Leaderboard

I've tried several methods to learn the code in the past. I got enough of it with the old tapes to get through the Tech Plus test when it still had 5wpm code on it, and then General a few years later. Extra, though, was after they got rid of the requirement. But I forgot most of my code because I didn't use it. I've tried online stuff, programs, pocket tutors, you name it. The only thing that got me to learn my code well was taking the free courses from CWOps, their CW Academy. It takes a while, because it's an actual class held online, and each class is like 9-10 weeks, twice a week for an hour or so, with daily practice. But it's FREE. You have to sign up in advance and wait for an opening, but I found that it's worth it. Or you can check out the Long Island CW Club. They're VERY good, and have a more individual online training, and work into getting you practicing on the air with a code buddy. I thought about it and decided on CWAcademy, but your mileage may vary. As far as software goes to decode Morse, the best one I've ever used was good old CWGet. You do have to pay for it, but it's cheap and it's worth it. It's the most accurate and the most unobtrusive decoder I have. It's better than the one in my KX3, and that's going some. You can see what CW Academy is about here: https://cwops.org/cw-academy/ Long Island CW Club is here: https://longislandcwclub.org/ 73, Gwen, NG3P

Pretty! It looks like I can have my amateur woodworking questions answered here? Before I was going to motorcycle forums for that kind of advice.

That is excellent first-hand discovery on your part indeed. What you’ve discovered is that design of an antenna can make it work well on multiple frequency ranges and this is very, very common. Consider the worst antenna of them all, the rubber duck. The ones used with an amateur portable radio for example. These antennas allow the radio to service the VHF and UHF frequencies nearing 145MHz and 445MHz. Coincidentally, these are separated by approximating 3:1 ratio. You most certainly have heard the term ‘wavelength’. One man’s 1/4 wavelength antenna is another man’s 1/2 wavelength or 5/8 wave antenna. Same length of radiator, serving different frequencies. While one length may not work as well on one frequency as it does on another it does indeed work. MURS and GMRS frequencies are separated by an approx 3:1 ratio also. So don’t be surprised to find a GMRS antenna that works well on MURS too. So how do you know? If the manufacturer does not tell you, you can test it yourself. Recently I was watching some YouTube videos of folks using their antenna analyzers to scan the response of their antennas to find all the frequencies ranges the antenna served well. The recent popularity of the NanoVNA makes it possible for the technically inclined to scan their antenna and discover where it performs best. Again, Nice Find. Michael WRHS965 KE8PLM Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

You're just not using enough heat sinking. 100% duty cycle or bust!

Current Rules DO ADDRESS "Fixed Stations" - and the Part 90 definition may not be accurate for Part 95 purposes. Refer to Part 95:303 under 'Definitions" - Fixed station. A station at a fixed location that directly communicates with other fixed stations only. ===================================================================================== 95.1767 GMRS transmitting power limits. This section contains transmitting power limits for GMRS stations. The maximum transmitting power depends on which channels are being used and the type of station. (a ) 462/467 MHz main channels. The limits in this paragraph apply to stations transmitting on any of the 462 MHz main channels or any of the 467 MHz main channels. Each GMRS transmitter type must be capable of operating within the allowable power range. GMRS licensees are responsible for ensuring that their GMRS stations operate in compliance with these limits. (1 ) The transmitter output power of mobile, repeater and base stations must not exceed 50 Watts. (2 ) The transmitter output power of fixed stations must not exceed 15 Watts. (b ) 462 MHz interstitial channels. The effective radiated power (ERP) of mobile, hand-held portable and base stations transmitting on the 462 MHz interstitial channels must not exceed 5 Watts. (c ) 467 MHz interstitial channels. The effective radiated power (ERP) of hand-held portable units transmitting on the 467 MHz interstitial channels must not exceed 0.5 Watt. Each GMRS transmitter type capable of transmitting on these channels must be designed such that the ERP does not exceed 0.5 Watt.

Here's the way I read it: 95.1767(a)(1) Transmitter power of mobile, repeater, and base stations must not exceed 50 watts. This is for the "main" (a/k/a repeater input/output) channels. It seems that the term "fixed station" is no longer defined by the new rules, so that 15 watt limit seems meaningless. It appears that, with low-loss coax and a high-gain antenna, ERP could exceed 50 watts. 95.1767b limits all stations to 5 watts ERP when transmitting on the 7 interstitial channels at 462 MHz. 95.1767c limits all stations to 0.5 watts ERP when transmitting on the 7 interstitial channels at 467 MHz. So one has to take coax loss and antenna gain into account on these channels. If you have low-loss coax and a high-gain antenna, be careful! ERP is calculated using dBi, not dBd.