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...or maybe @Sshannon was just trying to help someone out solely for the satisfaction of helping them. Unfortunately "some people" have no gratitude.

IF only there was youtube channel out there that has done at least one video on every single one of those topics!

You're way behind on that one. I think it was the second or third post for me.

Lately it seems like a few people are asking loosely worded questions and then snapping at people who give a knowledgeable answer. My ignore list has gained another.

If the reason you hijacked the thread was because you saw @OffRoaderX was here and you thought this was a good way to get his attention, a more appropriate way would be to create a new thread and tag him by typing the @ sign, then his username. Like this: @WRZM228 Of course if you’ve been ignored that won’t work. (How’s that for an attempt to bring the thread back to the OP’s topic?)

I have owned a couple of Kenwood THG71A handhelds, Yaesu VX6r and VX7r handhelds and at least two Kenwood mobiles (can't remember the models). I also carried Motorola radios for over 30 years in several different professions. All the radios with the exception of the Motorolas were amateur band radios. Motorola commercial radios are a different animal all together, and are designed and built to suffer the abuse of cops and firemen. I have owned 5 different models of Wouxun handhelds (four GMRS and one Amateur band) and one mobile. I prefer the Wouxuns over the Kenwoods and the Yaesus. I like the ease of use of the Wouxun and so far they have stood up to several severe drops. I dropped on of my Kenwoods three feet and it was toast. The cost of repair was more than I have spent on my Wouxuns. The Yaesus are good and sturdy but the two models I have are very small, which can be good if you don't have larger hands, and they have a steep learning and remembering curve. The Wouxun HAM radio I have transmits as well as the Yaesus and seems to be better at receiving. Of course this is all anecdotal and subjective and just my opinion. I have recommended Wouxun to several non-radio nerd type people and they have been happy with them as well.

Man, Moto is not even close to the same category as any of those radios. You are comparing radios that were $3,000 to $5,000 new, to radios that are $150 to $500 new. That is like comparing a an economy Honda to Bugatti. I am very fond of Wouxun, especially the KG-1000G. The brand stacks up very well when compared to Yaesu, but I think Yeasu makes a better radio with many more available features. I would put Wouxun on par with Icom, Kenwood, Alinco. I don't consider Anytone, Powerwerx or TYT in the same category of any of the aforementioned brands. They are really budget brand radios. I don't look down on them, but they just won't have the same longevity, features, durability, stability or performance as the higher tier brands. Also, I a assuming you are either asking for use an amateur bands or just general speaking. Moto is the only brand mentioned that has models that have the ability to be legally used in GMRS. All the other brands are good for amateur bands, and some will have LMR/business options, too.

I have had/used every brand of GMRS radio in my Jeep(s) and almost every model of every brand, and for Part 95 "GMRS" radios, I prefer the Wouxun KG1000G. It is a better quality radio than BTech and most (maybe all) the other brands, it outputs a full 50W, and has a remote-mount removable faceplate. Several of my off-road friends use this radio and they are all happy with it. And FYI - even though its spelled Wooks-On, it's pronounced "Ocean" .

Welcome @WRNN959 to the forum and retirement! That all sounds great, and a dog guy as well. What is this thing you call spare time though? Where can I get me some of that? I like your plan.

Welcome! That sounds like a wonderful activity for retirement!

Whoever gave you that information is flat out wrong. JVC Kenwood is still making new radios. Just delivered 25 new units the other day, and they all worked quite well.

This is my second comment on the forum after joining yesterday, and realizing I should probably introduce myself before just jumping in. Been working my way towards a long term retirement plan over the last two years. Started off with applying for my GMRS license, go figure. Where else do you start the process of retiring? Long story short, travel will be a big part of retirement for the next several years and off grid will be a large part of that. GMRS just seemed like a necessity with that in mind. Got a new truck, mobile radio purchased. Recently got the travel trailer, "base radio" purchased. Just today requested and gained access to a big part of the Midwest network. Still haven't started transmitting other than simplex practice in the neighborhood. Of course monitoring the channels on the base radio in my "shack". I'm looking forward to learning from and perhaps connecting with the seasoned veterans and well as the rest of the community in due time. What else does a retired guy do with his spare time. So here's a "hearty greetings from central Indiana" to the greater GMRS family!

Okay, car analogies aside for a bit, I think I get where you are coming from on the radio front. On the commercial side, I have almost zero experience with anything civilians can buy for private use, except for owning 4 Moto mobiles. That said, in my opinion commercial gear (like from Moto and assuming Kenwood based on other experience) will absolutely be a much better quality radio than non-commercial radios, such as radios designed for GMRS or Amateur use. Typical Commercial Radios Pros: Will typically have more physical durability. Better weather/waterproofing (in most, not all cases). Better/improved receive sensitivity. Better transmit frequency and power stability. Better protection circuits to prevent accidental damage (antenna shorts and thermal protection, for example). Higher power output options. Higher duty cycles. Something that me and my friends have experienced... you can more commonly run these radios for decades without needing repair and without noticeable degradation in performance. I have purchased 10+ YO commercial gear that ran just as good as it did on day 1 and still have them years later. There is no such thing as a commercial radio not being able to do what a purpose built GMRS or Amateur radio can do. You just need to purchase a model that will do what you want it to do. There are plenty things that commercial radios can do that non-commercial / private use radios can do, such as encryption, multiple heads, multiple mics, high volume ambient noise reduction on transmit, for some examples. As for as longevity of non-commercial radios go, we are in a disposable world. New non-commercial radios simply don't work as well or last as long as commercial radios. Once you abandon the commercial v. private/amateur gear categories, pretty much all non-commercial gear is the same. Just a question on if the price and features are there for you. Everything else is going to be opinion, anecdotal, and personal preference. I have noticed that, too. New troll technique?

I don't believe you.

IMHO, a simple radio should not require a computer connection in order for the operator to access a particular Repeater.

As @wayoverthere stated, the Midland MXT115 is not computer programmable. In order to use it with repeaters you have to use the FPP to enable the Repeater menu, so that you can set the CTCSS or DCS code. Midland also uses a LUT (Look Up Table) for the PL Tones. So you can't just program in 67.0 or DCS023N, you have to know what their value in the table is. Additionally, as of last year that model comes from the factory as NFM (Narrow FM), even on the repeater channels. So unless they are now shipping them out with WFM enabled for repeaters, you have to send it to Midland for them to update the firmware. That's only with the USB-C models, as the USB-Type A are not upgradeable to WFM.

Dont count out Hytera in this mix, these radios are as good as Motorola in many if not in all ways... And don't count out the Maxon's, they are pretty darn decent and compare equally to Motorola in many ways as well especially if using to build a repeater. Personally,, and for the HAM side, i have grown fond to the Hytera 600 and 700 Series radios.. These can also be set up as Repeaters but a little tricky, Maxon's are pretty easy. These radios mentioned also tune well into the GMRS band if you want..

If my two TYT dual band radios have issues, I will most likely replace them with either Icom or Wouxun mobiles. And as I mentioned the KG-1000g Plus replaced the Midland MXT500 for my GMRS base radio.

Books? Like that you pay for? For info that's theoretically on the internet? How 20th century...

I would go with the Wouxun KG-XS20G if you want a compact and durable mobile that is actually IP rated with an IP67 rating. Here is a good simple explanation of IP ratings: https://www.setra.com/blog/what-does-an-ip67-rating-mean Here is a photo of my XS20G mounted in my Honda Pioneer 500 UTV

Those Midland/Retevis repeaters have a very small internal duplexer that can barely create any decent isolation when the repeater is cranking more than 5 watts. There is no magic bullet. You are never going to find a good, cheap, compact duplexer that passes 95% of your transmitter power and still gives you 90+ dB of isolation. It doesn't exist. Every rookie with a wattmeter wants to get the MAXIMUM possible output power out of their repeater. I mean, 50 has to be better than 5, right? In my opinion, the MOST important spec in a repeater system is the isolation between transmit and receive. Especially if you're using portable radios out in the field that can talk back in with 4 or 5 watts of transmit power. What good is it to key up your repeater with 10 or 15 watts of power when you introduce 3 or 4 dB of desense into the system? 3dB of desense on the receiver just made your 4 watt portable into a 2 watt portable, and how well is that going to work? Better isolation = a better repeater. Want to have a cheap repeater? You will get what you paid for. Cheap is rarely good.

You will want to get your general class amateur license if you really want to use the HF bands.Technician class is limited to a very small range on 10 meters (28.3 MHZ to 28.5 MHz) for phone (voice). Here is a list of all bands open to technician class. https://www.arrl.org/files/file/Tech Band Chart/US Amateur Radio Technician Privileges.pdf As you can see, technician license holders are very limited when it comes to HF bands. I edited this reply after seeing that I posted the same link as Sshannon.

Just login or sign up as instructed to access the internal items on the websites.

I threw out that part about spare time while rolling my eyes! I've now actually been without gainful employment for over a year and have very little spare time. Between selling or main home and remodeling a downsizer house for retirement, buying the camper and setting it up for our adventures and breaking it in, and the usual other plethora of family obligations, there's no actual spare time as you well know. But we don't have to rub it in to the working folks around us. Yes you picked up on my love for dogs. Been a dog owner since I could walk, never been without a canine friend and someone will likely inherit my last dog some day. The two in the picture are in the middle of the bed between my wife and I as I type this message. Regarding GMRS and forum participation, I'm well past being bashful or intimidated to jump in. Having been very active on multiple other forums of other topics, this is my comfort zone when it comes to learning new information and developing friendships around a specific interest with folks near and far. It's almost strange to me that I'm comfortable with this medium having grown up without social media and even learning to operate within the computerized world and internet at a pretty mature age. But these kind of resources are amazing if a person just gets involved and lets his inhibitions go. So thanks to everyone for the warm welcome and I look forward to good conversations, sharing of ideas and most of all picking your brains for vital knowledge to become a seasoned radio operator with time.

Thanks for the help to everyone. I went with the MXTA24 cable, MXTA26 antenna and the NMO fender mount. Had to modify the plastic spacer for the cable to work with the mount but I'm used to doing stuff like that with jeeps. Hit the Sheraton hotel repeater in Dallas which is close to 30 miles away. Going to try again tomorrow at work which is to 40 miles away.

@WRQC527 I used to be a technical writer. Let me know if you want some help. The questions by @WRZR764 reveal some good topics to cover. Like the fact that giving your ID every 10 minutes is for amateur radio, every 15 minutes is for GMRS.

BTW: I ordered the Laird B4505CN. Its coming in on Thursday. I'll deal with the return of the other one the next day. I'm so busy at work and all the stuff right now. If you have any plans of buying something, I just wanna remind you that X'mas is just around the corner. I did what I had to do the whole year to get what I need before the traffic jam. I am predicting in the next 2-3 days, it might be a difficulty getting any orders for X'mas due to the holiday rush..

Thanks, great information here. I've heard that about the Wouxun KG-1000G/G+ that's the radio to get specifically for GMRS, I'm leaning towards it, I just want something more for future ventures. Good to know about the TYT, it seems like it may be a good brand too from what I'm hearing, looking at the MD-9600 myself and equivalents.

Kenwood quit making radios when JVC purchased them in 2014. You'll only find used equipment now, not saying they're not still good but, I am more interested in equipment I can still get readily available on the shelves over the junk on eBay. That being said, it's good information to know.

My views on my Wouxun KG-UV9GX isn't a fair one, this far I have nothing to compare it to, as in I don't use handhelds for CBs and I'm not a Ham, (at least not yet,) so I can't really say how well they actually are. My Cobra GMRS HTs kinda melted due to power fluctuations in my RV overcharging them. (Between brownouts, and over voltages that the surge protector didn't stop.) Which is partly why I asked this question about the brands. I'm more interested in mobile quality but, I'm not limiting it to just that. If a brand makes better HTs then mobiles, it's great info, if a brand makes better bases then mobiles, that too is good for the brain matter. I'm still in the learning phase, and I'm most likely not alone, with world events troubling people, and I, unlike a lot of people, don't have access to the resources others might, like transportation, (health issues, I have a vehicle that I can't drive,) and lack of ability to get to events to meet people and talk to them. I'm probably not alone in this arena as well. I hope that my inquiry will help others as well. Before I throw down $400+ for junk, I want to know if that $200\< radio is just as capable or better or not. Don't get me wrong I'm not saying a $400+ radio will be junk, just that I've been duped before, all because of not knowing, all due to not being able to ask.

Might be true of new models. However I own a bunch of older Kenwood radios the have Part 95 certification, and some of those are digital voice capable. My carry radio for GMRS and Ham UHF is the Kenwood TK-3170. A few others here use it as well. https://forums.mygmrs.com/gallery/image/263-tk-3170jpg/ TK-3170 Grant.pdf

@gortex2 For the most part I agree with you but new users are constantly asking questions beyond PTT but don't want HAM. I think a good GMRS Primer would be a good thing to have. TexasGMRS.net has some stuff but I haven't looked at it yet. Maybe it would fit the bill.

Its hard to compare commercial LMR radios to CCR/Hobby Radios. I've had every flavor LMR radio (Motorola, ICOM, Kenwood, Vertex, RCA, GE, MayComm, Harris) and its night and day. If your looking at Ham gear I've always bought and used gear from the large manufacturers (Kenwood, ICOM, Yaseu). I currently run a Kenwood TMD700 thats 20 years old. Never had an issue with it. In my new JT I run the Yaseu FTM400 and other than a issue on my end Ive not had an issue. I just grabbed another for another Jeep. Ive run the ICOM 2M stuff alot but mostly switch all my stuff to LMR gear. All digi's run ICOM or Motorola LMR radios and all repeaters are Motorola or Kenwood LMR.

13 years ago I purchased my first Wouxun HT, the KG-UVD1P. Easy to program with a computer and worked well in the ham bands and other Part 90 frequencies. Meets its published specifications on Part 95 frequencies also. After three weeks I dropped it exiting the attic from 10 feet onto the concrete garage floor with only a scuff to a corner of the case. Have had two for 11 years and only replaced the Li batteries. Accessories (AA battery packs, remote speaker/mic are very reasonably priced. I bought the KG-UV920P mobile when it became available 11 years ago and have never regretted it. Again, meets all published specifications across the whole frequency range. It, too, is easy to program via computer.

So the first issue that they may be having is the fact the radios they have are in the Part 90 allocation. And do you know what frequency they are on? Could be VHF. could be UHF. Hard to say. All this has to do with the noise floor of the area around the facility. Rural area noise floors are typically going to be lower than urban areas. The type of license they have is also a consideration. If they are saddled with an itinerant license, their neighbors across the street may have the same frequencies as they do further limiting their ability to talk. Lastly, the squelch level of the radios they have, which is programmable only and not user adjustable may have a hand in the lack luster coverage they are experiencing. GMRS and HAM UHF frequencies are typically fairly quiet and the noise floor there is very low typically. Much lower than the noise floor in the part 90 allocated frequencies. But what I can tell you is this. There are a number of different radio services out there that are for different applications and users. FRS radios that are sold in a big box store in bubble packs are meant by the service they are attached to to NOT be used for commercial / government entity applications. Just because you can buy them across the counter doesn't mean they are for every application you can imagine. FRS specifically stands for FAMILY radio service. Meaning they are for family use in a similar way that a child's walkie-talkie is meant for that application and NOT as a radio system for public safety. Could you use kids walkie-talkies in a public safety situation? Sure, if the range was limited, and the interference was minimal, police could use them to communicate. But that's not what they are for, and if a police department was to use them for law enforcement activities and the FCC caught wind of it there would be some fall out over it. Same goes for FRS radios being used for school communications. It's not what that service was intended for. And improper use of a radio service is technically against the regulations. Now, mind you seeing any sort of enforcement with this is pretty far fetched, BUT if the FCC were to get wind of it and decide to levy fines to the schools for using the FRS service as their communications system, those fines could reach over 10K in short order. So messing about with things of this nature, not being aware of the regulations could get them in hot water. And while the FCC can't really come for you for violations, the school could seek to create a civil case against you for sending them that direction.

I have two TYT TH-7800 dual band mobiles and two Wouxun KG-1000G Plus GMRS mobiles. I run one of each as my base radios and the other two in my vehicle and I haven't had any issues with any of them. The TYT mobiles radios are good and definitely better than most other CCR brands but I would say the Wouxun mobiles are a step above the TYT in my experience. One of the Wouxun KG-1000G mobiles replaced a Midland MXT500 as my GMRS base station. When it comes to HT's (hand held radios) I definitely would go with Wouxun over any other CCR HT I have used or owned. I have three Baofeng HT's, one Explorer QRZ-1 (rebranded TYT UV88), one Icom IC-T10 HT and one Wouxun KG-935G. Two of the Baofeng and the Wouxun are GMRS while the others are dual band 2m/70cm. Out of them all the Icon and Wouxun are real close to each other as far as build quality and sound quality on RX and TX. The Wouxun is definitely easier to program from the radio. Granted the IC-t10 is Icom's entry level dual band and the KG935G is one of top of the line models from Wouxun. I know there are a lot of people that like Yaesu product but I have not been impressed with them. I hear too many complaints from fellow club members about the brand. Alinco has a solid reputation though I don't have any personal experience with the brand. Alinco was recommended to me. I would not hesitate to go with a TYT or Wouxun product for amateur radio or GMRS.

CBs are different than Ham radios, apparently. Though from my understanding, past models of CB radios also had issues with power output, which is where the term "peak and tuning" the radios came from. A little bit of work and it's corrected. I've never had a Midland that didn't burn up on me. Why I'm very hesitant to get one of their GMRS radios. The Cobra 19 I have, (version IV,) isn't any better than the Midland, though at least it didn't fry, that I'm aware of. I've had just about every model of Cobra mobile they've ever produced and the 25's, 29's, and the 148's are their best models. Still, the Unidens, IMHO, sound better to me, though, aside from the 125, they're the same radios and have the same internals. (They don't, or at least didn',t make an equivalent to the 148.)

Schools can't be licensed for Part 95 or 97. They can license under both 90.20 and 90.37.

I guess I'm in the odd side of the thought process here but my "how to gmrs" for my parents was push mic button talk. use call sign. Done. For decades GMRs was for a private group/family only. Other than a radio tech showing us how to operate a new radio (back in the 2-6 channel days) thats all we needed to know. 95% of the GMRS repeaters were installed and maintained by radio shops and not home repeater. Now I see stuff has changed but in the end isn't it still about push mic talk listen ? Maybe those wanting the ham lite need more info but a lot of users are just talk listen radio to radio. I mean some of the trips I go on folks dont know how to put there jeep in 4Lo so I dont worry about the radio....

Congrats. You've placed yourself in the pile of users that no one wants to help.

I’m easily confused. You already said which antenna setup is for which radio in paragraphs 2 and 3, so what exactly are you asking?

The XS20G will last for years. I know 4 friends that have had the BTech 50W GMRS radios in their Jeeps.. 3 of them have failed in 3 years or less. I know ~10 friends with Midlands, 1 has failed 3 years or less.. I know 20+ friends that have KG1000G or XS20G radios in their Jeeps, with 0 failures. The data is anecdotal, but, i think it shows a trend.

No, not by regulation on the main channels. Most handhelds are limited to that but as a practical matter rather than regulations. Kenny is absolutely correct in his post below: Except for the weird case of Fixed Stations, which are fixed in location and may only communicate to other Fixed Stations - they are limited to 15 watts.

The 5 watt limit rule is for the 462 MHz Interstitial channels and the .5 watt applies to the 467 MHz Interstitial channels. The 50 watt limit rule applies to all 462 and 467 MHz main channels and that is 50 watts out of the radio not the ERP from the antenna.

It would be nice to have one set standard with GPS. It is the same with digital stuff on amateur radios, too many different systems that don't work together.

Actually, one book, or set of books, that I would possibly recommend is the ARRL Handbook. Yes, there is FAR more information in that book than needed for a primer, but if someone with previous experience was to read through, all of the major parts of 'radio' would be there and you could figure out a list of chapters and pages to suggest to a new license holder to get them up and going. I would put the following chapters as must reads, in no specific order. SAFETY VHF/UHF antennas COAX Signal propagation in UHF FM radio 'technology' VHF/UHF equipment There is a LOT in the ARRL handbook. In fact, there is enough in the Handbook that my college electronics instructor used the ARRL Handbook as the textbook for the class. For those that aren't familiar, the book is probably the best compilation of electronics technology, communications theory and RF methodology in existence. It covers everything from the most basic explanation of AC and DC circuits, Ohms Law all the way to digital microprocessors. It covers RF techniques from 'DC to Daylight' starting with VLF at 136Khz clear through to Microwave technologies and wave guide design for 40Ghz. There is information on any and every sort of digital modulation method and of course AM/FM/SSB is covered in depth. Sure, it's WAY more than an entry level person would want to try to absorb all at once, but again, if someone were to put together a list of the specific materials to read, it then becomes a reference for furthering the persons knowledge going forward. This set of books and the ARRL Antenna Book are my goto reference for all things radio.

So...I haven't worked with the newer mxt115, but i don't believe they're computer programmable, at least at the consumer level. The key points with the older 115 I had were enabling the repeater channels via the menu, tuning to the right "XXRP" channel for the frequency desired (which is programmed with the offset needed for repeater use) and then setting the code that corresponds to the tone needed for that repeater. I understand the new 115's have TX and rx tones separate now, and TX tone is what you need for the repeater...Rx is optional. https://cdn.accentuate.io/81031332017/1623709961570/MXT115-Owners-Manual-11-16-2020.pdf Page 23 has the instructions to enable repeater channels, 18 and 19 have the past about setting tones, and 27 has the table of what code corresponds to what tone.

Saaaaame, I passed my tech on Sunday with only 1 wrong answer, tried for general with zero studying and got 18/35. I plan on studying for both general and extra so once winter hits full force and I have time to kill, I can go test again and try to knock out both at the same time. I'm annoyed with myself for not thinking ahead and being in a rush to at least have my tech.

I'll say that someone should go for General regardless, since it is not that much harder than Technician and grants plenty of extra privileges.

If you are trying to penetrate a bunch of dense trees it will make a difference.