Low-Power Radio Service (LPRS) is one of the Citizens’ Band (CB) Radio Services. It is a one-way short-distance very-highfrequency (VHF) communication service providing auditory assistance to persons with disabilities, persons who require language translation, and persons in educational settings.
It also provides health care assistance to the ill, law enforcement tracking services in cooperation with a law enforcement agency, and point-to-point network control communications for Automated Marine Telecommunications System (AMTS) coast stations. In all applications, two-way voice communications are prohibited. Alicense from the FCC is not needed to use most LPRS transmitters.
To operate an LPRS transmitter for AMTS purposes, however, the user must hold an AMTS license. Otherwise, provided the user is not a representative of a foreign government, anyone can operate an FCC type-accepted LPRS transmitter for voice, data, or tracking signals. An LPRS transmitter may be operated within the territorial limits of the 50 United States, the District of Columbia, and the Caribbean and Pacific insular areas.
It also may be operated on or over any other area of the world, except within the territorial limits of areas where radio communications are regulated by another agency of the United States or within the territorial limits of any foreign government. The transmitting antenna must not exceed 30.5 meters (100 feet) above ground level. This height limitation does not apply, however, to LPRS transmitter units located indoors or where the antenna is an integral part of the unit.
There are 260 channels available for LPRS. These channels are available on a shared basis only and are not assigned for the exclusive use of any entity. Certain channels (19, 20, 50, and 151 to 160) are reserved for law enforcement tracking purposes. Further, AMTS-related transmissions are limited to the upper portion of the band (216.750 to 217.000 MHz). Users must cooperate in the selection and use of channels in order to reduce interference and make the most effective use of the authorized facilities.
Channels must be selected in an effort to avoid interference with other LPRS transmissions. This means that if users are experiencing interference on a particular channel, they should change to another channel until a clear one is found. Finally, operation is subject to the conditions that no harmful interference is caused to the U.S. Navy’s SPASUR radar system (216.88 to 217.08 MHz) or to a Channel 13 television station.
LPRS can operate anywhere CB station operation is permitted. An LPRS station is not required to transmit a station identification announcement. The LPRS transmitting device may not interfere with TV reception or federal government radar and must accept any interference received, including interference that may cause undesired operation. On request, system equipment must be available for inspection by an authorized FCC representative.
