that it is not inconsistent with this Act.

http://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/acts/R-2/page-6.html#docCont

Doing something that may be an offense to save life or limb is such a well codified common law principle in Canada it is in the criminal code. So if you think that using a radio on a freq you are not licenced for will get you a charge in a life or limb situation, but committing a CCC offense in a life or limb situation is protected. You are smoking some good stuff.

And just to head it off at the pass:

Common law principles continued
(3) Every rule and principle of the common law that renders any circumstance a justification or excuse for an act or a defence to a charge continues in force and applies in respect of proceedings for an offence under this Act or any other Act of Parliament except in so far as they are altered by or are inconsistent with this Act or any other Act of Parliament.

http://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/acts/C-46/page-3.html#docCont

Shawn
 
You might want to double-check that... SOR/96-484 - Radiocommunication Regulations; "48. In a real or simulated emergency, a person operating radio apparatus in the amateur radio service may only communicate with a radio station that is in the amateur radio service in order to transmit a message that relates to the real or simulated emergency on behalf of a person, government or relief organization.".

Will you be punished for it? Probably not, but it is not "within the rules"...

Are you seriously concerned about adhering to stupid regs and laws when your life or limb are at risk?? I personally have no issue lighting the forest ablaze if I am ever in dire need of assistance. Charges or not, surviving is goal number one..

Some of you here are such debbie do gooders...
 
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