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OK got it - I was using some info from a local radio club but it specified the repeater info incorreclty. Thanks

I'll add to what Steve posted. Here is a link showing the only authorized channels for GMRS. https://www.buytwowayradios.com/blog/2022/11/list-of-gmrs-frequencies-and-channels.html You can't just pick any frequency between 462 MHz and 467 MHz and use them on GMRS. You have to stick with the designated channels. Midland radios will not transmit on anything other than designated GMRS channels. I have yet to see anyone hack a Midland radio.

Those are not inclusive endpoints to a GMRS band. The only frequencies you are allowed to transmit on with your GMRS license are specified in the regulations: https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-47/chapter-I/subchapter-D/part-95/subpart-E/section-95.1763

GMRS frequencies are 462 MHz and 467 MHz so these frequencies I mentioned are withing that range.

463.200 is not a GMRS frequency. The MXT500 is a GMRS radio. Midland is pretty good about abiding by the GMRS frequency requirements. It’s highly unlikely you will be able to transmit on any non-GMRS frequency.

I don't believe anyone has edited the firmware to push beyond the GMRS operating band range of the MXT500 radio. In most cases, It would be easier and cheaper just to acquire a Part 90 radio such as a Kenwood TK880 or TK8180 radio.

I am trying to specify a receive frequency of 462.7000 and transmit frequency of 463.2000 on my Midland MXT500 using their PC programming software. I can specify any receive frequency but the transmit frequencies are only pre-specified via a pull-down list for regular channels, and I can't seem to edit the repeater channel frequencies at all. Larry

I had 2 of the 17 Pro GPS radios and while I could get them programmed with the modified software the batteries would drain overnight. Something in the radio would cause a full power battery to glitch to half then back up to full so something wasn't right.

I am very new to GMRS, the reason I got into this is because I like camping and it seems like a lot of campers use radios. I got my license and bought 2 hand held units. I have 2 Tidradio TD-H3 units, I am trying to program a local repeater (Pike Peak) I have the frequency 462.67500, and the tone 141.3 hz, I have also added the offset. I did this before and when I pressed the PTT button I got a morse code back from the repeater. After messing around with my radios for a while I decided to reset the radio and add more repeaters for a trip I am planning to take over the Olympic forest. I am using ODMASTER on both my phone and computer to program the radio units, I tried CHIRP but my computer does not have a USB A port, and my adapters dont seem to work with CHIRP. Now, I dont get a beep back from the repeater, could be that its down, I have actually driven to be about a quarter of a mile from the repeater and I believe its in line of sight and still get nothing back. I did note that when I press the PTT button the frequency changes to 467.675 as it should. I am using the TD-771 antenna on my radio (not sure that is the correct one to use). And if I have both radios on hand, I can see that sometimes when pressing the PTT on radio 1, the other (radio 2) receives signal, but nothing comes through in form of sound, it just springs into life and shows the little green arrow that indicates its receiving signal. And also, regardless of what is in the other BAND on radio 2 (receiving radio), can be a GRMS simplex channel, static comes through after a couple of seconds of holding the PTT button on radio 1. Can this just be interference? Am I doing something wrong? can it be that the repeater is just down? am I missing something in the programing? (I have tried programing with ODMASTER and on the device itself and get the same results). Both radios have the TD 771 antenna that came with them installed, I can switch to the smaller antenna (UHF:400-470 MHz) that also came with the radios but I get the same result. I have tested the radios by using simplex channels and they work up to 3-4 miles away. And I can hear people on other simplex channels.

Does anyone have either of these and if so how well do they work? I've heard big praise for the BF-F8HP Pro but not much about the UV-28. Both are supposed to have GPS. Any info ya'll can give would be much appreciated.

Randy's antenna is between 0' and 45,000' at or above sea level. This is why he gets to look down on we lowly peasants from his ivory tower on that glowing hillside somewhere between Seattle and Baja.

i had a plate that came with my Surecom and lost it somewhere. Never used it. In fact, i have never bothered to check SWR on my HT's.. They are designed to withstand high SWR in various conditions.. I wouldn't worry about it. You would probaly spend more for a plate than another Baofeng Radio anyway

Welcome! and, just FYI - if you plan on using that plate for measuring the SWR on handheld antennas, dont bother. Even with the plate, you will never get a true/accurate SWR reading that reflects how the antenna will perform when used on the handheld. Some say this is why they stopped including the (virtually useless) plates with the meter.

Welcome to the forum!

Ok thank you for your time and help with my being new

Yes, but it’s not crucial; use whatever thickness he has.

Okay nubie time I bought a shortcom Sw102 swr meter it did not come with the grounding plate I have a friend who works in a metal shop going to ask him to make one for me but I would like to know is what does the one by 1 mm mean for that plate is that the thickness of the metal

How so? I think he gave an accurate description of terrain and and other obstacles play a key role in distance and performance. It's totally and other foolish and breaks every terrestrial and celestial boundary of human stupidity to think otherwise.

It's only relevant on "high site" antennas - those mounted on hill tops and peaks. For a repeater in an urban/suburb area it's best thought of as a control station rather than a repeater.

If given both elevation and antenna height (along with distance and bearing) it is absolutely relevant. It's foolish to claim otherwise.

It's because it really is irrelevant. Unless they give you height above terrain, it means nothing. Even then, unless you're familiar with the topography of the land, it can mean very little. My antenna is 40 foot above ground. However my elevation, while not bad for 'the area' is bad for my exact area, as everything around me is taller. Found a house we loved, if only it'd been on a mountain, or at least not in depression by a river. I can run 40 watts, or 100 (only in testing) and my distance is maintained. My next hope is to buy an old tree trimming truck, and turn it in to a tower lol.

Not very far from my experience. At one end of the super store it comes in pretty bad. I'm not running an airband antenna though, just a 771G. I can hear them out in the parking lot pretty clear and at times I've heard them at my house which is about 1.25 miles by way of crow. But that's rare.

What's the typical range on these Walmart transmissions? The one close to me is 4-5 miles. I can get 2m simplex from someone who lives near it. If Walmart uses an antenna on the roof I might be able to receive it. I used to get Dollar Gen. distribution center 10 miles away on 460 business band (not where I live now). The highway flagmen here use FRS/GMRS frequencies without callsigns. Whether they're using FRS radios though is questionable based on range and signal strength.

Smart man! That's a really nice setup you have. You bought a V71a, the best dual band radio in the history of amateur radio. As for antennas, get the PulseLarsen NMO2/70BLarsen for the V71a and a simple 1/4 wave NMO mount for GMRS and you will be extremely happy. https://www.hamradio.com/detail.cfm?pid=H0-000565

Toss the old hardware in the trash and load all your radio programming software in a virtual machine on a late model PC using the appropriate OS,whether 32 or 64 bit, and save yourself a lot of heartache. All radio professionals do it this way as time is money and they are intelligent and refuse to dick around with all these unnecessary problem.