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Thanks, Rich. I am not the target audience for this change but I understand how thankless running a site like this can be.

I settled for a dual-band antenna that performs excellent on 2M/70CM and good enough on GMRS. A switch sounds like a good alternative, I may look into this...

Thank you, thank you, thank you Rich!!! Wow and hell yeah a week is an outstanding turnaround! I was thinking IF you decided to adopt this it would be at least a few months. Thank you so so much, this is amazing. You just got another GMRS Pro (or whatever it's called) subscriber! WRUE91, thank you for your help as well, you really got me beyond excited with your KML California map. No doubt you were paramount in pioneering this idea and from messaging you it definitely shows. Thank you as well!

Hubs are used to link multiple repeater groups together. Yes, while use linked repeaters, if you transmit on repeater A it will be heard on repeater B even though repeater B is on a different frequency and vice versa.

If the repeater is or has been active, it must be identified at least once every 15 minutes. If it is just listening and not transmitting, it does not have to be identified. Read through the rules for GMRS in Part 95 of the FCC regulations.

A week is a pretty good turnaround...

You can now download a Google Earth KML file for each state from the Reports page. Please let me know if you have any feedback!

Greetings! New to the forum. I've had my GMRS license for about 9 months and I'm also an amateur radio operator. I recently purchased a Wouxun KG-805G HT, which is Part 95 type accepted for GMRS. It comes pre-programmed with the GMRS channels, including the repeater channels. The repeater channels are identified by number and repeater designation ("RPT20", for example). This makes things a bit unwieldy, because you have to remember the channel number and its relationship to the repeater frequencies you wish to use and then you have to manually go in and set the CTCSS or DCS tones every time you use that channel for a different repeater. Mostly out of curiosity, I checked CHIRP to see if I could identify other unprogrammed channels in the radio. My objective was to program specific repeaters and their tones and names in those unprogrammed channels, if they existed. I found that CHIRP does not identify the KG-805G as a radio which it can program; however, I also found that if you use the program for the Wouxun KG-816, it does, in fact, allow the uploading and downloading of data from and to the radio. Doing so revealed that the KG-805G has quite a few unprogrammed channels. I put in my favorite GMRS repeaters into the CHIRP programming matrix and then successfully uploaded them to the KG-805G. I also stopped scanning on the pre-programmed channels in the radio and allowed scanning on the channels I had programmed, so now I can scan my favorite repeaters. This may already be known to other KG-805G users, but I thought I'd put it on here in case someone didn't know. Incidentally, I really like the radio.

If you look at the photo and the specifications at the link the insertion loss is about 0.1db up to 500MHz for the example switch. That's only about 2.3 percent power loss, basically nothing to worry about. https://diamondantenna.net/cx310a.html

This is something I have yet to actually attempt yet but was thinking about it last night, as I have just got a new mobile radio to replace one I had with dual band antenna. That rig was on my last car that got totaled in January taking the rig with it. So, I was just brainstorming if on the new car a dual antenna setup would be more efficient. I was also, as I asked the question, thinking the same thing if the two antennas would cause issues with proximity to each other.

Using power poles does make things easy and simpler. I will buy the actual Anderson brand and the correct crimper when I start switching things over. My plans are to use them for a go box. @WRDJ205 I am going to suggest to just use the connector that came with the KG-XS20G since it is water resistant. I also suggest running the positive lead to the battery and the ground to chassis ground of your vehicle. Here is where ring terminals that are crimped and soldered is better.

Like @back4more70 I’m using a dual-band antenna that performs excellent on 2M/70CM and good enough on GMRS (Comet SBB-5NMO). This has worked well for me. I don’t think this would be an issue as you would only have one connected to a radio at a time. I do find the idea of a switch intriguing. Is there much loss through a switch?

That's what I did. I'm using a Nagoya UT-72. It's inexpensive and works well.

Anderson Power Poles are commonly used. I have just about everything I use outfitted with them. There is sort of a semi official configuration for them. Anderson Powerpoles - Standard for ARES and RACES.pdf ARES - RACES Standard 12 VDC Power Connector.pdf INSERTION - EXTRACTION TOOL FOR PP15-45.pdf

Thanks Lscott for reminding me of that, I'm not quite awake yet. I also use the Diamond switch and that was why I chose it, though I have the type N connector version for my GMRS base radio. This is the UHF SO-239 version for the OP. https://www.dxengineering.com/parts/dmn-cx210a

If he does that it will may look OK from an SWR standpoint but the pattern will look bad with multiple lobes likely giving crummy coverage. I wouldn't recommend it other than as an experiment.

You want a coax switch. Be sure you get one that is rated up pass the highest frequency you intend to use. Since you're stuck using SO-239 sockets on it you have to be careful to get the right insulator and socket design type. Most SO-239 sockets for CB radio or HF work may use the crappy red or brown Bakelite insulating material around the center pin. DON'T use those!. These will cause SWR issues. The better choice is when the material is white. That would typically be Delron or Teflon. While better than the above I would only recommend it for VHF and below. The best is where the center pin is supported by what looks like a spoked wheel design around the center pin. That gives the interior of the socket mostly air and results in a socket impedance closer to 50 ohms, matching the radio and coax, which will mitigate SWR problems. https://forums.mygmrs.com/gallery/image/431-coax-switchjpg/

In chirp, select the Radioddity UV-5G.

@WSCD723 Welcome to GMRS. I'll second what @WRUU653 said about HamStudy. That is what I used and I was able to pass the tech and general in one session. I like that explanations they give, it's better than just memorizing answers.

They are skipped during scan by default since there's no output tone. Any activity on the channel will cause the scan to stop and what you're hearing may or may not be that repeater anyway. This way, if you get the tone information, you already have the channel programmed, you can set up the tones and add to the scan list, and you're off to the races.

I'm not sure why, but, I think I like this guy.

The last step is the 'SAVE-MODE" You have to finish with saving your settings. You may have missed this step.

I bought the NanoVnA from R and L electronics. It is well built and has N connectors rather than SMA. Used with nano Vna saver software it’s a piece of cake to use. But it’s not my favorite. I’ve worked on an MFJ 269D analyzer. They’re poorly built and I would never buy one. Now I have two different RigExpert analyzers. I really like them. They are my favorites.

Normally a Lightening Arrestor is placed inline within 16" of the antenna cable entering the building. Ground would go to a suitable ground.

From the regulations: (b) Revoked or withdrawn certification. In the event that the FCC revokes or withdraws a grant of equipment certification for a type of Personal Radio Service transmitter, existing transmitters already in service may continue to be operated unless and until the FCC determines otherwise and gives Public Notice of that decision.

BIG BIG BIG thanks to Jack for fixing my bricked 805G.