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It's really easy to unlock. Buy the KG-UV980P instead. Same basic radio, HAM version, Chirp unlocks it to transmit GMRS. Contrary to one persons opinion, these are solid radios (the 1000 or the 980P), they perform very well, sounds great on TX/RX. No you can't just put the 980P config on a 1000, that wont "unlock" the 1000 because as it's been said, the 1000 has additional firmware burned into the thing to prevent out of GMRS bands/power levels/offsets etc. As it should as a part 95 certified radio.

Au contraire, the rules tell us exactly what a fixed station is and the rules tell us exactly what the limits are. You just haven’t extrapolated from the rules how you might use one. Others have described how they could be used. A pair of fixed stations could be dedicated to provide an intercom between two households such as on a family farm, for example. Or for telemetry and control.

It's in the rules. Fixed station. A station at a fixed location that directly communicates with other fixed stations only. Base station. A station at a fixed location that communicates directly with mobile stations and other base stations. 47 CFR 95.303 An example of a fixed station would be an RF link between 2 repeaters. They only talk with each other, at fixed locations.

I have no Kenwoods, but I have several other brands, including Motorola LMR radios - many with, and many without full keypads.. I dont know nothin 'bout no "utilizing any full keypad features in the furthance of GMRS" - but a full keypad makes it easier to program/configure everything, GMRS or not.

May God bless and comfort your joints and spine. Thank you for your service! Best Regards!

That's why I use a lot of commercial LMR radios. Many of the older Kenwood UHF models have Part 95 certification. Being freely programmable you do have to watch what you're doing when setting one up. This one I carry around often. It's the "Type 1" UHF model, which covers the GMRS band, listed at the bottom of the brochure linked to at the link below. https://forums.mygmrs.com/gallery/image/263-tk-3170jpg/?context=new TK-3170 Grant.pdf

Yes I have rucked plenty. I was both airborne and air assault qualified, assigned to airborne units. And when my assigned weapon was not the M60, then I would get assigned to carry the PRC-77 radio. So yes I know a thing or two about rucking extra weight. Now go strap on a 75-80 pound ruck sack, carry the M60 machine gun with 1000-1500 rounds of ammunition along with your main and backup parachute before you say anything else about how I supposedly don't know anything about carrying weight. I was also a combat engineer so I carried even more stuff than the average infantryman. And I have done so in combat on a few occasions. Let's break down the weight infantryman ruck -70 pounds combat engineer ruck - 75-80 pounds Main and reserve parachutes - 53 pounds. M60 machine gun unloaded - 23 pounds 500 rounds of spare ammo - 35 pounds Those weights didn't even include any explosives or mines I also had to carry. You showed your rear again by assuming that I don't have any experience rucking heavy weights. And we all know what assume actually means.

Well, it seems that my Motorola XPR7550e also has cold solder joints (in fact 177 radios all from the same batch) near the top of the board. Dreaded issue with many series of radios, with wave soldering being used in production, the top of the board (where the antenna, channel selector, and volume/on/off knob are located) gets the cooler solder joints that fail over time. Or, as I put it.....Motorola Planned Obsolescence. Often times, Motorola (and other brands/model) radios end up in auction sites as they have intermittent issues related to their antenna connectors, power and volume settings (radios get bumped "Off" when the potentiometer begins to fail), or channel select issues when worn on the belt and the knobs are rubbed. This can often be cold solder joints from manufacture. This is not limited to Motorola (I have seen this with Kenwood as well 5100/5300 series handhelds). The fix is to re-solder the connections if the pots or antenna connector is just loose, to replacement of potentiometers if volume/on/off or channel select is too loose. 3D printing also came in handy as shields can also prevent torque on the top knobs and antenna connection, preventing wear on the circuit board connections that may be prone to poor soldering during manufacture. As for Motorola XPR7550e radios, Motorola has repaired them under warranty, or via flat-rate repair if out of warranty.....but will only support them for another three more years (the model was discontinued and replaced by the Motorola R7 series radio), you often get five years of production and five additional years of support. For those buying second hand, buyer beware, or use for negotiation of price. Anyone else experience this with their radios (any manufacture), if so, what was the fix?

The KG-UV980P is a great radio. Basing the KG-1000G on that hardware platform was brilliant.

It was always a stupid idea to rely on other countries for vital things that we can produce ourselves. Always comes down to greed and not need. This and the next administrations need to follow through and make all vital products and services to be made in the US. The huge transformers that are needed for the major parts of the grid are made overseas and take 2 years to get after you order them. Does this seem like a good strategy?

And Socalgrms complains constantly about cheap chynese radios that have some QC issues. Looks like the big boy have the issues too but no one is going to mention them because they paid big bux for the radio.

Yeah them boofwengs are going to a gold mine

Good points about Ham operators. I think it’s important for Hams and Gmsrs to occasionally debate things in the forums amongst each other. But when it comes to engaging the law makers and bureaucrats who really don’t understand the different services we present a somewhat united front. I think politically letting the less educated politicians sometimes seeing us a one big group of “radio people” and the numbers behind that, can be helpful. Of course each group could still advocate for the issues important to them. Long story short is we all (Hams & GMRS) approach radio from many perspectives and have different goals. But presenting ourselves as more united than divided can often help.

No, they said repeaters cannot be connected to a network for the purposes of linking. They said nothing about radio links.

I just spoke with a large radio importer/reseller based here in the U.S. (i cant say who) - He said his tariff fees are based on the wholesale price (not 'calculated value' at the port of entry, as I thought/read about) - because the new fees would nearly double the retail price, and he knows he cant sell any at those prices, he has halted all new radio shipments.. i dont like it but I am willing to feel a little short-term pain for longer-term trade equity...

You obviously have no idea what you're talking about. Hams can't use radios in exactly the same circumstances as GMRS because the test requirement is a barrier to entry for a lot of people -- which is why a lot of us have GMRS licenses/radios as well. Hams tend to be older, often somewhat debilitated, so we're not going to be using our radios while mountain biking, but by no means does that mean we just sit around and try to contact Italy. I participate in a stormwatch net, I monitor my city's emergency sirens and report how well they function, next week some of my club will be teamed with medical personnel to respond to emergencies at a marathon. Recently, during tornadoes and fires, members in the affected areas provided ongoing, real-time information on the events to emergency responders. It's not the same as running the marathon, but it's not endlessly calling CQ either. Next week, I'll be part of the staff of a regional cavalry competition. Guess what? I'll be pulling out the GMRS radio because many of the people who will be there are GMRS folks, and it also gives us the ability to talk to people with FRS radios, which some of the staff will be using. If you saw me there supporting that event, you'd think that was evidence that only GMRS people do that kind of stuff, but you'd be wrong. I go back and forth between the two modes as appropriate to the situation. A lot of us use radio to support hobbies, but also as a hobby in itself. There's a certain allure to the challenge of building an 80 meter antenna from scrap wire. It's true GMRS is most often an adjunct to some other hobby, but that doesn't mean there can't be a subset of GMRS users who want to build that antenna and a subset of hams who see the radio mostly as a means of supporting other activities.

These are usage limitations. Fixed station. A station at a fixed location that directly communicates with other fixed stations only. I have a house in town and a cabin sixteen miles away in the mountains. If I buy two radios and locate one at my house and the other at my cabin and the only thing I do is use the two to communicate to each other, I would argue those are “Fixed stations.” In this usage I am responsible for limiting my output power to 15 watts. That doesn’t mean the transmitter must not have the capability to transmit at a higher power! Base station. A station at a fixed location that communicates directly with mobile stations and other base stations. If I use a more or less permanently located radio, transmitting only on the 462 MHz main (not interstitial) frequencies to talk directly to my friends and neighbors, that is a “base 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. If I use that same station to talk through a repeater on the 467 MHz frequencies, that is then a “control station.” Hand-held portable unit. A physically small mobile station that can be operated while being held in the operator's hand. If I hold a radio with a battery in my hand while I’m using it, that’s a “hand-held portable.” Mobile station. A station, intended to be used while in motion or during halts at unspecified locations, that communicates directly with base stations and other mobile stations, and with control stations and other mobile stations through repeater stations. If I mount a radio in my car, that’s a “mobile.” Finally, Repeater station. A station in a fixed location used to extend the communications range of mobile stations, hand-held portable units and control stations by receiving their signals on one channel (the input channel) and simultaneously retransmitting these signals on another channel (the output channel), typically with higher transmitting power from a favorable antenna location (typically high above the surrounding terrain).

Dinner grazing…. Not bad, they easy for ya

Well it seems that we are both correct and also both are wrong. I just did a web search and half of the links say 2.14 while the other half say 2.15. Either way 0.01 is not going to make a difference. And yes most manufacturers are optimistic when it comes to claims on antenna gain. This is especially true with hand held and mobile antennas.

I am pretty old, and stuck in my ways, but I'm pretty sure that a "simplex duplex box" that doubles as a "GMRS specific box" requires about twenty some 8x10 color glossy photographs with circles and arrows, and a paragraph or two describing what each was to be used for. I'm thinking your description is a simplexer with delayed audio being re-transmitted back out on the same frequency it was received on. But I'll wait for those photographs and a clear description of the function of each magic box. Enjoy.

Ma'am, this is a Wendy's...

I am pretty certain I hear legacy business fixed stations transmitting business data

Yup,, always talked about but we will never see that reality.

Like a big sucking sound....

They must also be using 'Auto Signer's' to sign off on QC

In fact I am personally against linking repeaters for wide areas. I’ve said that numerous times. But what you and I posted are interpretations, not regulations. The regulations definitely prohibit using the telephone network and arguably prohibit using the internet or any other network for carrying GMRS communications. But I’ve never seen anything in the regulations that prohibit radio links. For someone who wants to do repeater voting schemes I could see it being done and I don’t think that the regulations prohibit it.

I like my $25 TidRadios and think for the price they are fantastic. I've had several bad ones because I've bought 14 of them. All replace as easily as making a polite email. I've yet to have a good radio go bad. Only radios that never worked to begin with.

yea, but them Boofwengs were pennies to the dollar.. much higher profit margin.. Honestly, i think i have 12 brand new unopened Boofwengs in my arsenals and 3 used Wouxon's. .

That was mine as well!

That would be a terrible way to regulate. FCC: Here are the ways we have imagined. Don’t do anything else! Instead they give us fairly simple restrictions. Whatever you can image that fits within those restrictions is allowed. That’s how innovation works.

I'm rich!

Yea, I had 2 XPR3500 that had bad antenna sockets. Was fixed in about 20 minutes with the soldering station.

No, there was another part to their clarification - we can't link by RF either because it can cover a wide area which was not the intent for GMRS.

“Fixed station. A station at a fixed location that directly communicates with other fixed stations only.” Here is an entire thread on the subject. a double post for your double post. ️

There is nothing wrong with wanting a portable GMRS setup that will put out 20-50 watts. I like using 10 AH or 12AH lipo4 batteries for 20 watt or less radios. Most 10 AH lipo4 are the same size as the batteries in computer battery backup systems. The lipo4 batteries are quite a bit lighter. I like the Redodo brand of lipo4 batteries when it comes to 50 AH or 100 AH batteries. A group 24 lipo4 batterie will be half the weight of a standard group 24 lead acid deep cycle battery. And just ignore Negative Nancy with his negative waves.

And there ya go with the negativity yet again. @WRVK513 If you want an actual Part 95 certified radio then yes the firmware will be locked. And this goes for pretty much all Part 95 certified consumer grade radios. We know plenty of people use non certified amateur band radios that have been unlocked/Mars modded on GMRS, but those radios are not Part 95 certified. And if you don't want a locked down radio then look else where.

Future Sad Ham

i just heard on the news, China is the leading manufacture of Antibiotics, providing 90% of our supply. Kennedy has already made a deal with manufactures of vetenary antibiotics to produce human consumption antibiotics with no hiccups in our supply requirement's. It sounds like this administration has covered some important bases.

That's sounds awesome! Maybe all of us will use this exercise as a friendly reminder that it's time to start weaning ourselves off of all this throwaway junk we are so heavily addicted to.

Nor should anybody post the details about your repeater here for you. If you become a member you can do it yourself. That also enables the mechanism people can use to contact you with questions or to notify you of problems.

We're wishing your batteries would just go DEAD, with Silly responses like that.

Company slogan - :Money back if not satisfied" Company to customer - "we would give you your money back, but we're satisfied with it, so we'll be keeping it!"

Yeah, the manufacture says the same thing when your radio thing breaks.

Yes, PLEASE USE ITm, as often as you like. If you hear me in there, say hello. All are welcome to the machine. If you can get into the Columbus 575, again, use that one too. We want people to use these repeaters. And don't forget about the Morrow 550, it's open as well. I have put a good bit of time and effort into getting the repeater on the air, and really do what others to use it. That's why it got built. The comment about the folks that build 'big repeaters' wasn't a knock. I am one of those guys. The 675 talks from as far Northwest as Mechanicsburg, West to London, South to Lancaster and East to Zanesville. It's got a big footprint. Yeah, I have a couple radios at the house if the wife wants to get in contact, but she just always calls my phone. So please, feel free. And anyone else reading this in the Central Ohio area, get in there. You ARE certainly welcome. I got spooled up because we have people that want to do nothing but complain. And it drives off new guys, or makes them question if they should be using other peoples equipment. And the truth is that's why it's there to begin with. If I just wanted to chat with my wife, I have several other methods to do that with. First is the obvious cell phone. Everyone's got one of those. Then there is the IP phone system at the house that I have a softphone application on my phone for. Runs across an encrypted data link from my cell phone via a VPN tunnel to the house and then allows her to call me at my 'extension' number like calling another phone on a business phone system. Then there's email and text, and voice message texts, and CB radio and the list goes on. Now in truth. Having a repeater that has that sort of coverage, and not leaving it fully open to all licensed users, to me, that's BS. Make no mistake, it talks a long way, and it would be very difficult for someone else to use that pair. So if I built that out, and then denyed anyone else the ability to use that repeater, that would make me an A-hole in my eyes. That's the one thing about the garage repeaters, you can have one or two in every town, on the same pair, and they don't interfere with each other since the coverage is small. Mine ain't that at all.

When I go up to Lake Crawley and fire up my portable repeater it gets a hell of a lot of use from boaters and campers, young and old alike. Kids even love it, they have a lot of fun with radio and i get a kick out of listening to them. . When i pack up and leave everyone misses the heck out using the portable repeater. Camping families are able to take their radios and keep in touch with camp from the lake all the way into Mammoth.. When someone needs to make a shopping run, they always use the repeater.. It was always hard for me to shut it down when i left. But someone has finally erected a permanent repeater in the area and it works great.. I hope it attracts the family side and it gets good use.. GMRS can be fun for everyone if it is used for the right purpose.

Sounds like i need to be chatting with the boys on Mesa West about Boofwhang radios and the weather more often!

Have you done this before?

The short answer is, yes... you can use two antennas instead of a duplexer. The long answer, you can, but you need a separate transmitter and receiver that are directly coupled (linked) with some type of cable to manage keying, audio transfer, etc. (See KG-1000G, for a less than perfect example). Transmitter power levels, antenna types, cable types, etc., will dictate how far apart the antennas need to be, what the elevation differences need to be, and what the gain/sensitivity of the transmit and receive sides should be. If the antennas are not spaced properly, the transmitter can make it so the receiver doesn't hear well, it could cause a transmit loop, and could also damage the receiver. If you make the antennas to far apart, now you're dealing with transmission line losses causing issues instead. There is some art to it, as well as the science. If you are at a stage in learning where you have to ask this question, chances are you don't want to try setting up a repeater right now. This is not ment as an insult, either. If you don't know what you're doing, you can waste a lot of time and money before you learn enough to get a good system stood up. I would recommend finding someone local to you who has a good working repeater and is willing to spend some time teaching you about the details and why things are the way they are.

another way to explain what Sshannon is saying if it makes it easier to grasp, a radio at a gate to a property (a com box if you will) that only communicates (via radio) with a com box in the home on said property. This is a fixed station. At the end of the day it's the same. It's two radios intended to talk only to each other.