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Correct. The offset should be automatically added for the repeater channels (RP15 - RP22) and the other channels (1- 22) shouldn’t have any offset. Channels 1-7 are limited to 5 watts. Channels 8-14 are probably not available to you. Channels 15-22 are limited to 50 watts, as are the repeater channels.

People come to forums to ask questions. That’s perfectly normal. In fact it’s good that they have someplace to come and ask questions. The OP may have been confirming his own understanding of the regulations. Responding like a total buttplug every time someone asks about the regulations is abnormal.

Atan(70/2640) = 1.5° The height difference should not matter.

Says the guy who claims you can’t use inverted tones.

All the laird antenna's I use are wrapped to the base. Dont go around the antenna.

Perhaps we need some more emojis added to the collection eh?

I appreciate the tips guys but I'm not really worried about it. The HAM bands around here seem to be pretty much dead all day long except for the morning commute and the evening rush when the same few guys are chatting to each other on their drive to and from work on their mobile radios. Other than that it's pretty much it. Not really my cup of tea. I get much more use out of GMRS and MURS with the family than I ever would with anything else. Back in the day when I was young and in a CB club, that was fun with all of it's 23 AM channels and maybe 12 members but those days are long gone now of course. I'm happy with where I'm at now. But I can still scan through the HAM bands now and then if the mood strikes me. It's all good.

Although I don’t use it on GMRS, it’s a fine little radio. It fits nicely in a jacket pocket. I use it mostly for short distances and I put a stubby antenna on it for that reason.

Welcome Mark! 462.675 is the frequency you receive the repeater on. So it’s sometimes known as the repeater output frequency. If you use a GMRS radio the offsets are automatically set. On GMRS you always transmit on 467.xxx MHz frequencies and receive on 462.xxx MHz frequencies when you use a repeater channel. Disregard user socalgmrs. He’s having a bad day. Apparently he feels better about himself when he’s scolding new people. Feel free to ask questions. Welcome to the forum.

@WSFP666 - feel free to add socalgmrs to your ignore list and feel free to ask questions.

That’s exactly why we work in decibels. You just add them together. So rounding off all to -3 db per 100 feet for lmr400, 1.40 x -3 db = -4.2 db. -4.2 db + 11.9 db leaves you with 7.7 db gain. I assume the 11.9 db you quoted for the antenna is dBi. So, compared to an isentropic antenna you’re radiating a little better than four times as much power horizontally. If the antenna gain was actually expressed as dBd you add 2.15 db to it and the result is 9.85 db gain which is about eight times as much power.

Nope.. I said channel 19 is the official "road"/travel channel - for talking with everyone else in your group whilst on the road & traveling.. Very different from the OP who apparently wants to just listen in to anonymous men chatting - we have no idea how far from the highway he is.

So much for the disclaimer on the equipment for not being sensitive to allowable RF

I just got one the other day. I typed the mars code in and put it on the meters to see what it does at GMRS. Full 5.5 watts! And still clean. Seems like a very viable radio for someone who wants something very small and of good build quality..

I didn't smell anything. I assume you only been on this forum for less than a couple of months based on your post that almost border lines disrespecting the Queen. It is not nice to disrespect the Queen. It would be best for you to observe the various posts, especially from the Queen, to get the jist of this forum and who is who so you do not end up on people's Ignore List. If you don't get the meaning of this, maybe the Radio Reference Forum would better suit you.

Now I swore you did a video on youtube and it says channel 19 is the one to monitor for traffic you disappoint me. lol

No. New GMRS Licenses are only issued to individuals. For your CERT team to use GMRS each person would require his or her own license, except for family members of a license holder who may be authorized to use the license holder’s stations.

The world we live in today is much too soft. [emoji849]

Have you tried reaching out to any of the good members of the local amateur radio clubs in the St Louis area? If they are anything like the guys in the Mexico, Mo club, they would be more than happy to help. The guys in the Mexico club have been a great help to me. I'm disabled myself.

What a sad life you must have.

North GA Repeater Network strikes again

1. Set your radio to scan. Don't limit yourself to one channel. In my area, there's constant activity, and it's about 80% Spanish. 2. Expect nothing more than people using it for what I have shamelessly copied and pasted from the FCC website, which reads as follows: "mobile two-way voice communication, with limited data applications, for facilitating activities of individual licensees and their family members, including, but not limited to, voluntary provision of assistance to the public during emergencies and natural disasters". In a nutshell, it's generally people talking to people they already know, like the contacts in their phone. Contrary to what a lot of people want to believe it is or make it into, GMRS is not amateur radio.

However, (with great affection for my friend Marc) I also have experienced way too many people who don’t speak up when talking into the microphone. That’s equally problematic. So, speak up but don’t yell.

I just wanted to point out that there was a lot of humor in some of the responses in this thread. It was pointed out on another thread that using humor with newbies (of which I am one) is apparently a no-no. I am a special newbie that did not lose his funny bone when I got my GMRS and General Class licenses, so it does not affect me. However, because we now have at least one generation that could not win a rock paper scissors battle, much less Guadalcanal or the Battle of the Bulge, we are supposed to treat them with the kindness they were promised at birth (apparently). Remember, he is probably used to creating solutions for non-existent problems not actually trying to solve a real problem. I just noticed that my reply post contains hints of sarcasm and some facetiousness, both of which are elements of humor. I want to apologize to the starving pygmies in New Guinea, one legged men/women/?? in a butt kicking contest or any other contest of kicking things. No squirrels were harmed in the posting of this and in no way can this be duplicated without the expressed written permission of the commissioner's office.

You are about dead on on power loss. 59% according the the calculator, but with the gain of the antenna you have an effective radiated power of almost 200 watts. Keep in mind the tool I used (https://kv5r.com/ham-radio/coax-loss-calculator/) uses dBd for antenna gain, dBd = dBi - 2.15

Maybe an antenna switch and a second antenna.

You dont have to worry about "in or out" on a GMRS radio .. just look at the last 3 digits after the period, in this case 675 to determine what channel to use Yes - but OUT (RX) is optional and only blanks-out any other people on the channel that aren't using the repeater so you dont have to hear them It will be "RPT20" or, channel 28

There is a little white dot next to D23, it looks like its on/correct.

The repeater has a feature where it will go into "F-Off" mode when someone keeps keying it up..over and over.. without saying anything.. not sure that was you.. but.. it went into that mode earlier, but its back to normal now so give it a try (just say something when you test it)..

Monitoring for traffic can have a couple connotations. Radio traffic or highway traffic reports on the radio. When I first read the question I wasn’t sure which was being asked.

The FT4X was my first radio I purchased after getting my Ham license 3½ years ago. It's a competent radio. That said, it's not FCC type-accepted for Part 95 use. Yes, I know the 'code' to unlock my FT4X but it would be technically illegal for me to operate it on anything other than the bands/services approved for Part 97 type-acceptance. I'm licensed for both services (amateur/GMRS). No laws/regulations exist against listening in on the GMRS service. WRUK662 WA7HPK

indoors transmitting on my HT raised the readings on my Co detector I had placed mid height in living room. after a day or two of casual transmitting on GMRS this raised the level to the point the detector went off. I have since moved the detector lower and seems to have solved this. it took a couple of times before I figured out what was going on and all the while were were checking pellet stove for leaks. lol good times with RF

Another fan of the Midland MXTA26 here. Mine is mounted similar to this one and yes it works. Check out the second review by Ham Radio Dude. Rear tire options out there as well.

I’m not a telescope expert, but I believe this is the kind of device my friend used to take the Spaghetti Nebula photo above: https://www.highpointscientific.com/zwo-asi2600mc-duo-built-in-dual-sensor-astronomy-camera?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=1360885342&utm_content=61324494144&utm_term=&gad_source=1&gbraid=0AAAAAD-khUbxpGaSORu3Yipm-cdS4E-5t&gclid=CjwKCAiAxea5BhBeEiwAh4t5K29icn6xlqXGdkcmxvtZZ3axpIhvgIy1FW0364WYcUTIhPHYiy-tnhoCpaQQAvD_BwE

There may be a couple of options like the Jeep has, if the Bronco can accommodate them, but, you need to think about using the Midland MXTA26 GMRS antenna. This antenna usually will give you the best VSWRs right out of the box on both the 462/467 GMRS freqs. and has one of the best results for GMRS freqs. Another good antenna is the Laird B4505N (5 dB non-groundplane), but it will need to be tuned/trimmed. Here are a couple examples on how to mount antennae:

Or backwards like you see on TV from time to time.

The bronco has the same issues us with jeeps have fought for years. Do some searching for jeep mounts and you will find ideas. While I run the 1/4 wave or smaller antennas for my use many on hear say the Midland MXTA26 to be a good comprimise for distance on a mount near the hood or spare tire. I dont have a use for distance as I either use my repeater or am talking to the jeep in front or behind me.

Not that I had intended on bringing up the legal side of things, but I think this video from @OffRoaderX sums up the FCC's stance on non-compliant radio enforcement pretty well. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gh9rV49_i70 Thanks to everyone who's shared their thoughts so far.

May win a prize for your best post ever

Go over to the FCC Complaint page and log a complaint.. The NY guys you are talking about are doing the same thing in N.J. and Penn.... make some noise...

Coincidentally a very common trait of "some people"....

Yeah, and I am the guy that has some of those 12K radios. And I can say that wide band FM is wide band FM. Same thing coming from a 38 dollar Baofeng and a 12K buck Motorola. Same thing with wattage, if 4 watts is measured at the output of one radio, and there is 4 watts measured from another radio, that's the same power. The 12K buck radio may continue to work in a high RF noise environment when the lesser radio gives up and looses the ability to lock onto the signal of interest, but that's the difference. The 38 dollar may start mixing those other signals that are getting into the transmit circuits and begin to have issues on the air with a clean signal, but again, 12K gets you a LOT of shielding that's not going to be in the 38 dollar radio. But outside of that, FM is FM. If the 38 dollar works at all, it's going to work the same if it has the same power output and deviation (modulation) as the 12K Motorola. And the ham / GMRS operator that has that 12K Motorola will NEVER be able to give you a reasonable and honest answer on why they 'need' that radio. Because no one will ever admit that it's purely vanity that gets them to drop the silly amount of money required to get such a radio. There is no special function that makes those radios superior to even the cheapest radios in 99% of the operations they are expected to perform, which is talking on the local repeater. I have Boafengs too. I can't take them downtown on rooftops and expect them to work. The RF noise in those locations drive the radios nuts. My high dollar Motorola works in those situations just fine. But if I am out in the country at home, no one can tell if I am talking on the Baofeng or the Motorola. While they don't sound exactly the same because that 12K gets you a bunch of audio processing, dual mikes, noise canceling and other stuff that 38 bucks isn't going to buy, you have to decide if 12K is too steep a price to pay so you can talk on the local repeater while you're on the lawn mower with all the engine noise being canceled out or not. To address the FCC type acceptance thing mentioned by others. If you don't understand the type acceptance procedure, that is done by the manufacture, not the FCC. Well you might read up on that before stating claims about it. Manufactures do their own testing. And may or may not be required to submit equipment for testing to the FCC for additional testing. And even when there is a requirement for sending in radios, it's up to the manufacture to ensure that the radios going out the door for sale are the SAME design and function as the radios that were submitted for testing. Some manufactures do verify that every unit is equally good as it leaves the factory. And some manufactures make 'wonder knives' like the 'as seen on TV' ones that saw bricks in half then slice a tomato. Can a knife be made to do that. But when was the last time you were at a state fair watching the guy saw a copper pipe in half and then cut bread actually sell the knife HE'S using, not the ones on display. Or randomly take one of the ones for sale for 19.99 and do those things with it, and then attempt to sell THAT knife. Because NOTHING about the knife the seller is using is the same as the ones you will go home with other than looks. Now, would China based companies do such a thing? Well they put lead in toys, ship Fentanyl to us, send helium balloons into our country to spy on use, and a full list of other things that would fill a page here but then verify that every last radio coming out of their factories is the same as the one they sent for testing that cost 10 times to make? I am not going to hedge my bets on that. But you are more than welcome to.

I like yelling. That's what grumpy old men do.

REACT HQ would not even give me a contact for my state

I’m a proponent of starting with an inexpensive HT and get acquainted with the hobby. Lots of radios with different purposes to spend your money on out there. Take your time getting to know what interest you. Congratulations @GMRSJohn and @RevEric on passing your exams and getting your amateur radio license. 73’s

Pro Tip: wear your walkie-talkie on your belt, because women find that sexy. Add a shoulder mic if you feel “tactical”. Don’t worry, we will be laughing because we’re jealous.

I absolutely agree that support is crucial! And people you can learn from. There’s quite a few radio clubs within my vicinity. One has an emergency team that seems interesting. I’m sure I’m going to have to have my general license to join that. But it gives me a reason to learn and be proficient!

Help me out here. On 1 hand, "one must only transmit on type accepted radios OR ELSE!" But on the other hand, chinese radios suck and are bad and no one should use them So...what GMRS radios are out there that are type accepted, and not Chinese? Because by your logic (CCRs bad, non-type-accepted bad), it sounds like no one should be using GMRS period.

I'd rather hand my non-amateur licensed family members a locked GMRS radio and not worry about them accidently keying up on an amateur frequency.

All of the hand-held GMRS radios have virtually the exact same range. "easily programmable" is a subjective term, and really can't be quantified (easy for me might be much confusing for you), and most of the sub $100 radios are, in one way or another going to be considered 'junk' by someone.. Here is what I recommend: Pick & purchase a radio that does not cost too much, that has what you THINK you want, and see how it feels.. then, after a while, if you think it is lacking for your needs after using it, you can grow into something else.. What i am saying to you is, nobody here is going to be able to tel you which radio is best for you.. Best case scenario is they just regurgitate what is or is not best for THEM.. Worst case they, go off on a tangent about how "every one of brand-X radios i have ever had is junk and everybody i know returned theirs" or "if you link your GMRS repeaters the FCC will come after you because I have secret inside information that I dream up in my overly-active imagination" ..