Last Revised: June 28, 2003
In mid July 2000, the FCC released the Report and Order in the docket that proposed to create a new, unlicensed "citizens band" service on frequencies in the VHF 150 MHz band. The Federal Register published these rules on October 13, 2000. They became effective November 13, 2000.
The text below includes those portions of the summary of the
R&O, as published in the Federal Register, that
pertain directly to the new MURS. You can also download a
ZIP-compressed file (MURS_FR.ZIP) that contains the complete
summary of the R&O (including those portions not otherwise
pertaining to the MURS):
You can obtain a copy of the complete R&O (not just the summary of this docket 98-182) from the ECFS section of the FCC's Web site: http://www.fcc.gov/cgb/ecfs/.
There have been several changes in the MURS Rules since adoption of the initial version. The first of these changes was made in a Memorandum Opinion and Order (MO&O) released on May 23, 2002. You can view the MO&O here.
In addition, the FCC has recently (June 2003) announced a comment period for a Petition for Reconsideration which the PRSG filed in November 2002. Click here for a discussion of this most recent Petition.
The very latest information on changes in MURS is available by clicking here.
SUMMARY OF THE R&O
...
8. Finally, the Commission amends the rules to reassign five
low power VHF frequencies from the part 90 PLMRS to the part 95
Citizens Band Radio Service, and eliminates the licensing
requirement for these frequencies.
...
10. The Commission's objective in this proceeding is to
streamline part 90 of the Commission's Rules and reduce
regulatory requirements, and to promote more efficient use of the
spectrum. Therefore, the Commission amends part 90 to:
...
(vii) reassign five low power VHF frequencies from the part 90
Private Land Mobile Radio (PLMR) Services to the part 95 Citizens
Band Radio Service, and eliminate the licensing requirement for
these frequencies.
RULES CHANGES
...
8. Section 90.35 is amended in paragraph (b)(3) in the table
under Megahertz by removing the entries for 151.820, 151.880,
151.940, 154.570, 154.600 ....
PART 95--PERSONAL RADIO SERVICES
20. The authority citation for part 95 continues to read as
follows:
Authority: Secs 4, 303, 48 Stat. 1066, 1082, as amended; 47
U.S.C. 154, 303.
21. Section 95.401 is amended by adding a new paragraph (f) to read
as follows:
Sec. 95.401 (CB Rule 1) What are the Citizens Band Radio Services?
* * * * *
(f) 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 rules for this service
are contained in subpart J of this part.
22. Section 95.601, as amended at 65 FR 44008 effective October 16,
2000, is further amended by revising the last sentence to read as
follows:
Sec. 95.601 Basis and purpose.
* * * The Personal Radio Services are the GMRS (General Mobile
Radio Service)--subpart A, the Family Radio Service (FRS)--subpart B,
the R/C (Radio Control Radio Service)--subpart C, the CB (Citizens Band
Radio Service)--subpart D, the Low Power Radio Service (LPRS)--subpart
G, the Wireless Medical Telemetry Service (WMTS)--subpart H, the
Medical Implants Communication Service (MICS)--subpart I, and the
Multi-Use Radio Service (MURS)--subpart J.
23. Section 95.603 is amended by adding a new paragraph (g) to read
as follows:
Sec. 95.603 Certification required.
* * * * *
(g) Each Multi-Use Radio Service transmitter (a transmitter that
operates or is intended to operate in the MURS) must be certified in
accordance with Sec. 90.203 of this chapter.
24. Section 95.605 is amended by revising the first sentence to
read as follows:
Sec. 95.605 Certification procedures.
Any entity may request certification for its transmitter when the
transmitter is used in the GMRS, FRS, R/C, CB, IVDS, LPRS, MURS, or
MICS following the procedures in part 2 of this chapter. * * *
25. Section 95.631 is amended by adding a new paragraph (j) to read
as follows:
Sec. 95.631 Emission types.
* * * * *
(j) A MURS station may transmit any emission type as specified in
Sec. 90.207 of this chapter.
26. A new section 95.632 is added to read as follows:
Sec. 95.632 MURS transmitter frequencies.
(a) The MURS transmitter channel frequencies are 151.820 MHz,
151.880 MHz, 151.940 MHz, 154.570 MHz, 154.600 MHz.
(b) The authorized bandwidth is 11.25 kHz on frequencies 151.820
MHz, 151.880 MHz and 151.940 MHz. The authorized bandwidth is 12.5 kHz
on frequencies 154.570 and 154.600 kHz.
(c) MURS transmitters must maintain a frequency stability of 5.0
ppm, or 2.0 ppm if designed to operate with a 6.25 kHz bandwidth.
27. Section 95.633 is amended by adding a new paragraph (f) to read
as follows:
Sec. 95.633 Emission bandwidth.
* * * * *
(f) The authorized bandwidth for any emission type transmitted by a
MURS transmitter is specified in Sec. 90.209 of this chapter.
28. Section 95.635 is amended by adding a new paragraph (e) to read
as follows:
Sec. 95.635 Unwanted radiation.
* * * * *
(e) For transmitters designed to operate in the MURS, transmitters
shall comply with Sec. 90.210 of this chapter.
29. Section 95.639 is amended by adding a new paragraph (h) to read
as follows:
Sec. 95.639 Maximum transmitter power.
* * * * *
(h) No MURS unit, under any condition of modulation, shall exceed 2
W effective radiated power (ERP).
30. Section 95.649 is revised to read as follows:
Sec. 95.649 Power capability.
No CB, R/C, LPRS, FRS, MICS, MURS or WMTS unit shall incorporate
provisions for increasing its transmitter power to any level in excess
of the limits specified in Sec. 95.639.
31. Section 95.651 is revised to read as follows:
Sec. 95.651 Crystal control required.
All transmitters used in the Personal Radio Services must be
crystal controlled, except an R/C station that transmits in the 26-27
MHz frequency band, a FRS unit, a LPRS unit, a MURS unit, a MICS
transmitter, or a WMTS unit.
32. Appendix 1 to Subpart E is revised to read as follows:
Appendix 1 to Subpart E of Part 95--Glossary of Terms
The definitions used in this subpart E are:
Authorized bandwidth. Maximum permissible bandwidth of a
transmission.
Carrier power. Average TP during one unmodulated RF cycle.
CB. Citizens Band Radio Service.
CB transmitter. A transmitter that operates or is intended to
operate at a station authorized in the CB.
Channel frequencies. Reference frequencies from which the carrier
frequency, suppressed or otherwise, may not deviate by more than the
specified frequency tolerance.
Crystal. Quartz piezo-electric element.
Crystal controlled. Use of a crystal to establish the transmitted
frequency.
dB. Decibels.
EIRP. Effective Isotropic Radiated Power. Antenna input power times
gain for free-space or in-tissue measurement configurations required
by MICS, expressed in watts, where the gain is referenced to an
isotropic radiator.
FCC. Federal Communications Commission.
Filtering. Refers to the requirement in Sec. 95.633(b).
FRS. Family Radio Service.
GMRS. General Mobile Radio Service.
GMRS transmitter. A transmitter that operates or is intended to
operate at a station authorized in the GMRS.
Harmful interference. Any transmission, radiation or induction that
endangers the functioning of a radionavigation or other safety
service or seriously degrades, obstructs or repeatedly interrupts a
radiocommunication service operating in accordance with applicable
laws, treaties and regulations.
Mean power. TP averaged over at least 30 cycles of the lowest
modulating frequency, typically 0.1 seconds at maximum power.
Medical Implant Communications Service (MICS) transmitter. A
transmitter authorized to operated in the MICS.
Medical implant device. Apparatus that is placed inside the human
body for the purpose of performing diagnostic or therapeutic
functions.
Medical implant event. An occurrence or the lack of an occurrence
recognized by a medical implant device, or a duly authorized health
care professional, that requires the transmission of data from a
medical implant transmitter in order to protect the safety or well-
being of the person in whom the medical implant transmitter has been
implanted.
Medical implant programmer/control transmitter. A MICS transmitter
that operates or is designed to operate outside of a human body for
the purpose of communicating with a receiver connected to a medical
implant device.
Medical implant transmitter. A MICS transmitter that operates or is
designed to operate within a human body for the purpose of
facilitating communications from a medical implant device.
MICS. Medical Implant Communications Service.
MURS. Multi-Use Radio Service.
Peak envelope power. TP averaged during one RF cycle at the highest
crest of the modulation envelope.
R/C. Radio Control Radio Service.
R/C transmitter. A transmitter that operates or is intended to
operate at a station authorized in the R/C.
RF. Radio frequency.
TP. RF transmitter power expressed in W, either mean or peak
envelope, as measured at the transmitter output antenna terminals.
Transmitter. Apparatus that converts electrical energy received from
a source into RF energy capable of being radiated.
W. Watts.
33. A new Subpart J is added to Part 95 to read as follows:
Subpart J--Multi-Use Radio Service (MURS)
General Provisions
95.1301 Eligibility.
95.1303 Authorized locations.
95.1305 Station identification.
95.1307 Permissible communications.
95.1309 Channel use policy.
Subpart J--Multi-Use Radio Service (MURS)
General Provisions
Sec. 95.1301 Eligibility.
An entity is authorized by rule to operate a MURS transmitter if it
is not a foreign government or a representative of a foreign government
and if it uses the transmitter in accordance with Sec. 95.1309 and
otherwise operates in accordance with the rules contained in this
subpart. No license will be issued.
Sec. 95.1303 Authorized locations.
(a) MURS operation is authorized:
(1) Anywhere CB station operation is permitted under Sec. 95.405;
and
(2) Aboard any vessel of the United States, with the permission of
the captain, while the vessel is travelling either domestically or in
international waters.
(b) MURS operation is not authorized aboard aircraft in flight.
(c) Anyone intending to operate a MURS unit on the islands of
Puerto Rico, Desecheo, Mona, Vieques, and Culebra in a manner that
could pose an interference threat to the Arecibo Observatory shall
notify the Interference Office, Arecibo Observatory, Post Office Box
995, Arecibo, Puerto Rico 00613, in writing or electronically, of the
location of the unit. Operators may wish to consult interference
guidelines, which will be provided by Cornell University. Operators who
choose to transmit information electronically should e-mail to:
prcz@naic.edu.
(1) The notification to the Interference Office, Arecibo
Observatory shall be made 45 days prior to commencing operation of the
unit. The notification shall state the geographical coordinates of the
unit.
(2) After receipt of such notifications, the Commission will
allow the Arecibo Observatory a period of 20 days for comments or
objections. The operator will be required to make reasonable
efforts in order to resolve or mitigate any potential
interference problem with the Arecibo Observatory. If the
Commission determines that an operator has satisfied its
responsibility to make reasonable efforts to protect the
Observatory from interference, the unit may be allowed to
operate.
Sec. 95.1305 Station identification.
A MURS station is not required to transmit a station identification
announcement.
Sec. 95.1307 Permissible communications.
(a) MURS stations may transmit voice, data or image signals as
permitted in this subpart.
(b) A MURS station may transmit any emission type, subject to the
limitations contained in Sec. 90.207 of this chapter.
(c) MURS frequencies may be used for remote control and
telemetering functions. Emission types A1D, A2D, F1D, F2D are
authorized and stations used to control remote objects or devices may
be operated on the continuous carrier transmit mode, except on
frequency 154.600 MHz.
Sec. 95.1309 Channel use policy.
(a) The channels authorized to MURS systems by this part are
available on a shared basis only and will not be assigned for the
exclusive use of any entity.
(b) Those using MURS transmitters must cooperate in the selection
and use of channels in order to reduce interference and make the most
effective use of authorized facilities. Channels must be selected in an
effort to avoid interference to other MURS transmissions.
[End of Citation]