Leaderboard

I have a 1486 that I have used with my KG1000G, my XTL5000, my repeater made of two KG1000Gs and my VXR7000 repeater. it works very well - on simplex i'm getting 40+ miles with it. Per the instructions I cut all 3 elements, and IIRC, the SWR was about 1.01:1 . Ignore anyone that tells you to not follow the manufacture's instructions how how/what to cut.

https://www.curbsideclassic.com/automotive-histories/automotive-history-the-1977-oldsmobile-chevrolet-engine-scandal/

QRZ and Gigaparts are offering new hams a great 2M 440 handheld for less than $15. QRZ New Ham Jumpstart Program This program is only available to Amateur Radio Operators whose (first) FCC license was issued within the past 6 months. This program is designed to promote amateur radio to the masses, helping to eliminate a possible barrier to entry by providing new hams with everything they'll need to get on the air at a very reasonable price. Jumpstart Packages will be provided to new hams who meet eligibility requirements. New hams who have recently obtained their first license from the FCC may apply for a welcome package. Applicants must apply within 6 months of the license grant date per the FCC records. The eligible ham must have a QRZ user account and be able to log in and apply for the program. Certain types of identification, including a photo ID, will be required. This information is not shared or exchanged with any party and is used only to validate eligibility under this program. Additional shipping charges may apply when shipped outside of the contiguous 48 states. This program is available exclusively to USA licensed amateur radio operators. New Ham Jumpstart Program - QRZ.com

Unsightly antennas are bad. Put up only good looking antennas, the more the merrier! Your cabin will be gorgeous, and an envy of all neighbors. Your mother-in-law will be glad and will brag about your antennas on her facebook! That's would be tough to cover these bands with one antenna. Tri-band 6m-2m-70cm antennas do exist, but lumping 10m, 11m and 1.25m would be difficult. Antenna tuners also exist but mostly down to 6m. I'm not aware of auto-tuner for 2m and shorter. If it exists, it's going to be expensive. There are manual tuners for 2m - 70cm, but KAF6045 mentioned losses in the coax. 11m-10m-6m could be covered with one antenna, 2m-MUSR-70cm-GMRS with another, and 1.25 is an outlier. Any antenna can receive, but if you want to transmit, you likely will need a dedicated antenna for it.

N9TAX MURS/GMRS with 16' of RG-58A/U and PL-259 connector, that I purchased a month or two ago. Antenna hanging from tree branch that is about 8' off of the ground. Scanned with a RigExpert Stick Pro. YMMV 148-156 MHz (covering MURS), 200 data points: MURS Channels 1, 2, and 3: MURS Channels 4 and 5 (Blue Dot, Green Dot): 440-480 MHz, 200 data points - this is a broad 40 MHz sweep, so accuracy suffers just a bit. The following three screen captures provide better data for GMRS: 460-470 MHz, 400 data points showing minimum SWR: Same as above, but showing rough center of GMRS repeater inputs: And GMRS simplex:

You might also see this post which describes the Comet 2x4. That’s an antenna designed to cover a wide range of frequencies for emergency services. The advertised range covers 2meter, MURS, 70 cm, and part of GMRS:

I’ll second that. I got two from him as well. Being a customer has another perk, if you ask nicely he’s a good source for radio programming software.

Marc, thank you for sharing your experience of trial and error. It seems like I’m going to need to have 3 antennas on the vehicle and 3 on my home base station. If I can get reasonable use out of the bands I mentioned with that set up, I will be happy DS

Calling CQ in ham parlance doesn't really apply in all circumstances. Calling CQ on a ham repeater, for example, is bad form. As it would be on a GMRS repeater. Also, being "online" is kinda reserved for if you're really online, like I am as I type this. BoxCar and Sshannon have it right. OffroaderX too. GMRS is a very conversational form of radio communication. No codes, no jargon, just stuff like WRQC527 mobile. Or WRQC527 monitoring. Or WRQC527 can I get a signal report. Or something equally conversational. (I hesitate to ask for a radio check, that's how you pay for radios, and every time I ask, my wife says no, find a cheaper hobby). And while we're on the subject of asking for signal reports, or even finding someone else to play with, unless you have someone else who you know is listening, it's probably best to do it on a repeater, because it's more likely someone will hear you than if you call out on one of the simplex channels where no one may be listening.

The good old Iron Duke 2.5. How about that 350 converted to diesel that they put in everything from Sevilles, C10s, and Oldmobile station wagons? You could hear them coming 6 blocks away.

On 10m, I have talked to people in Asia, as well as several dozen countries outside of North America. There is basically only 2 years out of every 11 year cycle, where 10m is not all that good for long distance.

...just please.. for the love of Xenu, do not do it in the middle of a conversation - wait for them to finish.

Dang I was hoping there was a double-secret little-known second GMRS band that only a select few folks had access to with highly-specialized highly-technical dual-band radio equipment like the UV-9G! My bubble is now burst. Bursted? Kinda reminds me of when General Motors stuck a Cimarron sticker on a Cavalier and called it a Cadillac.

But you must not have known about the Tera TR-505 dual band GMRS radio with "Optional (MURS) VHF license free channels" if you buy the programming cable (obviously sarcasm).... https://powerwerx.com/tera-tr505-gmrs-recreational-handheld-radio

Is it just me or does the notion of a "dual band" GMRS handheld seem a bit odd? GMRS is one band. ?

Good morning. David here, from The Peoples Republic of Maryland. Didn't know what a GMRS was when 2023 started. Got my license a few weeks ago. Just wanted to introduce myself before beginning my campaign to become the biggest PITA of the week.

Mobile or base, you are likely going to need at least 2 radios (possibly 3), a diplexer and best case, 3 antennas, if not more. As far as antennas go, I am not aware of any antenna that 'works' on 2m, MURS, 1.25m, 70cm and FRS/GMRS. Definitely none that cover all that AND HF. My opinion, regardless of what base antenna and tuner combo you use, you're not getting a single antenna to 'work' on all of those bands. I've tried. With decades of experience and a massive network of smart people, it's just never happened. Sure, a tuner will make the radio happy, but it will be like a dummy load... it's not going to radiate.

Vehicle: Do you need multiple bands available at one time? Without diplexers (wide frequency separation, 2m vs 70cm, HF vs VHF) and/or duplexers (narrow frequency separation -- typically same band) you will only get one active band at a time. A screw-driver type antenna may be suitable (unfortunately most seem to be mid-HF up to 6m) https://www.tarheelantennas.com/baby_tarheel Yaesu has the ATAS-120 which covers mid-HF up to 2m/70cm [not 70m!] (2m/70cm is covered with the antenna all the way down) Problem: I don't think it works with generic up/down controllers, it was designed for a series of mobiles that contained built-in control logic [press menu TUNE, radio reduces power, goes into transmit mode, radio runs antenna up/down for minimum SWR]. I used one with an FT-100 (actually, started with predecessor ATAS-100 [rubber accordion boot handled length changes], changed to ATAS-120 [plastic outer tube slides over inner tube] when I moved to MI) on my Jeep Cherokee for 20 years -- until I rolled the Jeep two years ago. Very few multi-band antennas exist, even Amateur-only, that include 1.25m. Heck, it is common for HTs that include 1.25m to run at reduced power (~1W on a 5W HT) due, I suspect, to the difficulty in tuning the antenna for 2m/1.25m/70cm at the same time. Kenwood seems to be the exception -- their (discontinued) HTs that had 1.25m ran it at full power (D74A, F6A). Yaesu VX-8DR "Tri-bander" (6m, 2m, 70cm) included 1.25m in the US version -- with max power 1.5W. Home: Same question: multiple bands at once? Some off-center-fed-dipoles (OCFD) cover 40m/20m/10m/6m (but is going to be 66 feet long). The VHF/UHF bands are heavily mobile/HT oriented, and it is best to use vertical polarized antennas for those. HF/6m tends more to use horizontal polarization since signals bouncing off the ionosphere tend to be randomly polarized at the destination -- horizontal antennas being easier to support (consider, with the bottom at 35ft, that OCFD top would be at 100ft, and needs to be away from metal that it could couple to). Consider "stealth wire" -- https://www.dxengineering.com/search/part-type/wire/product-line/dx-engineering-stealth-antenna-wire for dipoles and similar. https://www.electronics-notes.com/articles/antennas-propagation/dipole-antenna/hf-multiband-fan-parallel-dipole.php Note the caution about harmonics -- 2m and 70cm are harmonic, MURS and GMRS are near harmonic -- but 2m and GMRS is not. OTOH: a quarter-wave ground-plane whip for GMRS is only 6.3 INCHES, and about the same for the ground-plane radial wires. The low-loss coax will be more noticeable than the antenna itself. FYI: MURS is NOT "2m" -> 1.9m, nor is GMRS "70cm" -> 64cm. And 2m/70cm antenna would have to a wide-band antenna, and that likely means antennas that don't have ideal SWR on any frequency... 1.5:1 would be great. The main purpose of an Antenna Tuner is to present a low SWR to the RADIO. It does not really change the behavior of the antenna. Back in the days of power output TUBES tuning an antenna was not quite as critical. However, the power FETs used in modern radios can only absorb so much power which converts to heat before failing. The tuner lets the radio "see" a matched transmission line which allows the FETs to put out their full rated power (the better radios have safety circuits -- they /reduce/ power when the mismatch is higher than some level to keep the forward&reflected power under the ratiing). Radios with built-in tuners often can only tune a 3.0:1 ratio down closer to 1.0:1. External tuners (many of the LDG boxes) can handle 10.0:1 mismatches. Note that tuners located at the radio end don't affect the SWR on the coax. High SWR in the coax can cause decomposition of the dielectric/insulator which could cause it to short-out (center conductor "melts" its way to the shield -- especially on bends/curves in the coax). Remote control tuners mitigate that, but... Tuners may also be "tuned" internally for specific frequency bands and might not even operate outside of those bands -- depends on the circuitry. Most antenna switches are really meant for selecting different antennas for one radio. If you are trying to use the switch with one antenna and multiple radios, you will need one with very high isolation between ports. Otherwise you will have some power from the active transmitter leaking into the connection of an inactive radio, risking the receive circuits. You might have to operate at reduced power to counteract leakage.

I would just comment that the letter, and FCC database are using the term "Dismissed", not "Cancelled". That should have signalled that the license that had been granted was still in effect and that something else was being processed at the time. Dating that letter/action for April 1 sure doesn't help (though I could understand it as "start of next month")

There are ways to minimize the number of antennas. I think you could get by with a couple of antennas but you’ll be compromising performance. But if you figure out where you want to concentrate your attention (which bands are most important) you can manage. An end fed half wave can work well for the HF bands without looking like a n NSA station. It’s just a wire strung up and blends into the background, but it stops at 10 meters. Or, if you’re willing to compromise performance a little more the Diamond BB7V handles HF and 6 m. There are many decent multi band antennas. I would look for one for 2 meters, 1.25 meters and 70 cm, like the Comet cx333, but @marcspaz has had good success covering GMRS with a Diamond antenna. Otherwise you’ll need another dual band antenna for MURS and GMRS.

Actually WRTZ750, I was referring to where I had it for sale online elsewhere last year and the "I want a real repeater" buyers all thought that a repeater was a couple of cheap mobiles tied together. That works when you need it, but you can't get 100% commercial duty cycle out of a mobile. The one I have for sale originally sold for $10k without a duplexer.

Yep, they just contacted me. For some reason the first application did not go thru. They told me to disregard. Thanks everyone [emoji122] Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

I actually used his FRN and did an Application Search for it. I could have probably looked it up in an application search using the “File No.”

Nor did I, I just checked the call sign. Nice work @Sshannon! Looks like you are good to go @WRWP844, no action needed, let the transmitting continue ?

@Sshannon Good catch! I didn't think to look for the operator's name.

That’s what happened. Somehow you had two separate applications and of course you only paid one. The other was dismissed:

I'm assuming its a scam. To be frank, I don't trust any text, emails or phone calls, and 100% of "official" letters I have received from the IRS, Social Security Administration, and most other agencies looking for payment or ID turned out to be fake. Scammers pull info out of public database to do targeted emails, hoping you call the number on the letter and give them you info and credit card information, instead of calling the public number of the official government site. Along with still being active in the database, there is nothing listed in the administration section. I would also recommend checking it occasionally and just carry on.

If you need to ask, you should not be doing it.

You bought it for GMRS, why do you need it to transmit outside of that?

There is no protocol in GMRS, but most people consider a repeater that uses the travel tone to be 'open' .. If it was ME, i would start using it until someone complains. The worst thing that will happen is someone complains...

@WRUU653 Thanks for your help! Im still trying to grasp everything as I have zero knowledge/experience with this but that was a lot of help. Starting to understand and figure out my equipment I will keep you posted. Thanks again!

HI @WRWI380, although I do not know how to use repeaters, I do have one general suggestion. It might be helpful if you made a new question in the "Technical Discussion" forum at the top level, with a link to the video or videos you are having trouble following, and a description of what goes wrong when you try to follow the video. As for the repeater problem, it could be that the people you were listening in on, were using a CTCSS/DCSS code that you weren't transmitting, thus they wouldn't be able to hear you. I hope you can find someone knowledgeable on the board who can help answer your questions about repeaters. Although I'm not terribly knowledgable myself, I would be happy to answer other GMRS questions that don't involve repeaters.

Each employee, including you, would be required to have their own GMRS license and comply with all the regulations including the ID one. As a business owner you can't get a license for your business, that was eliminated with the rule changes in 2017, and hand out radios to your employees. If that's too much to deal with then just go and buy a bunch of FRS radios. Most of the same regulations apply that you see for GMRS. The big differences are the radios are limited to 2 watts on most channels, no repeater access and no ID/license requirements.

I have a Retevis RA25 in my car, with a Midland ghost antenna. It works well for me. That being said, I may swap out the RA25 for a higher-powered Wouxun.