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Honestly where do I begin with this thread? Do I delete it all? Censor the language? Remove the inflammatory posts? Or do I leave it up because @SteveShannon and others have a therapeutic way of handling this argument and we are so close to getting 2 people to apologize and let things cool naturally. In that case, the lesson in putting aside our differences, on the Internet of all places, would be so much better than leaving the profanity and the references to disabled people. Hopefully you guys can pause, come to a gentlemanly agreement to disagree at the very least, and apologize. Right now that kind of resolution would do the country, and the world, a bunch of good right now. We need more of that before we descend into another civil war some day.

The day is young.

Ahh, I see. Here is where it blew up overnight. As someone whose wife is confined to a wheelchair I can absolutely understand why a person with a kid in a wheelchair would feel upset about a comment that uses a kid in a wheelchair as a simile for being helpless. Until a loved one has been in that situation you might not get it, but having a loved one disabled does make us more sensitive about things we might otherwise have understood differently. But I don’t think that Randy went to the extent of finding out that your child was in a wheelchair and deliberately chose that as a way to goad you personally. I think it was just one of those insensitive comments that people make. I understand Ken being upset about the language also. How about we all go wrap gifts or something and take a mental health break. The unfortunate thing is you are people who might actually like each other in different circumstances, but because you’re only seeing that one sharp edge that’s being presented that’s where your focus is.

I'm testing a new radio right now that lists the repeaters on channels 45 - 52 ... .I dont know what they were thinking...

Yeah, I hadn’t read that before I responded here. I still hope Keith sticks around.

Hey Keith: You are way out of line and the language in your posting was not even necessary and uncalled for. It was obvious that you did not like his comment, but your language and your response was not justified regardless of the situation with your son since, it was far from being directed to him. You're showing your below average class and intelligence levels in your posting. Please show me and the forum where in Randy's posting he was directing his comment specifically to your son, show me and the forum where that occurred. Nor, was his comment derogatory and/or disrespectful to any child in a wheelchair. Maybe you are not cut-out for this hobby and being in a public discussion group. Did the Amateur Radio Service group do you wrong or shame you also? You're definitely doing a great job of presenting yourself to the GMRS world? You might want to move on and give the Citizens Band Radio Service group a try now. Although, not all of the Citizens Band Radio Operators act like you, but they are many of them like you and you would no doubt fit in real well. Maybe it would be best that you stick to FRS, but watch your language because there are a lot of kids using FRS and trying to become good radio operators when they become of age and can afford better radios.

Actually there is a version of the UV-5r that is Part 95 certified. BAOFENG UV-5R GMRS Handheld Radio

To make it even more confusing/annoying, some GMRS-specific radios will only allow you eight repeaters, one on each frequency pair, and that's it. That's pretty restrictive for anyone who travels at all, and even within a local area, there may be more than one repeater on the same frequency pair using different CTCSS/DTCS tones for access. "Unlocked" radios will typically let you program in as many repeaters as you want, and you can have duplicates on the same frequency pair.

I would clean up the language. Anything more can still be done later if necessary.

Am I on the mygmrs forum or Facebook? And I agree with @SteveShannon, I can see where someone that is disabled or has a family member that is disabled would take offense to comments about being disabled. Myself and my wife are both disabled, though neither of us are wheelchair bound. I'll let others argue about using the repeater input frequencies for simplex outside of testing. I have done it for testing purposes only and will use them in an emergency if needed. Okay back to trying to get the excess blood out of my caffeine system.

You should be able to delete your repeaters if you’re getting rid of them, or at the very least mark them as closed or offline, whichever is correct. As far as your 869 posts, I don’t believe you can get rid of them, but I know at least two other former members left and had their accounts deleted, which changes the name on their posts to “Guest”. Still, wherever someone quoted their posts in the past remains with their old user name. It would be a huge mess to try to clean that up and honestly I hope your content remains. I learned from it. Only Rich can delete your account. @rdunajewski I would be sorry if you do leave. I don’t know what events caused you to feel this way, but stress is always higher this time of year and I understand how a person might need a break. I suggest mulling it over a few days. Take time for family and friends. I hope you have a nice holiday season no matter what.

Merry Christmas! With the right adapter it could be even shorter

Eight frequencies have been designated in regulations for repeaters to transmit upon. They are the same eight frequencies used by both FRS and GMRS for simplex communications and they are numbers 15-22 in the FRS regulations: (a) 462 MHz main channels. Only mobile, hand-held portable, repeater, base and fixed stations may transmit on these 8 channels. The channel center frequencies are: 462.5500, 462.5750, 462.6000, 462.6250, 462.6500, 462.6750, 462.7000, and 462.7250 MHz. Eight other frequencies, 5 MHz higher in frequency, have been designated by regulation for transmission by stations wishing to transmit to a repeater for relay by the repeater: (c) 467 MHz main channels. Only mobile, hand-held portable, control and fixed stations may transmit on these 8 channels. Mobile, hand-held portable and control stations may transmit on these channels only when communicating through a repeater station or making brief test transmissions in accordance with § 95.319(c). The channel center frequencies are: 467.5500, 467.5750, 467.6000, 467.6250, 467.6500, 467.6750, 467.7000, and 467.7250 MHz. All GMRS certified radios pair the eight channels in those two groups into repeater pairs. Thus, a radio transmitting to a repeater on 467.5500 MHz receives from that same repeater on 462.5500 MHz. The FCC did not assign channel numbers to the repeater pairs in the GMRS regulations, but they did assign numbers to the first 22 channels in the FRS regulations https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-47/chapter-I/subchapter-D/part-95/subpart-B Because channels 15-22 (462 MHz main channels) are dual purpose, as shared simplex channels for FRS and GMRS and as repeater output channels, some manufacturers refer to the repeater pairs as RP15 - RP22. Others simply continue the numbering sequence by referring to the repeater pairs as channels 23-30. Other call them repeater channels 1-8. The best thing to do is to be aware of the frequencies allocated in regulation and learn what your radio manufacturer calls them.

I just saw a video on the Youtube that explains this exact question:

I'm using schedule 80 PVC (gray) for a 70cm and a 1296 coax collinear that have been on the tower for over 5 years without issue or discoloration. I didn't notice any changes in resonance when I put the antenna inside the PVC. When I make an antenna I secure it to the outside of the radome and tune.

Nope. Nice little radio for the price.

Hi all, I'm Brian WSGD840 I live just outside of Huntsville Alabama but travel up 65 to Franklin multiple times per week. I'm new to the GMRS community and just trying to get involved. Thanks!

The scrambling is extremely easy for anyone to unscramble. It’s just phase inversion. Many cheap handhelds have that. All you have to do is turn it on and play with the level. As far as the frequency hopping, it depends on how it’s synchronized, but the statement the nobody will be able to decipher you is certainly not true and it doesn’t take one of the alphabet agencies, just someone with deep enough pockets to buy an AR5RM.

It is "easier to ask for forgiveness than to ask for permission" is a phase I have hear many times in the military and in these cases I think it is appropriate. "Plan A for me is to take my (Make/Model radio) up to the repeater, tune it to the input frequency and scan for the Tones when the repeater is being actively used by others." This will work ( Iam told by others) if you can 1. figure out how to it on your radio and 2. try it when the repeater is active with people using it. I have wanted to do it just to see if it works but, my area is mostly crickets......

I was going to respond, but its starting to feel like i'm bullying the kid in the wheelchair at school.

The only ones I'm aware of that's similar, dual band, and good quality, are the CompacTenna Laird does make single band phantom antennas, but not dual band, as far as I know.

Much simpler than my explanation. Good job!

Speaking of keeping the FCC happy, I've recently picked up for myself a copy of "Mastering GMRS Radio " So far, it's a pretty good reference book to have on hand. After all, there's lot of information that help one develop a lesson plan for speaking at groups meetings, not necessarily radio clubs, because after all, that's nothing new to the majority Amateur Radio Operators and other Radio Communication enthesis. I'm talking about Scout Troops or other social groups. Well, I don't I will comment or post something before the Holidays are over, but just in case enjoy no matter what holiday you observe. Take Care and Be Well!

Here's a source for fiberglass antenna components: Max-Gain https://mgs4u.com/

As you can see from my meter foible, I can not afford too much hubris. Good job figuring it out! On many occasions a good night’s sleep has yielded better results.

Ok, so I dug the mag mount antenna out and tested that as well as retesting the others. Here's what I got this morning: Mag Mount: SWR 1.19, 45 Watts Ghost: SWR 1.36, 50 Watts MXTA26: SWR 1.10, 46 Watts So apparently it was the meter or operator error . Needless to say I am both pleased with this morning's results and a bit embarrassed by my panic. I certainly appreciate you guys helping me sort this out, as well as your patience!

For portability get a Uniden scanner. It will scan 25-50 channels per second. The Baofeng will scan 3 per second. And the Uniden will cover from 10m (maybe even 11m) to 33cm. For "as many frequencies as possible", an SDR. Even the lowly RTL-SDRV4 will pick up from 300kHz to 1.72GHz, with some antenna swapping necessary to get all that.

Yes, and your meter has two different ohms ranges - you’re in the x10 range which would appear to be open even if it’s not. I would test the circuits that should be closed using the x10 range and test the circuits that should be open using the x1k range. So now the SWR meter is blank or just doesn’t change? Also, I went back to the top. You thought you had a bad cable so you ordered another and it shows the same SWR of 19.99? I am sorry, but I doubt that two separate cables are bad. That leaves something else, the mount, the ground plane kit, or the antenna and I suspect the mount since you’ve tried it with and without the ground plane and with two different antennas. Or it’s the SWR meter. Honestly I’m just guessing but if I were there I would eliminate one thing after another.

Okay, you should not be transmitting on 462.625 to a repeater. And you should not be receiving on 467.625 unless your radio is the repeater. You shouldn’t have to use VFO channels if you’re using a GMRS radio. Just change to one of the repeater channels, add the right transmit tone, clear the receiver tone, and use it. The repeater channels might be numbered 23-30. Simplex means that you transmit and receive on exactly the same frequency. The only time you should transmit on one frequency and listen on another is when you’re using a repeater. You always transmit at 467.xxx to the repeater. You always receive from the repeater on 462.xxx.

You're on the right track with repeaters, for the most part. With linking declared "not allowed", you and the other station would both need to be in range of the same repeater. Previously, it was allowed to connect repeaters to each other across the internet; if you were in Maine in range of a repeater that was connected to another repeater in PA, you could talk to someone in range of the PA repeater and vice versa. On your tones, you'll want to set the tone mode for that repeater to 'tone' rather than 'tone sql'. That way you send the tone on transmit, but the radio isn't expecting to receive one back (opening the squelch). Think of tones as a filter. Tone squelch only lets through signals with the right tone, be that hearing your buddy across the field, or that other station over the hill via the repeater. If the sender doesn't use the tone the receiving radio is expecting, it doesn't get past the filter. In the same vein, even for the reoeaters that do have an output tone, you can choose to run without a receive tone (known as "carrier squelch). You'll hear all signals on the frequency above whatever threshold your squelch is set to, since you effectively have no filter in place. If there's no other traffic on that frequency, no issue, but it can be nice to sell which signals are simplex traffic and which are from the repeater, since the repeater output frequencies are also simplex channel frequencies. (Sorry that turned out longer than intended, hope it helps.)

How dare you sir, HOW DARE YOU!! Those guys are on the frontlines every day and are saving lives!!! (yah, an actual quote from a Certified Ham Radio Operator) ....

Good points, and consistent with the historical tech-based reasons you educated us about on the establishment of CB channel 19. And most of all, yet another good reason for GMRS 19 to be selected. I'd like your post but I'm all out of likes for the day.