Yes….I have held one for decades
now. Used to be called the Third Class Radiotelephone license. A requirement for
all private and commercial pilots using air band radios.
Not sure I would advise non-pilot or non-aircraft
personnel to buy radios and use these bands. Besides, with the plethora of
radio equipment hams have to choose from not sure there is a overwhelming need
to purchase yet ANOTHER air band only radio just to keep around.
And, you cannot just “hack” an
amateur VHF band HT to work on those frequencies. Amateur equipment is not FCC
Type accepted for that service, and very few (if any) current amateur VHF radios
will operate on AM mode. VHF Aircraft bands are AM….not analog FM,
D-Star, or DMR
Ron
WW8RR
From: Fourlanders
[mailto:fourlanders-bounces@contesting.com] On
Behalf Of Tom McElroy
Sent: Thursday, March 29, 2018
12:54 PM
To: Fourlanders
Subject: [Fourlanders] Foxtrot
Charlie Charlie
Hello folks,
We were watching "Flying Wild Alaska " the other
night.
If you're not familiar with the show, it's a rare gem in reality TV, as
one writer puts it.
A couple of hunters on snow machines were stranded out in the vast,
frozen bush.
An aircraft was sent out an airplane to find them.
To my surprise, the hunters contacted the aircraft using VHF airband
HT's!
I learned that it's not unusual for people in
The FAA and FCC join forces to regulates the 108-136 MHz band, and it
seems that the license, or permission goes with the platform more than the
user.
But, you can get a " Restricted Radiotelephone Operator
Permit" which might be good for ballooning, crop dusting, cattle herding,
that sort of a ground-to-air communication.
Does anyone have a " Restricted Radiotelephone Operator Permit"
? The FCC lets you buy one for $70, no exam. Might be worth having
a VHF airband HT and a " Restricted
Radiotelephone Operator Permit" in a SAR application.
Thoughts from the group?
73
Tom McElroy
W4SDR