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Recently, a local Phoenix family drove up to the mountains northeast of Phoenix several days ago and got caught in a snow storm and they were stranded for several days. The family did survive and made it out unharm. They were lucky to be found by local Payson Area residents during the snow storm. While they were stranded, they attempted to call for help using their cell phone but unfortunately, they were in an area of no cell service, which is not unusual in the remote mountain areas of Arizona. However, the area they were in was well covered by the Diamond Point GMRS Repeater which is linked to other repeaters of the Southwest Community Radio System (SWCRS) that serve the Flagstaff, Phoenix, Tucson, and the eastern mountain communities in Arizona; and throughout the state of New Mexico. If they had a GMRS radio and if they were licensed and knowledgeable about the GMRS repeater system they could have use their GMRS radio to summon for help. The point is, you can’t always rely on a Cellular Telephone for help, especially in remote areas. So, don’t leave home without your GMRS radio even in the metro areas. You can never plan when a GMRS radio will be the most valuable tool in the time of need.

I'd suggest programming all 8 repeater channels for a tone of 141.3, the national travel tone and setup scan for all 8 channels. A good majority of public repeaters use this tone and is usually a good way to tell if a repeater is public or not. If you hear something that's not on 141.3 then scan for the tone if you want.

My OTHER theory is that the corkscrew just allows you to have a shorter antenna with the same electrical length, and it has nothing to do with performance, other than having a shorter antenna that is just as performant as a longer one.

Even having a repeater with its antennas at 400 feet above ground is not a guarantee o getting out really far. Again terrain and height of your antenna with a clear line of sight matters. Our GMRS repeater antennas are at 400 feet and the range for those using 50 watt mobiles with good antennas on their vehicles is only about 30-35 miles depending on the mobile's location. We have lots of rolling hills and river valleys along with forested areas around me. Now I can easily get into the repeater with a 5 watt hand held using my base antenna that is on my roof. The base of the antenna is 18 feet above the ground. Again line of sight and a clear path matters.

Definitely use an antenna analyzer. Even an inexpensive NanaVNA will work.

Radios seems to attract a certain type of person, often with similar personalty defects...

It’s impossible to reliably say. They might go from one block to another or they could go miles between upper floors of two different buildings.

Some basic info to get you started. https://www.brara.org/documents/presentations/The DMR Basics _ No Frills.pdf https://w1yca.org/tech/tips/dmrGuide.pdf

No. The batteries are different sizes (width and thickness), and the contact plates are in different locations: Battery on left is for the UV-5G Plus, on the right is the standard capacity battery for the UV-5R.

RT System software can automatically populate repeaters in your radio’s memory based on location (zip code plus radius is just one way). Chirp has similar features. Use the memory banks or zones of many radios to create zones that reflect different locations along your journey and then just switch from bank to bank (or zone to zone) as you travel. Alinco’s DMR radio even has “roaming zones” and a built in GPS.

This should be a unique experience for sure. My wife and I actually use technology to route ourselves on to the back roads telling the map program to avoid major highways when we want to see somthing different. No advise here but I wish you luck on your trip.

Instead, I suggest that you get the factory made cable with the N connectors and use the adapter on the radio end. Electrically it’s the same but having a factory N connector on the cable where it connects to the antenna will be more weatherproof.

It is feasible. The feature is called lockout. Unfortunately no retail GMRS radios that I know of have it, but scanners and some commercial radios have it.

I have to agree that you won't notice the tiny amount of loss when using a quality adaptor. I'll also second staying away from the cheap adaptors on Amazon. I have a custom length cable with a PL259 on one end and a N Type on the other. The only reason for the custom length and different ends is because my brother made up the cable for me so I didn't have to go out and buy cable. If I had to buy the cable, I would just get the closest length (longer than needed) of good cable with either PL259 connectors on both ends or N type connectors on both ends and just use a good adaptor. A little extra coax coiled up at the antenna end won't hurt a thing and will act as a choke to help keep out RFI/noise.

If it was ME, (i have actually had similar shituations) I would (and do) just use a good quality adaptor... "Some People" will warn you that you are going to lose all your power through an adaptor, but I am able to deal with that 0.002% amount of loss. "some people" will also tell you to just do-up the cables and connectors yourself - but, many normal people dont want to hassle it, and, are willing to cope with that 0.002% loss from using an adaptor. ..Be sure to use a good-quality adaptor, not the $2 one from Amazon.

I would love to run longer antennas but I need to be able to park in my garage and also fit into low parking garages at my doctors appointments. I might end up getting another Comet 2x4SR for when out and about.

I believe it was used for the 154-155 MHz. Thanks for the input.

Would need to know which part of the VHF band the antenna is for. If it was for an amateur radio 2m (144-148 MHz) repeater, it probably won't work very well for GMRS, since the GMRS frequencies are not a harmonic of 2m. If it was used for MURS, you might be able to get away with it, but performance will still suffer. Also, I wouldn't use a radio with an inline SWR meter to do your testing. You really don't know what you're transmitting into. I would find someone with a quality antenna analyzer (like a RigExpert) that covers a wide range of frequencies. You also don't know the state of the hardline, it might have a break in it. Probably don't want to be keying a radio into a broken coax. An antenna analyzer can also tell you the length of the coax, so you'll have a good idea if the entire length is still good. As for knowing which antenna the hardline is going to, aside from tracing it, I don't know of a good way to test that. More seasoned forum members might have some ideas.

This sounds like jesting, sarcasm between friends on the surface. My take anyway.

Ha Ha sounds like the way some Ham repeaters can get, although much less child-like. GMRS is a means of communications for people who just need to talk without studying for a test and learning all about the electronics of radio. Its not that serious. 10 codes are permitted on GMRS and as long as you are not swearing, you are not going against the rules. Some people take it overboard on rules and what they think are the rules. Not every area is like what you mentioned here. Where I live, there is a large group of people (probably 99% of the state) who all get along with each other and are professional and helpful. Unfortunately, with radio, you will almost always find at least a few clowns in the bunch.

Line of site, no obstructions, is the key to GMRS frequencies.. i.e. There is a repeater near me that sits on a ideal location,, it sits at 4,500 feet It has line of site advantage in 300 degrees that can and has reached over 100 miles. Location, location, location..,

Every repeater has a cast of characters. They're like bad sitcoms. Some asshat put in a repeater in the last few days that's on the same frequency pair as an established high-level repeater here in southern California. Last night two guys went on for at least an hour with nothing but F-bombs about their phenomenal MMA skills and how Tyson will get his butt kicked against McGregor. All this chit-chat drowned out the net taking place on the other repeater. You never know what kind of mayhem will occur on a repeater.

two sets of info,, As the latter suggested, program both to see which tones are correct. Some radios will auto detect the tones for you.. CTCSS and DPL are a complete different set of tones. The difference is that CTCSS (Continuous Tone Coded Squelch System) uses continuous tones below 300 Hz whereas DCS (Digital-Coded System) uses digital data or encoded-words which are very unique and all encoded words can be used on the same channel without interference. Transmitter un-keys the code at the end of transmission and just 0.5 seconds before the transmission which indicates the radio at 134 Hz tone which serves as turn off code. The FM deviation level should be in the range of 500 Hz to 800 Hz in DCS technolog.

This is actually great advice, and I didn't know that 141.3 is the national travel tone, although it makes sense because many of these repeaters I am adding to my database use 141.3.

I had this issue with one of my 771s, I just put a rubber o ring in between and it doesn't screw in all the way and it's working normally.

And for the record, you should never have to worry about being a bother when you’re asking questions.

@Knilc It appears that the UV-5RM is the ham version of the UV-5G Plus. This charger should work.

Interesting: it always amazes me that CCRs often continue confusingly similar naming schemes. I recently purchased the Radioddity DB25-D DMR mini-mobile and note that it is a completely different radio than their DB25-G GMRS mobile radio!

That’s awesome to know thank you for your help and looking into it. I’m going it reprogram my ht today. I’m really surprised how unused DMR is I’ll have someone chime in time from time but that’s about it Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

You have a good start to your collection.

Current: 2x Baofeng MP31 1x Baofeng UV-5R GMRS 2x Baofeng UV-5R8W 1x AnyTone AT-778UV 1x Kenwood TH-75A 2x Abbree 771 antennas 2x Abbree 701 antennas 1x Nagoya UT-72 mag mount Added March 29th: 2x Baofeng GM-15 Pro 8W 2x Extra batteries 2x Big Blue 14W USB solar panel

Doesn't the UV-5G+ use the same battery mold as the classic UV-5R? And if so, wouldn't the desktop cup chargers for the UV-5R will work?

Yes, but anyone can partake in their nets without membership. And you can certainly attempt to see if you are within their repeater coverage range before joining, by going on and asking for a radio check. If you feel that dues are not something you want to spend, then consider a DMR hotspot; which will allow you full DMR coverage with no repeaters necessary.

If it works like my FT4X, one option would be to change the "lock" settings to only disable PTT, so you can still change channes at will. then just unlock when you want to switch to a channel you can transmit on. this is the route i go with the FT4X since i don't have any public safety channels programmed, but dial one up on the VFO occasionally when there might be something going on. alternately, what i did with the baofengs and the LMR stuff is set them for duplex, with the intended listen only (public safety/commercial/etc) frequency as the receive frequency, and either GMRS CH 1 (462.5625) or MURS 1 (i forget the frequency offhand) as the transmit frequency. Neither is strictly kosher, but GMRS1 is often a mess of kerchunks and call button tones from the kids with bubble packs (at least here), and I've never heard a peep on MURS. CHIRP is pretty good about letting you just type in the transmit frequency directly, and calculating the offset, but if you're using Yaesu's you may need to calculate it yourself.

What kind of feedline (RG-58?) do you have to the base station Ed Fong antenna and how long is it (guessing around 40 feet)? Receive will be sensitive to excessive feedline losses. It isn't a big deal at the lower frequencies of CB radio, but when you are operating at GMRS in the UHF spectrum losses build rapidly. Forty feet of RG-58 has 5.4dB of loss at 450MHz (more at 465MHz GMRS). Every 3dB of loss halves the power, 6dB halves that. So you'll end up at about 16.7W at the antenna using RG-58. Forty feet of LMR400 has 1.08dB of loss and with it you'll 30.6W out of your 40W. In North CACKALACKY (my late wife and love of my life grew up in Havelock) you have humidity and storms. I would suggest N-type connectors and look up how to seal up the connections properly to keep moisture out of your feedlines. I use a connector silicone paste made to seal connections, it goes right in the connection. Then wrap the connection tightly with the silicone rubber "self-amalgamating" tape real good. Over that use the black vinyl electrical tape. And lastly, put a wire-tie (tie-strap) around the vinyl tape to keep it from unwinding on you. I use Times Microwave LMR-400 coax and it will cost you a "Ben Franklin" for 40 feet with N-type connectors. Don't forget a loop just at the antenna in the coax for strain relief (takes cable weight off of antenna connectors and puts it on your mast). Shhhhhheeeewwww! Did I forget anything? Hope this helps.

Jeep: XTL5000 w/Midland MXTA26 antenna Out of the Jeep while off-roading: XTS2500 Base: XTL5000 connected to Tram1486 Office: KG1000GPlus w/MXTA26 on a cookie sheet in the window Couch: XTS5000 Repeater: Vertex 7000 w/Tram1486 and LMR400 coax. Other than the repeater all the coax is just inexpensive black-coax.

Also NOT certified for GMRS. For new users to GMRS the recommendation is to get a radio with Part 95A, under old rules, or Part 95E under the new rules certification. Some of the older commercial radios are certified under Part 95A and perfectly legal to use on GMRS. Plus, with some effort, they can be used outside of their official band split to allow operation into the upper half of the Ham 70cm band where the repeaters are typically located. Not all commercial radios allow this. This is just one such example: https://forums.mygmrs.com/gallery/image/263-tk-3170jpg/?context=new The difference between a 4 watt verses a 5 watt radio isn't very significant. Some may recommend a higher power handheld radio. What you'll get is a much shorter battery life and a great hand warmer, burner, if the radios is used at high power for more than very brief transmissions. I've read where some people have destroyed their radio from heat, even at the 4 to 5 watt level, when used at high duty cycles.

I just picked up a GMRS, and in the Hampton area. It’s my first and was online looking to see if there were any groups in the area. Purchased mine mainly for use while on the road/offroad. My helmet comm pairs with the unit fairly nice. I work in the service sector of shipping and have been planting ideas into the drivers of a large, local trucking company in Chesapeake. Maybe it will add other radios to the area.

Is that really a bad thing?

Here, I'll just get it over with: You will get a $250,000 fine AND go to jail!!

This is just a semi-informed opinion with anecdotal experience, but for my handelds I have found that the dual band antennas are a compromise. You can TX/RX with them but they are normally not as good as an antenna tuned to a specific band. On a dual band, tri band, or quad band radio you need that dual (tri or quad) band antenna if you plan to use more than one band on an outing and done want to haul around an extra antenna. I have an amateur band Yaesu VX-6R and a VX-7R. The multi-band antennas that came with them work well enough but if I am headed out with other people I will normally switch to an antenna tuned to the band we are planning on using. Your H8 is (I think) a modified HAM radio. It probably comes with the same antenna the HAM version came with. Since you are going to be TX on GRMS frequencies I would be inclined to use the antenna that is tuned for those frequencies (771G). It has been my experience that you will still be able to RX reasonably well in both 2m and 70cm bands with the 771G. On my GMRS handhelds I either use the OEM antennas or a 771G. And, of course, as Sshannon said, try it and see what works best for you.

100% what @OffRoaderX said. That's the quickest and easiest way. I would also note that if you have a number of favorite channels (like local repeaters) you have the option to add them as a Favorite Channel in menu 41 and then use one of the programmable side keys to scroll through your favorites.

Probably none. The cost to install those chips, parts - labor - shipping, would very likely exceed the cost of a new radio with them. Unless you have the expertise and equipment to install them yourself I would just buy a new radio with everything installed and working.

I know you are not looking for a base station, but I have a $19 Midland mag mount antenna that I use with my UV9G. At home I have it going out through a window onto a metal plate. In the car I just stick it on top of my car. A simple $2 adapter makes for an easy connection. The antenna makes quite a difference when it comes to range: repeaters that my regular antenna can not touch are easy with the mag mount. A cheap radio plus a cheap antenna = a base station, a mobile station, and a still usable HT. That’s a lot of utility for just a little bit of cash. i haven’t had any fitment troubles with the three antennas I have tried out, but I have heard that there can be issues. There are a couple of YouTube videos out there and the “sandpaper around a pencil” approach looks like a winner.

@Lscott show off