Leaderboard

I use mine for off-roading.. any time I want to "make contacts" and find anonymous men to talk with, I use the Grindr app.

205 DPL is the same as DN 205 343 DPL is the same as DN 343. The ones marked DI invert the bits of the digital pattern. DPL is also referred to as DTCSS.

To further emphasize what Randy said, there are no 466 MHz frequencies in GMRS.

Exactly. The nature of its use defines its type. A flat head screwdriver is a craftsmans tool when it turns screws, and a burglary tool when used to steal a car.

Being very new to GMRS, I can say my intended purpose is for use while traveling in groups camping. Having said that, I've set up a base station in my "radio shed" for the purpose of learning how to use the radio with repeater networks in my region. In the process of doing so, I've discovered numerous users that use the repeater network for social radio conversations. I don't personally know any of those that transmit regularly, but within a few weeks I recognize several dozen call signs and names that are on weekly or even several times daily. I'm beginning to feel at least in the Midwest, the GMRS network may end up working for me like CB radio did back in the 70s with developing social friendships that will likely include occasional meetups. Never expected that to be the case, but I'm kind of glad.

Knife edge refraction works best with hard surfaces, esp on UHF (GMRS is in the UHF range). Large, hard deep rocks are more likely to give knife edge than soft soils.

Both radios are working exactly as they are supposed to. Any GMRS repeater must have, by definition, a +5 offset. If it does not have a +5 offset then it is not a GMRS repeater and the radios will not allow you to transmit on them. And, the radios will not allow you to transmit on anything that is not a pre-set GMRS channel/frequency, which explains why you cant transmit on a 467 frequency with a +5 offset. It sounds like you bought the wrong radios for your needs..Or, you are really, really confuckulated. Edit: IIRC some of the A36 GMRS radios shipped with the wrong offset. .that is on them, but you should be able to easily change it to +5 from a 462. channel.. I was able to do that with mine, no problem. But you would be within your rights to send it back and ask for a refund as it does not work as it should, as defined by the FCCs and according to the radio's documentation.

I have one zone on my commercial radios programed for narrow band specifically to communicate with FRS users too.

Depends on the radio model and manufacture. For example the new KENWOOD radio series, NX-1000's, NX-3000's and NX-5000's they now require you to purchase a license key. The software communicates over the internet to valid the install before working. The keys are $100+ each and you can only have ONE install version of the software active at a time. If you have the software on more than one PC you have to deactivate the license on the one PC and activate the license on the one you want to use. Of course you can spend a wad of money buying more license keys. I have two desktop computers at work, one at home and a laptop. Buying a license key for each or trying to juggle the key between the various computers just isn't worth the hassle and cost. So far I've only found a cracked version of the software for the NX-1000 series that has bypassed the license key check. That's why I'm an owner of several NX-1300DUK5 FM/DMR radios now, one I purchased new from a dealer. I've also purchased the DMR encryption license for each radio, which gets permanently written to it. If it wasn't for the cracked version of the software I NEVER would have purchased them. I would like to own one of the NX-3000's or better yet an NX-5000, but I can't justify the cost of the software license key to program one radio that i might use a few times. IMHO if Kenwood is that worried about the software just roll the cost of the programming software into the cost structure of the radio and just give the programming software away. That's what they do for their amateur gear. The radio programming software is free. If I spot a radio that looks interesting I'll check for documentation for it on line. But most important I'll look for the programming software. If I can't get it I just forget about the the radio I was looking at. Just about all commercial radios are just paper weights without the programming software.

I must be missing something. Where is that in the rules? I ask because how we use the radio defines what the radio is. For example, by definition a base station is a station at a fixed location that communicates directly with mobile stations and other base stations. However, the exact same radio can be a control station, as defined by use of a station at a fixed location that communicates with mobile stations and other control stations through repeater stations, and may also be used to control the operation of repeater stations.

So first of all the CCR world is the issue at hand. Long before Baojuk and others the ONLY radio you could get on GMRS was a LMR radio with Part 95 certifications. My father bought many for our local radio shops. Hell back in the day it was a crystal so no adding 50 channels. We had RPT and TA to use thats it on our Unidens Anyway I have software for the M1225 Ive had for decades and was purchased when we bought a radio back in the day. As other said the software is pretty easy to find. Folks seem worried about finding software yet have no quams at using a HAM radio on GMRs with a mod.

I believe that FRS/GMRS interoperability is a strong point for both services. I use the same channel for a few groups. Our Jeep group is all GMRS, the deer hunting group has mostly switched to GMRS, but not completely. The group around my cottage (mostly golfcart-golfcart) is mostly FRS. The fact that un-licensed people can legally communicate in each group is a good thing. At my cottage I have the channel NFM on my KG1000, KG905 and KG UV=9GX for the times that I dont use on of my FRS (very old Motorolas), I just have to remember to TX my FCC call sign. If you have a problem with FRS on your channel then use a different channel or different PL filter. If you are scanning all channels with no PL filter so that you will hear everything, then dont be surprised when you DO hear EVERYTHING.

Not only is it not allowed (as normal practice), the only way to use the repeater in that configuration would be to use non-type approved hardware or otherwise type approved hardware with a configuration that invalidates its certification and legal use. So, it would be a double no.

I use a CA-712EFC on a 15-ft pole down on the St Joe river at near water-level with mountains all around the valley. This is connected to my Retevis RT97s portable repeater. With a HT standing directly under the antenna, I have no trouble getting keyed up. With the 20w mobile in my SxS running a 1/4-wave mag mount, I have been around 15 miles away in a draw a full mountain range away and had no trouble getting into the repeater. I know this can all vary from trail to trail. I was initially worried about the gain of the Comet and through I wanted a different antenna with less gain, but so far it's been working well for our camping and trail riding comms. IMG_0722.MP4

I use my KG-1000G+ in a Hardened Power Systems/Midland MXPW500 with a 10Ah LiFePo battery and it lasts for days, transmitting and receiving.. I usually use it on Low/Mid power, but it works fine (just not as long) at high power.

When I'm at my other Home I use it to talk to other GMRS users in Tennessee. In Florida, it's everyone around my area up to 20 miles on Simplex or one of 5 or so repeaters. We also have a local community Communication channel for our Neighborhood for Emergency use or chit chat

Here is how to do a firmware update on the A36: https://rumble.com/v3xqueg-my-talkpod-a36-gets-a-firmware-update.html

My GMRS and amateur radios are 99.99% used for listening to NOAA and local emergency services. I'm not a very social person

I primarily use GMRS to talk to family and friends. I find that I use 2m/70cm the same way just to talk to family and friends. We have been testing our GMRS repeater for the last month or two. So it has been used to talk to friends in the local amateur radio club. Along with using the repeater, we have also been testing on simplex channels too. Our GMRS repeater will be opened up for public use soon. It will be for general public use and also as another means of communication during an actual emergency.

I agree with this however many manufacturers have sone this in the past and are doing some again. Motorola for instance is doing APX and XPR free. The problem is folks complain about the cost of the radio. Cost of a radio can be argued to death but engineering costs and many other process's dictate price. Way more than we need to discuss here. But its also a supply demand situation. IF folks aren't buying new radios it doesn't bring funds into a manufacturer. In the end if you want a quality radio you research as you said and find out if you are capable and comfortable with the purchase you intend to do. Purpose built equipment, ham, gmrs, lmr is jsut that. The CCR world has caused most of the issues with all those services. Good or bad can be argued but the mentality of cheap stuff is much larger than 10 or 20 years ago. I go back to my first HT, HTX202 that I put on layaway at Radio Shack and paid $325.00 for and had no software or any of the stuff anything new has to offer. Our first GMRS mobile was a Uniden Xstal Radio with 2 channels. It had a button with RPT and TA. It was close to $500 which was about what Dad paid for the AMC Hornet that it was installed in !

That repeater is about 10 miles from me and I have never been able to hit it (he is the same guy running the DMR gmrs repeater, that I also have never been able to hit). BTW, mine is the Observatory Hill repeater just west of that WN2XFO repeater

Offroad and family. The intended use.

I use it for: Communication on our gold claims in Idaho. Huge safety and convenience here. We are able to talk to camp on the other side of a big hill, and if a family member gets hurt their signal sends their GPS location (Garmin Rino(s), and 50w mobile station). Staying connected while hiking, sledding, and biking (Garmin Rino). Social: locally we have a repeater with a 90 mile range... this is amazing! Traveling in groups (both HTs and 50w mobile units). Just now getting into radio nets, both technical and social (Wouxun KG1000+ and HTs). If you're looking for the social aspect of GMRS you should try joining on a local repeater. This worked well for me.

Mine is primarily for offroading and keeping in touch with my family and friends while local.

No. 000.500 is1/2MHz = 500KHz. You need 005.000 (5 before decimal) Yes, but look again at what he wrote.

You can see that in the antenna specifications referred to as "Down Tilt" angle. The purpose is to direct a bit more power closer in to the base area of the antenna. Otherwise the signal strength can be a bit poor close in but much better once you get some distance out from the repeater site. Both of the antennas in the attached datasheets have no down tilt. However look at the beam width specification. The higher gain antenna has a VERY narrow one, 14 degrees, compared to the lower gain one at 27 degrees. Something to consider before buying. DB408-B Product specifications.pdf DB404-B Product Specifications.pdf

Press the button.. WAIT.. then talk.. See if that helps.. If not, go outside or seek higher ground and try again.

If you are down in the valley, you want an antenna with a higher angle of radiation to get up to the hills. If you are in the right location, you may be able to take advantage of knife edge defraction. I am able to do that where I live with one hill and am able to get a signal from my place into a valley 20 miles away to a mobile. It is not perfect as far as 100% coverage but it does work. With UHF, whether mobile or base, you have to pay attention to your terrain and the angle of radiation on your antenna. High gain is not the end answer to everything. This isn't HF. I have encountered many Hams applying HF to UHF with many thing and it doesn't work the same way. I have spent quite a bit of money being misled, until I started doing my own investigation and learning how different signals are affected by terrain.

Software is free and easily found on the net. Version 4.0 runs fine on a WinXP computer. Cables are cheap; serial is more reliable if the pc has a serial port.

What's wrong with leaving FRS/GMRS as is? "Listening to the people" implies that there is a majority of the hundreds of thousands of FRS/GMRS folks out there who have come to the conclusion that FRS/GMRS is flawed because it doesn't include the scenarios you put forth. Does that majority exist?

If I am going to waste my very valuable time dreaming and fantasizing, I prefer to do it over something that matters.. Like Taylor Swift washing my dishes while wearing a Minnie-Mouse costume.

That was one of the arguments we used when talking our club into adding a GMRS repeater to the tower where our 2m and 70cm repeaters are. We have a backup generator on site and are adding a battery backup system too. We are still in the testing phase with the GMRS repeater but we are averaging 20-25 mile radius. Which is not bad considering the forested rolling hills of central Missouri. The other main selling point we used when pitching the idea was that we could always use another tool in the tool box for emergencies. And we will be adding a GMRS radio to our emergency coms trailer. So far we have all of the HF, VHF, and UHF bands covered in the trailer. No repeater will be online in an emergency without some type of backup power supply. We will be able to run up to 2 days on the new battery backup system plus we will be keeping the generator in place.

The 50 watt mobiles will transmit on the 8 sole, repeater/simplex channels and create havoc for other GMRS users. Bad idea, even for "rural" .

There is only one day left to post YOUR comments on this critical item. Only 6 so far have commented in dissent. You can make an express comment filing if you wish . I did, and mine was wordy. My old boss had a saying about allowing a camel to put his nose in the tent. Eventually you have the whole camel in your tent. Midland is interested only in maximizing sales of product, not protecting the GMRS service. You might like their product, fine, but Midland wants to distort the rules to sell product, without any regard to the technology that has existed since the inception of GMRS many decades ago. Point of fact, they have no problem ignoring that GMRS is a wide band 16K0F3E emission and sell radios that are narrow band and are reduced in performance. They did some trickery on one already certified radio model and claimed it could be made wide band via software. If so, it would be illegal to do so. So far I have no evidence that the software slipped out the back door, actually works. That is the company Midland. 1) More digital noises on the channels will become very annoying. I can tell you from experience, that the rodger beeps from FRS radios at the national parks will drive you nuts. Now with 50 watts and persistent GPS locations from 5 or 10 ATV's and voice communications will be impossible. Yes you can use PL but, if you are in the wilderness, sometimes it can be a safety net to listen in CSQ. Midland can do all this SMS messaging and geolocation on 900 MHz ISM band like their competition in this space. They can have mesh networking as well and extend the footprint substantially. 2) A digital voice option in GMRS would be great. However Midland describes a 4:1 TDMA solution that will not work in simplex which is 99% of their market. They are apparently un-knowledgeable about this and have thrown it in for arguments sake. If Midland were to develop such a product, it would not be a standard like P25 or DMR, it would be proprietary and incompatible with everyone else (Like Yaesu C4FM Fusion). If the radios are strictly digital, there would be no interoperability with existing FM wide band radios. Good luck on calling for help with your radios as you hear only digital voice. Midland can also do this on 900 MHz ISM band like Motorola DTR. There would need to be no FCC rule changes as ISM rules are very flexible. None of what Midland has proposed should be approved. Especially adding digital data to high power radios. If a digital voice option is to be considered, it should be described by the user community and should be a recognized standard like DMR and should have FM wide band mode as a primary mode of operation for interoperability with existing radio population. Frankly, a blanket approval of part 90 DMR radios, would be sufficient. But Midland wants more than that as a proprietary option will be cheaper to make and will lock in users to their crappy brand. Please dissent on Midlands entire proposal and do so quickly. An Express Comment is fine. Just Say No to bad engineering. https://www.fcc.gov/ecfs/search/docket-detail/RM-11970