Copyright (c) 2002, 2006 by the MURS Users Group. All rights reserved.
This page provides information on the Multi-Use Radio Service(MURS). MURS falls under the FCC Wireless Telecommunications Bureau's Personal Radio Services, whose regulations are described in Part 95 of the FCC Rules and Regulations.
MURS description
The Multi-Use Radio Service (MURS)--a private, two-way, short-distance voice, data or image communications service for personal or business activities of the general public.
The MURS transmitter channel frequencies are 151.820 MHz, 151.880 MHz, 151.940 MHz,154.570 MHz, 154.600 MHz. Maximum Transmitter Power Output(TPO) is limited to 2 Watts - the latest MURS rules no longer specify an ERP (Effective Radiated Power) restriction of 2 watts - so it is now possible to build a base station with up to about 10W ERP using omni antennas, or up to about 50W ERP using directional antennas. ERP Definition
The authorized bandwidth is 11.25 kHz on frequencies 151.820 MHz, 151.880 MHz and 151.940 MHz. The authorized bandwidth is 20.0 kHz on frequencies 154.570 and 154.600 kHz.
At 2W TPO (no ERP limit), the privileges are similar to GMRS(General Mobile Radio Service) on the interstitial FRS frequencies, with the following differences:
1) You can transmit data.
2) VHF is better suited for hooking up external antennas(less feedline loss). Also, due to the larger aperture(size) of a VHF antenna, a VHF station, built with a similar gain antenna to a similar powered UHF station, will outperform the UHF station by a factor of at least 2 to 1. So, the improvement in comm range will be more like 6 to 1 when taking two communicating stations and their transmission lines into consideration!
3) No license is required.
4) With GMRS you are restricted to communicating with your immediate family members, or other GMRS users - on MURS you can communicate with anybody.
5) You can't communicate with other cheap radios(FRS). But MURS radio prices should drop like FRS prices, once volume goes way up.
6) No Repeaters.
MURS could have a minor impact on the growth of the Amateur Radio Service, as this service offers the level of privileges that some seek when acquiring the entry-level Technician Class license. The differences for a 2m handheld user would be the lack of repeater capablity, a slight reduction in power(2w versus a typical 5w), and a limited number of channels(5 versus ~200). However, the user would not be restricted to non-commercial communications. Furthermore, Amateurs may not communicate with their non-licensed family members and friends, as they can with MURS.
More restrictive MURS rules enacted in Nov. 2002 moved MURS type certification from FCC Part 90 to 95, and invoked Motorola-induced cross-service type acceptance restrictions. These changes undid the original intent of MURS to legalize low-power Part 90 itinerant handhelds, and is affecting the introduction of new type accepted MURS radios. Yet, most any older Part 90 VHF handheld can still be used on some MURS freqs; Midland MURS22 and TEKK NT-10 are good examples, and there are still a few Part-95 approved MURS radios available new, such as the MURS Alert series. But many individuals, in the spirit of the original MURS rules, buy new Part 90 2W handhelds pre-programmed for the 5 MURS freqs, like the TEKK XT-10 or Vertex VX series. Also, some modify ham 2m handhelds like the Yaesu VX-150 to function on MURS.
DIGITAL COMMUNICATIONS:
This is perhaps the most intriguing facet of MURS. When considering setting up an Internet-backboned wireless communications network using MURS, the fairly low 2w TPO limit actually becomes a benefit. It allows frequency reuse, akin to the cellular telephone concept. Digital communications is potentially the greatest application for MURS.
