It's crazy how wishy-washy the FCC regs are about these hybrid radios. The regs about GMRS radios are maddeningly unhelpful when it comes to hybrids, but I also look at it from the other side of the hybrid coin--the FRS side. The regs say that a radio type accepted exclusively for FRS does not require a license. Obviously, hybrids that can transmit on FRS and GMRS channels are not exclusively type accepted for FRS, therefore some other rule must apply to the operation of these hybrids, right? Well, the only "other" applicable rules are for GMRS. And the FCC regs do say that a radio operated under GMRS rules require a license. That's my logic anyways.

But then you run headlong into the contradictory situation that GMRS radios are not allowed to transmit on FRS-only channels. OK, you say, it's also a FRS radio. But it's not exclusively type accepted for FRS, so it can't be operated license-free. So what does that mean? Do you need some non-existent FRS license to use channels 8-14 on a hybrid? Oy, it makes your head spin.

For those who say you don't need a license if the person only uses non-GMRS channels, it's totally unrealistic to think that your average consumer is going to buy a 22-channel radio that claims an 18-mile range and then voluntarily limit themselves to just 7 low-power channels, knowing that 99% of them don't want to voluntarily purchase an $80 license. Besides, the same 99% of them won't even look at the manual to know which of the 22 channels are the FRS-only ones! It's like selling an assault rifle capable of full auto to any Joe Blow off the street and telling him that no licensing and background check is required by the government if he refrains from flipping up that little lever on the side that makes it fire full auto.

As far as the manufacturers go, at least Motorola's website clearly states that their hybrid radios are GMRS radios and require a license. I looked at Cobra's website and in the extensive descriptions of each radio, they bury one little line about how FCC licensing info can be found in the manual. So I downloaded one of the manuals and Cobra's stand is that no license is required if you only use FRS channel 8-14. YMMV