Leaderboard

You can always change it later. Once you drill a hole, well that's not going away if you change your mind. I had a buddy who messed up his measurement when he drilled a hole for his NMO mount in the roof of his old van. It got into one of the support beams on the underside. He ended up putting a plug in the hole he couldn't use and drilled a new hole over a bit. We kidded him for a while asking to see the Band-Aid on his Boo-Boo. Oh, if you do end up at some point drilling a hole. Be absolutely sure you use the right hole saw. The wrong one will really mess up the roof.

Not really. CB licenses were $20 each 50 years ago when $20 was a lot of money. Then they lowered it to $4, perhaps hoping to entice more people to get legal.

yes, but with a price tag.. Some like RT, i have used both, I don't mind CHIRP, it's free and will get you the same results.

Ignore the crass comments here on the forum. Everyone is a beginner at some point and sometimes if you are not at all familiar with something, the manual is not as intuitive as we would like. Asking question is okay! Like @WRYS709 Said: Welcome to MyGMRS.

this guy fibured it out

As I've posted previously, I have a Wouxun KG-UV980P, which is physically identical to the KG-1000G but with different configuration (one is ham, the other is GMRS). This post also covers installation of a KG-1000G Plus, since its hardware is substantially similar. I've been using the KG-UV980P for a couple weeks loosely installed (wires connected but nothing routed or bracketed in) to test it out. I started down the path of installing it myself, but in the end decided to go with a professional installation since the interior of my truck is too clean for amateurish work, which I would certainly achieve. My vehicle is a 2014 F150 Lariat Super Crew 6.2L v8 6.5' bed. The center console is pretty packed, but there was one area near the bottom that seemed like a possible fit for the radio's faceplate. A nice feature of the KG-UV980P, KG-UV950P, KG-1000G, and KG-1000G Plus is that they have a detachable, remote faceplate. You can install the face plate on the radio, or remotely, where it must be fed with a wire that looks like (but isn't) a Cat-6 cable. This allows for cleaner installation options. Here's a big thanks to Innovative Audio in Sandy, UT, who performed the installation better than I had asked for. It wasn't cheap, but they did great work. The equipment: KG-UV980P. Diamond stainless antenna mount for 2009-2014 F150. Diamond low profile NMO connector with integrated cable. Laird TE B4505CN antenna (no ground plane required). This is a 5dBi gain antenna designed to work in no-ground-plane or poor-ground-plane applications. And some custom brackets that Innovative came up with. I also have a dual-band UHF/VHF no-ground-plane antenna that I swap in for 2m/70cm use (Diamond NR770HBNMO). Pictures attached. You'll see the faceplate mounted at the base of the center console. The base unit is mounted behind the glove box amid a rat's nest of other stuff. I have no idea how they got it in there. In one picture you can almost see the PL259 connector. I asked them to leave the data cable attached, which they did, and it is routed into the glove box. The antenna cable and power cable are routed nicely through the firewall together. And Anderson connectors are found inline between the battery and the radio's power cable so that I can disconnect it easily. The mic is mounted adjacent to the face plate. Despite the radio being installed behind the glove box, I can still hear its speakers very well. But additionally, this radio's mic has a built-in speaker. I have both set to work simultaneously, and the sound quality is just fine. Pictures below.... 1cI1Cuc82OIORIht0KruyUfotMt1kqC1I 1cLFpEks6_8DufPIbSFfuGwKOO11HDnoX 1caXVXEhv35By5zxZhs2UqwlHCUbx9_dK 1cadyxIWJrQNf8rf3bExVYhzRID5-1NyG 1cbh71eF_FLX1_D4v4IcoMmvyvufTHAJb 1cgTii_W1wld9AT7flXwwz7DYh5Vdmluw 1cGr3mvQB-ZRAhteXc_-nAsVcs0fZzIud 1cHj38upff9q-yR4LPVuWSEoLViG8STiv 1d-wlBEY01CxzogRPtfn0XIZ2bs5ld8FQ 1d5SM3-n9paG2-63xu0Drj7gh7UCxwWA7 1d-JS6oOMGi5bFvcuDi1bns29dcuCeqgy

Except it doesn’t say that. You added it. It says operating under the individual license AND properly identified in accordance with this section. You’ll notice there is a comma after “AND”. It’s not a separate rule the two statements are combined.

I did contact them. they responded that I may need a breakout box and they did provide a pin out for it. I may have to go that route.

There is not a lot of technical information. Like how do you connect the two together, how to add the CW call to the device, how to change it from simplex to duplex. There is more information for the disconnect than station ID

My personal preference is to use the official factory software where possible. That's really important for commercial radios. CHIRP is nice, but for every radio it supports the developers have to reverse engineer the code plug layout and communications protocol with the radio. When it works, great. The one issue with Chirp is it may not always give you access to all of the radio's features. For that the only choice is the factory software.

DMR is defiantly a different game, which I have never used RT or Chirp to do since my Hytera CPM does it well. Right now the only DMR radios i have is Hytera and mostly because i like their overall package and ease of using their CPM. Not to mention some very good deals i've gotten on Ebay....

Chirp does remarkably well for being non-commercial software. If it was available for all of my radios I might never have switched to RT Systems. And I will not say that RT Systems has worked perfectly. I’ve run across a few problems with RT Systems when programming DMR code plugs, which admittedly is an order of magnitude more complicated than typical analog radios. But their DMR calculator makes it much easier and when I have had a problem I have been very impressed by RT Systems willingness to thoroughly discuss and understand every issue that I have reported. Having RT Systems available for my db20g radios really made the difference for me though. I really like this radio and Chirp isn’t available for this radio.

RT is defiantly easer to use but considering the amount of time, at least for me, you spend on programing, i can get things done almost as fast in CHIRP. I'm not a fan of the Wouxun software either but it does do everything needed. I don't use much of either anymore since i use mostly Hytera stuff now. Their CPM is extremely easy to use and learn and very powerful. I have a couiple Motorloa radios, which i like but never could get my hands around their CPM..

I agree with Gil (wruu653). I’m curious what you disagree about. Do you disagree that the conditions of clauses must both be true (the literal and logical meaning word “and” at the end of the first clause), otherwise the repeater must transmit station identification? Do you disagree with our interpretation that the condition of the first clause is satisfied only if the people using the repeater are people using the license of the repeater owner? Literally “stations operating under the authority of the individual license under which it operates”. Do you disagree that the condition of the second clause is satisfied only if all people using the repeater follow the rules regarding identifying when they use the repeater? Or do you disagree on some other basis? Enhanced Content - Paragraph Tools URL https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-47/part-95#p-95.1751(c) Citation 47 CFR 95.1751(c) : c. Any GMRS repeater station is not required to transmit station identification if: (1) It retransmits only communications from GMRS stations operating under authority of the individual license under which it operates; and, (2) The GMRS stations whose communications are retransmitted are properly identified in accordance with this section.

Well, to be fair, the Midland GMRS radios that I've used or investigated don't have very much to set up and configure. Each frequency is one channel. You cannot have the same frequency on more than one channel. That means you cannot have two repeaters configured for the same frequency, but with different tones. No channel naming, they're just very simple but reliable. To me the downside is the cost; you pay *more* for the simplicity.

Ahh I guess you’re right there. It’s a 12V accessory port, not a functional cig port.

I’m running the MXTA25 ghost on a hood-hinge mount on the passenger side. Absolutely not the best location for it RF-wise, but it was the best spot for me since I wasn’t prepared to drill the cab roof. I’ve been testing it out the past few days w an AT-778UVII at ~5/15/25W and it’s done remarkably well. Granted, it does better when I’m pointed at what I’m talking to since it has the passenger A-pillar behind it. My radiation pattern is a bit wonky due to where that antenna sits. But I’m happy with this so far. I’ve been able to get into repeaters with low watts at distance so it’s working for me, despite the non-optimal config.

Is it an actual cigarette lighter port or is it a powder accessory port? There is a difference between the two. A cigarette lighter will have prongs inside to hold the lighter in while it heats up while an accessory port does not have the prongs.

yup, its a good idea to auto identify your repeater station, especially if it is an open repeater. At the end of the day, Its operation is the owners responsibility. Also a good idea to set up for remote access to disable if needed.. I have never had to remote shut down mine but a nearby friend has a few times due to jamming. Another thing he does, that i don't, i probly should, if he is away from montering range he shuts his down.. His is set up for continuous 15 minute ID intervals. I dont like that, i think it is silly, so i set mine for ID on Busy only on 15 min intervals. It's a personal preference thing. He does it so people can find and identity that particular repeate which has a very very wide operational range.

Send Repeater ID a email they are very nice & helpful. This is what they made for me for mine. Bushnell_pause_added.mp3

Yes you should not have any issues with RT Systems.

The RT Systems softwares is not the same as the free software that you can download. I find the RT Systems software works better.

Your repeater isn’t required to ID if and only if the only people who use it are people you have authorized to use your call sign and they identify correctly. If anyone with a different call sign uses your repeater, the repeater must be IDed. You can certainly do that manually and it definitely doesn’t have to be Morse code, but the repeater must be identified. Morse just happens to be built in for some controllers. Personally I prefer English language IDs also.

KAUO6363, Sent in a form that was in the Kraco box to Uncle Charlie when I was at Ft. Campbell in '76.

That really depends on the radio, each will be different. Some 50 watt radios will draw up to 13-14 amps while transmitting on high power. The Icom IC-2730A draws 13 amps and the Wouxun KG-1000G draws 12 amps. Each brand/model will vary on how much current they draw. Vehicles have not had actual cigarette lighters in them for quite some time now. Those were normally rated a little higher than the accessory socket found in most vehicles now days. Most manufacturers protect the accessory ports with a 10 amp fuse and the owner's manuals state to never exceed 10 amps. As you said, getting consistent power through a cigarette lighter/accessory port is not the most reliable. Plus you always take a greater chance of getting interference in the radio from the vehicle wiring or rf interference from the radio when using an accessory port.

Agreed. Some philosophical consistency would boost the FCC's credibility, also. On marine VHF one can TX on channels reserved for port operations, intership safety, intership commercial, international distress, state controlled, U.S. government (non-USCG), USCG, bridge-to-bridge intership in the lower Mississippi river only, U.S. EPA, noncommercial and a dozen other uses with a 25W mobile without having anything -- no testing, no license, no nuthin'. How much damage can one do on GMRS frequencies? A lot less than the above, so why require a license?

Yes, but in a lot of vehicles, getting a consistent 10 amps through the cigarette lighter plug can be impossible. Not necessarily, because my Chevrolet Trax will deliver 16 amps all day long, but many vehicles -- especially older vehicles -- won't. That said, depending upon where you live and what you want to do, 50 watts may be overkill. The quad-band radio in my truck will deliver 50 watts, but I usually run it on 12. In my location and for what I do, if 25 watts won't get me there, 50 won't either. My take is that you should get a radio that has the features you want, but don't pay extra to get more than 25 watts unless you know you're going to need the extra power. Virtually all antennas will work better with a good ground plane, but a trunk lip mount or hood lip mount can deliver well enough for a lot of users. There's a plethora of good antennas and you'll get about as many opinions as there are users, but a few tend to stick out. The Comet 2x4SR is a remarkably good all-purpose antenna and it can perform acceptably on a lip mount. The Midland Ghost surprised me with how well it performed, but I didn't try it on a lip mount. For a mag mount, I've gotten good results with a Nagoya UT-72, although others report that they haven't. The advantage to a mag mount is that you can move it around until you find a suitable ground plane. There are a number of good lip mount NMO units, you just need to keep looking.

Yes, it’s possible. They’ve asked us for suggestions for simplifying regulations. Most (by far) of the people who use GMRS now don’t have licenses. One way to simplify this would be to combine FRS and GMRS into a single unlicensed service like FRS is today.

I Might even hang this in my Shack ... except I know others, possibly related to him.

I love this bar.

I thought we were friends but now I see that you hate me.

See? Even if you ask a stupid question, you can learn something.

I was at my typical Thursday night radio coffee group get together last night. One of the guys had a good setup for a ground plane for a mobile antenna mounted on the rack behind the truck cab. I took a couple of photos to share on the group here. Might give a few people some ideas to try out.