cdesigns
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Posts posted by cdesigns
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I just recorded this on a non GMRS frequency, is the same sound I hear on the GMRS channel, solid signal with no noise, the only difference is that on the signal on the scanner was a little faster.
Is this intermod too?
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I feel left out, my Vertex Radios VX400's and VX2500's require a separate board if I'm not mistaken. -
The signal is very clear when its "transmitting" my ht also picks the signal perfectly, I say weak because about 1 mile away I cant hear it, so it must be a low power system and this are not baofeng radios that Im using, both are Vertex Standards I doub its a filtering issue. To my understanding you are not allowed to use trunking or data on gmrs, if the rules have changed, I will not hessitate to use APRS on my gmrs radios.
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I have been testing my new mobile radio and while scanning the GMRS channels I found this transmission on 462.6250mhz . Everytime I pass thru that area, I hear it. The signal is kinda weak because I can only hear it close to that intersection where a lot of factories and store are. I have hear that type of comunications before but Im not sure what its, I plan to inform the FCC about it but I was just wondering if you recognize this type of transmission?
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My UV-82 is great but with programmed GMRS channels I'm unable to change tones on those channels once programmed, I wonder if in this radio or firmware you can do this. I can only do it right now on VFO mode, but I also need to carry a frequency / gmrs channel chart lol.
I'm pretty sure this is a UV82 with different firmware, we need that firmware lol
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Im going for my general soon, I want to do some DXing
, very limited on Technician -
You would still be forbidden from transmitting in an emergency unless you have an amateur radio license.
Sent from my LG-D631 using Tapatalk
True, you will be in trouble and could be fined too, BUT if its an emergency, I doubt Ham radio operators will not help just because you don't have a Call Sign. I have a portable in my wife's car and inside the master room closet, it has several active repeaters programmed into it, My wife doesn't have a Ham radio license, but I told her, if there is a home invasion, and your cellphone is not with you, at least in the closet with the doors shut, she can still ask for help.
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This program will tell all you need about your system, its pretty accurate, its designed for Ham radio operators so the frequency max is 450mhz, but it will give you a very good idea of your system performance, and its PRETTY ACCURATE.
Just register for free http://www.ve2dbe.com/ and ENJOY.
It's really sucks my HOME antenna propagation, because I live in a hole with hills around me, just 1/4 mile from my home I have a nice hill and I can hit repeaters everywhere with a 0db NMO car antenna, but at home I can't
the program shows exactly where I can reach. and its very accurate.
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Im loving this antenna Im able to hit Ham radio repeaters 20 miles away easy, with only 4 watts. and is not even tuned for those frequencies.
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The building plans says that you need 5 turns of the coaxial cable to properly tune it. I havent tried this one , buy I did try one I made with copper wire and no turns and I was unable to tune it.
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Another test, here I tested 3 of my antennas:
DIY 1/4 wave ground plane antenna
DIY slim jim antenna
Arrow (MURS/GMRS) antenna
numbers don't lie, the Slim Jim claims to have 6dB and I believe it was measured against a 1/4 wave ground plane, well I did the same test and my gain was 6.69dB over the 1/4 wave ground plane and 3.44dB over a nice Jpole.
I also did a test putting the Slim Jim only 12' high and I got better signal than my 1/4 wave mounted at 22' feet high.
Highly recommended
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I love his antennas! I've ordered lots. I'm looking into making my own for the fun and learning of it.
I couldn't hit a GMRS Repeater about 15 miles away with a 25 watt base unit with an antenna about 8 foot up, but when I got Ed Fong's antenna, I put that up in a tree about the same height as the other antenna, and with 4 watts, I could hit it and receive it clear as day.. And nothing was wrong with the base or antennas, I tried 2 different radios and 3 different antennas, and 3 different locations, Ed's antenna worked great, and I appreciate the hours he spent with me on the phone talking about repeaters and the process of building his and everything.
I used the wrong materials on mine, thats why it didnt work to well, but Im pretty sure is an excellent antenna.
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What about an Ed Fong style dual band antenna? I'm planning on building one for Ham use, and I think it should work for GMRS as well.
I made one and it didn't work to well, maybe buying one from him should work fine. but I like to experiment lol
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The RG8X may be fine for 27 Mhz. CB frequencies, but the attenuation rating at 462 mhz is substantial. It just is not designed to operate well at UHF frequencies. If you want better performance, and your budget will allow, upgrade to a 25 watt type certified radio and 3/8 inch hardline. You can build a 5 db antenna system using a center loaded mobile antenna and an NMO mount radial kit.
Antenna: http://www.theantennafarm.com/catalog/pctel-asp76551-827.html
Radial Kit: http://www.theantennafarm.com/catalog/pctel-maxrad-mbsuhf-1651.html
Best of luck with your project...
I'm going to use this antenna with a Vertex Standard VX-2500 UHF 25watts. The antenna you posted I saw it before but it will not work on my "hidden from HOA" install. I do plan to upgrade the coax to LMR400 soon
This is my current setup
Radio and hidden tree antenna, the new antenna has to be hidden on the tree.
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I currently have a 1/4 wave antenna up in a tree 22' feet high, it works great, but I'm still unable to reach some local repeaters or reach certain areas "Home to Car" around my area. So I have been looking at high gain base antennas but they are all to tall, so I decided to make a Slim Jim and do some testing with some of my toys.
Both antennas were designed using online calculators and tuned to 462mhz
I tested the antennas with a:
138mhz-4.4ghz USB Spektrum analyzer
Digital VHF/UHF SWR meter
Radio used on the test Baofeng UV82
Both antennas used 30' of rg8x coax and altitude of 7' from the ground
I was using a steady transmission close by as my reference:
The ground plane had 1-2db gain over the Slim jim when the antennas were inside the garage with the door open, the ground plane could pick up the "reference" signal better, I was a little disappointing, BUT once I moved the antennas outside the slim jim gain 2-3db over the ground plane. My current ground plane installed 22' from the ground had the same gain the slim jim installed only at 7'.
This Slim Jim likes altitude, playing around the higher it went the more gain it had over the ground plane both at the same altitude, I could only datalog the 7' altitude gain wich is about 2-3 db more than the ground plane, can't wait to test it at 22' .
So far I recommend the Slim Jim over the 1/4 wave ground plane, but I still need to do some testing at 22' and compare. hopefully tomorrow if it stops raining , hurricane Mathew is entering FL tonight lol.
Antennas:
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They are not happy with the sat dish either, but there is not much they can do about it. Access to the common air waves applies to Ham radio also but access to Satellite communications is more accepted and easier to get away with inside the HOA system. I am curious though, is this stealth installation to keep HOA unaware of the antenna or did the HOA agree to the stealth installation?
Is to keep the HOA unaware of the antenna, but if they say something I will point out many TV antennas I have seen in the neighborhood that are in plain sight, with mast of 15', also keeps my wife happy. lol
Satellite dish and TV antennas can be installed in your property but not visible from the streets lol, it only worked the first month after the houses were sold
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You won't get an a-99 to tune on UHF, way too much work for the minimal efficiency compared to a gain antenna designed for 460-470mhz.
Yeah, I just saw online how the antenna is built and has a coil by the connector, I will just buy one for commercial radios instead. the A99 is great for CB's my farthest communication was 1283miles a few years back with a 5 watt Cobra CB, antenna was mounted 10 miles from the coat and around 20f above sea level, the contact was from Puerto Rico to Mexico........ Here in Florida the farthest I have gone is about 283 miles on 5 watts talking to North Georgia. You can't beat a CB radio when the conditions are right.
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It's a Comet GP-9NCA. (rated at 11.9 dbi)
http://www.theantennafarm.com/catalog/comet-gp-9nca-1088.html
Hmm I have a Solarcom A99 Cb Antenna is about 17.7" I wonder if I can cut it to match GMRS frequencies lol. Yours seems to be 16.6'
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That's a neat tree installation. I'm playing metal games myself trying to figure how to safely get to the top of a 100 ft tree that sits on a 10 foot hill about 50 ft from my house. I'd like to put a 16.5' antenna attached to a ten foot pole in the top of that tree. My neighbor has a bucket truck but may not be able to get in or operate out of my uneven back yard. Another option is to buy the climbing gear and try it on my own. I think I also may need to build a small platform about twenty feet from the top of the tree in case I decide to mount a repeater up there. The antenna is 11.5 db and should give me some reasonable range at that altitude.
What antenna are you using? I have a 1/4 wave ground plane i believe they are 0db I need the best I can find at a low price lol.
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I see what you did there!
I'm fertilizing the tree a lot so it gets higher and higher that way little by little I can raise the antenna lol. -
Damn HOA's and their rules
, they don't allow Ham radio/GMRS antennas outside our homes, so I had to put mine in a tree close to my garage.Simple 1/4 wave Ground Plane antenna on a telescopic aluminum pool cleaning pole, painted camo and holded down with strong zip ties. The antenna is about 20'-24' from the ground connected to my Vertex Standard VX-2500 I'm using about 40' of LMR195 coax cable, with a SWR of 1.12
I plan to put a repeater for my area and the antenna will be installed on the pine trees behind my house with a repeater enclosed in "dog" house type of enclosure, I don't want to run hundreds of feet of coax to my home, I prefer just run AC power all the way to the pine trees and put the repeater at the base of one of them. I need to put AC power there anyhow so I will be killing 2 birds with one stone ;-)
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I have 4 and I have them prepare with Encryption ON and non GMRS frequencies, only to be used when SHTF and the need of more privacy is required.
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I live in Clermont, FL and I can't hit that repeater with 25 watts and 20' antenna, but I'm able to hit Ham radio repeaters close by with my HT and stock antenna from inside my home and 5 watts, do you know if is still running?
GMRS illegal transmission (Data or Encryption)? Video
in General Discussion
Posted
I just saw a video on youtube and heard how TRBO sounds thru an analog radio and yes, its identical. the signal is very solid when keyed in and the "data sounds" are identical.
I will investigate a little more tomorrow. and take my spektrum analyzer with my to see if its indeed a GMRS frequency or close to it.