Citizen Band Radio, UHF PRS Radios and Repeater Licencing

Citizen Band Radio (CBR), also known as the Personal Radio Service (PRS), provides an economical alternative to LMR (Licenced Land Mobile Radio). Possible uses include sporting and community events, small businesses and hobby activities. No use, or user, has priority and this requires a responsible and cooperative approach by all persons sharing the service.

Most CBR/PRS use is covered by the General User Radio Licence for Citizen Band Radio (GURL-CB), but repeaters must be individually licensed.

10.4.1. PRS Repeaters

PRS repeater base stations are only permitted to operate on a channel specified for this purpose in Mobile Service Bands of New Zealand (PIB 23).  PRS repeaters are used to extend the communication range achievable by users of this service. Where a repeater station is established, communication through the repeater is available to all PRS users on an unrestricted basis, and without charge.

Repeater Rules

Repeaters will only be licensed under the following rules:

• a repeater station may only be accessed by radio apparatus covered by the General User Radio Licence and the Radiocommunications (Radio Standards) Notice;
• the purpose of the repeater is to re-transmit analogue voice telephony (speech);
• a licence for a 25 kHz channel must be geographically separated by a minimum distance of 20 kilometres from any other PRS repeater licence (whether the licence is using a 25 kHz or a 12.5 kHz channel);
• a licence for a 12.5 kHz channel must be geographically separated by a minimum of 5 kilometres from any other PRS repeater licence (whether the licence is using a 25 kHz or a 12.5 kHz channel);
• co-channelled licences must be geographically separated by a minimum of 100 kilometres (whether the licences are using 25 kHz or 12.5 kHz channels);
• frequencies are licensed on a shared basis and co-channel sharing must be tolerated;
• a remote control facility can be fitted to the repeater. However it must not be used to alter the technical operating parameters of the repeater other than to:
1. Allow deactivation / reactivation of the repeater for maintenance purposes only; or
2. Initiate the transmission of status information; or
3. Indicate an alarm condition at the repeater site; and
PRS repeater stations cannot transmit information or voice from the Public Switched Telephone Network
(PSTN), internet or any other telecommunications network.

RADIO SPECTRUM MANAGEMENT 39 Radio Licence Policy Rules (PIB 58) – Issue 6 (March 2021)