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It only takes money to QRP. With a Tech License you can TX 200 watts on 10M. With a good antenna you should be able to DX pretty well.

I have a few different antennas from small stubbies to a 3.14" longer stubby(my go to for my work radio) to the mid-length(8")whips and the longer 15" Arbbree 771's. I'd guess that the 771's would give me the best range on par with other 771's like the Nagoya, et al. Question is are there any other antennas that might give me a bit more gain and still be portable enough or is something like a 771 type antenna about as good as it gets? I'll not only be using it on GMRS and MURS but also on 2M, 1.25M and 70cm now that I have my Technician License. Thanks.

I agree. VOIP is VOIP. QRP to the other side of the earth and impress me.

You don't want to meet my brother. He even makes me pull out the dictionary, but his friends call him "the guy who doesn't talk much"

Got all signed up, thanks!

Ooops double post

I actually use my ham knowledge working on HVAC controls. Sometimes a sensor with a particular value needs to be simulated or corrected. I carry a signal generator, a decade box and a box of assorted resistors on my service truck. A megger that can read a gig and a Fluke 87 (which can also read nanosiemens if you know how to do the conversion). Guess who gets sent to the freak jobs.

I removed the callsign from the other account, so you should be able to register now, Ken.

No idea who it is

I don't get Waynesville. If you can hit Bearwallow Mtn. 650 near Chimney Rock I should be able to hear that one. (Can't post the tones here.) I'd need to know when to listen though. Forest City 675 is another one that comes in here. I heard Fletcher once but that was probably ducting. Maybe @BoxCar can receive some near you that I can't.

No, not at all.

Currently up in the mountains of western NC for vacation. I'm in an AirBNB at the top of a fairly high mountain. I have a repeater programmed in my Baofang UV-5G Plus with a Nagoya 771G antenna. The repeater is in Waynesville, NC roughly 35 miles to the east of us!! When transmitting to the repeater, I get a kerchunk with some random beeping tones, indicating I'm "hitting" the repeater. I have an additional Baofang UV-5G Plus with a Nagoya UT-72 that I also have tuned to the repeater (have the antenna grounded on a baking dish placed on top of some cabinets by the window). The second radio can hear the same kerchunk and beeping sounds but not the voice/test message transmitted. To trouble shoot, we tested the radios on simplex on various channels and are able to hear each other just fine. When we've tried talking to the repeater, we've done so with the radios roughly 50 feet apart (not sure if this has an affect). Do I just not have enough power or a good enough antenna on either radio to be able to hear the test message being transmitted by the other radio? I figured if power or the antenna were a problem, I wouldn't be able to hit the repeater all together. I've heard a few transmissions on the repeater, but it's the same kerchunk with the beeping sounds and no voice message (not sure if they just keyed up or actually transmitted a message though). Anyone have any insights as to what could be going on?

Hi Ken, I’ll report your post to the owner. Whoever registered using your call sign used the username Enrique. Does that ring a bell?

...Grid down you say wait, what? What are we even talking about? Grid down? MYGMRS WILL ALSO BE DOWN!!! So yeah we're back to putting the info on paper and not giving it to the "bad guys" who are all gonna be at the mall anyway looting beer and sneakers and worthless TVs because... ya the grid is down. Hello? I'll be hold up in a bunker with all the radios off! Off I say! because the aliens are gonna zero in on RF signals with the lasers! Lasers people! Everyone knows this. Everybody run for your lives! I might have gotten a little carried away, maybe.

I discovered an anomaly when programming my Tidradio H8, the Tx DCS I codes show as N when saved. Does anyone know why? However, when checking with Odmaster bluetooth app or when testing to repeater, it works as I. DCS Rx saves as I so does not have the issue. But Rx can be also set to off and still work. But if use a Rx DCS code, it must match what the owner set.

Shaw Butte has been an issue for a long time. For a while there was someone with a 50w simplex in north Phoenix bantering with someone in south Phoenix through the repeater and it tied it up. I haven't heard anything for quite some time and I figured it had stopped. I haven't been on the radio for a few months but tried to test a new HT the last week of July and got nothing - not even squelch trail. It was working on the 26th because I was able to talk with someone near 7th and Dobbins from my home near 7th and Deer Valley. The same guy that owns Shaw Butte also owns diamond pointe and one near pinetop and both of those work perfectly so it's anyone's guess whats going on.

Every time I am tempted to buy the $34 Radioddity MURS HT; I ask myself: why?!?

The problem I see with this is suddenly you will have people not in knowledge of the rules for marine use then using it on land and inappropriately. Not a good use as it could cause issues for safety on the water. Marine VHF is a non licensed service to make it easy for everyone on the water to have it and thus make it safer out there.

I'm trying to sign up for a mygmrs account but it says my callsign is already claimed by someone with the wrong name. My callsign is WRXX702 Ken Young

True, but marine VHF is a bit of a niche application, and I doubt including it would make the radio sell better. Yep. I get that there has been some effort to make sure the various radios are only used by "authorized" people, but in this case, authorized users are literally everybody. That's certainly the libertarian approach, but I can't see it gaining any traction with any agency of any government anywhere.

I'm glad I'm not the only one who can't discern the logic.

The online map and the repeater listings are just two different ways of looking at the same data. I go to the map first because it’s easy for me to see what is nearby, but I’m sure that other people start by entering search terms and selecting search conditions. I don’t think that means one group is smarter than the other. If it’s entered in the database it can be mapped. It might not be the right place. When I said I don’t think you can have it both ways I meant two things: First, publishing the information in an internet database by definition means you can’t keep the information from getting out. Second, an internet database might not be a reliable means to disseminate information in the event of a “grid down apocalyptic scenario”. But if you’ve contacted Rich and he doesn’t want to extend the database to serve your wants this is really a moot point anyway. I’ll follow along to see what you come up with but I’m all out of ideas for you to reject.

But now we're back to operating in violation of FCC regulations. You may as well buy a $15 UV-5r.

There's one reason: he doesn't want to! You keep mentioning map - I've never even looked at a map here. I read the listings. I'm not sure I'd want people who can't get the data from a list (those same people who want a map online, can't/won't use a printed map). And I don't know if there is a conflict like you describe. I checked and the location doesn't have to be your house (nearby intersection or convenience store or park or post office, etc. will do as long as it's relatively close). If there's a better way, where people will find it, I'm open to hearing about it. I don't use typical social media, and don't have email or phone #s for neighbors yet. The only early contacts I'd want to make would be people who have radios and are looking for ways to use them. such as searching for repeaters. My feeling on all this GMRS repeater craze is that repeaters, and distance, are getting too much emphasis for this service. It's more useful to me to have nearby contacts. I have HAM for longer range repeater contacts. GMRS, to me, is for people closer who aren't hams, including FRS users (adults). Throw in the rule (for now) that GMRS base stations aren't allowed to use repeaters and most of the repeater craze evaporates. Also, of the ones near me 5 have gone away (no big loss since I can't talk from home). If more people would just try putting up a decent antenna on a pole or roof (15-20ft up), there would be less fuss about repeaters.

There kinda is, just GMRS instead of FRS... The TERA TR-505 GMRS/FRS radio claims to do optional MURS as well. You have to purchase a programming cable and get the free "MURS programming file". It's on their website so it has to be legit, right? https://powerwerx.com/tera-tr505-gmrs-recreational-handheld-radio