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So basically you paid to have a radio installed in your truck…..and your happy. cliff notes version. The rest I’m going to leave alone. It’s too easy.

I think what we need are two lawyers on the forum. They can both read the rules then explain them in layman's terms. After which they can spend eternity arguing whose interpretation is correct (yea, two lawyers can't ever agree on what laws mean, how can we mere mortals).

E-1 pay in 74 was 397 per. ETS'd as an SP4 at the 505 per month. For those that care, my MOS was 98G2LAEK3/05H2LAEK3. But was also put on Temp as a 95B when I was guarding the SCIF as there weren't enough MP's with clearances to do the gig.

As I've posted previously, I have a Wouxun KG-UV980P, which is physically identical to the KG-1000G but with different configuration (one is ham, the other is GMRS). This post also covers installation of a KG-1000G Plus, since its hardware is substantially similar. I've been using the KG-UV980P for a couple weeks loosely installed (wires connected but nothing routed or bracketed in) to test it out. I started down the path of installing it myself, but in the end decided to go with a professional installation since the interior of my truck is too clean for amateurish work, which I would certainly achieve. My vehicle is a 2014 F150 Lariat Super Crew 6.2L v8 6.5' bed. The center console is pretty packed, but there was one area near the bottom that seemed like a possible fit for the radio's faceplate. A nice feature of the KG-UV980P, KG-UV950P, KG-1000G, and KG-1000G Plus is that they have a detachable, remote faceplate. You can install the face plate on the radio, or remotely, where it must be fed with a wire that looks like (but isn't) a Cat-6 cable. This allows for cleaner installation options. Here's a big thanks to Innovative Audio in Sandy, UT, who performed the installation better than I had asked for. It wasn't cheap, but they did great work. The equipment: KG-UV980P. Diamond stainless antenna mount for 2009-2014 F150. Diamond low profile NMO connector with integrated cable. Laird TE B4505CN antenna (no ground plane required). This is a 5dBi gain antenna designed to work in no-ground-plane or poor-ground-plane applications. And some custom brackets that Innovative came up with. I also have a dual-band UHF/VHF no-ground-plane antenna that I swap in for 2m/70cm use (Diamond NR770HBNMO). Pictures attached. You'll see the faceplate mounted at the base of the center console. The base unit is mounted behind the glove box amid a rat's nest of other stuff. I have no idea how they got it in there. In one picture you can almost see the PL259 connector. I asked them to leave the data cable attached, which they did, and it is routed into the glove box. The antenna cable and power cable are routed nicely through the firewall together. And Anderson connectors are found inline between the battery and the radio's power cable so that I can disconnect it easily. The mic is mounted adjacent to the face plate. Despite the radio being installed behind the glove box, I can still hear its speakers very well. But additionally, this radio's mic has a built-in speaker. I have both set to work simultaneously, and the sound quality is just fine. Pictures below.... 1cI1Cuc82OIORIht0KruyUfotMt1kqC1I 1cLFpEks6_8DufPIbSFfuGwKOO11HDnoX 1caXVXEhv35By5zxZhs2UqwlHCUbx9_dK 1cadyxIWJrQNf8rf3bExVYhzRID5-1NyG 1cbh71eF_FLX1_D4v4IcoMmvyvufTHAJb 1cgTii_W1wld9AT7flXwwz7DYh5Vdmluw 1cGr3mvQB-ZRAhteXc_-nAsVcs0fZzIud 1cHj38upff9q-yR4LPVuWSEoLViG8STiv 1d-wlBEY01CxzogRPtfn0XIZ2bs5ld8FQ 1d5SM3-n9paG2-63xu0Drj7gh7UCxwWA7 1d-JS6oOMGi5bFvcuDi1bns29dcuCeqgy

My personal preference is to use the official factory software where possible. That's really important for commercial radios. CHIRP is nice, but for every radio it supports the developers have to reverse engineer the code plug layout and communications protocol with the radio. When it works, great. The one issue with Chirp is it may not always give you access to all of the radio's features. For that the only choice is the factory software.

You can always change it later. Once you drill a hole, well that's not going away if you change your mind. I had a buddy who messed up his measurement when he drilled a hole for his NMO mount in the roof of his old van. It got into one of the support beams on the underside. He ended up putting a plug in the hole he couldn't use and drilled a new hole over a bit. We kidded him for a while asking to see the Band-Aid on his Boo-Boo. Oh, if you do end up at some point drilling a hole. Be absolutely sure you use the right hole saw. The wrong one will really mess up the roof.

DMR is defiantly a different game, which I have never used RT or Chirp to do since my Hytera CPM does it well. Right now the only DMR radios i have is Hytera and mostly because i like their overall package and ease of using their CPM. Not to mention some very good deals i've gotten on Ebay....

Chirp does remarkably well for being non-commercial software. If it was available for all of my radios I might never have switched to RT Systems. And I will not say that RT Systems has worked perfectly. I’ve run across a few problems with RT Systems when programming DMR code plugs, which admittedly is an order of magnitude more complicated than typical analog radios. But their DMR calculator makes it much easier and when I have had a problem I have been very impressed by RT Systems willingness to thoroughly discuss and understand every issue that I have reported. Having RT Systems available for my db20g radios really made the difference for me though. I really like this radio and Chirp isn’t available for this radio.

I haven't seen a cigarette lighter in new vehicles since around 2002-2005 time frame.

RT is defiantly easer to use but considering the amount of time, at least for me, you spend on programing, i can get things done almost as fast in CHIRP. I'm not a fan of the Wouxun software either but it does do everything needed. I don't use much of either anymore since i use mostly Hytera stuff now. Their CPM is extremely easy to use and learn and very powerful. I have a couiple Motorloa radios, which i like but never could get my hands around their CPM..

I agree with Gil (wruu653). I’m curious what you disagree about. Do you disagree that the conditions of clauses must both be true (the literal and logical meaning word “and” at the end of the first clause), otherwise the repeater must transmit station identification? Do you disagree with our interpretation that the condition of the first clause is satisfied only if the people using the repeater are people using the license of the repeater owner? Literally “stations operating under the authority of the individual license under which it operates”. Do you disagree that the condition of the second clause is satisfied only if all people using the repeater follow the rules regarding identifying when they use the repeater? Or do you disagree on some other basis? Enhanced Content - Paragraph Tools URL https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-47/part-95#p-95.1751(c) Citation 47 CFR 95.1751(c) : c. Any GMRS repeater station is not required to transmit station identification if: (1) It retransmits only communications from GMRS stations operating under authority of the individual license under which it operates; and, (2) The GMRS stations whose communications are retransmitted are properly identified in accordance with this section.

Well, to be fair, the Midland GMRS radios that I've used or investigated don't have very much to set up and configure. Each frequency is one channel. You cannot have the same frequency on more than one channel. That means you cannot have two repeaters configured for the same frequency, but with different tones. No channel naming, they're just very simple but reliable. To me the downside is the cost; you pay *more* for the simplicity.

it's kind of funny with GMRS compared to HAM Radio like WIN or PAPA. The later being busy every single day almost every min of the hour.. GMRS on the other hand, at least in my area and places i frequent while camping, has it's cycles. Some days the spectrum is busy as heck and scanning will drive you nuts and other days it's so quite you begin to think your radio is broke. My repeater can go weeks with zero traffic then all of a sudden its a mad house, it sounds like grand central station. There is even a young crowd that come and go on my repeater, every once in a while they get on and zabber having fun then their gone but they always seem to come back. On the HAM side with PAPA and WIN, it's like wait your turn so can can speak. I prefer using GMRS becasue i dont line the pressure of following the HAM zargin. They like things done their way or you can't play, but i respect that.

I haven't paid the RT price, so I don't know what I'm missing there. CHIRP has been adequate for my needs, and I find that it does control all the settings I can think of for the KG-UV980P, as well as for my other radios (UV-5G, AR-5RM, RA87). There are things I don't like about it's UI: Copying, moving, pasting, cursor movement.... some things are just not quite as easy to use as a typical spreadsheet. But it works and is reliable. And it's community driven so new radios show up pretty quickly. I did try the Wouxun software and didn't care for it.

Ahh I guess you’re right there. It’s a 12V accessory port, not a functional cig port.

I’m running the MXTA25 ghost on a hood-hinge mount on the passenger side. Absolutely not the best location for it RF-wise, but it was the best spot for me since I wasn’t prepared to drill the cab roof. I’ve been testing it out the past few days w an AT-778UVII at ~5/15/25W and it’s done remarkably well. Granted, it does better when I’m pointed at what I’m talking to since it has the passenger A-pillar behind it. My radiation pattern is a bit wonky due to where that antenna sits. But I’m happy with this so far. I’ve been able to get into repeaters with low watts at distance so it’s working for me, despite the non-optimal config.

Is it an actual cigarette lighter port or is it a powder accessory port? There is a difference between the two. A cigarette lighter will have prongs inside to hold the lighter in while it heats up while an accessory port does not have the prongs.

My current 2021 Tacoma has one. And my 2013 328i had two believe it or not lol But agreed, cig ports are a dying breed and not a reliable source of clean wattage.

That's definitely a downside, perhaps even a deal-breaker, IMO.

Sorry, But I Don't Agree With Your Interpretation Of Part 95.1751 (c). #2 - GMRS Stations (Not Operating Under The Individual License) (Other GMRS Stations) Are Properly Identified For The Retransmitted (Repeater) Communications. The Words "If" & "And" Are Key To Understanding The Rule, That's Why It's Very Self Explanitory.

Ask away. That's literally one of the reasons this site exists. I'm always happy to answer questions it I can.

GMRS doesn't get a lot of use in central Oklahoma, at least on repeaters. It's not completely abandoned, and there are several repeaters, but they're not usually too busy. One in Oklahoma City gets steady but not overwhelming usage during the workday because someone uses it for their business, but it's a brief conversation every 15 minutes or so. I occasionally hear someone on simplex in the more urban areas, and FRS gets a lot of use by construction crews and store staff, but the range is so short that it's hardly noticeable. I'm sure it's different in more heavily populated parts of the country, but at least here, GMRS is a good communication option for many of us.

When I went on jump status in 1978, it was $50/month. In 1978, that wasn't huge, but it was significant.

Nothing except the fact that most of the people who want/need an FRS radio aren't "radio people" and don't even understand the need for programming. Most will just give up if faced with the necessity to do more than push the button and talk. Admittedly, it's not a very high bar, but it does make some difference.

My repeater is not open. It is only used for my ranch & range. I have gave permission only to a few other ranchers near me and the owners of leased land for the cattle. Every time the range is hot the range officer broadcast that. When it is cold too. It's a safety thing.