© Copyright 1995-1996, Clay Irving All Rights Reserved

Family Radio Service (FRS) Frequencies

The FCC has created a new Citizens Band service in the 460 MHz band. It's called the Family Radio Service (FRS), and is designed to be an unlicensed, "Very Short Distance Two-way Voice Radio Service." The FCC Report and Order creating the service was released May 15th, and will become effective sometime in June (30 days after publication if the Federal Register).

The specifics:

FRS will permit handheld operation, with 1/2 watt ERP and "rubber-duck" type antennas only, on 14 frequencies in and around the GMRS radio service at 462 MHz. The exact frequencies are listed below.

No external antennas or amplifiers will be permitted.

To avoid interference with GMRS stations, FRS radios will be required to use only 2.5 kHz deviation, half the usual narrow-band FM deviation of 5 kHz. Transmit audio frequency response is limited to 3.125 kHz.

Frequency stability is tight as well -- transmitters must not drift more than plus or minus about 500 Hz (.00025%). You'll find typical ham radios on UHF up to 1000 Hz off frequency.

Subaudible tone and other selective calling methods are permitted. Autopatch or other telephone interconnect is prohibited.

Antennas must be an integral part of the radio, and must be vertically polarized. (I suppose that means you can't hold the radio sideways while transmitting?)

FRS is an unlicensed service, and there are almost no restrictions on the content of FRS communications.

The FRS channel frequencies are:

Channel No.            (MHz)

1................... 462.5625
2................... 462.5875
3................... 462.6125
4................... 462.6375
5................... 462.6625
6................... 462.6875
7................... 462.7125
8................... 467.5625
9................... 467.5875
10.................. 467.6125
11.................. 467.6375
12.................. 467.6625
13.................. 467.6875
14.................. 467.7125

Complete rules and comments from the FCC can be found on the FCC's Web site, at:

http://www.fcc.gov/Bureaus/Wireless/Orders/fcc96215.txt