Wireless microphone channels are used in churches, auditoriums, concert halls, schools and other facilities where a wireless mic would be handy. At larger shows, you will find many individual microphones on the air, all on different frequencies, and you can pick up some very interesting conversations!

Many times, these mics are left on even though the overhead sound system is not relaying the audio to the crowd. These frequencies ARE NOT illegal to monitor, although they are very low power and you'll have to be close by to pick them up. Also, most of these frequencies are outside the range of most scanners. A special receiver is needed to monitor them.

Mobile and Portable Stations only

GMRS is the former "Class A" Citizens Radio Service, designed for private citizens to have UHF-FM frequencies for personal use. All licensees must be individuals -- a business cannot be authorized on these channels. In some locations, groups of licensees will go together to purchase and maintain a hilltop repeater station which is used by all members. In other situations, individual licensees maintain small base stations at their homes and mobile radios in vehicles.

Although never wildly popular around the country, GMRS has a loyal following in some areas but is being replaced by the low price and growing nationwide reliability of cellular telephones. The 462.675 and 467.675 MHz repeater pair is designated for emergency and travellers assistance communications. 462.5625 MHz is a low power (half watt) channel shared by GMRS and the Family Radio Service. By gentlemen's agreement, this channel is designated as the emergency calling channel for search and rescue and wilderness survival.

Family Radio Service (FRS) is an UNLICENSED service of low power UHF walkie-talkies. If you've seen two or more "professional FM quality" portable radios that promise you can "talk up to two miles" being sold at Wal-Mart or a hardware store, it's probably a couple of FRS units.

Families use these radios when the kids are outside playing, or when hiking and camping, or other outdoor recreational use. Although it's not the intended use, many businesses are picking up FRS units to use in the warehouse, or throughout the store, or between employees when working away from the main office.

These are very low powered radios and you'll have to be close by to monitor the communication. 462.5625 is FRS Channel 1, and is the designated emergency call channel for someone lost in the wilderness. Wilderness survival teams, national park rangers and search and rescue groups advocate monitoring this channel at the top of every hour to listen for calls for help.

The CB Radio Service uses AM modulation and is generally not receivable on a scanner. Special multi-mode receivers are able to pick up AM and Single Sideband (SSB) radio transmissions, or you could just buy a CB radio and listen there.

The CB Radio Service was created in 1958 for local personal and business communications, but became a popular hobby in the 1970's (much like the internet is today). CB frequencies are very prone to interference, and long distance "skip" signals can disrupt local communication. Although forbidden by the FCC, it's possible to talk all over North and Central America on the CB radio channels under certain atmospheric conditions. CB radio is a favorite mode of communication for professional truck drivers and motorists travelling the open highways.

Marine Radio frequencies are used by boats and certain shore facilities. There is no rhyme or reason to the channel numbering system -- it's a hodge-podge list of numbers in no particular order with many missing channels. Note that Channel 16 (156.80 MHz) is the national call channel and is designated for emergency communication.

Commercial frequencies are normally for barges, oil rigs, etc. and these is normally a base station at the dock or marina. Channels 24-28 and 84-88 are for ship to shore radiotelephone service. As you might imagine, cellular telephone service has a huge impact on STS radio traffic, and you may not find communication on these frequencies in most locations.

Because marine radios are so inexpensive (when compared to commercial grade VHF radio equipment), you may occasionally find a "bootleg" business, taxicab service, tow truck or local government operation on a marine frequency, especially in locations that are somewhat removed from commercial waterways. The FCC takes a dim view of this illegal operation, and fines can be in the $10,000 per violation range ...