Jones

This may be another case of the gentleman not realizing that DCS, DPL, DCSS, DQC, DTG, DCG, DTS, "Digital Tone" ...and many others, are all one and the same thing under different brand names. Also, with that Cobra, you will only be listening to that repeater anyway, as those are not repeater transmit capable. To listen to the repeater, you don't need any code at all... just shut off the CS/DCS function. If you want to listen with DCS, then use the Cobra's built-in code scan function.

I got my 511 a couple of weeks ago. It is a nice piece. My first (and only) complaint is that when you plug in the speaker mic, it cuts off the internal speaker, and all sound comes out of the mic - even for AM-FM radio. When I have time, I'm going to try to build an adapter to plug just the mic in, without the remote speaker part. If I can't build an external adapter, then it will be time to void the warranty with an internal modification. I want just a PTT mic, not a speaker-mic. The internal mic might as well not even be there. To get any modulation with the internal mic, you have to pick the radio up and hold it right to your face. You look really stupid yelling into the front of a portable radio. The thing is really cool though, and works great on my selected GMRS frequency with DPL. No, it can't do repeaters, but that's not an issue with me. Even though it is narrow band, I can hear it just fine on my Kenwoods, and the Kenwoods really don't seem to overload 511's receiver too bad, unless someone is yelling into the mic on the Kenwood.

It is the same thing as the Wishring HH-N2RS that sells on Amazon. It has a 3 out of 5 stars rating. Reviews: www.amazon.com/Wishring-HH-N2RS-Antenna-400-470-136-174MHZ/dp/B019C2GWX0#customerReviews

First, check the tone squelch settings, and make sure you haven't messed them up in the programming. If you are hearing nothing at all on the weather channels, then it is likely a tone issue. If you still do hear the FM white noise with the squelch control down, then you have an antenna problem, or a bad receiver.

You should also check the quality of the cable that is being used, and perhaps call the cable company to upgrade it for you. Most CATV systems these days use a quad-shielded cable with special type F connectors, which helps cut down or eliminate this type of interference. If your house is still wired with the old-school RG-6 or even worse, RG-59u, then it is past time to replace your cable, and the CATV company may do it at no cost to you if you ask them, and explain the problem. Also check any cable splitters you have, and be sure they are not the cheap Chinese type with chrome or gold plated plastic cases.

Try putting some toroid chokes on that 9914 jumper at the base of the antenna. It sounds like it is working fairly well anyway.

If his Fox News is on Cable channel 64, then you can't do anything about it. CATV Hyperband channel 64, no matter whether it's NTSC analog or ATSC QAM Digital, covers a 6MHz wide bandwidth between 462 and 468MHz. If you transmit anywhere in there, (GMRS) it will overload the TV or converter box. Likewise, if you are transmitting in the 70cm ham band, depending on what frequency you are using, you will wipe out Cable channel 59, 60, or 61. the 2-Meter ham band rides on the same band as Cable channel 18, and MURS will wipe out channel 19. NOTE: Cable channels above 14 are NOT the same frequencies as over-the-air TV channels above 14. Also note that with digital TV, the station can display whatever "virtual channel" they want you to see. Perhaps your local CBS affiliate still advertises themselves as "News-4", even though they switched to RF channel 27 over 19 years ago. Cable systems like to call digital channels much higher numbers such as "Hyper-tier 653" because it makes them sound bigger than they actually are - makes you think they have more channels out there that you just don't pay enough to get. Here is a list of actual frequencies vs. channel numbers for Standard, IRC, and HRC type cable systems, along with standard over-the-air broadcast. https://www.jneuhaus.com/fccindex/cablech.html The visual carrier frequency is shown in this chart. TV is transmitted in Vestigial Sideband mode, meaning a full carrier and upper sideband, but the lower sideband is rolled off 1MHz below the carrier. The lower edge of the channel is 1.25 MHz below the visual carrier and the upper edge is 4.75 MHz above the visual carrier.

One mag-mount solution that I have had good luck with (for not very much money) is the Tram 1235 NMO mag-mount with the Tram 1126-B 1/4 wave antenna. You should be able to pick up a set for $25-35 on eBay or Amazon. I'd look on Amazon, since if you don't like it, you can return it.

DPL and DQT are the same thing under a different brand name - along with DCS, DTS, DCSS, DPC, and others

The Kenwood TK-8180 is still a current model available brand new from Kenwood Land Mobile Communications dealers. Part 90, 95 certified, 45 Watts. Make sure you know exactly what frequencies, functions, and features you want programmed before you go to the dealer. They will program them for you, and most will not honor any warranties if you re-program them yourself. ...but they are a LOT cheaper on eBay.

I'm sure it is just a typo, but for newbie reference, the 2-Meter ham band National FM Calling Frequency is 146.520 MHz.

Dual Tone Multi Frequency, or DTMF is better known by the AT&T trademark, "Touch Tones". We really do not use them much in GMRS, other than for controlling repeaters. We can't use them for making phone calls, because phone patching is specifically forbidden in GMRS. DTMF has nothing to do with CTCSS or DCS, which are referred to as "Tone", "Tone Squelch", "PL", "Private Call", "Privacy Code".... etc. We discuss this in other threads on this forum EDIT: I see that model you have, kg-805g, doesn't seem to come with a touch tone number keypad, so I'm not sure what the side tone setting is, unless it controls some "Beep" function, or voice prompts.

Nope. The computer I use CHIRP on is not connected to the network in any way, so it never checks for updates. That's how I got so far behind. To update or upgrade, I have to download files on a connected computer, then drop them onto a flash drive, and use the old "Sneaker Net" method to upload them to my radio programming laptop. "Sneaker Net" was developed in the day when you had to put a file onto a stack of punch cards, or a "floppy disk", then use your "sneakers" (powered by your feet) to run that file across the room, and install it onto another machine. See also: FFFTP - Fred Flintstone File Transfer Protocol.

You know, since this is a mobile radio, it is quite possible that the ABR function might not be used on this model... however on all of the handhelds, that is what this function is for. I'm sure they use the same control chipset for all of the radio models, whether designed to be on battery power or not.

I have a KG-UDV1P, and if it is similar, then side tone is whether or not you hear the DTMF tone come back out from the speaker when you are transmitting them. For FRS/GMRS use, you can set your step to 12.5 KHz. If you want to program and llisten to some commercial frequencies, you may need to set this to 6.25 KHz. The step is simply the amount of jump between clicks on your up and down buttons, or channel knob. At 12.5, every click will go up one channel. If you set it to 25, then every click will go up 2 channels, and you will miss the in-between ones.

FYI: That "ABR" setting that you show as unused is "Automatic Brightness Reduction" and it is to set the amount of time that it takes for the display backlight to dim out after receive or transmit. It is sort of a battery saving feature, but not well documented.

All of the above posts have good points. I think this kind of communication is exactly what FRS is for, and if the kids are locked onto one of the lesser-used channels below 8, say 6, and never move from there, they won't bother anyone. As far as being able to get 2 miles on FRS, that is really unlikely, but kids will soon figure our how far they can go, and who can talk to whom at what distance, and they will by nature form a relay system... as in "Hey Sam, this is Johnny. Tell Billy I said "POOP!" hahaha!" "Johnny, this is Sam. Billy said "[raspberry sound effects]"" ....etc. ...and if a parent wants to get a GMRS license and set up a base station to monitor it all, and jump in with the occasional "Now young ladies and gentlemen, let's be appropriate!" ...then go ahead. ADVICE: Unless you happen to own majority stock in the Energizer Battery corporation, you should buy the slightly more expensive FRS/GMRS radios that have rechargeable battery packs, preferably with drop-in chargers. If you get less expensive radios that use replaceable AAA alkaline batteries, you will spend a small fortune in the first month.

Russell from Sacramento got upset that he can't rule the world, so he took his ball and went home.

Once again, for some reason the original post has been edited, but in this case, the subject line sums up the original question, and several posts agreed on a valid answer. There is already a well established "Highway" or "Travel Channel" for GMRS, and it is 462.675 with a CTCSS Tone of 141.3Hz. Again, on a Midland MicroMobile, (and many other GMRS or Combo radios) that would be channel 20 with a "Privacy Code" of 22. (However, check your radio's owner's manual for the privacy or quiet code that matches 141.3 Hz. Not all radios are mapped the same for these codes.) This frequency can be used in repeater mode, or simplex if a repeater is not available in the area. ...and if you don't want to miss any possible action, then use WRAF233's suggestion, and just set the radio to "SCAN". Also of note, just yesterday, I was traveling on US HWY 81 in North Central Kansas, and heard 2 truckers using channel 20-22.

Wow... I drastically need to update my copy of CHIRP. I guess I hadn't kept up in awhile.

I have 2 TK-8180s, and a TK-7180 VHF unit, and they cannot be programmed with CHIRP. I'm not sure where you heard that. The only Kenwood radios that I own which can be programmed with CHIRP are the older TK-862 series 2, 4, and 8 channel units.

It seems to me that some of the fine fellows on this forum just get unnerved about the idea that their GMRS radio should skip channel numbers. (Even though GMRS didn't have channel numbers in the first place - that was an FRS/Combo marketing thing from the likes of Motorola, Cobra, and Midland.) They just can't accept that you should go from 7 to 15 in one jump. - There is a medical name for that. Sorry guys, but your O.C.D. annoys my A.D.D.

One thing that VHF and UHF ham radio has over GMRS is the ability to use modes other than FM. Keep in mind that it is a whole different world on 2-meter and 70cm when you start playing with CW, (Morse code), TV, (yes, Television), Data, (Packet, APRS), FAX imaging, AM, and single-sideband phone modes. You will find that there are thousands of other hams playing with those modes also.

Just do as the rest of us do, and program one good radio with channels 1-7 for low power narrow-band at 5 Watts, and channels 15-22 for high power wide-band at whatever the radio can do - 25-50 Watts. Don't even bother to put 8-14 in your radio... those are the low-power FRS channels, and should stay that way. (Those frequencies should have never been assigned in the first place, and should have been left as guard-band space between repeater inputs.) You do not need more channels. If the band is that crowded in your area, and you don't want to hear others, use CTCSS, or better yet, DCS.

The long recognized GMRS "Travel Channel" is 462.675 with a CTCSS Tone of 141.3Hz. On a Midland MicroMobile, that would be channel 20 with a "Privacy Code" of 22.