Jones

http://coaxseal.com/products/ Coax-Seal brand tapes. The original. The best.

Another note about programming Kenwood 8180 - - - If you have ever played around with one of the Leixen V V 898 mini dual-banders, then you already have the correct programming cable for the Kenwoods.

The TK-8180H is still listed on Kenwood's website as being available new. There are also used ones available. I can highly recommend those. i own 2 of them. https://www.kenwood.com/usa/com/lmr/tk-7180h_8180h/ These have to be one of the last great Wide-Band analog capable units from Kenwood. They program with easy-to-use Kenwood software, using the RG type mic plug, not the DB-25 on the back. The DB-25 is the accessories plug that has all the ins and outs and signals required to use these in a repeater, or to interface to a digital linking system. Best of all, the 8180H is type accepted for part 95.

I was assuming you had a tower, and wanted the best of the best. Since you are talking about a simple push-up pole, I will have to agree with Radioguy7268 that the DB404 would be overkill, and might tend to overload the support pole when iced. The DB404 would survive the ice, but might not survive the fall to the ground when the pole snapped. My next best recommendation for you would be to look into a Comet CA-712EFC for about $150. Much lighter weight. With the money you save on the antenna, and since you are going about 120-150 feet for the coax run, I would take that saved money, and put it into an extremely low-loss coaxial cable such as LDF4-50A Heliax or similar. If you can save 3dB of loss in your coax cable, you will literally be doubling your power to the antenna. If you do decide to go with the Comet for GMRS, be sure to order the model with the "C" on the end. The popular CA-712EF is a Ham antenna tuned for 430-450 MHz. The one ending in "EFC" is the commercial version, tuned for 460-470 MHz.

We have snow, ice, and 90MPH wind in Nebraska as well, and the DB antennas all work just fine. ...some for over 30 years. Side mounted DBs with top and bottom mounts never go anywhere, but the ones that are mounted by just the bottom mount only will tend to bend over in those 90-100MPH January winds if they are ice loaded. Interestingly enough, the ice doesn't de-tune them too much. it tends to make them resonate at a slightly lower frequency, but not totally out of band.

DB404 for the win.

I'm so old that I did learn everything, but now I'm forgetting most of it.

Station ending in 8-7-0, Could you repeat your call sign please? This is WQYM-541. I think you're on the right track sir. Station ending in Golf Xray Delta, QRZ? This is KB0HAW. I think you're on the right track sir. KI5GXD, from KB0HAW - Fine business sir. Thanks for the call, and 73.

To replace the lost or broken rubber tip on your portable antenna, go to your local auto parts store, and ask for the appropriate sized "Vacuum line cap" available from carberator parts companies. They're cheap, and do the job of looking nice while keeping the rain out. Silicone sealer makes them rather permanent.

No need for apology. Like an epic novel, you have us hooked. We are waiting for the next installment of this series. Please continue this experiment, and keep us posted using charts, walls of text, epic novels, whatever. Thanks. Which radios work well? Which don't play nice with others? Where are the weak-links in antennas? You are getting down to what works best for your application, which may apply to others of us as well. This is interesting stuff.

Make sure you have the software set for the correct COM port on your computer, or it will not work. You may need to go into the computer's hardware manager to determine what COM port is assigned to that cable, but it will likely not be the COM-1 port that the software will try to use by default. Some of my programming cables come up as COM-3, and at least one comes up as COM-5 on my programming computer. The software must be set to the correct port to match the cable. It will not find it automatically.

Wow, That thing just SCREAMS of being a re-packaged BF-888s at 10 times the price. Since it carries the Icom name, I would assume that these are the cream of the 888's original design that go through some additional quality controls, and don't have the filtering components omitted.

Set the Moto units to privacy code #1, and program the RT27 to QT 67.0 Dec/Enc, and you should have it. DCS encrypt should be unchecked, or none.

Midland GMRS antennas are pre-tuned for the GMRS band, so don't worry about SWR. ...just know that there are better alternatives out there. Read on, and enjoy....

You won't really need to ground it unless your area is prone to lightning, or high winds that would create static when blowing across that fiberglass. If you would like to ground it, run a #10 stranded wire, such as THHN/THWN from the mount on the antenna to the electrical service ground rod for your house. Do NOT put in a separate ground rod, unless you plan on bonding it to the service ground. Also, do not just hook the ground wire to the side of your meter, or an outlet ground, or any pipe or conduit - big mistake. It is better to run with no ground, than to have it "grounded" in the wrong place. I don't think you will have any issues just leaving it un-grounded. For best results, use a high-quality coaxial cable designed for UHF, such as LMR-400, to run between the antenna and your radio. Do NOT use a cheap CB coax like RG8x, or you will be disappointed.

You know... In looking back at this, I am wondering if that wide mess centered at 927.5850 isn't an IF image on your monitor. That 150KHz wide signal doesn't look like anything part 15, but it sure does resemble the pattern of an analog Stereo-Composite FM signal used to relay programming from a studio to a transmitter site for broadcasting. STL (Studio to Transmitter Link) signals are normally 150KHz wide, and are in the 940-960MHz range... the bottom end of L-Band microwave. If it's on 24/7 and never moves, that's likely your answer.

I can also say that bluemax49ers is a good seller on eBay .I've had no problems here after multiple transactions. A++

FInd a tower in the middle of your desired coverage area, and contact the tower owner to ask. Be sure to mention the 501c3 status, as small-business tower owners will use this to an advantage. In a market like Baltimore, I doubt that vertical real-estate will be very cheap, but you might get lucky. To find out who owns a tower, look for the antenna registration number, or ASR number on or around the base of the tower. ASRs are usually 7 or 8 digits long. ALL towers (and buildings) over 200 feet tall MUST have a registration number: 47 C.F.R. S 17.4(g): "The Antenna Structure Registration Number must be displayed in a conspicuous place so that it is readily visible near the base of the antenna structure. Materials used to display the Antenna Structure Registration number must be weather-resistant and of sufficient size to be easily seen at the base of the antenna structure." Antenna Structure Registration Number must be displayed in a conspicuous place so that it is readily visible near the base of the antenna structure. The ASR sign should be placed at base of the tower/structure. If the tower base is not publicly visible, place an ASR sign on compound gate. You can find out who owns a structure by searching for the ASR here: https://wireless2.fcc.gov/UlsApp/AsrSearch/asrRegistrationSearch.jsp

Yes, use a PO box. All radio licenses are public information. Ham radio ops... keep that in mind when you get those vanity ham radio call-sign license plates on your car. Anyone can google that.

Back to the original post: "50' RG8x cable" That is the first thing to lose for better results. 50' of RG8x has over 4dB of loss at 465MHz. Replace it with LMR-400, and you will reduce loss to around 1dB. That extra 3dB hitting the antenna will literally DOUBLE your transmit power at the antenna. Receive sensitivity will increase dramatically as well. RG8x is just not the right cable to use at UHF frequencies, unless you are running it less than 10'. RG8x was originally designed as a thinner alternative to RG8u for running under carpet in HF or CB mobile installations that required less loss, or higher power handling, than RG58u, the typical mobile cable. RG58u and RG8x were never intended to be used in 50 foot runs, or on base stations, in the first place.

First: Welcome. Second: Thank you for your service to this great country. Third: Many of us on this site use and love our Kenwood gear, and think you're on the right track.

By "coring", if you mean removal of part of the inner foam dielectric to get the connector on, It's a pain, but it can be done by hand with a carpet knife or other razor knife if you are very careful. I've installed LDF4-50 type N connectors before with nothing but a hacksaw, box-cutter, needle nosed pliers, soldering gun, and a pair of wrenches. ..and you need a very skinny, or thin wrench to get on the body of the connector. A high quality Craftsman or Snap-On wrench won't fit.

You can't use a repeater to "call" another repeater per-se, however, there are many linked repeater systems available, where many repeaters are linked together, so when you are talking on one of them, you are in fact on all of them simultaneously. I think there might be a linked system in your area. I'll let other members chime in on the details.

Andrew LDF7-50 was replaced by Andrew/ComScope AVA7-50. 1-5/8 line. At only 225 feet, you might be just as well off with a less expensive, and much lighter weight AVA5-50 7/8 inch line.

If you're on flat land, such as near the ocean like you, then yes, a 5/8 wave antenna will give you a natural 3 dBD of gain over a quarter wave. However, in hilly terrain, or in the mountains, particularly on UHF, this is NOT a benefit, and a quarter wave antenna will give you much better omni-directionality "on the tilt', which is preferred over forward gain in these areas. There are discussions elsewhere on this site about this matter.