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No, but that’s a myopic view. The U.S. government has regulations against conducting radio communications on the U.S. side of the border that violate international treaties that they have with other countries. So even though the communications you actually interfere with are in Canada, you can be penalized on the U.S. side.

I was checking repeaters today to see which ones I could hit and got into a repeater net gathering. The controller was a nice guy and very welcoming. There was a few of us on and we played a game of "Appliance Operator or HAM?" where we were given a scenario and ask if it was something an Appliance Operator would do or a HAM. Anyway, that was my first contact on HAM and it was fun. Just wanted to share with ya'll.

a long time ago i shelled out some good money ($45) for a Comet (i don't remember the model) HT dual band antenna. I never was able to ascertain the difference between that and the standard stock antenna. I gave up spending money on HT antennas and just use what came with the radio.. And honestly, considering they are HT's never been dissatisfied .

If you choose not to comply with regulations that’s your choice, but it’s wrong to belittle someone else who does a good job of explaining the regulations to someone who might not understand them.

It is perfectly legal to us GMRS radio in aircraft over the US and it's territories. I have talked to a friend of mine while in a private plane. I was mobile in Woodbridge Virginia and they were flying as far away as 47 miles from my location.

But really, you have two repeaters that are only 4 miles apart in the flattest state in the union and they’re on the same frequency. They’re going to interfere with each other. Use just one and get the antenna up another 40 feet.

Many people use the Midland models that are fully water/dust proof and have the built-in intercom port/plugs in them. They also have a simple screen and simple controls (only 1 or 2 knobs) - which is useful when plowing through vegetation and animal habitats at unsafe speeds while drinking beer with the music blasting at full volume.

With me, and I'm not sure how guilty I may be, but if I do it's habit. A habit, because it's required on my work radio. It's only natural that some of those habits follow me. In my case, I'm usually checking for warrants. CCSD -Britt

The issues are the constitutionality of deportation without due process, presumption of guilt (again failure to abide by the constitutional requirements of due process), wholesale “roundups” at locations based on “Hispanic presence”, etc. I would go further except I wish to respect the forum rules against debating politics. And don’t get me wrong; I wish to see actual criminals and criminal behavior punished after due process. But none of those issues imply that a person who disagrees with you and your beliefs is stupid. In fact many of them are pretty intelligent.

Look, anyone can post two web links and ask which is best. It’s the laziest way to post. But without explaining exactly what you mean by “best” nobody can give you a serious answer. Now had you explained what model of Laird antenna you had and that you think it might require a ground plane, people would be able to give you a serious answer to your question. So, why don’t you try again. I might not have the answer and if I don’t I won’t act like I do, but at least you won’t look like an entitled idiot.

No because i mounted the antenna on my chimney.

You haev to first go to the REPEATERS section of the website (for whatever reason the shared user account is kind of - separated between the forums area and the repeaters section) Click the Repeaters menu at the top menu. find the Edit Profile menu on the right under your profile log in (if you are not logged in in the repeaters area .. log in first.) In that Edit Profile edit screen you can change your username and then hit the Save Profile button at the bottom of the screen.

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

Our neighborhood (HOA) sent an email announcing the frequency to be used. Simple, if you can compile an email list.

In 1970 my mom thought One Toke Over The Line by Brewer & Shipley was a church song (we didn't go to church). While I didn't partake back then, and still don't, I had to explain it to her. I really thought she was joking. She was not.

We know, but you told us that you didn’t need to be told about the FCC rules.

It’s frequency based. For VHF such as 2 meters it’s actually 0.600 MHz offset and it can be either plus or minus. For UHF such as GMRS or 70 cm it’s 5.00 MHz and for the ham frequencies it can be plus or minus, but for GMRS the FCC put the repeater input frequencies in the regs. The frequency that’s given is always the frequency that the repeater transmits and your radio receives. For the frequency your radio transmits you apply the offset. You uplink (transmit) to the repeater and you downlink (receive) from the repeater. You really will pick it up. You’re doing great. It’s just that the fire hose is so big right now. Edited to add: most of the better ham radios automatically select the correct offset value based on frequency, but sometimes you have to override the direction.

Its cute that it's taken you this long to realize this fact.

I'm reading this thread, thinking the same thing.... while wearing this shirt...

Ok, I've got Zoom set up and I've taken the Practice Test a couple more times, Scored 32/35 and 34/35. I think I'm ready. Just need to set up a time to take the test remotely.

You know, every radio is illegal, if you use it wrong enough...

For our rocket launches I am the LCO (launch control officer) who announces the launch, counts down, and then presses the launch button. The LCO is required to be able to command the attention of the spectators. I’m also the guy who has his mobile GMRS station setup there with a battery so I can talk to the the rocketeers who have walked out on the range to recover their previously launched rockets. It would be great if I could use the GMRS station as a PA.

I agree that it is courteous to ask for permission to use open repeaters. But it's definitely not required. As the custodian of our GMRS repeater that is open, I always try to approve requests to use our repeater when I receive them. If they are courteous enough to ask then I will be courteous enough to grant permission quickly.

I'm glad I can help! Definitely my pleasure. We do still use 73 to send someone Best Wishes... it's much appreciated, and 73 to you too, my friend. Looking forward to following along with your most recent radio journey!

They either mean what they say when they label it open or it’s not really open. I would use it without seeking permission but if you get a chance contact the owner to say thanks.

Yes. get them at least 50 feet apart and try again.

To limit range. FRS is intended to be used for short distances using handheld radios and no licenses. As soon as a high gain antenna is installed the range for two watts is basically the same as GMRS radios.

According to the FCCs, if you are using a GMRS radio, no matter what channel you are on, the answer is YES.. In the real world, and knowing that nobody listening cares, the FCCs dont care, and nobody will know what kind of radio you are using, the answer is NO.

It might seem pedantic, but if you’re on channel 19 on a 95E certified radios, you can’t transmit to the repeater. If you can’t transmit to the repeater it’s not a repeater channel.

The short answer is no, though @OffRoaderX is making a push for 19. He is probably the most influential and well-known person in the GMRS space. If any one person has a shot at impacting the culture, it would be him. You are going to hear a lot of people mention channel 20 with tone 141.3... but that is a little misleading. I'll try to make this painless, but this is the long answer. The original 'distress' frequency was 462.675, aka channel 20. This was by FCC rule... but that doesn't exist anymore. After the rule change got rid of the official distress frequency/channel, Popular Wireless and the Personal Radio Association came up with the idea of the Open Repeater Initiative (ORI). It was originally repeater channel 20 with 141.3 for the tone. They called 141.3 the "travel tone" They spread the word that if you have a repeater on channel 20 and are willing to let people use it with no special permission, as a courtesy to travelers, use the tone 141.3. As time went on, people started using the "travel tone" on their repeaters, regardless of what channel the repeater was on, for the same reason. So, 141.3 became know as the "travel tone" for repeaters, in general. However, with the fall of Popular Wireless and the Personal Radio Association, the adaptation of 141.3 on any repeater channel for open repeaters, and no central group helping maintain the tradition of a travel/emergency channel, the ORI vanished pretty quickly. So, there is still an informally recognized "travel tone" for repeaters, but there really isn't any "travel channel" per se. I feel like you have just about the same likelihood of finding people to chat with or making contact in an emergency on every channel by trying all of the repeater channels with 141.3 as the transmit tone (no receive tone squelch). I wouldn't use simplex unless I was traveling as part of a group and we all agree to use a specific channel. Hope that wasn't too long.

All the cool-kids use GMRS Ch19..

As a relatively new member, my experience with @SteveShannon couldn't be more opposite.

95.307…Operation of Personal Radio Service stations in any location outside of those described in the following paragraphs is not authorized by this part. (B)Aboard any vessel or aircraft registered in the United States. With the permission of the captain, while the vessel or aircraft is within or over the United States or its territories, U.S. territorial waters, or upon or over international waters. So, it appears it’s allowed.

Truly, the only solution that makes sense is to establish a local organization so they can prepare. If you wait for the need to present itself you’re never going to catch up. That’s like trying to teach a drowning person how to swim. As far as the concern that bad people can read, wouldn’t you want them to? Maybe they’ll go somewhere else.

I was in our electronics lab once working on a project. Some mention was made about drunks on the street. I referred to them as "Stumble Bums." Well I got one of those "WTF is that" looks. Makes you feel old.

Sweet Jesus ...

That's a nice neat installation! I like it when people post stuff like this. Good material to reference for ideas.

One for a go box and one for the car or one for the house, etc. You can never have too many radios.

Just finished my test, 34 out of 35. I'm a HAM, LOL.

I went on HamStudy.org last night and took a few practice tests. I finally got one where I was 26/35 which I guess would be passing. The electronics part is easy for me(Electronic Tech Degree, DeVry)but some of the legal stuff and other "HAM" stuff was a toss up. I'm sure with a bit of study I could pass. Thanks for the link.

More like less than 0.0000000001% chance - and its not a belief, its a fact that anyone can look up on the FCC website, which lists every enforcement the FCC has done for the last ~15 years. NO - It does not appear that the FCC monitors GMRS YES - Disgruntled and very "sad" hams do report violators to the FCC, but the FCC does not appear to care based on the record of enforcements PROBABLY a lot of clubs monitoring, but see the points above because it doesn't matter

..we will reserve judgement for now. With a UV9g, you dont need to think about the offset - these are the basic steps: Put the radio on the correct REPEATER CHANNEL - Probably listed as either "Repeater 20" or Channel 28 Go into the Transmit CTC menu and enter the tone IGNORE/REMOVE the Receive tone as it is optional and at this point its only going to add to your confukulation Be sure to save all your changes (you may need to resort to the manual) Push the talk-button and talk, let go of button and listen for the Kerchunk/Static back from the repeater, or someone responding If it doesn't work then either you have the wrong channel, the tone is wrong, you are not close enough to the repeater (just because you can hear it does not mean it can hear you) or the repeater is down/broken/offline. The fact that you said you "have the offset" leads me to surmise that you've done it wrong.

I thought that when you buy a UTV/SidebySide it was in the purchase contract that you must turn up the over-powered stereo volume to full-blast whenever within 5000 yards of other people trying to enjoy nature.

No. Getting a bigger/better antenna and/or getting it higher will help more.

I don't understand what the confusion is. 95.335(a) clearly says that an exception must be listed in the applicable subpart and Subpart E for GMRS does not have any exceptions listed. How is this a debate?

Listing a repeater as "open" is typically taken to mean no permission is required. However, politeness is never out of style, and there's no harm in contacting the owner to say thanks.

Many of us have used hand held radios with an external antenna with good results. As others have said, getting the antenna outside of the vehicle is the biggest improvement you can make. Adaptor cables that go from SO239 to SMA are cheap and make connecting an external antenna to most hand held radios easy to do.

Nope, nope, nope not going to even look

I want to thank all of you for you help. I fiddle with my cable bit and tried the Radioddity UV-5G setting and it worked. WSJF239