Motorola and Garmin counseled the FCC to act with caution...
Motorola and Garmin counseled the FCC to act with caution if it changes the rules for Part 95 Personal Radio Services (PRS) devices, the topic of a June 7 rulemaking notice. The gear covered includes walkie-talkie radios, hobbyists’ remote-control airplanes,…
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devices for people with hearing problems, medical-telemetry devices and gear used by law enforcement to track people and property. In the notice, the FCC said the use of PRS has expanded well beyond its original use for “short distance, simplex, mobile voice communications and radio control used by hobbyists for model aircraft” and rules changes may be in order. Some rule changes make sense, like allowing General Mobile Radio Service radios to transmit GPS and text message data over the service’s channels, Garmin said. “Garmin has been providing devices with GPS capability for nearly six years pursuant to a waiver granted by the Commission,” the company said. “Based on the experience of the more than 500,000 users who have purchased such devices to date, these public interest benefits are achievable without any danger of interference to other services or any public interest harm.” Other changes are more troubling, the company said. It opposed a proposal that the commission reduce the power level for portable and handheld GMRS radios to 2 watts effective radiated power from five. Garmin said its 5-watt Rino radios are popular with federal, state and local law enforcement. “The proposed limit would substantially reduce the quality and range of GMRS service, compared to that provided by the five-watt devices that are being marketed and demanded by users today,” the company said. “Communications made at two watts would be considerably less clear and reliable -- an important consideration when those transmissions often include information that could save a life.” Garmin also opposed a proposal to introduce narrowbanding to the GMRS channels. “The proposal would result in significantly diminished transmission quality compared to the clear and robust transmissions attainable with the current 25 kHz spacing and its associated 20 kHz authorized bandwidth,” the company said. Motorola said, “Existing users have made significant investments in Part 95 equipment and have integrated Personal Radio Services into their professional and personal communications activities. The Commission should therefore move cautiously in amending rules that may alter the fundamental characteristics of these services."