whew...a lot to unpack here....settle in people!.... we're gonna get nerdy!
Jean, I am trying to help you, by NOT sending you down a rabbit hole with the wrong radios, and the wrong information. YES the radios CAN be programmed up to FRS, but the path to that result is complicated, and might be difficult to solve with help from a forum UNLESS someone has actually had those exact radios on the bench with your exact computer, your exact cable, your exact version of windows, and they documented all of the steps involved. It sounds like you need to get the COM port working....but there is more to it than that.
I have programmed a variety of chinese radios with chirp, RT systems, and a variety of cables and boatloads of frequencies, HF, VHF, and UHF, including HAM frequencies, FRS, GMRS, and public service frequencies, and yet I have never seen one of those exact radios.
The information from Amazon is a mix of correct and incorrect. Lets just call it, un-informed. You cannot rely on Amazon reviews for correct technical information. And the title and description for the product is typed up by some third party who used a variety of terms to help the search function find their products. Those radios could actually be programmed for ambulance crews, fire-fighters, tow trucks, school buses, taxicabs, medical air-flight helicopters, DOT, FBI, or NASA aircraft! But you dont see those listed....it might get the seller in trouble!
A ham license IS required to transmit on
ham frequencies with ANY transmitter. That includes these. But FRS and GMRS frequencies are NOT ham frequencies. So, a ham license is NOT required if you program it for GMRS, but a GMRS license IS.
GMRS (base station and mobile units) can have power levels of way above 2 watts, (up to 50 watts I believe) and that is part of the reason for the license.
You cannot legally use the radio once you have it programmed for FRS, because it is NOT FCC certified for that service...but the chances of getting fined are near absolute ZERO. I only include this because If I omit it, someone will surely post it.
Personal radio service rules were 'modernized' in 2017, and FRS frequencies were expanded (from 14 channels to 22) and the combination FRS/GMRS radios have been reclassified by the FCC as FRS ONLY. Combination radios are NO LONGER LEGAL to import or manufacture in the USA. The ones you see on the shelves are holdovers, and legal to sell until existing stock is depleted, which could take a LONG time.
CHIRP works but someone has to be hands-on to work thru the settings and configurations for the COM ports. and always always do a 'READ', save the data file, modify the data file, then do a 'WRITE'....NEVER modify a data file then WRITE it without saving a READ file from the radio
first.
And all this is assuming your programming cable is compatible, and correct for the USB drivers you have installed. Some are, some are NOT.
The best answer is to call customer support, and there is still less than a 10% chance you will get anywhere.
Why not send those back and buy a couple of FRS radios? For short distance vehicle-to-vehicle comms, they are perfect, and cheap. That's what I would do, I have done, and I have been a licensed ham for decades.
If you want to verify the information I have presented you are welcome to...here ya go...
Click on news release, then pdf:
https://www.fcc.gov/document/fcc-modernizes-personal-radio-services-rules
If ya wanna drill deep, here ya go:
https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2017/08/29/2017-17395/personal-radio-service-reform
It is possible that you might find someone locally who is experienced with these, either a ham radio operator OR a two-way communications business, and they could program these for you in 15 minutes.
Failing that, it might be a rough road for ya.
I hope you find your solution...good luck.