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The other problem you will find is getting an amplifier that will match your low power output to 50W. Most have a drive input of 5-10w, outputting 80-150W, over the power limit allowed for GMRS.

Assuming the meter is working correctly, and installed in circuit correctly then there is a problem with your antenna system (feed-line, adapters and antenna). Now begins the process of elimination. You may wish to try your measurements again using the shortest possible cable length and different adapters as you have them available to see if results change. I am not a fan of cut-by-chart trimming of antennas. When an antenna is known to be long for its intended purpose, I prefer to trim a little and measure, then repeat as necessary so as to sneak up on the target value. Doing so helps you know where you are getting close (because SWR gets better with each snip) but also when you have gone too far (because SWR starts to rise). Be aware that at high frequencies, minute length changes can cause big changes. It is possible that you may already snipped it too much, but also that you have not snipped it enough. Further, If you are testing using repeater input frequencies (467 MHz range) and the antenna is actually tuned for 462 MHz range, then the 467 numbers will appear higher than the 462 numbers. Snipping of course should only be done on a basic antenna, or one that is, by design, intended for sniping and/or you have advanced knowledge antenna designs. I don’t own your specific antenna, so I cannot cannot from experience comment if it is designed for cutting or not. For what is is worth, there no such thing as an SWR of less than 1. The first number is always 1 or greater, and the second number is always 1. Collectively they would appear as follows: 1.5:1, 1:1, 1.15:1, 4.7:1, etc. So .8:1, 0.5:1, 1.25:2 are all examples of invalid SWR values. Hope there is a little nugget of assistance in there. Michael WRHS965 KE8PLM

I was going to basically echo what tcp2525 said. Optimizing your antenna system will give much greater gains than more power ever could. Given the restrictions you have to comply with, your best bet is to get a good antenna as high up as you're able to without getting in trouble with the HOA. One option might be to put a "stealth" antenna in a tree, provided it's close enough to run the cable to the radio. Something else to think about is if you have a friend nearby whose house is on a hill where coverage would be better. If so, perhaps you could talk them into allowing a repeater at their house (of course they will also likely have to comply with HOA restrictions). Of course, that would not help you to reach other repeaters, but it could give you an option for broader coverage in the area around your community, but it would likely be limited mostly to those in your group or family.

More power usually means better coverage in the areas you can already reach. From my experience the amount of area you can cover is increased by less than 5%. Antenna selection and placement usually mean much more than increasing the ERP. There are really 3 power measurements needed to get a true picture of your potential coverage. You need to measure the RF output into a dummy load first then through the antenna feed line and finally, using a field strength meter the actual signal from the antenna. The measurement of the feed line is because line losses published are averages based on samples produced. Your actual loss will probably be higher than the published figures because of adding the connectors.

Fun fact, pilots are required to have a "restricted radiotelephone license", it's free and it never expires. I'm a corporate pilot and new to GMRS, thinking of carrying my HT with me to mess with on my down time. Airlines are a different story though, they don't like anything they don't recognize, keep it off and hidden and no one will care.

OK, now I'm starting to get my thick head around it! Thank you guys so much for elmering me on this one!

In an emergency don't count on any repeaters to be functioning. Some may have provisions for emergency power, many don't. The ones that do will likely be reserved for emergency traffic only, not open for general communications. For the later you'll need to rely on simplex or put up you own repeater and then insure it has power to continue operation in a grid down situation.

Ex electrician here. I would cut in a box in the wall at the same height as your electrical outlets and route the cable through the box. When done use a blank outlet plate with a hole in it big enough to accommodate the coax. They do make cover plates with holes in them already if you know what you want. Otherwise do what the cable installers do which is go through the floor as close to the baseboard molding as possible. No offense to cable installers but they tend to do things as quick and as easy as possible so they can get the heck out of there.

A copper scrub pad won't rust.

Write Wouxun and tell them of the bug in their software (I am not a Wouxun customer) and tell them to send me a 905G as a "Thank you" for helping out their users! ?

Thank you! This is the best explanation I have read to date on the differences between superheterodyne vs SoC transceivers. I am brand new into GMRS and recently received my license. I trying to soak up as much education as I can, to make intelligent decisions going forward. I have been looking at Wouxum HT’s for my first radios. Based mainly on reviews from our favorite YouTube Hobo, I was leaning towards a KG-935G. While it has very appealing bells and whistles, I was surprised (disappointed?) to learn it is a SOC radio… unlike the 805G/905G’s. I am wondering if I may be better served with a superheterodyne 905 vs the SoC 935? Thoughts?

Very good explanation. When our local elmer gives a Tech class one of the last day hands on class demonstrations is each student actually using HT's brought in by other club members under their direct supervision. This is done in the parking lot right under the repeater. Probably half of the HT's are CCR's but I have never noticed a desensing problem during the class demonstration. I guess we have been lucky with the hardware volunteered.

MichaelLAX, you're explanation of desense, and especially the difference between simplex and repeater behavior in that context, is very well written.

Those are good questions: The least expensive, usually from China, hand-held radios ("HT"), use what is known as SOC technology: System on a Chip - The whole radio is virtually built into one chip. Most of the more expensive radios (usually 3X the cost and more), have additional circuitry known as a superheterodyne circuit. This gives the receiver both more selectivity (the ability to differentiate between two powerful signals on two close frequencies) and sensitivity (the ability to pull in more distant and/or weaker signals). In simplex mode: one HT is transmitting on a frequency and the other HT is receiving on the same frequency. There is no second transmission to overwhelm the receiver of the second HT; only the one signal. In repeater mode, the first HT is transmitting on 467.abcd up to the repeater; and the second HT is receiving the retransmitted reception signal from the repeater on 462.abcd. The second HT must differentiate between two received signals: the signal you want to receive on 462.abcd from the repeater many miles away, and the HTs more powerful signal on 467.abcd. Hence the HTs signal washes out the reception of the repeater's signal on the second HT.* Superhetrodynes have that ability; SOC's do not. How much is far enough away? Differing factors are at play here: The power of the HT transmitter; the distance between the HTs and the distance and power from the repeater. Experimentation will help you determine the answer. *NOTE: this is why when two inexpensive HTs are bundled together with the appropriate cabling and settings to act like an inexpensive semi-portable repeater, they must be on the two separate Ham bands: 2 meters (144 MHz) and 70 cm (440 MHz) to avoid this washout effect.