Multi-Use Radio Service
In the United States, the Multi-Use Radio Service is a licensed by rule two-way radio service similar to Citizens Band. Established by the U.S. Federal Communications Commission in the fall of 2000, MURS created a radio service allowing for licensed by rule operation in a narrow selection of the VHF band, with a power limit of 2 watts. The FCC formally defines MURS as "a private, two-way, short-distance voice or data communications service for personal or business activities of the general public." MURS stations may not be connected to the public telephone network, may not be used for store and forward operations, and radio repeaters are not permitted.
In 2009 Industry Canada established a five-year transition plan, which would have permitted the use of MURS in Canada starting June 2014. In August 2014 IC announced a deferral of MURS introduction, as "the Department does not feel that the introduction of MURS devices in Canada is warranted at this time, and has decided to defer the introduction of MURS devices in Canada until a clearer indication of actual need is provided by Canadian MURS advocates and/or stakeholders ..."
Eligibility
No licenses are required or issued for MURS within the United States.Frequencies
MURS comprises the following five frequencies:| Channel | Frequency | Maximum authorized bandwidth | Channel name |
| 1 | 151.82 MHz | 11.25 kHz | MURS 1 |
| 2 | 151.88 MHz | 11.25 kHz | MURS 2 |
| 3 | 151.94 MHz | 11.25 kHz | MURS 3 |
| 4 | 154.57 MHz | 20.00 kHz | Blue Dot |
| 5 | 154.60 MHz | 20.00 kHz | Green Dot |
Channels 1–3 must use "narrowband" frequency modulation. Channels 4 and 5 may use either "wideband" FM or "narrowband" FM. All five channels may use amplitude modulation with a bandwidth up to 8 kHz. MURS falls under part 95 and was not mandated for narrow-banding, such as those of Part 90 in the public service bands by January 2013.
Because previous business band licensees who have maintained their active license remain grandfathered with their existing operating privileges, it is possible to find repeaters or other operations not authorized by Part 95 taking place. These are not necessarily illegal. If legal, such operations may enjoy primary status on their licensed frequency and as such are legally protected from harmful interference by MURS users.
Range
MURS range will vary, depending on antenna size and placement. With an external antenna, ranges of or more can be expected.Authorized modes
Permitted areas of operation
MURS operation is authorized anywhere a CB station is authorized and within or over any area of the world where radio services are regulated by the FCC. Those areas are within the territorial limits of:- The fifty United States
- The District of Columbia
- Caribbean Insular areas
- Commonwealth of Puerto Rico
- Navassa Island
- United States Virgin Islands
- Pacific Insular areas
- American Samoa
- Baker Island
- Commonwealth of Northern Mariana Islands
- Guam Island
- Howland Island
- Jarvis Island
- Johnston Atoll
- Kingman Reef
- Midway Atoll
- Palmyra Atoll
- Wake Island
- Aboard any vessel of the United States, with the permission of the captain, while the vessel is traveling either domestically or in international waters.
Restrictions
- Transmitter power output is limited to 2 watts.
- The highest point of any MURS antenna must not be more than above the ground or above the highest point of the structure to which it is mounted, whichever is higher.
- Transmitting on MURS frequencies is not allowed while aboard aircraft in flight.
- When transmitting in Puerto Rico, Desecheo, Mona, Vieques, and Culebra, care must be taken to not interfere with the Arecibo Observatory.
- Devices that use MURS must be specially labeled and certified.
Products
Since MURS uses standard frequencies, most devices that use MURS are compatible with each other.
Most analog two way radios utilize a technology called CTCSS or DCS that helps block out unwanted transmissions. To make MURS two way radios work together, they must have matching CTCSS or DCS tones. This can usually be done via basic programming which almost all MURS two way radios support.
The goTenna version1 digital radio product operates on the MURS band and pairs with smartphones to enable users to send texts and share locations on a peer-to-peer basis. goTenna is not interoperable with other MURS devices, even though they operate on the same spectrum, employing "listen-before-talk" to reduce interference in the band's five channels.
Notable Users
According to Bill Fawcett's Spaniel Journal, Spaniel pro-handler Dan Langhans was given a set of VHF business-band radios on the frequency of 154.57 MHz which became known by the trade as "blue dot" radios. Blue-dot is now frequency number 4 in the MURS frequency specification table.Walmart and Sam's Club use a two way radio, made by Motorola Solutions, model Motorola RDM2070D, which is exclusive to Walmart and Sam's Club. The Motorola RDM2070D is preprogrammed on MURS frequencies with most channels using CTCSS tone 21/4Z/136.5Hz.