Is it suitable for the UK. i.e Legal ?

As a UK radio supplier licensed by OFCOM I frequently get calls for help from buyers of radios on ebay. I have written this guide to help you avoid buying something useless or illegal.
There are many legitimate radio bargains on ebay and I shop here myself often. However there are many sellers offering useless or illegal radios at what appear to be bargain prices (until you get your hands on them). Before you buy do your homework, there are many good UK radio websites and even more legitimate UK web traders who will advise you before you buy. Also see Wikipedia.
All radio transmitting equipment in the UK has to be build to a certain specification and often requires a licence. This is to prevent interference to other users and to protect yourself from interference..
Interference may not sound too likely until you think of all the emergency services, medical and safety radio system on the ground or in the air controlling aircraft etc. If you use a radio on the 'wrong' frequency' you will probably never be aware of the problems you are causing. Just because you don't hear anyone it doesn't mean they cant hear you. Your transmission may block a receiver somewhere from picking up vital transmissions.
To help co-ordinate the hundreds of radio channels Ofcom issues licences which specify frequency and a location where that equipment can be used. They also monitor frequencies for illegal use and hunt down and prosecute offenders.
Radio channels are co-ordinated on a worldwide basis. For historical reason a radio for use in the USA will not be built to a suitable spec for the UK and vice versa. The same applies to Asia so a radio from Hong Kong will not be suitable for the UK.
Licence Free
In the UK the only licence free hand-held radios are clearly marked on the case as PMR446. Any radios marked as such will work with any other regardless of make. Make sure your PMR 446 radio has CTCSS (Tone squelch) and you can change the channel and CTCSS setting, You will then be able to avoid listening to other users.
Licensed
There are several types of licence costing from around

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