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This is very true. Some antenna designs are worse than others about the SWR changing in rainy weather. I deal with this all the time with my 6m-20m cobweb antenna. The cobweb design is more susceptible to SWR changes during rain than other antenna designs. The SWR changes are normally within what the radio's builtin tuner can handle. I would love to run a longer antenna such as the 2x4SR on my Ford Escape full time but adding 38-40 inches to the top is a no go since I park the Escape in the garage with 7ft tall doors. I know they fold. but as you mentioned, the fold over will wear out if used all of the time. And I am also afraid that I will forget to fold the antenna and mess it or the vehicle up. The Comet SBB1 just barely clears the garage door as is.

Good idea for anybody who is going to routinely use this antenna mounted up high. I picked one up at the Hamvention last May for mine for future use. I would install it if I planed on using the antenna at some point. Right now I have my old CA-2x4MB on the ride. That monster is about 60 inches tall. https://forums.mygmrs.com/gallery/image/471-mobile-mount-with-antenna-rear-view/?context=new The match on it is something else. This was done when I had it on my old Jeep. It looked better than the newer CA-2x4SR. The one on the ride the fold over string is shot, that's the black electrical tape you see, the antenna is at least 20 years old. I do have a new one still in the green plastic sleeve, never been outside of the house. I purchased both at the same time. https://forums.mygmrs.com/gallery/image/223-ca-2x4mb-jeep/?context=new https://forums.mygmrs.com/gallery/image/282-ca-2x4mb-scansjpg/?context=new I've been looking around for a possible replacement for it. After testing the CA-2x4SR and N240CA, on my roof rack mount, either one might be a good replacement, and they are only 40 inches tall. I might go for the NR240CA, yeah it's more expensive, but the SWR match looks a bit better over the ranges I'm interested in. One thing people don't talk about here, or elsewhere for that matter, what the match looks like in crummy weather, like moderate to heavy rain or fog. It's going to get worse to some degree. If you start out with a really low SWR it likely won't deteriorate nearly as bad in less than ideal weather. Modern radios are designed to tolerate SWR's up to 2:1 at full power. After that the radios, with SWR protection circuits, will start to fold back power to protect the output power stage.

I picked up a no-name one at a local swap a long while back just for fun, it was really cheap. Tested it and I wasn't impressed with this sample. Likely better ones out there. https://forums.mygmrs.com/gallery/image/428-stealth-dual-band-with-swr-scanjpg/?context=new

I think it just comes out the other way. But full disclosure — I am a member of RR. What I really refer to is the people on there who see a forum post marked HALP MEH! and they chime in with "do your own research" instead of just helping a new amateur. It's like with Linux forums... mostly unhelpful jerks who pretend that they were born with what they know so others shouldn't ask for help if they weren't

Sometimes you can mess something that works well by pursuing perfection. "Good enough" is a valid concept.

Your assumption about 5-watt HT's being used without a license is probably correct. I hear farm workers on the radio (simplex) that I very much doubt, based on their conversation, are within FRS range. They never ID themselves. I'm not sure they know the difference between FRS and GMRS radios, and if they do, I doubt they care. To them, it is just another radio that works a little better.

I would think the 5 watt HTs are used quite a bit unlicensed. But the owners of the repeaters will want you to have a license to use their equipment. At least if I wanted people using it I wouldn't want unlicensed persons on it. Need to have some basic understanding of radio or at least know how to read, follow instructions so you can program it. That would exclude my wife LOL

Hi everyone any clubs in Central Texas?

Yes it is. I did purchase the spring for my 2x4SR since the antenna is on my SxS. The spring is $22 at DX engineering and worth the price.

I'm sure that's the right approach for some entry-level users, but it absolutely wouldn't work for me. I have a lot of repeaters programmed into my GMRS radio. Basically, all the ones in Oklahoma and many from neighboring states.

Yup. The price is very reasonable too.

@Lscott that looks great especially considering your antenna is mounted to the rack. I have my Comet 2x4SR on a mag mount that is on the expanded metal luggage rack on my SxS. The highest SWR across 2m, 70cm, and GMRS is 1.8 at 467.600 MHz. The 2x4SR is hard to beat.

Well I got around to doing an SWR scan of both the Comet CA-2x4SR and the Diamond NR240CA wide-band antennas the past few days. Both were tested on the UHF type roof rack mount I have on my Mazda. Both antennas are 5/8 wave design, thus they need a decent ground plane to work. I expected crummy results. However I'm absolutely shocked how well they matched up on the VHF and UHF bands!!! I guess there is enough "ground plane" under the mount, plus whatever capacitive coupling between the mounting strap and roof rack rail for a better coupling to the rack rail. The installation looks like this photo, but I have a different antenna on the mount at the time. https://forums.mygmrs.com/gallery/image/471-mobile-mount-with-antenna-rear-view/?context=new The attached photos show the match on the VHF and UHF bands. The results are very similar. Not uprising since both designs look about the same except the center loading coil. subjectively I think the Diamond antenna match is a bit better.

he discusses a little on connecting the two radios to the RICK,,,, as far as programing the CW can you find anything on a Google search, along with the other aspects you are looking for? Repeaterbuilder.com might be the best resource for your questions and help.. Those guys are eager to help anyone. .. I once had a repeater made with two Maxon Mobil Radios (similar to two Motorolas). I used an ICS controller with OpenRepeater software, open source. I had to access the pinouts from both radios to make a custom pig-tail cable to communicate with the controller and radio. That setup cost less than $200, worked very well. Was able to program CW or voice on any interval i needed and also had a busy option..

Sounds like a super clean install, also would like to see it! Check the attachments in your original post @dosw - it looks like you've attached files of some sort, but not photos so they are not showing up inline as pictures.

There are several sources. Setcom, PVP Communications. Planet Headset, Klein Electronics, Racing Electronics, Racing Radios, and Rugged Radios that specializes in various audio systems that may meet your application.

I don’t remember what company we used but ours attach to the inside of the helmet on both ears and have a mic that attaches to the front face guard. Has a wireless ptt button on the bars takes a little watch battery lasts about a year total Cost was like $30. They have so far lasted 5 years of every day hard use. Friends have rugged. They last them about 6 months of every other weekend riding.

I think the biggest difference between CB licensing and GMRS licensing is that CB Licenses were on paper and the reply was on paper and had to be stored in filing cabinet$ and someone had to be paid to handle all that paper and deposit the check and follow-up on bounced checks and returned mail, etc. My GMRS license was filed digitally, paid for digitally, and sent to me digitally. All on a Sunday (i.e. no human beings involved). Bits on a server are so cheap (not zero, but really cheap) that as long as people are willing to pay for a GMRS license, they'll take the money.

Put that baby on a mag mount and fire away on the roof top.... have mag mounts eith the knock off cheapo ghosts on both my vehicles, work absolutely great, my daily has the anytone 778uvII, and the fun truck has just a boofwang ar-5rm with a speaker mic and the mag mount antenna.... both get the job done good enough for me, granted the 25w 778uv does get out better thru the foliage this time of year than the fun truck....