On August 4th, 2021, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) announced that it has adopted changes to the Part 95 rules. These changes affect the General Mobile Radio Service (GMRS), Family Radio Service (FRS) and the CB Radio Service (CBRS).
Changes to GMRS and FRS now allow automatic or periodic transmission of digital radio signals for location information. One radio is permitted to request location data from another radio, which will be able to respond. Short text messages can also be sent between GMRS or FRS radios. The 2017 changes to Part 95 only allowed manual transmission of such information. The other requirements that such radio equipment must be hand-held with an antenna that cannot be detached will still apply. This means that higher power mobile, base or repeater equipment cannot send such digital signals.
The FCC also adopted changes to the CB Radio Service, which adds the FM mode to the already existing AM and SSB modes. After the new radio equipment has been manufactured, CB radio users will be able to select any of the three modes. The power output of 4 watts will remain for AM and FM modes. SSB is allowed a maximum of 12 watts PEP. Other requirements for antenna height, etc., were not changed.
The approved changes will not be in effect until 30 days after publication in the Federal Register. Radio equipment with the new functions will not be available until after it receives FCC certification and then is produced for sale by various manufacturers.
For more information, a copy of the FCC document is here.
