FRS Radio use in St. Maarten/St. Thomas

[MnParrothead]

Does anyone know if there are any rules/laws with regard to using FRS(Family Radio Service--up to two mile range)/GMRS (General Mobile Radio Service--need FCC licence in the US) radios in St. Maarten or St. Thomas? Would we have to use certain frequencies? Thanks for any info you can give me.

 

[MnParrothead]

Look, I'm a veteran now!! 77 posts.

 

[Dave_from_Marietta]

Yes, I know that the FRS radio packages specify that you are only licensed to use those bands in the United States. We didn't use ours when we went to Toronto just to be fully legal. But you'll see lots of your fellow cruisemates using them at St Maarten (Netherlands Antilles and French West Indies) and Castaway Cay (Bahamas). St Thomas is USVI, so the licensing question is a non-issue there.

 

[Dave_from_Marietta]

Posted on the FCC web site (<a href="http://wireless.fcc.gov/prs/famrad.html">link</a>)

<h3>Where may I operate my FRS unit?</h3>You may operate your FRS unit within the territorial limits of the fifty United States, the District of Columbia, and the Caribbean and Pacific Insular areas ("U.S."). You may also operate your FRS unit on or over any other area of the world, except within the territorial limits of areas where radio-communications are regulated by another agency of the U.S. or within the territorial limits of any foreign government.

 

[MnParrothead]

Thanks Dave.

 

[TacoBill]

I understand the FCC rules regarding FRS radios, but we'll be taking ours just about everywhere we go. Somehow, I doubt that the local authorities will be on the lookout for Motorola radios to confiscate from tourists.

 

[MNJeff]

We used our FRS hand held units in St. Maarten, St. Thomas and Castaway Cay. I was unaware of the quoted regulations. They actually worked as long as we were within the appropriate range. They became invaluable.