Editing Multi-Use Radio Service

{{Short description|Type of two-way radio service}}
{{Redirect|MURS|the rapper|MURS (rapper)}}

In the [[United States]], the '''Multi-Use Radio Service''' ('''MURS''') is a licensed by rule (i.e. under part 95, subpart J, of title 47, Code of Federal Regulations<ref>{{Cite web|title=Definition: unlicensed or licensed by rule operations from 47 USC § 1508(a)(2) {{!}} LII / Legal Information Institute|url=https://www.law.cornell.edu/definitions/uscode.php?width=840&height=800&iframe=true&def_id=47-USC-759028021-252549088&term_occur=999&term_src=title:47:chapter:14:section:1508|access-date=2022-02-09|website=www.law.cornell.edu}}</ref>) [[two-way radio]] service similar to the [[Citizens band radio|Citizens band]] (CB). Established by the [[United States|U.S.]] [[Federal Communications Commission]] in the fall of 2000, MURS created a radio service allowing for licensed by rule (Part 95) operation in a narrow selection of the [[Very high frequency|VHF band]], with a power limit of 2 [[watt]]s. The FCC formally defines MURS as "a private, two-way, short-distance voice or data communications service for personal or business activities of the general public." MURS stations may not be connected to the public telephone network, may not be used for [[store and forward]] operations, and [[radio repeater]]s are not permitted.

In 2009, [[Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada|Industry Canada]] (IC) established a five-year transition plan, which would have permitted the use of MURS in Canada starting June 2014.<ref name=IC-allows-MURS/>  In August 2014 IC announced a deferral of MURS introduction, as "the Department does not feel that the introduction of MURS devices in Canada is warranted at this time, and has decided to defer the introduction of MURS devices in Canada until a clearer indication of actual need is provided by Canadian MURS advocates and/or stakeholders&nbsp;..."<ref name="SAB-002-14" />

== Eligibility ==
No licenses are required or issued for MURS within the United States.
:Any person is authorized to use the MURS frequencies given that it:<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://wireless.fcc.gov/services/index.htm?job=service_home&id=multi_use |title=Multi-Use Radio Service (MURS) |date=4 August 2011 }}</ref>
:* Is not a foreign government or a representative of a foreign government.
:* Uses the transmitter in accordance with 47 CFR. 95.1309.
:* Operates in accordance with the rules contained in Sections 95.1301-95.1309.
:* Operates only legal, type-accepted MURS equipment.

== Frequencies ==
MURS comprises the following five [[Frequency|frequencies]]:

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Channel
! Frequency
! Maximum<br />authorized bandwidth
! Channel name
|-
| 1
| 151.82 [[Hertz|MHz]]
| 11.25&nbsp;[[Hertz|kHz]]
|MURS 1
|-
| 2
| 151.88&nbsp;MHz
| 11.25&nbsp;kHz
|MURS 2
|-
| 3
| 151.94&nbsp;MHz
| 11.25&nbsp;kHz
|MURS 3
|-
| 4
| 154.57&nbsp;MHz 
| 20.00&nbsp;kHz
| [[Business band#VHF frequencies|Blue Dot]]
|-
| 5
| 154.60&nbsp;MHz 
| 20.00&nbsp;kHz
| [[Business band#VHF frequencies|Green Dot]]
|}

Channels 1–3 must use "narrowband" [[frequency modulation]] (2.5&nbsp;kHz [[Frequency deviation|deviation]]; 11.25&nbsp;kHz bandwidth). Channels 4 and 5 may use either "wideband" FM (5&nbsp;kHz deviation; 20&nbsp;kHz bandwidth) or "narrowband" FM.<ref>{{CodeFedReg|47|95|2773}}</ref>  All five channels may use [[amplitude modulation]] with a bandwidth up to 8&nbsp;kHz.<ref>{{CodeFedReg|47|95|2773|c}}</ref>  MURS falls under part 95 and was not mandated for narrow-banding, such as those of Part 90 in the public service bands by January 2013.

Because previous business band licensees who have maintained their active license remain [[Grandfather clause|grandfathered]] with their existing operating privileges, it is possible to find repeaters or other operations not authorized by Part 95 taking place. These are not necessarily illegal. If legal, such operations may enjoy primary status on their licensed frequency and as such are legally protected from harmful interference by MURS users.<ref name="95.1317">{{CodeFedReg|47|95|1317}}</ref>

[[File:HorizonDistance3.jpg|thumb|alt=Line of Sight to the horizon|Calculating the horizon distance based on antenna height]]
==Range==
MURS range will vary, depending on antenna size and placement. With an external antenna, ranges of {{convert|10|mi|km}} or more can be expected.<ref name="fcc.gov">{{Cite web |url=http://www.fcc.gov/encyclopedia/multi-use-radio-service-murs-0 |title=Multi-Use Radio Service (MURS) |website=FCC.gov |publisher=Federal Communications Commission |date=4 August 2011 }}</ref> Since MURS radios use frequencies in the VHF business band, they are subject to obstructions in line of sight, which includes the curvature of the Earth. The higher you can place the antennas on both transmit and receive sides (within legal limits), the further you can transmit and receive. Some antenna manufacturers claim an external antenna can increase the effective radiated power of a transmitter by a factor of 4. <ref name="intercomsonline.com">{{Cite web |url=https://www.intercomsonline.com/2-way-radio-range-how-far-can-two-way-radios-communicate |title=2-Way Radio Range: How Far Can Two-Way Radios Communicate |website=intercomsonline.com |publisher=IntercomsOnline |date=5 August 2020 }}</ref>

==Authorized modes==
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Designator
! Common name 
|-
| A1D
| [[Amplitude modulation]]; [[On–off keying|on–off keyed]] or [[Quantization (signal processing)|quantized]]; no [[modulation]]; [[Data]], [[telemetry]], [[telecommand]]
|-
| A2B
| Amplitude modulation; Digital, with modulation; [[Telegraphy]] for machine copy ([[RTTY]], [[High Speed Telegraphy|fast Morse]])
|-
| A2D
| Amplitude modulation; Digital, with modulation; Data, telemetry, telecommand
|-
| A3E
| Amplitude modulation; Single analog channel; [[Telephony]], voice, sound broadcasting
|-
| F2B
| [[Angle modulation]], straight [[Frequency modulation|FM]]; Digital, with modulation; Telegraphy for machine copy (RTTY, fast Morse)
|-
| F1D
| Angle modulation, straight FM; on–off keyed or quantized; Data, telemetry, telecommand
|-
| F2D
| Angle modulation, straight FM; Digital, with modulation; Data, telemetry, telecommand
|-
| F3E
| Angle modulation, straight FM; Single analog channel; Telephony, voice, sound broadcasting
|-
| G3E
| Angle modulation, [[phase modulation]]; Single analog channel; Telephony, voice, sound broadcasting
|}

==Permitted areas of operation==
MURS operation is authorized anywhere a CB radio station is authorized and within or over any area of the world where radio services are regulated by the FCC. Those areas are within the territorial limits of:
* The fifty United States
* [[Washington, D.C.|The District of Columbia]]
* [[American Samoa]] (seven islands)
* [[Baker Island]]
* Caribbean Insular areas
* Commonwealth of Northern [[Mariana Islands]]
* Commonwealth of Puerto Rico
* [[Guam]] Island
* [[Howland Island]]
* [[Jarvis Island]]
* [[Johnston Atoll]] (Islets East, Johnston, North and Sand)
* [[Kingman Reef]]
* [[Midway Atoll]] (Islets Eastern and Sand)
* [[Navassa Island]]
* Pacific Insular areas
* [[Palmyra Atoll]] (more than fifty [[islet]]s)
* [[United States Virgin Islands]] (50 islets and cays)
* [[Wake Island]]
* Aboard any vessel of the United States, with the permission of the captain, while the vessel is traveling either domestically or in international waters

==Restrictions==
* Transmitter power output is limited to 2 watts.
* The highest point of any MURS antenna must not be more than {{convert|18.3|m|ft|abbr=off|sp=us}} above the ground or {{convert|6.10|m|ft|abbr=off|sp=us}} above the highest point of the structure to which it is mounted, whichever is higher.<ref name="part95" />
* Transmitting on MURS frequencies is not allowed while aboard aircraft in flight.<ref name="part95" />
* Devices that use MURS must be specially labeled and certified.<ref name="fcc.gov"/>

==Products==
There are a wide variety of radio products that use MURS frequencies. MURS devices include wireless base station intercoms, handheld two-way radios, wireless dog training collars, wireless public address units, customer service callboxes, wireless remote switches, and wireless callboxes with or without gate opening ability.

Since MURS uses standard frequencies, most devices that use MURS are compatible with each other.

Most analog two-way radios utilize a technology called [[Continuous Tone-Coded Squelch System|CTCSS]] or [[Squelch#DCS|DCS]] that helps block out unwanted transmissions. To make MURS two-way radios work together, they must have matching [[Continuous Tone-Coded Squelch System|CTCSS]] or [[Squelch#DCS|DCS]] tones. This can usually be done via basic programming which almost all MURS two-way radios support.

The [[goTenna]], a digital radio product, operates on the MURS band and pairs with [[smartphone]]s to enable users to send texts and share locations on a [[peer-to-peer]] basis.  goTenna is not interoperable with other MURS devices, even though they operate on the same spectrum, employing "listen-before-talk" to reduce interference in the band's five channels.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=8058473|website=news.ycombinator.com| title=Hacker News — goTenna | access-date=3 November 2015}}</ref><ref name=CNET>{{cite web|last1=Statt|first1=Nick|title=GoTenna creates a cell network out of thin air anywhere on Earth|url=http://www.cnet.com/news/gotenna-creates-c——ell-network-out-of-thin-air-anywhere-on-earth/|website=CNET|publisher=CBS Interactive|access-date=3 November 2015}}</ref><ref name="Network World">{{cite web|last=Nelson|first=Patrick|title=Device lets smartphones communicate during network outage|url=https://www.networkworld.com/article/934550/outage-device-lets-smartphones-communicate.html|website=Network World|date=16 January 2015|access-date=3 November 2015}}</ref>

==Notable users==
According to [[Bill Fawcett (writer)|Bill Fawcett]]'s Spaniel Journal, [[Spaniel]] pro-handler Dan Langhans was given a set of VHF business-band radios on the frequency of 154.57&nbsp;MHz which became known by the trade as "blue dot" radios.<ref>[http://www.spanieljournal.com/2wfawcett.html Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Blue Dot Radios... But Were Afraid to Ask]</ref>

Costco Wholesale use Motorola DTR600, DLR1020, and Motorola Curve on Frequency 1 for general use among employees and Frequency 2 for communication with major sales departments. [[Walmart]] and [[Sam's Club]] use a [[Motorola Solutions]] model Motorola RDM2070D, which is exclusive to Walmart and Sam's Club. The Motorola RDM2070D is preprogrammed on MURS frequencies with most channels using [[Continuous Tone-Coded Squelch System#List of tones|CTCSS tone 21/4Z/136.5Hz]].<ref name="murs_rr">[https://wiki.radioreference.com/index.php/Multi-Use_Radio_Service Multi-Use Radio Service (RadioReference)]</ref>

==See also==
* [[Business band]]
* [[Family Radio Service]]
* [[General Mobile Radio Service]]
* [[Public Radio Service]]
* [[Unlicensed Personal Communications Services]]

==References==
{{Reflist|refs=

<ref name="part95">http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/CFR-2009-title47-vol5/pdf/CFR-2009-title47-vol5-part95.pdf {{Bare URL PDF|date=March 2022}}</ref>

<ref name=IC-allows-MURS>
{{cite web
|url         = http://www.ic.gc.ca/eic/site/smt-gst.nsf/vwapj/sp17-ps17-eng.pdf/$FILE/sp17-ps17-eng.pdf
|title       = Spectrum Allocation and Utilization Policy Regarding the Use of Certain Frequency Bands Below 1.7 GHz for a Range of Radio Applications
|date=June 2009
|publisher   = Industry Canada
|access-date  = September 2, 2011
|quote       = A five-year transition period is established from the publication date of this spectrum policy, after which the distribution and sale of MURS devices will be permitted.
}}
</ref>
<ref name=SAB-002-14>{{Cite web|url=http://www.ic.gc.ca/eic/site/smt-gst.nsf/eng/sf10822.html|title=SAB-002-14 – Multi-Use Radio Services in the 150 MHZ VHF Band|date=29 May 2014}}</ref>
}}

==External links==
* [http://wireless.fcc.gov/services/index.htm?job=service_home&id=multi_use FCC Wireless Services: MURS Home]
* [http://wireless.fcc.gov/services/index.htm?job=operations&id=multi_use MURS Rules Summary]

{{Two-way radio}}
{{Telecommunications}}

[[Category:Bandplans]]
[[Category:Radio communications]]
[[Category:Radio regulations]]