nokones

The short answer is I have considered and tried twice and I can't get pass the electrical stuff. The test does absolutely nothing to verify if I would be a good HAM operator or not. I've looked into attending in-person classes with various Club's and all they want to do is refer me to on-line sample tests, they no longer have in-person classes. I had a difficult time trying to remember the correct answers or if "All or None of the Above" was the correct answer or not, especially on the electrical stuff. I remember when there were Community College classes for learning amateur radio and they no longer exist. I also remember there used to be a lot of ham/radio hobby businesses and they no longer exist. Some do still exist but only with limited hours a day for only a couple of days a week. Why is it this way now, I wonder. I wasn't impressed by the various clubs on their willingness to help. A matter of fact, several didn't even return my telephone calls. They didn't leave me a good impression on a group that I wanted to be part of or want communicate with. I moved on. Also, I considered taking the test for a third time on-line with a certified test person and the hoops that was required to jump through to take an on-line test was more than I wanted to endure. Something is telling me this may not be not be worth my while any longer and I shouldn't waste my time on. Time is precious and there are more radio paths to take with less effort in being compliant with the rules set. I've had a GMRS license since the mid-90s when my license had a mobile license callsign and I was restricted to one repeater channel pair and 462.675 MHz was for emergency use. I have seen the growth of GMRS take off in the last couple of years and I think it is great especially with a couple of the Club's I am involved with. I just don't see things like such happening in the HAM radio world especially with the social aspect and the willingness to help and welcome others to the hobby. This is where they get a "F" in. I am one of the Ambassadors for one of my Repeater Club's. My job is to not only welcome new members to the Club but help them get started and make sure they understand the technical side insofar to ensure their radios are programmed correctly with the Club's repeaters. It's a fun job. As an Ambassador we are a Club resource for members to learn radio and also we learn more still along with the new members. It's great even at my age. I would hope that exists on the HAM side as well. I just never saw it or experience that effort.

No doubt, the radio will operate as designed. The question should be does the radio have the capacity to meet your growth needs insofar as number of channels and the features you desire. In my opinion, the XTL5000 will offer more than you need and maybe the best radio on the market today.

Why not have a "Restricted Operators License" (ROL) in the Amateur Radio Services (ARS) that restricts the use to just the 2m, 70cm, and 33cm bands within the United States, and only allow the subject licensee to operate only type-accepted equipment, maybe with voice emissions only, to prevent any accidental/inappropriate use outside of those bands. What harm would that cause to the ARS. I understand that existing ARS licensees would object because they went through the testing process in order to obtain a license and they feel that others should do the same because of the International rules and I get that. However, this would be a great way to promote/introduce people to the ARS so they can work their way up to the Technician Level just like people think that FRS is a way to GMRS. I also believe such a Restricted Operators License can be granted as stated above without the ITU involvement since those subject bands can be or are restricted to use only within the United States as a condition of the ROL.

Do away with the written test for the Technician Class license. Memorizing answers to test serves no real purpose for an entry level license. No one is going to remember what the answers were and cares. So, why have a test. It's a waste of time.

Ditto! My XTL5000 base radio and my Repeater Station also are not bothered by my other same proximity radios transmitting when receiving. That is not the case with the other same proximity radios receiving and the XTL5000 radios and/or repeater station transmitting.

I'm glad that I am in a well run/organized GMRS Repeater Club. The Club I belong to has training classes and exercises throughout the year and are involved in Community events. The Club is looking into having social functions for the members and their families that has nothing to do with radio. They also hold a couple Formal Nets every week, and two informal Nets for relaying Traffic and Weather Information on the weekdays. Also, the Club will be expanding their services with more involvement with community. I believe the membership is well over 400 and the Club has several Ambassadors to welcome the new members into the Club and help them with any programming and/or technical needs.

Are you transmitting on a repeater channel (467 MHz freq) to a repeater and listening on a 462 MHz freq on the other radio?

No, it's still on the air. Some repeater owners just don't want to advertise their repeaters on this site for some reason. This repeater does link with the SWCRS network with a special input tone for a couple weekly Nets.

I just sent a private message to the seller.

That radio is the A4 48 channel version. The A7 is the 160 Channel version with a front panel display. The 4th digit character in the model number designates the operating band. "K" for the 136-174 VHF, "R" 403-470 MHz UHF R1, "S" 450-520 MHz UHF R2, and "U" 800 MHz.

I heard some FRS traffic once for about a half mile on one of the interstitial 462 MHz channels in Blythe.

There is no squelch-tail or kerchunck sound on the Glendale repeater. There is a squelch-tail on the Shaw Butte repeater but if you don't say anything when you key, you need to keep it keyed for about 3-4 seconds

What area are you trying from and which repeater are yoh trying to access? What radio are you using? If you join the AZ GMRS and/or Southwest Community Repeater (SWCRS) Club(s) you can get plenty of help with your programming needs and have access to a few more repeaters that are not available to non-members. Both repeater clubs have a lot of expert resources.

They're great radios. I still have two A7 versions and three A4 versions and I still use them to this day in addition to my XTS and Astro Saber series radios.

I wish the FCC would mandate that GMRS operate on narrowband for both the main 462 and 467 channels and the interstitial 462 channel to minimize any potential co-channel use contention problems. The interstitial 462 channels would be perfect for simplex operation.

You can relax and take a pill because there is no test. The tests are only for those "HAM People".

Check out eBay. https://www.ebay.com/itm/322241896718?hash=item4b071d210e:g:gZQAAOSwgZ1XwZi3&amdata=enc%3AAQAIAAAA8JsFfRo6dm0AXwcGP4FZEv3cZs6njlbISV79wXWJh%2B4YtbqC%2FSK%2Ffqofn%2FNrKCO%2FDoK8%2FHXj4ezPT1x6eLDoN6lZn6NJaSC0HzNJ4haIMz44GfkhBSAbltGM%2FJqYJRH%2BvMkDWPAXdz%2FZM%2Ftt52UIJV%2FGYGfA2syfWJvE%2Fb8TbMiNd%2BlptMlQYxhhJcTk%2BfFeQCBrZGmTPwBvw9UgFhvUSfR02y2mla9gUyMzhnbxuROErap%2BoSWRkEzZINqDk2BKo88XXWMNq0rwvjTxxlEVeCZq82NYwhFLuXQLO%2FmLrlqAiPuIKe40NbRYP8VgEn1jig%3D%3D|tkp%3ABk9SR8DH76zXYg I bought some of these. They work pretty good and are a carbon copy of a Motorola antenna, they just don't say Motorola on them.

That could be "BOLD"

Isn't "Times New Roman" a font style? You probably trying to say "Times Microwave" for the real LMR400. Not an expert, just lowly ol' internet user.

I bought my brand new, still in the box, Vertex-Standard EVX-R70-G repeater, not including duplexer, for $700.00. I bought an EMR Corp. Duplexer for a tad less than $500 and I am using a Laird FG4605 Base Station Antenna with the tip at approx 30 feet AGL with a LMR400 coax approx. 37 feet in length, sometime earlier this year.

I just checked the current status and it shows the Repeater on the air and is an open access repeater. What tone are you using?

Ok, I've seen this gadget discussed before.

You mean like a remote base station transmiting/receiving on the same freq? If so, how are you going to control the station?

According to my manual, it appears that I should check the cable loss with no resistance/termination at the cable end. I think I'm getting it.

Thanks guys. I appreciate the opportunity you giving me in trying to learn this side of the subject. In measuring the cable loss, is the measurement done open cable end or something terminating the cable end (Closed end)?