nokones

I have helped a lot of people with their radio programming needs as an Ambassador for one of my radio clubs and I am the radio go-to guy for one of my Jeep clubs and they all bring me their Cheap Chinese Radios or their Midlands to program and/or for mobile installations. Occasionally, I do get real radios such as the Motorola and Kenwoods, but lately there have been a lot of vintage Motorolas like the HT1000, MT2000, and Visars that require RSS with a slow DOS computer, and early CPS version programming such as the MTS2000, MCS2000, HT1250, HT1550, and the CDM mobiles and Astro Sabers. It seems nobody has the ability to program the radios that require a RSS programming application. I have the computer, programs, and cables to get them programmed. Just in the last couple or three weeks, I must have programmed at least a dozen VHF HT1000 radios for a few people and a MCS2000 for a guy in addition to a couple of Midland installs in Jeeps and one Retevis install, one KG1000G Plus, and several portable CCRs. Seems like there must have been a recent Firesale on the HT1000s and the new owners can't find anyone with the ability to program them. You are absolutely right, I don't have any cheap radios and I never will, but I do know how to program them and I have the software and the cables to do the programming. So, with that being said, I guess I sorta know.

Well then, if that is the case, who is occupying their (MFJ) former location/facility and using the MFJ name?

I thought that MFJ closed up shop. The reason why I say that, the subject Instrument I sent in for warranty repair and recalibration in October 2023, showed up on my doorstep from FedEx today. Last year October, I sent in a MFJ 269D Antenna Analyzer and this subject MFJ 849 and if I recall, I received the Antenna Analyzer back in February or March of this year. According to the paperwork, the 849 was recalibrated and certified in good working order on June 6, 2024. The FedEx shipping label indicated a November 25, 2024 shipping date. As soon as I opened up the box I had to compare the accuracy of the 849 with my Telewave and my Bird 43. For this comparison test, I used my Kenwood TK880-1 transmitting on 467.625 Megs that was powered with a Powerwerx 30 Amp Powersupply set at 14.2 volts and a Laird B4502N Non-Groundplane 2.4 dB Omnidirectional Antenna and an Antenex Magmount sitting on a cookie sheet. The MFJ measured 18.8 watts at 1.0 watt reflected and 1.6:1 VSWR. My Bird measured 23 watts with 4 watts reflected. My Telewave measured just over 21 watts and just shy of 4 watts (more like 3.75 watts) reflected. I used the same Messi & Paoloni coax cables with PL259s on all three instruments. The only differences between the three instruments was I had to use SO239 female to N Male adapters on the Bird and Telewave instruments whereas the 849 had the SO239 female connections, so cable adapters were not needed. The VSWR conversion charts indicates the VSWR for the Bird measurement at 2.4:1 and the Telewave measurement at 2.3:1. My RigExpert 650 measured the VSWR at 1.48 at 467.600 Megs. I'm not sure that I want to use the 849, but it appears to be a little more accurate than before I sent it in over 13 months ago. I just don't have any confidence in MFJ products.

It would be best to scan channels 1-7 & 15-22 simultaneously as you travel. If you want to hear everything, don't run with any tone as most cheap GMRS radios do not have the ability of setting split tones.

DPL/DCS is not passing digital data (messages). DPL is a digital subaudio function/activation tone that the FCC says it is permitted/allowed, pursuant to Part 95.1777, otherwise any radio that has that capability would never be Part 95, subpart E Type-Accepted/ Compliant.

Well, I didn't know about their radios and the situation with the FCC, I've never bought one, but I tried to program one and it was a pain. However, I have bought their mounting components and one of their VHF Phantom antennae that had a VSWR of 12.0:1 on 154 Megs. I returned the antenna and got a refund.

Marc: Looks like a fun project. Take a look at Rugged Radios. They have waterproof radios for off-road racing vehicles in both VHF and UHF. They also have Jeep specific kis and accessories along with racing audio accessories. I believe their radio might be 40 watt radios. Their radios appear to be rugged (no pun intended), but I don't like the fact that their radios programming software application was developed by RT Systems which I find some what weird.

Agree, however, if I am out off-roading and being the only vehicle, I have my UHF radio set on ch. 16 with CSQ for receive and encoding/transmitting with 141.3 Hz, and scanning channels 1-7 & 15-22. Also, I have my CB set on AM Ch. 16 and I occasionally do hear distant off-road traffic way off the beaten path. As for my VHF Radio, depending on the Area I am, I'll scan one of the Rugged Radios 4 Zones of about 9-11 channels that are used/shared in Arizona.

One of my Jeep Clubs use Ch. 16 for Trail Comm. The other Club uses Ch. 18

This is not the appropriate forum for the above posting. This is a GMRS forum and you should be posting this on a Amateur Radio Forum or Radio Reference.

I couldn't help thinking about this video all day and no doubt that I may be thinking about it more tomorrow as I get my Jeep dirtier, but a couple of thoughts came across my mind on this video. I have a feeling that there may be some fake body parts and I'm pretty sure that all the body parts are for real on the Jeep because I don't think Randy would use any CCJP (Cheap Chinese Jeep Parts) on his "NOTRUBI". My other thought is, is the video a perfect example of A.I. or at least the video is the real thing? Maybe after tomorrow, I'll drive to Rancho Cucamonga just to get my Jeep RUBI washed. I hope there won't be any missed spots, because my wife has to do her wife thing and point out all those missed spots to me.

Hmm, $200 huh, I think I just might have to get my "IZARUBI" dirty more often. At my age, I think it's time to pay to have someone to wash my Jeep while I watch.

Nope, I'm duckless.

The antenna for my VHF Radio is right in front of the Ditch Light on the driver's side and when the Ditch Light is turned on it will affect the weak VHF signals on 151 and 154 MHz. Yes, my Jeep is dirty from the Trail run last week Thursdsay and it will get dirtier this Thursday. I'll wash it this Friday or Saturday.

There may be a couple of options like the Jeep has, if the Bronco can accommodate them, but, you need to think about using the Midland MXTA26 GMRS antenna. This antenna usually will give you the best VSWRs right out of the box on both the 462/467 GMRS freqs. and has one of the best results for GMRS freqs. Another good antenna is the Laird B4505N (5 dB non-groundplane), but it will need to be tuned/trimmed. Here are a couple examples on how to mount antennae:

What is a MXT500T? What is the difference between the MXT500T and a regular MXT500 model radio. I never heard of a MXT500T model. Also, what version MXT500 radio do you have? The 30 channel (older model before mid 2023) or 128 Channel model (newer than mid 2023 model) The older model radio is not compatible with the latest version programming software, you need to apply the firmware upgrade first to change it to a 128 channel radio. The Midland programming software will work with a Windows 10 and 11 Operating Systems based Personal Computer using USB ports. Using virtual applications/programs to fake out the computer into something that it is not the real thing are nothing but problems. Some times they may work and most of the time they don't.

Or backwards like you see on TV from time to time.

I didn't smell anything. I assume you only been on this forum for less than a couple of months based on your post that almost border lines disrespecting the Queen. It is not nice to disrespect the Queen. It would be best for you to observe the various posts, especially from the Queen, to get the jist of this forum and who is who so you do not end up on people's Ignore List. If you don't get the meaning of this, maybe the Radio Reference Forum would better suit you.

Take a look at Ram Mounts or Bullet Point Solutions.

When you are focused with the task at hand in a law enforcement environment you really don't care what the audio sounds like as long you can hear the audio. The audio quality on a narrowband public safety channel is not a critical factor or if it is stereophonic or not. Try listening to a simulcast channel when you are in a simulcast overlap area.

Probably because the close friends of those 99.9999% people don't know of their shenanigans and haven't dropped a dime on them yet to the FCC, or as you have stated a gazillion times, most people probably don't care..

What quality issue(s) are you perceiving there are with the Midland Radios? It is obvious that you have never own a Midland radio for you to make a such statement. I sure would like to hear what are those quality issues. I sense that you are obviously one of those $20 POS CCR kind of radio dork that enjoys all the limitations of those radios.

It is really amazing that people spend and waste their money and put up with all the problems and limitations of these POS CCRs.

Are you sensing that you are not welcome in the Copper State? You are a good fit for California and fit-in very well.

The AZ GMRS Repeater Club has a Net every Tuesday at 1900 (7PM), except for holidays and the 5th Tuesday of thd month. The Net is called the Tuesday 1900 Net and is open to everyone and is conducted on the 550 channel through the White Tanks Repeater. The White Tanks Repeater will cover most of the Valley of the Sun. During the Tuesday 1900 Net, Non-Club Members are in courage to participate and the White Tanks Repeater will have the Travel Tone activated for encode (Repeater Access) for all guest users. Leave the receive channel as CSQ since the Repeater does not transmit any Tone out downlink. The topic of discussion varies and will be announced at the beginning of the Net. For more AZ GMRS Repeater Club information go to www.azgmrs.org As for SWCRS, it would be best to go on their website at www.swcrs.org or www.tucsongmrs.com Sorry, I have no information on the White Mountain Community System.