I got to talking with a Trimble dealer on Friday, and we started talking about radios and I mentioned that it was my understanding that newer "Geo600 radios" (with the blue light) didn't need a license (spread spectrum), while older models did. He told me every peice of radio operated survey equipment sold in the US comes with an FCC license, there is an FCC sticker on it, and that's your license. Sure enough, there is an FCC sticker on my Geo600 radio.
Is it really that simple? The issue of whether or not I'm supposed to have an FCC license to operate the survey equipment has been an area of confusion for me. This isn't the first time I've asked a dealer about this (they've all said I don't need a license (and that includes RTK)), but this is the first time they've pointed out the FCC sticker.
That sticker is NOT your license, I believe it is a compliance sticker stating it meets FCC specs and regulations.
If I believe anything that outputs 1 watt or more, needs a license from the FCC. Typically high power radios for professional survey grade will operate on the 450-470 MHz range, you are then assigned a set of frequencies in this range as your "licensed" frequencies. This license is good for about 14 years I believe. Right now you will see many surveyors migrating from wide band (25 kHz) to narrow band (12.5 kHz) radios to be compliant with the January 1st 2013 deadline.
The blue dot georadios operate in the 2.4 Ghz ISM band (Industrial, Scientific, and Medical band). I believe the max output is 1 watt without a license.
Trimble says the 2.4 Ghz radios operate at 100mW or .1 watts. I think your OK without a license.
I think they tried to establish a balance between long range and good battery life. Also I think the frequency hopping helps get a larger range without boosting power output.
JRL
EDIT: Blue DOT = 2.4 Ghz
Guys, Any type of radio with more than 1 Watt of TX, or Broadcast power, the legal owner of said radio equipment is required by FCC regulation to obtain and have with said radio equipment their FCC license.
With UHF (450-470 Mhz) radios, the radio most likely is delivered to the customer with Itinerant frequencies. The legal owner/User/Field Crew is required by FCC regulation to obtain a Conditional Use Permit, while they are applying to the FCC for their permanent license to broadcast.
Radios with less than 1 watt of power, Spread Spectrum radios are indeed license free. Shorter ranges than radios with UHF radios with > than 1 watt of power.
In the USA the SS Radios are 900 Mhz. In Canada, the SS radios are 400 Mhz.
The Trimble/Pacific Crest Hi-Power (PDL Base)can TX in low power mode - 1 watt, or
TX in High Power - 35 watts, .
If the FCC catches you, they are empowered by Federal statute to confiscate the GNSS gear, the radios and the survey truck that drove the crew to the job site. They will kindy hold onto all this equipment until the legal owner can produce their FCC License. If your survey crew members are asked by the very polite FCC Field Inspector to kindy show him/her their FCC License, show it to the FCC inspector.
I always print out the programmed Freq's and photo copy the FCC license, put copies in the PDL Base radio bag. If your survey crew tells the FCC Inspector, "We Don't Need no Stinking Badges", The FCC guy will excuse himself/herself, contact the local PD/Sheriff Dept., request the fuzz/5-0 to escourt them back to find the survey crew; to could be trouble, attitude is everything...
No FCC License, the FCC fines can run up to $86K, no joke, Read the FCC statute.
As a GNSS Support guy with over 15 years of OJT, I make each and everyone of my Customer's comprehens this concept.
There's an old joke in GNSS equipment biz. You know the difference between a GPS Salesman and a Used Car Salesman?
The used car salesman, knows when he's lying to you...
-BbB;-)
Interesting stuff here. If this is true, then it's possible none of the equipment I've used in the past ever required a license (and the salesmen were, at least partially, correct) since the Geo600 radios & HiPer Lite were 1 Watt or less. I'm not sure about the Topcon 8200 series "Satel" radios, though. I don't know the wattage on those. However, the part he has wrong is that the "sticker" only shows FCC compliance, not a license.
I'll just add to Bobs' comments that the one thing the old---let me clarify here, "old" as in late 90's early 2000---Ashtech Tech Support folks stressed to me (other than GET the license!) was to have a handheld scanner with you in the field; first reason being that you want an open channel with NO voice traffic much less data traffic and the second being it is the easiest way to troubleshoot radio problems when you can hear the psssshhhht.....psssshhhht.....psssshhhht.....psssshhhht.....and every 5 minutes(I think it is)your call sign in Morse Code.
Dangerous Dave
Dangerous Dave,
Thanks for adding the UHF Radio Scanner comment, I forgot to add this to my original post. Yeah, we had a good support team with Ashtech back in the day, Big Bill, Art, Linda and Creighton, Phil and myself.
I stopped in Shawnee, OK for breakfast with Phil and Jeannie on my drive from NYC to Scottsdale about 3-4 weeks ago.
I re-located a the Trimble Navigation link for the FCC Radio License Requirements. This was a great pdf, I've handed it out countless times over the years.
http://www.trimble.com/srv_rtklicense.shtml
We have licenses for our 35 watt GPS radios, and our 5 watt handhelds. I think a lot of people operate without them, and get away with it. I don't know how or if they enforce it.
The PDL 35 watt radio transmitts at 2 watts in low power mode and therefore requires a FFC license to operate legally in EITHER MODE.
We've got our beautiful FCC license. Then again, having been using RTK since our 4000SSi's were modern pieces of equipment, and happily dispensing with the 900mhz trimble radios, we were happy to get the license for the power upgrades it afforded, back in the day. 😉