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I came in fully expecting Lavatories On The Air

The QT80 is a nice radio. Two of my first contacts as a new ham were located in Mexico and Chile using that radio and a 10-meter hamstick dipole about 19 feet above the ground at my home QTH. Made quite a few POTA contacts as a hunter with that radio and antenna on 10m. Good choice, and enjoy!

LOL, just want the setup to be a quality setup. I've been somewhat lucky in life, management for over 20 years running steel plants & stamping plants. Island properties are in an irrevocable trust for my daughters. I appreciate the help from the people on this website. Lots of knowledge here.

I have a Rite in Rain note book for this and anything else I want to remember. I did however (as @Davichko5650 mentioned) make a simple spreadsheet in numbers just to keep track of call signs of people I want to remember so I can reference to call them. I just added a second column for GMRS so I can remember their call sign there if I need it. Easy to look up quick on my phone. Simple enough to make it anyway you want. This is what I came up with.

Welcome @WSLC227. Sherwood/Newberg area here. We've got plenty of users in the area. Best way to "meet" folks is to join the weekly nets and to get on some of the repeaters such as ARRG, GoatMT, CooperMT, etc. Lots of traffic in the mornings and evening commute times. Here is the list of repeaters from my cheat sheet I keep by the base station: Repeater Location RX Freq. TX code RX code ARRGPDX Westside PDX 462.550 100.0 100.0 Gervais550 Gervais 462.550 250.3 250.3 WRPP345 Tualatin 462.575 123.0 123.0 Newberg575 Newberg 462.575 225.7 225.7 FernHill575 Forest Grove 462.575 136.5 136.5 Keizer575 Keizer 462.575 141.3 141.3 ORCity575 Oregon City 462.575 110.9 110.9 LAK17R Lake Oswego 462.600 123.0 123.0 Huy600 Beaverton 462.600 118.8 118.8 Brooks600 Brooks 462.600 179.9 179.9 CanbyFire Canby 462.625 162.2 162.2 Overlook625 Portland 462.625 156.7 156.7 RockyPoint625 Albany 462.625 179.9 156.7 Albany625 Albany 462.625 141.3 141.3 WRPX794 Gaston 462.625 100.0 100.0 LinnCARES Linn County 462.625 123.0 123.0 CooperMT Beaverton 462.650 107.2 107.2 Hopewell650 Hopewell 462.650 141.3 141.3 Molalla650 Molalla 462.650 100.0 100.0 Pioneer675 Oregon City 462.675 218.1 218.1 Salem675 Salem 462.675 141.3 141.3 Saint Helens Saint Helens 462.675 123.0 123.0 Sherwood700 Sherwood 462.700 141.3 141.3 GoatMT Colton 462.700 107.2 107.2 GreshamPDX Gresham 462.700 Portland1 Portland 462.700 110.9 110.9 MilwaukieCERT Milwaukie 462.700 167.9 167.9 Wilsonville725 Wilsonville 462.725 110.9 110.9 Prune Hill Camas, WA 462.725 127.3 127.3 Brownsville S. Corvallis 462.725 127.3 127.3 Nets Day & Time ORCity 575 Monday 7:30pm LAK17R Monday 7pm Hopewell 650 Tues 6pm / Sat 9am Salem 675 Mon & Thurs 6pm GoatMT Saturday 7pm MilwaukieCERT 3rd Monday 7pm Prune Hill Sunday 6:30 > 8pm

https://www.legislature.mi.gov/Laws/MCL?objectName=mcl-257-602b (b) "Mobile electronic device" means an electronic device that is not permanently installed in a motor vehicle, including, but not limited to, a device capable of text messaging, voice communication, entertainment, navigation, accessing the internet, or producing email. Mobile electronic device does not include either of the following: (i) A radio designed for the Citizens Band Service or the Amateur Radio Service of the Federal Communications Commission or a commercial 2-way radio communications device or equipment permanently installed in a motor vehicle.

DXEngineering responded to my email, I'll go with the LMR-600..... Greeting Todd, Thanks for contacting DX Engineering. For the one of the top coax types with the least loss for UHF/VHF is LMR600. https://www.dxengineering.com/parts/tmv-lmr-600ultra You would need to build a custom cable here for the LMR 600. https://www.dxengineering.com/cableconfigurator/cabletype We do have our DXE-400MAX that would also suit that application. It's available in several premade cable assemblies or in a custom cable length. https://www.dxengineering.com/parts/dxe-400maxdx050

What ends do you need? N or PL-259? N is more weather resistant. Is this for a fixed installation where the cable will be firmly supported and not be moved? If so, you’re better off using hardline rather than standard coax, especially since you said cost is no object. Otherwise, something like this M&P is lower loss than LMR400. https://www.gigaparts.com/messi-and-paoloni-hyperflex-13-coax-cable.html Finally, several companies will build you exactly the cable you need. DXEngineering is one: https://www.dxengineering.com/cableconfigurator/cabletype?gclid=CjwKCAiA95fLBhBPEiwATXUsxImNsXXKCwHCZDGDq9zH8YUNu-p04-7WCSYFSWExzRyZypz5llvqeRoCXvoQAvD_BwE Avoid cheap, no-name cables. Shun anything less than lmr400 for your long runs, and even then you’re better off with hardline like I mentioned above.

That, plus getting the antenna out of the big metal box.

I just keep a Rite In the Rain notecard near each radio, and that gives me the ability to jot down a call sign or info on a specific incident or experience. Then I can go back and look them up online if needed. My dash camera gets a "picture" button press when I see an amateur radio callsign vanity plate, or a vehicle with more antennas than stock. All the documentation I need for GMRS and amateur users (after working all day in commercial public safety radio, that is).

Yes

A friend of mine put the clear tape on his new truck’s roof to protect the finish. The tape doesn’t rub against the paint so the finish is protected. The rubber “protective” covers pick up dust and grit and vibrate against the paint like little sanders otherwise. My roof shows the marks but my truck is 28 years old.

Welcome and thanks for speaking up.

I have had this idea running around in my head for awhile and I am wondering if it has any merit or not. I call this idea LOTA, Locals of the Air, and it is a rip off of POTA and SOTA. Both POTA and SOTA for all intensive purposes are HF activities. I was wondering is something similar could not be done for 2m, 70 cm, and GMRS. I am thinking just like POTA their would be hunters and activators using only simplex. The difference would be activators could use any public location, such as city parks, county parks, ball diamonds, etc. The one add-on that you could do with LOTA is adding a fox hunt category to it besides the normal POTA style activity. Before I actually did anything with it, I wanted to get some people's opinions if it. Thanks

10m was ranked as "Poor" yesterday but I got a POTA contact in Massachusetts from home in southern California! Otherwise not much activity during the time I was monitoring the band. @TNFrank I've had very good luck with an inverted-V wire dipole during POTA activations. You can see a pic on my QRZ.com profile under call sign KO6IOJ. When tuned, the inverted V has been very successful for 10m, 15m and 20m bands in the field. Even when "sloppily" set up (lots of sagging).

Thank you, appreciate it.

I'm sure your repeater will work just fine and will be much appreciated by the GMRS folks on the island! Good Luck !

The main limitation I see is that VHF/UHF Simplex is Line of Sight so range would be limited to the environment you're in and how high you could get your antenna. Here where I'm at a mile or two with a good 4db, 70cm antenna 15' in the air with a 25w radio won't make it to a buddie's house 3 miles away. Not saying it's not a good idea or wouldn't be fun you just need to figure the limitations into the equation.

I have the charging cradles and batteries that came with a set of UV-5RM radios, and can confirm they also work for the UV-5G Plus. It's worth noting that you can also slot and charge the batteries when they are completely disconnected from the radios. A handy trick if you have at least one extra battery always on the charger and just rotate them as needed.

While I'm not a big fan of Anytone radios, based on my bad past experience with the D878UV's firmware and programming software bugs, The new D890UV looks interesting. Might be worth at least a look. https://www.wouxun.us/item.php?item_id=488&category_id=64 What caught my eye in addition to being a DMR radio looks like they "plan" on adding a second digital mode to it, NXDN. This could spark more interest in this digital voice mode. I already have a bunch of Kenwood NX-200 and NX-300 radios for NXDN. Also the Kenwood NX-1200 and NX-1300 radios, DMR and a few with NXDN, can run either one depending on which one is "activated" and the mode specific firmware loaded. https://forums.mygmrs.com/gallery/image/290-nx-1300duk5/?context=new https://forums.mygmrs.com/gallery/image/251-nx-300jpg/?context=new And this is an example of a mobile NXDN radio. https://forums.mygmrs.com/gallery/image/250-nx-820ghjpg/ The D890 radio would compete with Kenwood's NX-3000 series, which allows both modes, but it's code plug specific. You can only run one digital mode in the code plug at a time. It would be interesting to see if the D890 allows the use of BOTH in the same code plug. I'm sure a few would have preferred P25 Phase 1 with DMR. However DMR and NXDN use the same basic modulation type, 4FSK, so that reduces the complexity. Whereas P25 Phase 1 uses C4FM.

I have no experience with the Rocky Talkie but it is $180.00. The Rocky Talkies do look simple which can be a good thing sometimes. You can also pick up a Wouxon KG-S88G Plus for $129.99 which is a superhet (though I agree with @SteveShannon,I have no issue with a good SOC). It's also the same IP67. It has 400 channels VS Rocky's 128 (not that you'd need them), Bluetooth audio, usb-c charging... I have one original S88G and bought a new plus version for the wife for kayaking, SUP and camping (Orange). Lots to choose from including cheap Baofengs, I just put this out there because you mentioned outdoors and they are similar in function and cost to what you mentioned. Good luck in your decision.

Cheap LED lights are going to cause RF interference no matter what type or brand of radios you get. I was worried bout my neighbors Christmas lights messing with my radios but she must have bought good LED lights or they are still the old incandescent lights. The cheap Amazon 4 foot LED lights and the Walmart brand screw in LED bulbs in the garage interfere with my VHF/UHF radios. I don't have any experience with Rugged Radios or with the Wouxun KG-905G. I do have a KG-935G +, two KG-1000G + radios and a KG-XS20G and all work well.

Thanks for the tip: I am going to try glue. I also purchased the HF-009 on its own Black Friday Bundle and now, instead of using the ground spike, I can move the HF-008 PL259 base and triple mag-mount over to my 009 and use them there too!

That battery indicator looks to me like it is indicating full, not empty. Run the radio until it gets to 7.2 or 7.3 and what does it look like?

@KBSherwood Thank you for the list. I have ran through and programmed a lot of the repeaters that I have found into my radios. I got lucky yesterday as I am normally monitoring Salem 675 and was able to hop in on their NET. @Santiam, We might get lucky one day while I'm down in that area to connect. I am about a 45 min drive north of you here in Salem and have the Brownsville / Central Valley repeater programmed in on my HT and Mobile. And thank you everyone for the warm welcome to the GMRS Community!!!

I use Midland or Melowave NMO mag mounts. They have a good rubber cover on them. I still clean under the mount and the rubber cover on a regular basis. @WRYS709 I bought the same combo deal. I find that the rubber covers are really thin and they come off the magnets easily. I will probably do a permanent mount on the bed rails of my F150 if I ever figure out how to stop the injectors from causing too much noise in my HF radios.

I am one of them that would have liked to have this configuration.....P25 Phase 1 and DMR would be exactly what I need.....administering a Motorola "M" core with DSR backup (P25 Phase 1 - we only have Phase 2 for some interop on local government network), and DMR, MotoTrbo. Motorola will not do it themselves, they like making us buy two radios where Astro and Trbo work alongside one another. (Up to 60 cities across the United States now, in my network). Thank you for posting, I may have to buy another Anytone radio now, to play around with it a bit. (My 8678 sits in my backpack, acting more as a cheap troubleshooting tool - Promiscuous Mode and all). My Anytone 878 was a mistake, I even ordered it from Bridgecom, and it has taken three years or so to remove myself from their email/text/Youtube ecosystem.

That confirms a post I read elsewhere. Apparently the DSP chip has to reload the firmware for the digital mode being used. That takes time. So I guess from a practical point it does one digital mode at a time.

Very few are ghoing to share licensed Motorola Software. IF you take your time you can find it online but those of us that have it are not going to get jammed up by distributing it freely. As Kennhy said many of us signed agreements when we worked with or for Motorola.

I was wondering the same thing about the rubber caps on my Radioddity triple mag-mount. So the metal of the vehicle will still operate to improve the "radials' of my antenna when mounted on my car even with these rubber caps?

Fun little tangent, I worked for a good time while retired selling floor covering for a friend who owned the business. I you install LVT do not use rolling office chairs with rubber wheels on it. Same thing, collects dust, sand, etc. and will create micro scratches that will degrade the surface.

Oh that makes so much sense now! I'm still learning some things. New to the journey into mobile and external antennas. Thank you so much for making that sound a bit more simple than I was reading into it!

Remember that 'ground plane' (a metal surface that will reflect radio waves from your antenna) and electrical 'grounding' (a return path for electric currents) are 2 very different things.

The clear tape shouldn’t hurt anything. Magnetic NMO mounts don’t require electric conductivity to provide a good ground.

The 890 allows programming of both DMR and NXDN channels, but the radio has to be switched between modes

Hello, WRZX865 here in Brownsville..Most times I can hit the Salem repeater on my base, but don't monitor it much.. Have even got though on Hopewell and Goat Mountain although I don't know how with ridges in the way.. Have fun.

welcome to the forum.. Not sure your going to get a running list for all users in Beaverton but you can get a pretty good idea of repeaters operating in and around your location(s) of interest by selecting the 'Map' option on the welcome page then zero into areas of interest... Certainly holler out if you need help navigating here. Have fun.

Same here. I paid $70 for my GMRS license and $0 for my amateur license. Not long after I got my ham license they changed the price for each to $35.

"In the amateur radio justice system, RF-based offenses are considered especially heinous. In the United States, the dedicated agents who investigate these vicious infractions are members of an elite squad known as the FCC. These are their stories." Oh... Wait... Wrong show.

I hear CBS is starting a new crime procedural: NVIS Outer Space!

There's no reason I can't give you a QSO in Georgia if you're doing a POTA Activation, I've worked stations in Georgia before. We'll have to make an effort to make it happen.

8' at the Balun end and maybe 14' at the end of the wire from my best guess.

The Balun is about 8' hanging from the porch then the wire is probably 12'-13' on an angle to the tripod fully extended to 15+ feet. I really hope the extra power and the antenna will help me get a QSO to Japan.

No, not necessarily. For me, that would have been too much for an entry level radio, because when I got my first one, I didn't know exactly what I was going to want and I ended up later buying something else that I haven't outgrown yet. "Entry level" means different things to different people. Maybe you'll never find yourself wanting something the Icom won't do, or you may decide to buy another radio for that specific purpose.

I wouldn't be too hard on people for this. I just finished programming some Chinese radios, RT-860's and RT-880G, for a couple of the older guys in my radio coffee group. They were in their 70's and 80's with Extra class licenses too. The programming software had ZERO help files so either you waste a lot of time watching a bunch of YouTube videos or guess. With as many radios I've programmed over the years I still got things wrong. The Chinese radios don't always function in a logical manner. Without the help files all you can do is guess, try it out, and try again.

They contacted me and provided links to the regulations. The tower will be under 50 feet (or close to 50 feet, height is might), it should be exempt as stated below. Towers and Antennae Facilities: Antenna towers and masts for cellular phone and other personal or business communications services may be authorized as a special land use by the Planning Commission. Antenna towers and masts erected and operated as a residential accessory use, and not more than fifty (50) feet in height as measured between the tower’s base at grade and its highest point erected, are exempt from the provisions of this Section. In considering such authorization, the Planning Commission shall apply the standards of Article 4: Site Plan Review, and the following standards: Article 6: Supplemental Site Development Standards Adopted: September 14,

I purchased one on sale for my 8 year old granddaughter. I'll give it to her this weekend for her birthday. I programmed some stuff into it yesterday and charged it up after testing it. I got it because it is fairly simple to use, small-ish, has a good IP rating, USB-C chargeable, and seems to have a good build quality. I have several Wouxun GMRS radios and am happy with them all. Her dad and I are licensed so she is covered as far as that goes. We will see how it works out.

Most people do not approach GMRS as a hobby to itself. They’re not really interested in making and logging QSOs. I use GMRS as a communication tool while pursuing my other hobbies. But, there’s nothing wrong with what you suggest. Just don’t expect QSO cards or log verifications like you get on QRZ.com A friend of mine uses a composition book for logging his ham QSOs. I use the logbook built into HRD for my ham QSOs. I used to just use QRZ.com ARRL makes a nice compact paper booklet for logging. Amazon has it for about $8.

The expected voltage depends on the cell chemistry. Some Lithium cells have a terminal voltage around 4+ volts at full charge.

Aren't the individual cells less than 5 volts?