Alex wrote:
Hello,

I'm new to amateur radio, and there's a debate amoung some of my
friends on whether it's legal to modify a ham radio to transmit on
commercial and CB frequencies. I thought any radio that does transmit
on these non-ham frequencies needs to have some type of FCC
cerification, so modifying a ham radio to transmit on such non-ham
frequencies would be illegal. However, some friends have told me it is
legal to modify a ham radio to transmit on non-ham frequencies as long
as you are authorized to use them and you transmit on those specific
frequencies and on the allowed power.

At my work we have been allocated to use specific frequencies which are
commercial and not within the ham frequency range, and I thought it
would be illegal to modify a handheld ham radio to transmit on these
frequencies. Am I correct?

If so, can someone point me to a website, whether on the FCC's site or
ARRL's site or someplace else that shows this? Again, I assumed it was
not legal to use a modified ham radio on such non-ham frequencies, but
I've heard from others that it is. Just wanted to clear the air.

Thanks --

Alex

An interesting question.

I'm sure it's OK to modify commercial radios to transmit in the ham
bands. I do not think the reverse is true.

A good example is a ham modifying a 10 meter amplifier to use on
CB...this is certainly NOT legal.

An email to ARRL should verify this. I recently got a very concise
answer to a question regarding antenna height and airports.

John
AB8WH