nokones

Last year, I bought a KG-UV3X PRO for my RDF cache of equipment and it was factory locked down so it can't be programmed for GMRS freqs. The manual referenced that the radio can be unlocked but you had to consult with the dealer to unlock it. The dealer did not have a clue what I was talking about and I couldn't find anyone else that knew anything about this radio. After playing with the radio for a few minutes and trying different things pushing the buttons on the radio and with the software the radio somehow unlocked and I don't know what I did to unlock it. I guess I had to use the ol' PFM know-how in order to make it happen whatever that was.

Some Phantom antennae are no ground plane antennae and some require a ground plane. The non-ground plane antenna is still available and in stock at Talley Communications as Lscott pointed out with a link I have been using that antenna for the last 20 years on composite bodied vehicles and have had great success with them.

Although, I have a Jeep but the same concept can be used on a Bronco. I installed a glass-mount antenna and it works better than expected.

Check with frank.scaglione@azgmrs.org and ask him what he did on his Bronco. I believe he has a setup for both GMRS and HAM (2M and 70cm).

Never mind. I just checked and the Odmaster App does not support the H3 radio.

Have you tried the App with the Bluetooth link for programming?

With the exception of the trails near the Mexican border between Yuma and Tucson and well south of Interstate 8, most of our trails in Arizona have GMRS repeater coverage with the addition of Mingus Mtn. recently. Towers 575 is essentially restricted these days but Towers 600 fills in in place of Towers 575. We're pretty fortunate and several of the repeaters are linked for wide area coverage.

Me three. My Inreach is a feature of my Garmin Overlander Nav System with S.O.S. at the touch of a button. The email portion of the Inreach obviously works slick.

For about $300 a better quality 870 channel radio (Motorola XTS2500) with a ton more features that Chinese junk don't have can be had with a lot less headaches in programming and use. That Radio can be had with the programming cable and the CPS and the radio also comes with belt clip, speaker mic, charger, and battery. This about $300 radio package will last a lot longer and be supported than a chinese junk radio.

Just don't use a cheap Chinese junk duplexer. Use a quality duplexer like EMR Corp. Celwave, Sinclair, Motorola, and Telewave.

90.739 miles for me in my Pickup with a Laird B4502 on the roof. Hmm, I need to find a few more miles. It'll be interesting to see how my Jeep with the Glass-Mount Antenna compares with my Truck.

There are several marine antenna manufactures and marine electronics dealers that can help you. Also, there are some that will custom build your antenna to your specs. You do have several choices and all you have to do is do the research and pick who you want to do business with.

A standard for a "Travel Channel" and its history is well documented and established probably way before many people on this forum were born or took up this hobby and that may be the reason why there is this confusion between Channels 19 and 20. My position the standard hasn't gone away its still there I just wish that people would honor it.

There are several GMRS repeaters in your area. What part of San Diego do you live in?

Is this repeater on Saddleback (Santiago), Mojeska, Sierra Peak, or Elsinore Peak? Just curious.

Only if you're using a Yagi on a very tall remote mountain top then you may want to tilt it to point into a canyon, valley or gorge, or if you are using it at a lower elevation for a control station and trying to hit a repeater on a high remote mountain top very far away.

I totally agree. That way the system users can operate under the system license authority and don't have to worry about getting an individual license. I have several Part 90 Business Radio Service frequency pairs licensed statewide in California and if I need to I will give permission and/or give up a pair for his system.

According to the mygmrs.com map, all the GMRS channels are not overly used in Sonoma County. I just took a quick look and the "725" channel pair appears to be a good candidate for a county wide GMRS channel. You will need to get a good simulcast system designer so you can start designing and identifying the transmitter sites. You just can't plunk down a simulcast transmitter on any site and have a good working system. It'll take careful planning. I know what it takes to plan a good working simulcast system in Sonoma County. I spent a lot of time and driven many miles in Sonoma County to get a simulcast system to work. To save time and effort you should try to acquire the space and services for the remote sites and mirror the Sheriff's UHF Simulcast system. Acquiring the remote site space and services is going to be your biggest problem if improvements are required. The County should be receptive in providing services for renting mux channels for a fee of course on their Microwave System. You will need to identify where you will be locating your system control equipment.

Tony: You should consult with the Sonoma County Communications Department. I'm not sure if the Sheriff is still on UHF, I believe their system is still a simulcast system.

The Southwest Community Radio System (SWCRS) has two separate simulcast systems. I believe both are a three site system with one in the Tucson Area and one in the Albuquerque Area. You can reach them at swcrs.org or tucsongmrs.org for the specifics of their systems. They have the Tucson system phased pretty good very seldom do I here any wah wahs and warbles.

Seriously, I do to agree. A watt or two or three more really doesn't do squat insofar (ooh semi-pun?) as "Farz"

I have all the confidence in the world that you can make your CCRs make the trek because you have those special CCRs that were blessed by Zenu. I think I better pass on that bet.

Wow that is not bad for a CCR. I can do a ton better then that with my Motorola XTS5000 UHF Type 3 that has front panel programming using a Motorola 5 1/4" flex antenna and a Motorola 11 year old battery that still has about 94% capacity after a complete recharge . And on some days I can communicate from Phoenix all the way to Albuquerque with that portable. I bet your CCR can't do that. If I need to listen to NOAA I can whip out my VHF XTS1500 and as for AM-FM stations, are they still on the air? I haven't listened to a commercial-laden AM FM broadcast station well over 20 years. I have commercial-free XM in all of my vehicles and trailer, except for one vehicle. That vehicle is only equipped with a Motorola XTS1500 Type 2 UHF Two-Way Radio that is connected to a Phantom antenna.

I would rather buy an used Motorola radio for the quality and longevity and the features rather than a new $18 CCR junk that does not have near the features of a professional Motorola.

Just use the antenna that came with the radio. Most of the other types of antennae is just foo foo stuff.