WRXB215

Good advice. And remember, UHF will only get you so far. That may be far enough but if you intend to reach for hundreds of miles, you are going to need HF. To use HF, you will need at least a Technician license. And that only gives you a little sliver of HF. Bumping up to General opens up much more HF.

I agree. Another reason I'm very grateful to those who do. 👍

I agree. Another reason I'm very grateful to those who do. 👍

Just save your batteries until everyone else's batteries die. 🤣

Just save your batteries until everyone else's batteries die. 🤣

Just save your batteries until everyone else's batteries die. 🤣

It is. But it is not the only way. The solution, if you will, is a toolbag full of useful tools. Each one has uses and limitations. GMRS is limited to UHF, and a few channels. Ham radio, on the other hand, includes a buttload of frequencies on VHF, UHF, HF, and many different modes. Lots of us have both GMRS and amateur radio in our toolbags. The more options you have, the better your chances are of successfully communicating.

GMRS uses FM, frequency modulation.  One of the characteristics of FM is that a receiver “captures” the strongest transmitter on a frequency.  It will do so regardless of the tone, because the CTCSS or DCS has nothing to do with reception.  The tone is only used to determine whether or not to audibly reproduce the received signal. So, if your wife and somebody else who is closer to you are using channel 17, you might never hear your wife.
That is why aircraft do not use FM. Instead they use AM or amplitude modulation.  An AM receiver can receive and reproduce multiple signals on the same frequency simultaneously, allowing a person to break into a conversation if needed. 

Now that I have the SWR figured out I deployed my portable repeater back  to compare it against the copper J-Pole I had there last week . Working like a champ and I can hit it at many fars...I changed out the KMR-400 coax which I learned was not the best choice for repeaters with M&P Ultraflex 10.. So far so good... Not always a handy tree to hang it..

With all due respect, citing Midland as an example of common, is an insult to the concept of "common!"

Its internal connections are faulty; return it for a replacement.

Man, you are going through a string of bad luck. Hope you get what you are looking for soon.

Should have got the BoofWHang!

Coax should always be as short as possible. Tuning the coax to a wavelength is not necessary.
At the center where the two quarter wave halves of the radiator come together, unless you use a gamma match or delta match. I don’t know them well enough to attempt to explain them. 
 
Straight dipoles are usually about 73 ohms at the center. If you have an analyzer you can splay them slightly like an isosceles triangle. That’s a delta match I think. 
In an inverted vee configuration you can reduce the impedance to about 50 ohms, but usually Yagi antennas have straight radiators. 
I doubt you’ll see less that 50. I wouldn’t worry about it. 

Post (if you want) the pictures if have printed anything cool for radios, etc. I have seen some exoskeletons that I am fiddling with, kind of like a case for your smart phone.

All of us who read this thread.

Good luck with that! I are one (a ham, not a normal person). There are a few 2m repeaters in Southern CA that used to be a real mess. I don't get down there very often so I don't know what it is like now.

im not letting some yahoos keep me away from radios anyway Im into radios for emergency coms not to talk to idiots like that so as annoying as it is it doesnt bother me too much.
 
Im working on the HAM license a little more normal people on ham bands at least what it seams like when I listen in on those repeaters.
 

What radio are you using? Do you hear the beep while pressing the PTT or after you release it. Some radios will beep if you are trying to TX out of band.

You’re right. The wire leading from the center tap of the SO 239 becomes part of the radiating element. For that reason they are usually connected directly to the radiator or with a very short wire.

It’s entirely possible that the repeater has a courtesy beep programmed. Some do. If so, you should also hear it whenever anyone else transmits. 
It’s also possible that your radio is programmed with a Roger beep as 709 suggests. If it’s that it will beep every time you transmit, regardless of the channel. 

Rather than depending upon the beep, try asking if anyone hears you while you PTT. 

Yeah: When the 308 guy gets tired or goes back to his old repeater, this one returns to normal!
Whenever I hear him on his home repeater, I go there and tell him he is not allowed to be transmitting that stuff on "this repeater" and he gets obstinate and stays there longer!

As @OffRoaderX indicated, starting out with ham radios is going to make it a little more difficult. I have some UV-5Rs and an AT-778UV so if you have any specific questions about those I may be able to help. The way tones work is the same across the board. Here is a few very basic pointers to hopefully help you get going:
Simplex: radio to radio
Duplex: radio to repeater (offset)
GMRS offset is +5MHz. GMRS radios should already have this set on the repeater channels for you. Ham radios don't so you have to set it yourself.
When using a repeater, RX will be a frequency 462.### and TX will be a frequency of 467.### with the same .###. See note above.
Tones:
Most repeaters use a "tone" on the RX or "input" of the repeater which will be the 467.### frequency.
These tones are sometimes called PL or DPL tones, CTCSS, etc. but they work the same.
When a repeater, or radio has a tone set on the RX, it will squelch out (ignore) any signal that does not carry that same tone. Therefore, you must use the same tone on your TX that the repeater uses on it's RX.
You do not have to use a tone on your RX. Without any tone on RX, you will hear all signals in that frequency.
Hope this helps.

I have the talkpod and was impressed how well it works on Chirp. I also bought the 8w version. Now my wife and I don't fight over radios. I think it can use a better antenna for the airbands but maybe I don't live that close to airports. I also found that the modulation sometimes overdrives the local GMRS repeater. Between radio to radio, they sound ok. Oh and the mic is up near the volume knob which is a little weird. I do like how the small button below the PTT can be programed to transmit on the B band. I also programed the top red button to scan. For the price, can't be beat but wish there was more control of the mic gain. My DB20G radio that I just installed in the car was also over driving the repeater so a fix I did was to transmit in Narrow Band but that's not the best fix. These radios need to come with a better way to control mic gain. 

Good advice.