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Yes and both your wife and your girlfriend will be able to hear the others conversation! ?

Some manufacturers use the term "DIY" for "Do It Yourself" channels - meaning you can use those channels to program and store whatever you want like repeaters.

Nothing wrong with the MXT line. Its simple and just ready for use. I also like how small and compact it is!

Thought I'd share my opinion on the MXT115 for various uses. I started with the MXT115 for my parents. Simple and cheap. Since then I installed one in our Kubota RTV for around the property as well as on my Kubota BX. I have 10+ acres as well as neighbors etc. I run a GR300 with 25 watts out of the duplexer into a DB404 at 30' at home. It works great for a 5 miles area (way more than needed). We are planning a trip to the GC this summer and plan to take the jeep and our new CTC. While setting the trailer up I decided to have GMRS, and WX. Ended up just sticking another MXT115 in the CTC. Small yet perfect for our use. Our CTC runs off a Jackery 300 that gets charged during the day while we drive. Again simple and effective. As with all Midland stuff I threw the supplied antenna in the dumpster and installed a Larsen HF NMO mount in the roof with a 1/4 wave antenna. I can pick up 3 WX channels at home in my driveway on the 1/4 wave so most likely stick with it. I do have a Larsen Triband I plan to bring in case I need better. I run the Tri-Band on the JT for my 8500 anyway. Our main use for the trip will be to talk to wife or myself when using the MSI talk about we carry also. Mostly campground communications when at bath house or shower. Anyway wanted to share. I plan to get a few more when i come home from my trip for our other utility vehicles around the property. Love midland or hate them these are all over in use for stuff like I am using them for.

That guy on youtube lives on a hill and has perfect line of site to the repeater 69 miles away - meaning there is nothing between him and it. I'm pretty sure he's explained that in pretty much every video. And as The Spaz ^ says, if you programmed it wrong, it doesnt matter if you're standing right next to it.

If it was being transmitted from a repeater, and you heard it, then you have a repeater in range of your HT. "Published range" is an estimate, not a fixed distance. Your FARS may vary.

If only someone had a YouTube video describing the fallacy of "privacy tones!" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2sIJv5yyStE&t=38s

Programmable slot - would be a better name. The RX and TX frequencies and the RX and TX tones. You may have different repeaters on the same 462.650 MHz (on the same channel) with a different TX and RX tones. You can program them into different slots, assigning different names. Or, you may use the same 462.650 MHz with 110.9 tone to talk to your wife, and the same 462.650 MHz with tone 88.5 to talk to your girlfriend. You can program them into different programmable slots and assign different names.

No and it adds no privacy either.

I'd expect any change in coordination would incorporate the (current) 10-year license term as a transition period. That is, one would operate with the restriction printed upon their license until it is renewed, at which time the new restrictions would take effect. Somewhat similar to the current exclusion which mentions that the current line-A restriction does not apply if one's prior license had listed those particular frequencies (hold over from the days of GMRS users being authorized only two primary frequency pairs [simplex/duplex]?).

You all make me glad I got my GMRS license some decades ago (in the era when one was licensed for two of the 8 primary channels, plus the 7 interstitials -- and the Maxon GMRS 210+3 https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=2ahUKEwi4jPPju8b4AhV2JEQIHahSB5AQFnoECA0QAQ&url=http%3A%2F%2Frsws.zapto.org%2Fradiosoftware%2FMaxon%2FGMRS-2103O.pdf&usg=AOvVaw35bH5wYY31Aop7VP5e9n9V ) kilo alpha fox six zero four five (I also got lucky when I upgraded from Technician -- to Extra. Snagged alpha fox six victor november)

Whether that’s true or not, the purpose of this post was not to discuss the cost/benefit ratio of Ed Fong antennas, but to invite folks to attend a zoom presentation by Dr. Fong. Although I’m not the OP, I think we should respect the original poster’s hospitality.

Not sure how much I can actually add to this thread, but here's my set up. '21 JLUSS, Midland MXT115, EAG (Amazon) antenna mount, and Midland 3db Gain Ghost antenna (not pictured). Since I have a 6 speed manual, I couldn't use the grommet next to the master cylinder to run the cable - I folded down the windshield, ran the coax under the windshield frame, under the drivers side dash speaker, down under the dash to just under the steering wheel, and then to the radio mounted on the driver's side of the console. Pain in the butt to run. Tapped the cigarette lighter for power.

You wouldn't believe how many dummies do that.

Yes, it's called Faraday Cage. It is very difficult to fully prevent cables, body of the radio, grounding wires, your body, from radiating. The higher the frequency the harder the task. On UHF it is usually solved with a massive (and expensive) common mode current choke on the cable.

QRP phone is fun as well, while it's a bit difficult, the challenge can be rewarding. I did upgrade to the 705 for my QRP station, because the package is pretty dang complete. Having a waterfall can be a huge benefit when searching out contacts.

Look for a used Vertex, Kenwood, or Motorola commercial repeater. You could get something like an MTR2000 that's rated for 100% duty cycle at 100 watts (it will do 50 like a breeze) - and still spend less than trying to get 2 Wouxun mobiles strapped together. Most sellers will program and set up the repeater, and give it a warranty as well.

I don't use my radio all that much, but for my needs the MXT115 works well enough. Is it perfect? Yeah right, far from it. I picked up a brand new one, unopened for $40. Can't beat that w/ a stick (well, I guess you could if you had a stick...). I really only use it to keep in touch w/ my buddies and family when we're wheeling together. It works great for that. And I do like the size and mounting bracket. Wish others would make a similar bracket.

It is very simple: don't like nets, don't participate. For example, I do not like nets with check-ins, so I do not go there and do not check in.

No.. Although many hams do slum on GMRS in many areas, the main use for GMRS is utilitarian communication - ie; when off-roading and in a group, hiking, traveling with multiple vehicles, etc. Sadly, it sounds like in your area many of the rag-chewers have taken over.. But once you get out of reach of their basements, like out adventuring in the desert or mountains, all their noise goes away. I run a repeater, partially run another repeater which is one of the largest/most used in Southern California, and run a group - not only am i not a ham, most in the group are not hams either.

§ 95.1751 GMRS station identification. Each GMRS station must be identified by transmission of its FCC-assigned call sign at the end of transmissions and at periodic intervals during transmissions except as provided in paragraph (c) of this section. A unit number may be included after the call sign in the identification. (a) The GMRS station call sign must be transmitted: (1) Following a single transmission or a series of transmissions; and, (2) After 15 minutes and at least once every 15 minutes thereafter during a series of transmissions lasting more than 15 minutes. The only etiquette on GMRS is to speak English like a normal person and dont be a dickhead. You can usually find local clubs through the use of your Googles machine or by monitoring your local GMRS channels to see who's out there. It is important to understand that GMRS is not ham, and most/many people use it only for specific communication needs, like talking to their group while off-roading, talking to partners when hiking, etc. Because of this you may not hear much when monitoring unless you are in a large population center.

It's a great radio with many pre-programmed frequencies to play with/listen to and it has many fars. Sometimes I just stare at mine and caress it softly.

I noted that a lot of the Alaska Off-Road Facebook group tends to use Channel 20. It seems to be a popular channel in the Knik River Public Use Area as well.

If they dismiss it, they dismiss it... There's nothing saying they can or can't do this at their discretion

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.