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Well I don't know Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh thud.

African or European?

Repeaters tend to have more range than a handheld because of more power and a larger antenna, but you should able to connect with one from more than a mile away. I'm in a wooded area but I can hit a repeater five miles away with a standard antenna if I'm in the front yard and facing the repeater. That's not because I have a great radio but because the repeater has a great antenna, and because I'm lucky enough to squeeze the signal through a hole in the trees.

What Is the Airspeed Velocity of an Unladen Swallow?

I'm not going to argue with you. It is a well known fact that RG8 and RG8X has high loss on UHF frequencies. Here is one of the better loss calculators I have found. https://kv5r.com/ham-radio/coax-loss-calculator/ I suggest doing your own investigation. You will find that RG8 and RG8X are not good for UHF frequencies.

@WSBT338 I would definitely go with a different type of coax cable. RG8X has a lot of loss when used for GMRS frequencies. You are looking at a loss of 8.4 dB for a 100 foot run of RG8X, that equates to an 86% power loss. Let's say you are using 100 foot of RG8X, you would only be putting out 7 watts at the antenna with a 50 watt radio. Now let's say you are using 50 foot of RG8X with a 50 watt radio. You will have a loss of 4.2 dB which is a 62% loss with only getting an output power of 18.9 watts.

Just remember... you made me do this... I guess it's not thud but splash.

I agree that a difference seems like it might exist, but Remote Control is specifically defined as operating and Control Points and Control Stations are also defined in terms of operating: 95.303 Remote control. Operation of a Personal Radio Services station from a location that is not in the immediate vicinity of the transmitter. Operation of a Personal Radio Services station from any location on the premises, vehicle or craft where the transmitter is located is not considered to be remote control. Control point. Any location where the operator of a Personal Radio Services station may reliably operate that station. Control station. 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.

That is why the Chevron decision was struck down. I think a lot of changes will be happening because of that change. It should slow things down considerably because congress needs to get involved with anything they call a regulation/rule that is treated as law.

It's almost like they have a rule for everything and anything so they can go after you any time they want. It's nearly impossible to comply with all the rules/regulations/fake laws they come up with. Some of them contradict another so they can pick and choose the side they want to use against you. I try to follow the rules, but sometimes it's literately impossible to follow one while not breaking another. And it's likely designed that way or made up by people who's left hand doesn't know what their right is doing.

Well, Marc brings up several good points. I am gonna throw some more gas on this fire and bring up another regulation that I have seen pop up. That being the requirement to listen to the channel / frequency you are about to use before transmitting. This was to verify that another repeater/ simplex user is NOT currently using the frequency before accessing it yourself. Commercial radios used 'HUB' or some other similar feature that when the mike hangar (knob on the back of the Microphone) was taken from the mike clip that is mounted to stow the mike when not in use disables the PL/DPL/CTCSS tone for the receiver and allows you to listen to the RX frequency in CSQ. This isn't a part 95 specific requirement, it's written elsewhere in 47 as a requirement for all services other than maybe HAM but I am betting it's a requirement there to. Commercial guys know this as 'monitor'. No one bothers with it any more but it's still on the books. There are ways around it. First being the class of licensed frequency you have. Again, going to commercial part 90 stuff, there are classes of frequencies. These are designated by the number behind the FB, or Fixed Base designation for the licensed frequency. FB2 is a shared frequency that has the requirement to monitor the frequency as there are other users in your area that could be licensed for that frequency as well. Then there is FB6 and FB8. FB6 had no requirement to monitor but may be shared at a distance typically greater then your normal coverage area. Then there is the FB8. FB8 is considered a 'control channel' level license. These are allowed to transmit in the blind at all times. If you have an FB8 license, there is zero requirement to listen first and you are allowed to transmit on that frequency at all times. In a trunking radio system, these are what are used for control channels. The rest of the channels are typically FB6, having no requirement to monitor but a small possibility exists that you may encounter some interference occasionally. Back the the requirement to 'monitor'. Obviously we don't have licensed 'assigned' frequencies any more. So there is a requirement to monitor before transmitting in all cases. And how many linked repeater systems have output frequency receivers that are monitoring the TX frequency and will deny the repeater the ability to transmit if there is another user on the frequency locally? Of course the answer is none. And you are NOT going to be able to monitor a repeater frequency in Iowa if you are in Florida. And that is how we get hung on linking regardless of with part 95.XXX says. If you are in Florida and key up a repeater in Iowa that shares a frequency with another local repeater, or someone is using that channel simplex, you just caused interference with that user. It's also how they CAN go after repeater users that are not repeater owners.

Another option would be to make a moxon antenna or yagi centered on 152.15 MHz or so

We haven't taken anything down. There may be an issue with the machine but we're full steam ahead otherwise..

What?! Of course it does! How else will we determine who thinks they are the smartest?!

This is right from the specs on DPD's ad for 50 ft of RG8x. Performance: This cable is fine for short runs from your device to an antenna, but not recommended for critical loss applications above 400 MHz at this length. Using this cable at this length on something like ADS-B, is probably going to create some loss. All he sells is RG8x.

I like the Bird 43 Inline Watt Meter

Correct. As far as I am concerned, as of the ruling by the Supreme Court, Bureaucrats are now powerless. All the agencies are as of now defunct. Only laws by Congress apply and not "rules" by an Agency. Lawmakers are allowed to make "Rules" in the form of Laws. That said, I do live in the real world and what I am saying is that this will be one to watch. Talk about creating a legality mess with striking down Chevron. However the Constitution is what it is. If they don't like it then they can change it. Be fun to watch this one play out.

I mean, it depends. All repeaters are not the same, nor are all handhelds. But: within a mile is pretty crap unless you're in a DENSELY wooded or built up area. I routinely talk through a repeater at 50 miles with a handheld. That repeater is up on top of a mountain, and I'm on a hill with nothing but valley (ie: open air) between us. I also have been able to talk nearly 5 miles on simplex from up on my hillside to another handheld down in the valley. All of this using stock antennas (often, with an H3, actually). So I'd say, short answer: no that's not correct. Long answer: ...but it could be depending on your particular circumstances.

That is for you controlling your own radio. Anyway, remote control is a false path to pursue regarding repeater linking. What we need is an official statement on whether internet linking is covered by the prohibited network clause.

@SteveShannon i think in the case of PRS, operate and use are the same. The language has to be bland enough to cover the licensee's actions to include using the radio (personally) to transmit audio, GPS data, messaging data, CW or control commands. And it has to cover the licensee's family also performing those actions.

Those type of roll up j pole antennas definitely work. The faraday clothe j pole antennas will roll up into a smaller package and are pretty easy to make. The guy that made the video I posted earlier also sells them built for 2m and 70cm. You could definitely make your own and tune it for what ever band you want. https://vfcomms.com/product-category/antenna/ I have to agree that BNC connectors will be better than using the SMA connectors. There are quite a few YouTube videos of guys using those faraday cloth j poles and they are generally using them at 20-30 feet high in trees. And there are many ways to get your string up to pull the antenna into the air. Either type of roll up j pole will serve well in an emergency situation to get your antenna as high as you can to get more farz out of a HT.

Okay, okay, I get it… These repeaters are close to The Mars Rover (161.64 million miles give or take) when compared to Voyager 1 (15.2 billion miles). I have no idea how long that takes in a boat. This is fun.

Oh boy, now you've gone and blown up some folks' entire world view

Stretches between Syracuse and Niagra Falls. 3 repeaters if I remember correctly. I'd show you on the map but they've been removed.

From Part 95, the language describing how certain services require individual licenses to "operate or use". I'm not certain whether the regulations are establishing that "operate" and "use" are the same thing or acknowledging that they are separate activities allowed by the license. I think that the phrase as used here is equating the two words: § 95.3 05 Authorization to operate Personal Radio Services stations Pursuant to 47 U.S.C. 307(e)(1), this rule section authorizes eligible persons to operate part 95 Personal Radio Service stations and part 96 Citizens Broadband Radio Service stations without individual licenses, except as provided in paragraph (a). Such operation must comply with all applicable rules in this part. (a) Individual licenses. A valid individual license may be required under this part to operate or use stations in a particular service, certain types of stations, stations transmitting on certain channels or frequency bands, or stations transmitting with power above a certain level. Any such requirements applicable to stations in any of the Personal Radio Services are set forth in the subpart governing that specific service. See e.g., § 95.1705. Otherwise, the FCC does not require or accept applications for an individual license to operate any type of Personal Radio Service station.

I have the same repeater. Please describe the help you need and I'll try to help you. Depending on what is preventing you from proceeding, if necessary, you can send me your codeplug file and I can set it up and send it back to you for uploading to the repeater. If you need the programming cable, contact Blue Max 49ers. I'm not sure if he has the software. If you have the software, depending on the codeplug firmware and the software versions, you most likely need the Windows 7 or 8 64 bit Operating System and most cases, you have to run the application as the administrator.

That is ironic. The part you have in bold is from the FCC website. Like... literally the actual regulation. I even put it in my opinion post and cited § 95.303 in that post. I'm going to have trouble agreeing with you on that one. Too bad, too. I was hoping to find some common ground. Go to this link for the Part 95 definitions and look at the definition of operate. Direct quote from the FCC website linked below... "Operate. Control the functioning of a Personal Radio Service station; in particular, cause a Personal Radio Service station to begin, continue or cease transmitting." https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-47/chapter-I/subchapter-D/part-95

A friend of mine who monitors this forum but doesn't post very often pointed out that you disagree with my synopsis view of remote control. However, it is not my synopsis, I literally copied and pasted from the FCC part 95 rule on their website defining remote control. I'm not sure I understand what you disagree with. So I can understand a little better, can you expand on what line or portion of my post you disagree with? I don't want to argue, I'm just trying to understand your point a little better.

FarsoMeter 2000 - measures in both imperial and metric and it is so accurate and precise that you need a license just to use it.. It is coveted by H.A.M. radio operators around the world.

N9taxlabs makes a dual band GMRS Murs roll up jpole. Quite easy to pull it up in to a tree with a throw weight and some line. I recommend get the 16’ cable and BNC connector options. BNC mod what ever HT you plan on using with the Jpole. 12lb test fishing line or higher will make getting the antenna into a tree easier. Tie the fishing line to your throw weight (or water bottle) heave it over a branch, cut it off the bottle and tie it to your paracord and pull it back over the branch with the antenna. https://n9taxlabs.com/shop/ols/products/dual-band-murs-gmrs-slim-jim-with-10-or-16-foot-cable

But that’s the point; it doesn’t matter what the requirements of another “part” say. The different Parts are independent of each other. GMRS is governed by the rules of Part 95, subpart E and those of the superior hierarchy 47 CFR, Chapter 1, and Subchapter D. Part 97, unless referenced somewhere in that hierarchy, is unrelated, no matter how much a person believes in it.

With what you provided in our request, no. If you stated what kind of help you neede, such as locating cables, software or something specific, then yes, someone can and will provide help. Now, what help do you need?"

I always tell those clowns that while I am an honorably retired cop, I will not contribute to them because most of these organizations speak out against restoration of our gun rights, such as "Constitutional"/ Permitless Carry bills. Funny, they never try to argue. They just hang up on me.

Made my first contact tonight I talked to a guy about 25 miles away a lot different than back in the old days with a mobile CB

I heard the electromagnetic waves come sweepin' down the plain in Oklahoma.

I had the exact same error in Chirp when I was programming my 2nd Gen TD-H8. The radio will allow any GMRS frequency in channels 31-54 but Chirp only allows the repeater frequencies. I ended up letting Chirp do what it wanted, and then correcting a few channels using Odmaster. I did it this way because I have other radios that I program with Chirp and I want them all to have the same non-GMRS monitoring channels. I reported this as a bug to Chirp, but there's some question as to whether it's a difference between 1st gen and 2nd gen H8's, and might call for a new driver instead of a bug fix.

On a technical level data can be sent through any GMRS radio provided you own a smart phone or a computer For example APRSDROID (which is free if you download it from their website and build it vs paying the appstore version) will work if you're in simplex receiving range and you can decode it with any other radio and phone. It obviously wont work like ham APRS. I am not saying its allowed by the FCC but I can assure you it would work as 2 phones set up to act as APRS clients in hearing range of each other will encode and decode the data. The cable that allows you to turn any android phone into a digital encoder and to do this with any K-type radio is 2$ on Aliexpress. I use mine in my car for road trips so people can track me on aprs.fi and it works very well with my cheap motorola phone and a baofeng connected to my car antenna.

Progress update - I have the repeater up and running in a temporary setup for ease of trials. Currently 15' AGL on a temporary handmade tilt tower using a 50' RG-8 run. Even with the rolling hills of the thick woods, i am able to kerchunk at approx 5-7 miles currently on a 5w HT(bottom areas sketchy). Once i am satisfied with trials of different frequencies, i will move the antenna to my in ground tower at twice the height with LMR400.

Based on all your multiple previous comments about how EVERY person you know dumps EVERY radio (Midland, Retevis, TidRadio, Wouxun) unless that radio happens to be the same brand of radios that you use, it is becoming clear that you don't actually know anyone. ... Or, you are just F.O.S. But either way, your mythomaniac comments are great for pointing at and laughing so keep up the good work!

No, because on GMRS we are normal people speaking normal English.. Speak/talk however you wish, but keep it family friendly. If anyone tries telling you that you "cant" say 10-4, "cant" say "over", or "cant say" anything else, it's just their obsessive-compulsive power-trip showing itself and they should be ignored.

I keep my Roger Beep on - when someone complains about it, I remind them that its my radio and nobody is forcing them to listen to me.

The system in question is not remotely near NYC. Its 6+ hours NW of NYC....