All Activity

There is nothing wrong with any quality mobile 6-pack duplexer, such as the Celwave and EMR Corp. unit, if you are not using a cheap POS Pandaland duplexer. It all depends on how much power you are inserting into it and what type of RF environment the Duplexer has to live in for a mobile 6-pack to perform well. If the RF environment is a quiet environment, you will be very surprised on its performance and if it is in a RF Hell environment, such as a remote radio mountain top site, then that will be a problem and most likely will not work very well. If you're using a cheap POS Pandaland duplexer you have to replace the plastic inserts that are in the cavity ports practically every time you key the transmitter because they get burned out from the RF power.

That's what happens when unsophisticated users go radio shopping, they have little idea what they need, and what performance metrics translate into a good radio design. So, they go for the cheapest option. Then get disappointed with the poor quality in some cases and mediocre performance. With luck they find their way here where they can get some better opinions and radio options. I think the cheapest I've paid for a few of my mid range analog commercial radios was about $25, seller had no idea what they were selling or thought the radio was defective. At the upper end I've spent about $400 on a combo FM/DMR new Kenwood UHF HT. https://forums.mygmrs.com/gallery/image/263-tk-3170jpg/?context=new https://forums.mygmrs.com/gallery/image/290-nx-1300duk5/?context=new I do have experience programming a collection of radios. https://forums.mygmrs.com/gallery/image/249-my-radio-collection/?context=new The bug-a-boo with many of the commercial grade radios is finding the programming software. Personally myself I've had far better luck with Kenwood radios. I have a good size software archive of many of the older programming packages. I've had a harder time finding software for Motorola, and Icom radios.

I fully understand the intend. However the FCC's vision is more along the lines of personal, and family, use. Look at paragraph three on this FCC page. https://www.fcc.gov/wireless/bureau-divisions/mobility-division/general-mobile-radio-service-gmrs Further look at paragraph four on this FCC page about linking repeater systems under the "operations" tab. There is little reason why the average user would need to have access to linked repeater systems across the country. Now if one could convince the FCC that GMRS has evolved into a hobby type service, where such activity makes sense, they would likely state that's what the Armature Radio service was established to enable. The FCC has clamped down on linked repeaters lately. I think you'll have a difficult time changing their mind.

One time in San Francisco there was a moron who cross banded 146.550 to the SFPD --- Their dispatcher told us to get off their channel but it was they who were on our frequency (of course we refused to budge) - that guy was caught, but believe it or not, he was eventually able to get an amateur license - but we did not want to talk to him and ignored him.

The Celewave 0185417U05 Is A Good Quality Duplexer, & The Price Is Reasonable. They Can Go For As High As $1150 To $1250, But I Would Pay $500 To $600 For A Good 4 Cavity Used Duplexer With Similar Specs. The 250 Watt Rating Is Less Relevant For GMRS Use, But More Important Is The Isolation & Insertion Loss Specs Of The Duplexer. If You Want A Commercial Grade, Good Quality Duplexer, This Is A Great Choice. It Will Need To Be Tuned By Someone With A Service Monitor, As It Or Any Duplexer Is Specifically Tuned For A Single Pair Of Repeater Frequencies. A Duplexer Is One Of The Main Components Of Your Station - Don't Skimp Just For $$ If You Can Afford It.

We really don't need or in my case particularly want an agency like FEMA having any easier time dispensing questionable information during a disaster. I've started setting up a small network of folks in my neighborhood so we can communicate should something happen. I can't say I came up with the idea. A, sadly now deceased gentleman set up a phone tree in this area before I moved in 46 years ago. He was a HAM (started as a WWII Marine radioman). It sort of died as a lot of folks did as well. Now I'm the old guy, just using newer technology. By the way this was motivated by a home invasion where a neighbor and kid sat in terror as individuals broke in and ransacked the house. The 911 operator who kept promising the police would arrive soon convinced her to stay on the phone so she couldn't call anyone else for help.

For the very old or computer illiterate, long ago we had a thing call pen and paper. You could even get paper with lines already printed on it. I suppose one could just write down the call sign and name then refer back to the paper when needed. I know these are archaic ideas, but I'm old and slow. Oh by the way I am putting together a spreadsheet with all of the accessible repeaters in my area. It includes things like the owner/call sign, TX frequency and RX frequency, codes, plus other stuff I just found interesting. It's not complete yet, but if anyone in the Greater Los Angeles are is interested.

Then we simply agree to disagree. But just so you know my sanity has long been questioned.

I always recommend Haloid Solutions in NY for top quality Motorola equipment and beyond excellent service and integrity.

You definitely got lied to. Every channel is free to use. No one owns a channel or has a channel allocated to them. Law enforcement almost never uses these channels for official business and when they do, you still have as much right to use the frequency as they do. Most of the time, when FRS/GMRS is used by the government, it's not police. Its typically a civilian liaison acting as a go-between for U/SAR volunteers or volunteers working in support of some type of remote response to things like mass casualty incidents. I'm pretty sure you would know if there was a mass casualty incident close enough that you can hear another user directly.

I was hoping that it was someone messing around but being it’s my first GMRS I’m still trying to understand it. Just an old CB guy with new technology to me.

Nope I’m not a jerk I just speak truth that others don’t like. They like to live in a fantasy land. I like reality and I never listen to gimmicky ads from manufacturers. I also do lore home work then 99% of people. If you took the time to get to know me you would know that. But I’m no gender confused queen id say the first thing you did was buy a midland. Gullible! Second thing was to believe some moron on a gmrs frequency with a gmrs locked radio. Gullible. if it was me I’d make a police report and an fcc report. That’s what I would do. Anyone that knows me knows I’m a stickler for the rules/laws. That’s impersonating an officer. Next time ask for his name, badge number, call sign, and rank and record it on your phone. Then take that info the the local leo s

if we're being honest.. I've done that more than once.. But it was with little kids goofing on their radios so it's ok!

sounds like somthing that SOCAL guy would do

What you did wrong was believing some clown on a GMRS radio that was claiming to be the local police.. TL;dr .. he lied to you..

I just installed a midland mxt275 with midland nmo cable and 6db antenna. It’s on my jeep for trail runs but after the install I was using my SWR meter on channel 1 and after hitting the talk button to get a reading someone said get off this channel. I at first figured they were not talking to me. So I noted my meter reading and hit the button again to confirm the number on the meter. Someone again said this is the local police get off this channel. So I quickly changed channels and have been trying to understand what the heck did I do? After reading a bunch about GMRS I thought police did not use GMRS? How do I figure out what channels I can’t be on? Thanks

Not that meet your insanely specific, incorrectly used definition, no. Otherwise, no, we're definitely not in agreement

Probaly cant remove the antenna on that radios as well?

Gmrs is for using while doing an activity with people you already know. Ham is for making contacts. Why would you need a log book for strangers on Gmrs.

for us NON COMPUTER persons, would love for someone to share an excel or any spread sheet, writing everyone's calls, when I make contact is getting in to 2nd page, i'm too old to be trying to learn how to do this...any help would be greatful

RT has the history and reputation for quality software and it will always beat out both “free” manufacturers software and “free” Chirp! I keep a master programming list in Excel saved in the universal text format: CSV

Wow - Disappointing..... Thought We Would All Be A Little More Professional With Posts - Regardless Of Personal Input Thoughts & Opinions. Back To The Original Post With A Comment - I Personally Would Not Have An Interest In The Cobra Bubble Pack Unit, Due To The IP Rating & 2.5 Watt Output. The End.....

I mean, isn't that practically the definition of GMRS? We already have repeaters. Having some that can talk to each other on a more distance-friendly band isn't exactly a stretch... Imagine FEMA or some disaster-relief group being able to set up a small network of these things such that one or more GMRS channels are connected and reachable across a three county disaster area. Not for emergency responders, but for moms to figure out where their kids are, and churches and community Centers to tell neighborhood members they are open and receiving displaced/hungry/cold people! Three devices set up atop a few important hills would be a trivially cheap investment, and because the network is cross-band, even kiddie radios could have access in an emergency. Then you just hand out boxes of sub $10 radios to anyone who needs them. Or in normal use, local groups who want to be able to connect/coordinate over fairly large areas, like hunting/camping/search parties/storm watchers/etc. could set up a couple/three and stay in touch over tens of miles, rather than just miles. And no worry about people who don't want/need to get ham licenses, because now, they only have to spend 3-5 hours finding some forms to fill out at the FCC and some cash.

A little family history. My great, great grandfather seventeen generations back on my mom's side was the Chief of the Zamboni tribe in Malawi. Does that mean anything to anybody? I don't think it should. Bottom line, we are all members of the human race and there's no need for all this pigeon holing and placing people in irrelevant boxes. Just my opinion.

He did that already, a while back - he had his account deleted and asked the forum owner to delete all of his posts - my guess is because his callsign was showing and he realized that he was embarrassed to have people find out about who/what he really is.. where he works (if he even has a job).. where he lives (or where his parents house is, with him in the basement).. I think Sir Steven Shannon, H.E.R.D., et al, got it right.. the only attention he gets in life is here when he acts like an idiot, so the best thing to do is ignore him and stop talking about him (startinggggg... NOW)..