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Found a function on the MXT400 the other day that I didn't see in the manual. You can scan for CTCSS or DCS on a channel if you long hold the CTCSS/DCS button. The codes will start scrolling. If there are active communications on that channel, it will eventually pause on the code. I've use it on the repeater channels to help figure out repeater tones if there's chatter.

Then don’t. There is a dedicated sub-forum for ham radio and that would be the perfect place to start your own thread. But, you don’t even need to post at all, did you try googling for: ham license practice test?

I think this video sums it up right here, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sq3zEpYgCYo This leads me to wonder though, Why do so many UHF radios come with SO-239 sockets for antenna use rather than BNC or N connectors? It even seems that newer UHF radios still use the SO-239. Another question I have is weather or not someone should consider having the SO-239 changed out for the N type connectors? Would there be some form of improvement or has some form of compensation been made on the PC board in those radios?

Apologies sir, won't happen again.

The sole exception to the "no kerchunking rule" does not affect GMRS at all, but does affect all DMR repeaters. Most of the hundreds of Talk Groups are "PTT" only, meaning that to activate them on one's local repeater requires a very brief PTT, pause and listen to make sure no one is already having a contact, then giving your call sign.

Use the practice of, If you key it state our call! As owner of repeater equipment I am not found of "kerchuncks". We operators are hyper aware of our systems status, always on the listen for irregularities which may require service action and since the GMRS repeater freqs are not coordinated we want to be good neighbors (avoid overlapping repeater coverage) so we hear kerchuncks and wonder, did someone bring a local repeater on line using the same freq, did I put one on the air and causing interference? Even with tones it could cause interference. So my perspective is, if you are going to key on a machine please provide your call sign. And in the linking world remember, you may be keying your local machine but it may be keying many others across the country as well. You would not go to random houses and open the door to see if anyone was home would you??? KNOCK! Rick H... WQHJ382 / W2RGH

In my view, you are on the right track. Do consider that at the point at which you announce you are listening that there is no one else actually listening, or that someone may be listening but not in a position to talk or does not want to talk right then and there. Whether I am using my amateur radio or GMRS, my radios are frequently on scan when I am not actively engaged in conversation. So consider too that your announcement may have fallen on deaf ears. When the airwaves are quiet, do not hesitate to announce yourself like normal, then ask explicitly if there is anyone else listening. If there is, this could invite a more prompt response. I have had some success with this. In the lower bands bands of amateur radio (10 meter and lower) they use use a repetitive calling phase that includes the use of the letter code CQ which explicitly means you are “looking for a contact”. This is not practiced on VHF or UHF amateur voice frequencies nor on GMRS, but it is effectively the same as ‘Is there anyone out there?” If repeater actively is frequently dead, perhaps you can change things up by arranging certain times of the day with your friends to get on the radio and start making traffic. Others may hear your conversations and take your lead. Personally, I generally allow about 5+ minutes between any subsequent announcements of my callsign and listening. As a listener, when I hear it more frequently than this during periods where I cannot jump in to talk, I find it an annoying. So I do not do things to others that I personally find annoying. Hope this helps. Michael WRHS965 KE8PLM Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

This discussion is getting a little monotonous. A fixed station is one of a pair that exchange information between those points only. As a Part 90.20 coordinator we licensed many fixed stations which are primarily used to report such things as water levels on a flood gauge or storage tank, control sprinklers on a golf course and the like. Both points had to be identified on the frequency authorization and commonly were low-power, typically 5 watts or less. The only "fixed stations" carrying multiple types of information are microwave.

47 C.F.R. § 2.1 states that a fixed station is station in a fixed service. A Fixed Service is a radiocommunication service between specified fixed points, only. An example of a fixed station in a fixed service would be the 2 stations that RF Link 2 repeaters. They only talk to each other from point to point and their designed/intended purpose is to only talk to each other. A base station of which the operator chooses to only talk to another base station is not a fixed station, because by design, it can talk to all other stations and is not in a fixed service.

A “fixed station” means dedicated for communications between fixed points and is usually for purposes of telemetry, linking, or control. In the situation you describe, since both stations could be used to communicate with any other GMRS stations for general traffic, both would be base stations, not fixed, and would have no special power limitations other than those that might be specified for the frequency in use.

People really need to start learning how to use the search feature on this forum. Also, Rich, maybe the link to Midland thread here could be made sticky, it seems to be pretty popular, and you sell the radio. Also, when people do have successes breakthroughs and other things that are of interest please get back to the community and share details. Take a look at this thread... https://forums.mygmrs.com/topic/1837-midland-gmrs-product-updates/?p=17118

There is a tremendous amount of benefits with Amateur Radio vs. GMRS. First, lets just talk about voice. On GMRS simplex, the absolute very best you can expect from a perfect setup, is going to be about 70 miles. Likely less. That would be mobile or base. With Amateur Radio VHF and UHF, the power limits are 1500 watts with no radiated power restrictions. That means with a little elevation, you are talking coast to coast on the higher portions of VHF and the lower portions of UHF. On the lower portions of VHF, you can talk to Europe, Mediterranean, Northern Africa, etc. Even in my mobile, I can talk to NY from Virginia on VHF simplex. With things other than voice... there is no limit to what you can do beyond no encryption. If you can dream it, you can do it on amateur radio. There is APRS, which provides transceiver location services. There FLDigi which is used for texting and simple messaging. There is WinLink which is a 100% radio-based email service that allows you to email other operators as well as people on the public internet. And much, much more. The benefit of HF and MF is, the ease of global comms as you drop in frequency. I was driving around in my Jeep today on an HF frequency that Tech license holders have access to. I talked to people in 3 different countries on 2 different continents with a simple 100 watt mobile radio and a whip antenna. It's really a lot of fun. As far as a base station goes, I don't use mobile radios for base a station. I have base station radios that I use for VHF, and a VHF/UHF repeater. I talk on VHF on the base for several hours a week, sitting in my executive desk chair. As far as the quality of conversation... I can't really say much about that. I would assume there are plenty of people to talk to without getting into religion, politics, etc. I avoid them like the plague. With regard to if it's worth it... that is a personal choice that each person needs to decide for themselves. I think it is. I held my Tech license for 17+ years before I got my General and had a great time. I also think the GMRS and FRS are great radio service and fill a nice niche.

Well, you could just google “amateur radio band plan.” But, I’ll save you the trouble, this time. http://www.arrl.org/band-plan

While the explanation from Cornell Law School is certainly cogently stated, in the Real World actual practice is that a permanent station can be a "base", "fixed station" or a "control station" depending on specific circumstances. When acting as a "fixed station" my power is set to low (about 10 watts out). When acting as a "control station", such as operating as net control, my power is set to only enough to operate the repeater at full quieting (usually low power). When communicating directly with mobile or portables, I am not a "base station" and will use whatever power is required, up to the max allowed. In the final analysis though, no one actually gives a tinker's damn about the nuances of the rules, especially the FCC.

Do "Fixed Stations" even exist in the GMRS world? I cannot begin to imagine anyone using their radio at home or office to only communicate with another "Fixed Station..."

Hopefully this straightens this out for you: Fixed station: A fixed station, not open to public correspondence, operated by, and for the sole use of those agencies operating their own radio communication facilities in the Public Safety, Industrial, Land Transportation, Marine, or Aviation Radio Services. Base Station - A station at a specified site authorized to communicate with mobile stations. ENGLISH NOW: 50watts is your max Mobile, Base, or Repeater