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Using a Laird 460-470 5.0 db omni base antenna and 1/2 inch Andrew Hardline for nearly a decade. No issues ever. https://www.theantennafarm.com/catalog/laird-technologies-fg4605-8029

I was only speaking from experience, in no way am I trying to bash anybody's setup. The original poster asked for an opinion and I offered mine. I have 3 Tram/Browning omni sticks in the garage, all 3 are junk. If you connect them to a spectrum analyzer with a VSWR bridge to measure return loss and resonance in the GMRS spectrum you would see what I am talking about. Your analogy of how far you can talk with an HT connected to one is no true measure of its performance. Just for fun I connected my XPR HT to my DB-404 @ 30 feet and was able to work repeaters 35 to 45 miles away on just 2 watts of power, with coax and connector loss I figured less then 1W at the antenna. As an owner of several GMRS repeaters and a commercial UHF system I am speaking by real world experience. My best advice to anybody getting into this hobby is don't be cheap with the antenna or feed line as it is the number one factor excluding height that will effect your overall performance. Corey https://mwgmrs.com

Since no one on the MyGMRS staff is an attorney, this reply is solely based upon FCC wording and common interpretation in Part 95 Section 1705. ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Subpart ( a)( 2): " Any person that holds a valid individual license is eligible to obtain a renewed license, or a modified license to reflect a change of name or address. If the original license holder is deceased, he or she is no longer eligible to renew or modify. Subpart (b ): "Individual licensee responsibility. The holder of an individual license to operate GMRS stations is responsible at all times for the proper operation of the stations in compliance with all applicable rules in this part. If the individual license holder is deceased, he or she can no longer be "responsible at all times for the proper operation or compliance." Therefore, under the wording in Section 1705 as listed above, and other applicable licensee responsibilities that can not be fulfilled if the original licensee is deceased, the license most likely becomes void upon the licensee's passing and another family member would have to apply for an FRN as well as a NEW license and allow family members to operate under that NEW license. The FCC ULS Office can be reached initially by calling 1-888-CALL-FCC and then asking for the ULS Information Desk. Discuss the situation with the agent and they will be able to give information about proper FCC procedures in this case.

So if I was in this hobby before, I really am now. A few days ago I realized I could hear a repeater I didnt think I would be able to since its quite a ways away. It was on the 725 frequency I had the travel tone programmed in. To satisfy my curiosity I keyed up on my Motorola and broadcast my callsign. To my amazement the repeater keyed up and I came though clear enough for others on it to understand me and quickly inform me I was using the wrong tone. The owner happened to be on the air and gave me his phone number. One phone call later and I learned the correct tone so I fixed that issue and I learned where it was physically located. On a Mountain at 5500 feet ASL with 50 watts. Im approx 1100 feet ASL. But heres the kicker. I went on Google Earth and found the decommissioned microwave tower they have the antenna hung on. I measured it as about 56 miles from my house. I still can barely believe it. Im inside my house, with a 4 watt handheld and while its not the best signal for sure I can still hold a conversation with others on the repeater no problem. I actually have worse reception with two local repeaters just a few miles away. Its been just plain fun getting on the repeater and getting to know the group using it and chatting with them.

Hello all, WRAQ769 here and I thought just to wake everyone up I would make my first post into an old, outdated thread just to work on my typing skills! LOL... I'm disabled and type via the one handed "Hunt and Peck" method. I'm sure that this thread being as old as it is, nothing that I post here will ne of any importance or earth shaking news of any sort. The UV-82HP is what I like to call a true "Hybrid", a best of both worlds to speak between the UV-5 series and the UV-82 series. JIMDOC asked what the major differences were between the UV-82C and the UV-82HP? The MAJOR difference is the Tri-Power ability of the UV-82HP, and for the FCC fans (supporters) the UV-82C is is FCC Part 90 compliant due to its ability to Transmit on Narrowband (12.5kHz) and Wideband (25kHz). And if my old tired memory serves me right, I believe that it is / was the only Baofeng model to have that illustrious distinction. I could be wrong, at least my wife says I'm wrong pretty much all of the time! My wife and I both use the UV-82 HP for monitoring local HAM chatter around our area (while we are studying to get or "Technicians class ticket and we use our GMRS-V1's for chatting from our local race car track to our base / mobile units because cell phone coverage is non-existent down in that bowl of a valley. I thought about programming the UV-82HP's to use on the GMRS / FRS (thus eliminating the need for the GMRS-V1 units BUT because the UV-82HP are NOT FCC certified for that use (the GMRS-V1's are FCC certified (Part 95A) for use on GMRS frequencies, AND the GMRS-V1 is also FCC certified for VHF/UHF scanning capabilities (Part 15B)...) we opted to get the GMRS-V1 units just to be on the safe side! I truly don't know why I was concerned with being "LEGAL" if the FCC's eyes because I've been a mavrick of non-compliance almost all of my life! Go figure, it must be old age catching up with me... We love the UV-82 series over the UV-5 series radios that we have tried just because it feels better in our hands. Some say it's too small but we think it's JUST RIGHT! Plus we liked the ability ot get the UV-82's in some other colors rather then just the standard "BLACK" option. I went with the "Camo" unit and my wife went with the "YELLOW" unit because she is a Paramedic" and the yellow case stands out like nobodies business wherever she chooses to set it down. They FEEL sturdier (build wise) than the UV-5 units. I have drop tested my UV-82HP unit "AT LEAST" 20 times (remember, I'm disabled) and other than a few cosmetic scratches on the battery shell the UV-82HP continues to work perfectly, the battery life is extremely acceptable for our current usage and when tested with the upgraded genuine dual band "NAGOYA NA-717" Antenna, she has NO ISSUES reaching out to key up one of our local repeaters 12 miles away on "LOW" power. Well, enough for my first post to the group. I am mostly a "lerker", I like to hangout in the corner and just listen and learn. But I have been know to speak up and stir the pot every once in awhile! Thanks for adding me to the group and I look forward to getting more involved in this radio addiction as time goes on. Thanks, bulldog89801 (a.k.a. Bill) WRAQ769 Elko, Nevada