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By the grace of mine own self-worth and sarcasm and by the bounteous authority vested in me, THE QUEEN OF ALL THAT IS GMRS, I doth hereby decree, with much pomp and stupidity, that one @SteveShannon, a stout fellow of questionable repute but unquestionable GMRS knowledge, be forthwith and forevermore dubbed a member of the Most Esteemed Order of the HERD (which, perchance, standeth for “Higher End Radio Dork,) Let it be known across the static-ee airwaves of the peasantry to the lofty frequencies of the saddest of H.A.M.s that Sir StevenShannon, clad in naught but his wits and an FCCs permission slip, hath stumbled bravely and fortuitously into the fray of tomfoolery and emerged victorious—or at least not entirely trampled. With this proclamation, he is granted the sacred right to put the title "HERD" after his name, to wield a UV-5R on GMRS channels, and to confuse all who inquire as to what a “HERD” truly be. So sayeth I, THE QUEEN OF ALL THAT IS GMRS on this fifth day of March, in the year of our Lord XENU two thousand and five-and-twenty. Let the roger-beeps blare, and may the Sad H.A.M.s tremble in his presence ! So it is written, so shall it be done. Arise good Sir @SteveShannon, member of the HERD!

I got sick of all my radios and batteries falling over every time someone sneezed nearby, so I did some light CAD work and 3D printing this afternoon. I think I might re-do this one to have antenna storage on board as well...

Well, After studying my butt off for several weeks, I took the test Saturday for General class and passed (35 out of 35). I do have to say thanks to the guy who gave me the link to hamexam.org where you can do flash cards of the questions, it really helped!!! Now on to new bands... maybe I will try out 17 meters or 20 meters in the coming weeks.

That could be a really good thing or it can open up a can of worms that we don't want. I say that because we all know some people want to turn GMRS into HAM Lite. We don't have enough frequencies/channels available for linking repeaters or different digital modes, etc, etc. I would hate to see GMRS turn into what the Chicken Band (CB) has become.

I thought that might happen so my sig only refers to the Medium End Radio Dork Experimeter (MERDE) level.

I bought this radio in January and after 3 months, I still really like it. This radio gives you what you need. High power of 50 watts, mid power 20 watts and low power 5 watts. Using a dummy load, the outputs have been right on the button. It is super easy to operate and easily programmable from the front panel, I have no need for software The transmit and receive audio are very good and, YES, you can choose wide band or narrow band. It does, however, lack a cooling fan and can warm up pretty quickly in a longer conversation. I can only hope that Midland took this into account when working out heat dissipation in the design. It IS expensive, but having fond memories of using Midland gear back in the 70's, I chose to go with them again. Pete WSGL709

Speaking of someone not having anything better to do…

I live in a port town. For my entire life I have driven past a marine electronics store. Not needing "marine" electronics (radar, sonar, gps and its predecessor LORAN, and of course radios). I never had a need to visit. But as it turns out the store carries all sorts of GMTS, FRS and HAM equipment. And not just for boats. i called yesterday and found out that not only do they have probably everything you find all your needs met in one place. Plus and more importantly, they are more than to share decades of knowledge and experience. Heading down tomorrow with a list of needfuls and more importantly a list of questions.

The OP stated that the damage to the previous repeater and antenna was $2000. They’re only seeking $1,000 in their gofundme. The repeater they’re seeking to purchase is currently on sale for less than $600 including a built in duplexer, which seems very reasonable. A decent antenna plus cables and associated components could very quickly consume the remainder of the targeted funding. This seems like a very reasonable request and a reasonable solution. I would urge that we not get distracted by our reactions to the town drunk.

We need to get FRS off of 15-22 for starters. Then we need dedicated repeater frequency pairs that are not shared with simplex. Then we need the fcc to enforce the rules that are already in place.

I normally don't respond to posts or spend a bunch of time on forums. I found this interesting with lots of differing opinions and some good points. My thoughts on radio and its use are shaped by a carrier in public safety, emergency management, and my personal use of Marine VHF, GMRS and HAM, within licensure guidelines. The FCC states "95.1703 Definitions, GMRS. General Mobile Radio Service (GMRS). A mobile two-way voice communication service, 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." As mentioned, I have both GMRS and HAM licenses. I also own a local GMRS repeater that has a large footprint, and am involved in HAM repeater systems that are part of the SKYWARN network. No, GMRS was never meant to be HAM. But all things evolve over time, it will not become HAM (nothing will become HAM, it is literally an experimental license that allows HAMs to do many, many things), but its use has and will evolve (grandfathered licenses for example) just like CB radio did. In my opinion, GMRS has some distinct advantages over HAM. The biggest being that once license covers a family. Repeater linking is not allowed in GMRS, so that keeps comms more local. A big benefit to GMRS and GMRS repeaters in particular, is the ability to provide alternate and emergency comms for families and friends. Most of the people who want access to my repeater specify they want it for emergency use to communicate with family and friends. Something a lot of people don't realize about cell phone service. Cell providers, and really all of telecom, are not required to provide long term emergency power for their sites or nodes. Most only have battery backup that doesn't last very long. My area gets hit with some severe weather once a year that causes widespread outages due to power and telecom lines being down. The first thing that happens is the cell towers get loaded up and bandwidth drops. If you have a cell provider that is not a big company that owns its own network, you are the first to get dropped from the network / site. Most people also don't realize that most "landline" phones are now VIOP. When the node goes down because its batteries are dead, so is you phone and internet (assuming you have power). As soon as the cell site without a generator looses it battery backup, its off the air and your cell is out. This can last for days. In contrast, the "big" repeater sites, both HAM and GMRS, are on UPS and gen power. My GMRS repeater can run a minimum of 24 hours with moderate use before I need to plug it into the generator. All the HAM sites I'm familiar with are the same way and are usually on commercial towers with gen backup. In order to use radio for emergency comms, you need to be familiar with radio and be fluent in its use. You need to know your radios work, you need to know the repeaters you programmed a year ago are on the air, and you need to know where you can use them from and who you can communicate with on them. You also need to have a plan for using radio to communicate when cells and landlines are down. Radio checks, general conversation, and rag chewing on repeaters helps ensure this.

I was told by a (former) Midland Marketing person that this is by design - the entire chassis is a heat sink so a fan is not needed, but yes, you feel the heat. Also, beware that "some people" are going to leave ssstupid comments in this thread declaring that this radio "sucks", "is junk", it's too expensive, it's gimmicky, etc, etc, because it does not have the features that THEY think are important. So bear in mind that Midland did not design this radio for them, they designed it for normal people such as yourself that just need to talk to people while driving. Midland did not design this radio for losers that sit in the basement searching for anonymous men to chat with over the radio to brag about how many buttons or knobs their radio has.

The difference in range between the least expensive Baofeng handheld radio and the most expensive Wouxun is zero.

Kind of like forum members that don't work very well.

Please tell us where we can find a new, 40W, single-case/chassis, weatherproof Motorola repeater with a warranty, and weighs only 4Lbs, for 1/2 the price.... We're waiting....

Can confirm .. This is why i always recommend purchasing via Amazon when possible because Amazon protects against this exact thing - even if you have to pay $6 more, it's worth it.

They’re only required to use the call sign, but if it helps you to identify each other you’re allowed to use something like a unit number as well. Personally, I like to use first names or familial relationships, “John, this is grandpa.” Understand that you only need to identify using your call sign once every 15 minutes and when you end a conversation, so if you talk for 2 minutes or 15 minutes you’ll only need to ID once. If you talk for 16 minutes to 30 minutes you are required to ID at least twice. Each time you ID it resets the 15 minute clock. So, if you’re concerned about compliance, just throw in your ID when it’s convenient and at the very end and don’t worry about it.

I think the FCC said it best… In addition to violating Commission rules, linking repeaters is not in the public interest. Because GMRS spectrum is limited and used on a shared “commons” basis, the service only works well on a localized basis when users can hear each other and cooperate in the sharing of channels. Linking repeaters not only increases the potential for interference, but also uses up a limited spectrum resource over much larger areas than intended, limiting localized availability of the repeater channels. GMRS and the Family Radio Service (FRS), which share many of the GMRS channels, are intended for individuals such as family members and friends, scouting troops, emergency response groups, and hobbyists to communicate with each other over short distances, directly or through a repeater station. Linking repeaters, via the internet or other networks, undermines the purpose and usefulness of the GMRS and FRS.

Spent a little time last night making a better solution looking for a problem

I always use GMRS properly. I Never, never never put the antenna in my mouth when I push the transmit button.

I just visited the Flat Earth Society Discussion Board to see how they explain limits on radio propagation and me now stupider cuz it.

Just because he can hit the repeater does not mean anyone wants to talk to him.

A community is best served by a reliable repeater that covers the community - hearing conversations from across the country on a linked system does not benefit the local community who are wanting/needing to communicate with folks in their local area. Let Ham Radio be Ham Radio, and let GMRS be GMRS.

Am I the only GMRS user who is kinda frustrated with linked repeaters on gmrs frequencies. The more I’m using gmrs the more I’m realizing the frequency allocations for it just doesn’t leave enough space for linking on this service.

Bullshit. We’ve had to correct your fallacious claims many times. This is only true in certain rare situations, like from the hill overlooking a massive desert between you and Vegas. Most people just won’t get that kind of distance before their signal is blocked by the earth’s curvature and terrain. Why lie? Does it make you feel better about yourself?

Yes.. that's how it works.. I found this random video on youtube that explains it very well. The guy is kind of a jerk, and I heard he only says what his sponsors tell him to say, but the info you want is in there:

No, we don’t say you’re lying about that; we tell you you’re a jerk when you imply that anyone who doesn’t get 200 miles is incompetent and when you scold new members about not reading the rules. As you say: it’s all about line of sight.

NaNa NoNo has spoken.

It is amazing what is being done with 3D printers. I do not have one yet, hopefully someday, but will have to improve my Fusion360 skills as they are lacking compared to the designs you guys have shown. Like many of you, I found the radios starting to multiply so I did create my own version of an organization/charging shelf in metal. Holds a lot of stuff, but already running out of room. Also made a simple bracket for the Kenwood TK-880H mobiles as I take them in and out of my vehicles often.

Why are you here? We all already know what an A-hole is, there is no need to keep giving us an example. Shouldn't you be busy talking to all your friends on a repeater 200 miles away.

I had one and it worked fine.. but unless it has some feature that you need that the Retevis RT97 does not have, you should consider it also.

I am humbled by this honor. I’m not sure I’m worthy so I will try a day at the middle level first. Thank you, Queen.

I suggest spending some time reading posts here. The 905g has a very good reputation, but it’s also more expensive than many others. As far as Wouxun being the best brand I think that’s fairly subjective.

What is Wrong with YOU ? Why do you have to act like an Ass, every time someone makes a normal statement ? BE NICE, it really Doesn't hurt.

Yes, that’s an acceptable SWR range. Yes, that’s an acceptable power output.

And not everyone lives in the wide open desert where it is flat. Our GMRS repeater antennas are at 400 feet above ground and our 70cm repeater antennas are at 900 feet above ground. We get around a 30-35 mile radius range on both. Again due to local terrain and lots of forested areas. In comparison, our 2m repeater antennas are on the same tower and also at 900 feet above ground. We get around 80-85 mile radius range on 2m. This clearly shows the difference between UHF and HVF. If it was a height issue then we would see better coverage with the 70cm repeater than the GMRS repeater. But both have the same coverage. We actually encourage that type of use on our repeater. Most families won't "rag chew" for hours on end so it's not an issue. Most of us get a big kick out of listening to one of our member's grandson when he gets on the repeater to talk to Grammy and Papa. The kid is only about 8 years old and does a great job with using proper etiquette on the repeater.

It is in this part of the state. Heavily wooded. Rolling hills.

There's Roger Rabbit !!

Let's beat this dead horse some more. It should have been turned into mush a long time ago. If you want to talk on linked repeaters then get your amateur license. We don't need to have linked repeaters on GMRS. I live in Mid Missouri and I sure don't want to have my local repeater clogged up by people from outside the area. Linked repeaters defeats the purpose of GMRS which is local communications. Stick with amateur radio or use one of them phone apps that gets mentioned if you want to talk to people all over the country/world. Okay back to trying to get the excess blood out of my caffeine system.

You forgot to mention: Also transmits on GMRS with 100+Watts, jams H.A.M.s and GMRS repeaters with music when bored and broadcasts on H.A.M.s radios frequencies with no license, just so I can feel something. C'mon man, if you're going to be butthurt and whine like a girl, at least be complete and accurate about it.

Bold statement claiming the use would be legal by FCC. He better go back and read the FCC's latest interpretation of using GMRS over the internet

Most radios can be programmed with a "busy channel lockout" which will prevent you from transmitting when the frequency is busy. Usually, they can be set to lockout only when it's in use by someone with your tone or by anyone on the frequency, even if they don't share your tone. So far, I've never been in an environment where I felt the need to use BCL, but it certainly could happen.

I’m seriously curious. Obviously you’re not here to ask for help, you inject negativity into the threads started by people who actually do help, and you make zero effort to get along with people socially. So, why are you here, Devin? Do you actually like the negative attention you receive? Is it somehow better than no attention at all?

Even I, in all my glory, could not pretend to be that socially mal-adjusted and brain dead..

All the rest of us thought it was very deep and meaningful.

I created and 3d printed a holder to go on the vertical bar on my ride... also made a wooden box to keep some of my radios, antennas, and other junk in.

Update: I did not succeed

Double check that the antenna is screwed-in/connected correctly and fully - assuming you mean no shorts or high SWR when checking on your meter I'm not sure what else to recommend. I would point out that of all the mobile antennas I have tested (probably about 20), the UT72G was the worst performing of all of them - performing worse than even the little ghost-antenna's I have tested.. So if you have to replace it, dont feel bad and be secure in knowing that whatever you replace it with will perform better (unless you replace it with another UT72G).