PMR446 Radios with removable antennas

Licence free two-way radio services that now includes both FM and digital channels. Discuss models, modifications and other similar worldwide standards such as FRS and GMRS.
albrecht
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PMR446 Radios with removable antennas

Post by albrecht »

Anyone know of any available yet? They are now legal in the U.K.
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Re: PMR446 Radios with removable antennas

Post by radiogaga »

Not doubting you but can’t see anything on the Ofcom site about it? Be interested in the details.
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Re: PMR446 Radios with removable antennas

Post by ch25 »

All PMR radios must meet Directive 2014/53/EU and it hasn't changed.
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Re: PMR446 Radios with removable antennas

Post by g1xgm »

If The antenna is removable It is definately illegal.This is too stop You increasing The range of The radio by putting A much more efficient/bigger antenna on It.
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Re: PMR446 Radios with removable antennas

Post by 26mb04 »

The Midland GB1 has a removable antenna element, and is type-approved. The antenna coax is permanently connected to the radio, the antenna element is not. My understanding is it's the ERP wot matters.

Radioworld link
Knights link

The ofcom info sheet here states:

If modifications are made to the equipment, such as adding an antenna connector, the overall maximum ERP or other technical
parameters must not exceed the permitted levels set out in the Interface Requirement.
(emphasis mine)

So you can add removable antennas to purpose-built 446 gear. You can, in theory, use ex-PMR gear too:

...equipment that has been approved for licensed use in the past does not necessarily mean that it is suitable
for conversion for PMR446 licence exempt use.


One of the requirements is that the equipment must only work on the 446 channel set, or channels which can be used on a licence-exempt basis (LPD433). Assuming you can make an ex-PMR rig do 500mW, it would be suitable because it can be locked down to specific frequencies, unlike most ham gear. There was a problem initially because a lot of older PMR gear can't do narrowband (2.5KF3E), 6.25kHz channel raster, or go below about 2.5W ERP. With the above statements from ofcom, it seems reasonable that ex-PMR equipment can be used as long as it complies with those requirements. Other countries may vary, I won't be taking my MTS2000 to france...
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radiogaga
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Re: PMR446 Radios with removable antennas

Post by radiogaga »

I’m afraid I disagree with regards to PMR equipment, that was never build for 446 and therefore can’t be used.
Are you reading that document in conjunction with IR2030?

Not wishing to argue... 😀

Pretty sure the GB1 UK has a fixed, even via a piece of coax, antenna. You can’t (easily :D ) add an external antenna.

I think you’ve maybe taken it literally but nothing has changed..
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Re: PMR446 Radios with removable antennas

Post by 26mb04 »

PMR (business band) equipment was never made for PMR446 operation. That doesn't mean some specific radios cannot be made to meet the PMR446 specification. It's all in the sheet I linked from ofcom. There are videos on Youtube that show the antenna element of the GB1 can be unscrewed from the magmount. I'll post the vid when I can find it again.
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Re: PMR446 Radios with removable antennas

Post by paulears »

Some PMR kit clearly cannot meet the PMR446 spec because it's too wide, has too much deviation and too much power. If these spec items can be modified, that's fine. The trouble is PMR446 is so cheap brand new, why we'd want to use more expensive kit and down grade it, I don't know?
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Re: PMR446 Radios with removable antennas

Post by g1xgm »

dPMR is much better.Channel 15 is The calling channel.They do analogue as well.
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Re: PMR446 Radios with removable antennas

Post by albrecht »

I found this on OFCOM page:
Analogue and Digital PMR446 Information Sheet
Publication date: February 2018
Converted radio equipment
PMR446 users are reminded that their radios are only licence-exempt if they are built and operated within the conditions of the exemption regulations. If modifications are made to the equipment, such as adding an antenna connector, the overall maximum ERP or other technical parameters must not exceed the permitted levels set out in the Interface Requirement.

(Found on Wikipedia:)
Technical information
PMR446 covers band 446.0–446.2 MHz. Radios may now have removable antennas in some countries as long as the ERP does not exceed 500 mW, for instance in the UK.
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Re: PMR446 Radios with removable antennas

Post by Farty »

26mb04 wrote: 28 Jul 2018, 16:18 The Midland GB1 has a removable antenna element, and is type-approved...
Type approval was abolished almost 2 decades ago.

Manufacturers now self certify their conformity with the UKs regulations.

The GB1 does not have a removable antenna. The coax is fixed to the unit and hard wired to the board - there is no antenna connector.
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Re: PMR446 Radios with removable antennas

Post by 26mb04 »

The coax is fixed to the unit and hard wired to the board - there is no antenna connector.
I know. I saw a vid on youtube that showed the antenna element unscrewed from the mag mounting. This may or may not have been from a production radio, but it definitely was removable from the mag mounty bit despite the other end being firmly fixed to the radio as you say.
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Re: PMR446 Radios with removable antennas

Post by Werthers »

In the UK you are allowed to have a removable antenna on a PMR446 radio as long as it does not exceed 500mW ERP.
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Re: PMR446 Radios with removable antennas

Post by Mike 26CT1074 »

According to Ofcom, still the same. No change.
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Re: PMR446 Radios with removable antennas

Post by delboyonline »

My understating is that antennas must still be non-removeable.
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