Leaderboard

Then contact someone with a tower (ham radio club possibly) and ask for a price to place your antenna on their tower and your repeater in their building.

Hi Josh, Please check the format of the callsign. It must be 4 letters and only 3 digits. You probably have an I not the number one.

If it was so simple we wouldn't get any business here.

I think most people who use GMRS do so using GMRS radios. They are people who simply buy GMRS radios to use while doing other activities. I also think that a significant number of the members of this forum do not use GMRS radios, because they are the more like GMRS radio hobbyists.They are the people who learn enough about the radios to repurpose other radios. This forum’s membership is not at all indicative of most GMRS users. We are the users who talk about GMRS even when we’re not using GMRS.

I suspect Rich gets very little from advertising, but if you become a premium member, that's $50 that goes directly to benefit Rich and allow him to keep this place going. Plus, premium members don't see any advertising and never run out of reactions.

Accurate coverage mapping requires a number of different pieces of information to run the calculations against to generate a map. Some of those are power from the transmitter, duplexer loss, antenna cable loss, antenna gain, antenna height at the center of the radiation pattern, antenna pattern and down tilt. What is calculated is path loss based on the transmit and receive frequencies, losses due to vegetation, buildings and ground cover. This is selected in the coverage mapping software during the configuration and data input. You will also need to supply the subscriber antenna gain, transmit power and antenna height so that the talk in can be calculated. A base radio will work farther than an mobile with the same power output because of antenna height, a mobile will work better than a portable due to antenna gain and power output from the portable being typically 10dB less than the mobile. Again, there is software out there to run the numbers. But without the REAL numbers, it's garbage in and garbage out.

Just to touch a bit more on the whole sharing concept... lets talk about simplex. Lets say you are on channel 15. No repeater... you just want to talk radio to radio. If someone else is on the frequency, common methods are to either wait until the ongoing call is over or request a break in their conversation to call someone expecting to hear from you on that channel. In most cases, if people are just killing time by chatting on the radio, they have zero issue yielding the channel for a few minutes for someone else to use the channel. Well, channel sharing with repeaters should be handled the same way. Use a tone squelch on your repeater that is not already in use on a neighboring radio, so you don't have to hear everyone else talking. However, before you transmit (start a new conversation) open your squelch and monitor the channel. Make sure one of the other repeaters on the same channel are not in use. If the frequency is clear, just like on simplex, use the repeater. If the frequency is in use, wait your turn or ask for a quick break to use your machine, just like on simplex. While you are using the repeater, keep the monitor on, so if someone else either on simplex or on another repeater that shares the channel would like to use the frequency, you can heard them call you and ask for a break. That is really about as simple as it gets. Listen before you transmit and learn how to use tone/digital squelching and the monitor features. These 3 things will make an otherwise crowed 8 channels, a fun and useful space.

In my defense, when I posted this i had just returned from an Election Victory party and I may have had a drink or 2. I agree, we don't need ads and don't know why I suggested it. Yes I do have a premium subscription.

Looks like you might need guy ropes on the car instead of the mast when the wind picks up.

Alternatively, you could punch a hole in the camper top and install a 20" (will be usable for 2m later on) or so steel plate in the camper interior to act as a ground plane. As long as the radiating portion is clear of the roof rack should have minimum impact on the radiation pattern. I also had the same problem with the 2x4sr on a ditch light/hood mount. It really wants a good solid ground plane. Atleast the fold over will help with clearance on the cab of the roof. It still sticks up about 6" high though. My EMS buddies all chose aluminum camper tops for their personal f150/f250s, to accommodate the porcupine look and offer enough groundplane and separation for all the antennas. Guess you are in the same boat as us. We purposely choose places for meets/dinners that would have us avoiding garages and such. Picture for shits and giggles, of one of my customer's roof whom was assigned an old DC brigade truck while her normal patrol was in for maintenance. She is normally responsible for the interoperability/logistics at the Marine Corp 10k. If you get a chance and can make it past security to see the Lt. at the ops tent, say Cha says hi to her. Picture is really to help those intimating in popping the first hole.. lol Sent from my SM-S901U using Tapatalk

Mount it to the metal roof of the truck instead of the composite roof of the topper. The radiating element will stick up above the roof rack.

The 2x4 antenna you already have is one of the best for multiple bands. Try it on GMRS.

Premium beats seeing ads any day of the year.

Good for speeds up to 5 mph!

That kinda looks like an older version of the old one. Later version looked similar but had different arrays. New one that I saw, well looks like the newer suburban. With kinda a fiberlass topper glued on to the roof and a crap ton of antennas. Sent from my SM-S901U using Tapatalk

So has anybody been monitoring the local GMRS channels, and the Ham bands? I remember a few years back when various protests were going on hearing local chatter on the Ham bands, a protest by the General Dynamics tank plant, on 70cm. Then believe it or not on some of the commercial business frequencies too! It seemed another protest was also ongoing at the same time. That one the protesters were using a local mall to park and get organized and the mall security there was keeping an eye on them. You can get live up to date news on what's happening without having to wait for the "filtered" coverage from the media. This is really a safety issue. The mall protest was only about 15 minutes by car from my home so yes it was of big interest to me. If it wasn't for the chatter on the radio I wouldn't have had any idea it was happening. People frequently mention getting into GMRS for emergency reasons, well trying to stay ahead, and away from, any potential trouble I think qualifies.

If you're going to use a mag-mount, the Midland NMO mag-mount is practically the best one out there to use.

I definitely agree with the human factor part, which is why I am sharing. However, i don't recall ever seeing a GMRS radio that you can't turn tone squelch off nor having a monitor button. I think it's mostly educational and getting people to be courteous.

With All Due Respect - You Are Wanting To Establish A New "Small / Baby Repeater Station" In An Already Saturated GMRS Repeater Area. Also, Many Folks Have A Misconception About Their Future GMRS Repeaters & The Performance With The Mind Set - "I Have My Own Repeater & Now I Can Talk Several Miles Further." Unless You Are Considering, At A Minimum, An $8000 to $12000 Investment Into A Repeater Site / Station With Utilizing Tower Rental Only, Installing New Cabling & Infrastructure, & Not Erecting Your Own Usable Higher Tower At A Higher HAAT - You Are Just Wasting Your Time & $$. Wish You Well & Good Luck.......

No need for defense. Was basically just agreeing with Mr Shannon.

If the area is already saturated with repeaters, how do you plan to avoid causing interference by adding another?

Well, the rules don't prohibit and some repeater owners use it for authenticating authorized users for their repeater. So, with that being said, with is the problem on this subject?

the +5 offset is correct (462/467) but the "." frequency is not correct. No way to manually change it, at least with GM-30 Radioddity. I have definitely wasted too much time on a $25 radio. I am going to order some UV-5G's and hopefully have better luck. THx

Maybe i'm missing it in your screenshots - is the offset correctly set at +5Mhz? If the offset is correct but its still calculating it wrong/you can't manually fix it, then box that junk up and send it back to Amazon and get your money back - you've already wasted more time on it than its worth.

Anyone is allowed to own and set up a repeater; however, when it comes to the repeater pair channel, no one can claim ownership according to FCC rules and regulations. These rules state that no one can prohibit other licensed individuals from using any GMRS channel. It's possible for me to establish a repeater on 462.5750/467.5750 using the same PL as LEARN, and they could not object provided I do not interfere with their operations. Nevertheless, it would be sensible to use a different tone for the input to avoid any potential issues. Now, on the subject of using MDC Signaling on GMRS, especial for non-public safety use. It shouldn't be allowed. Using the ROGER BEEP is fine as long as you can transmit ROGER BEEP on repeaters, but MDC nah. MDC has a place in Public Safety and Commercial Businesses, but for Civilian Use.

Hi all, Just got my GMRS license and fairly new at this so forgive this silly question: if a repeater is indicated as a TYPE "Open Source", do I still need to request access? Thanks, RobP (WSFR422)

Generally, no, especially if the tones are posted in the listing. OTOH, it does not hurt to request access... OTOOH, you could just start using it and if the repeater-owner asks you to stop, then, stop.

Top this, my former portable HAM shack !

Tried to hit the repeater with the new configuration moments ago and no return from Ramoth/Stafford Airport. Probably too many obstructions between my location and the repeater. I will try to remember to take the radio with me when I need to run errands and give feedback. -WSEM281

Which repeater(s) do you monitor most? And later, if they're in range for me (Gilbert and Batesburg-Leesvile is not the best direction for me), it would help to get your callsign to know I'm talking to the right person - PM me that later if you are OK with that. Based on what I learned about Andy's location, it will be difficult for me to make contact with him. I'm not sure if I understood. Is that private VHF repeater you want to put up for SCSG and CERT a different effort from this GMRS repeater you're looking into? Would the GMRS repeater be open?

If I had something that would transmit on that band, I would try to make it a little less dead.

I completely understand the sentiment which is why I am looking myself to do something that is not linked to another club or entity. I called out last night on SCHEART between Florence and Columbia and never got a reply during rush hour no less - just tells me how the hams in the area respond to statewide linked repeater systems. The CSRA GMRS group seems to be the closest. I tried to link up with them back in 2019 timeframe when they were just starting up and tried to offer some assistance/equipment but never got a reply. Sadly I sold those MTR2000s since then but getting a capable UHF repeater isn't monumental - I have a "throw away" VXR-7000 coming to me as we speak. I can be available as well with a heads up - I work from home so I am usually close enough to a radio and repeater.

The infamous low flying animal catcher. Lol Sent from my SM-S901U using Tapatalk

I had a UV5-G that had no xmit on ch 15 - I contacted the seller and he sent me a firmware fix that corrected it......xmit and rcv on ch 15 now ok. I like those lil uv5s, I have both amateur and gmrs versions with large batteries, I use them for extended scanning times. I have both the amateur and gmrs uv21s and use them more now, and have access to another dead ham band (1.25m).

Voted and Happy with the results!

Very certain it was roadrunner. It's kind of distinctive.

1000% AGREE

I do not understand how anyone with an IQ higher than 75 believes anything the media says anymore.

Yep, sometimes people just start pushing buttons to see what will happen.

@MaxHeadroom ETV's ham activity is mostly coordinated through SCHEART, now even including the unlinked 210 repeater. I hope you don't get them involved; that would kill any interest I might have, assuming I could even reach what you put up.. I left SCSG long ago. And I checked on CERT and decided not to bother. I just want to stay an independent radio operator and make my own decisions; we should be able to have comms without having bosses.

I'm running a non-ground Laird mobile antenna tuned for 465 Mhz that I placed in my attic and ran a LMR400 cable approx. 32 feet to one of my base station radios. I can hit all the repeaters that are within range of my location.

1/4 wave UHF will outperform most of that amazon garbage. And drill a hole and install a NMO.

You are correct in that no one person or entity (other than the FCC) owns or controls the channels. No person or group can stop you from using any of the channels allowed by your license or device. You are free to receive any channel or frequency, however, you are allowed to transmit on authorized channels. With only 8 channels or frequencies available for repeaters the key concept is sharing use. The rules clearly state that no user is not to intentionally cause interference, and they must accept any interference to their use of the channel. In the situation you asked about, all channels being in use, it then comes down to sharing and accepting the fact you will both cause and receive interference. The users of a single channel should agree between themselves what type of interference is acceptable and how much is considered reasonable. It is against the rule about sharing if one user deliberately causes other users of the frequency interference by causing their transmissions to be interfered with just as any retaliation against an interferer is not allowed.

Yes the Comet 2x4SR works well for 2m, MURS, 70cm, and GMRS when it has a good ground plane. I run one on the back of my SxS and the mag mount is attached to a metal plate that is secured to the expanded metal rack. I get a SWR of 1.8 or less across all those bands. The only reason I don't use the 2x4SR on my Ford Escape is height restrictions since I park in the garage. I'm worried that I would forget to fold it once and tear things up.