berkinet

With so many good quality used radios from Kenwood, Motorola, Vertex, Icom and others, most Part90 and many Part95 certified, and selling for more-or-less the same price, I don’t really see the point in bothering with The RT76. Also the quality brand radios usually have a huge number of branded and 3rd party accessories available as well: speaker/mics, antennas, batteries, group charging stands, etc.

According to Retevis, the antenna is indeed non removable, but, you can set different PL options for TX & RX on the same channel.

Just based on their web site, I'd say... At the price, I'd expect a receiver-on-a-chip, so probably subject to typical CCR reception issues.They say there is no antenna connector. If true, you could not replace the antenna or use an external antenna.With 30 channels (probably 22 simplex and 8 repeater) and no display this radio could be hard to use, especially for inexperienced users.Summary: It is probably pretty much a toy and likely to be similar to the Baofeng-888

Ok, this information somehow got ignored. So... #1, it probably isn't anyone currently active on this forum that you are hearing, otherwise they might have responded here by now. #2, There is only 1 repeater near you in the MyGMRS database that is listed as being on 462/7.725. That repeater is/was located in Monterey Hills and belongs (or belonged) to a local CERT group. It was listed as members only with no access information. Also, that listing is marked as being out-of-date. There is a repeater on .725 in Crestline, but I am not sure if you could het that. Of course, there are plenty of repeaters that are (unfortunately) not listed in the database. So, it could be the CERT group you are hearing, or someone else. You might want to look at the map and browse the database to see what might be near you and accessible.

In addition to setting the PL/DPL tone, did you set the channel to repeater mode and set the transmit frequency to 467.725?

In fact, the only identification you are required to give is your own call-sign. How, or even whether, you identify the called party, if there even is one (CQ, CQ, CQ...), is up to you. Since you usually identify your own station at the start of a transmission, your call-sign should be given before any other information. Hams commonly call other stations by call-sign and on GMRS it is usually by name. But that is by custom, not rule. Note, for ham radio the following applies: § 97.119 Station identification. (a) Each amateur station, except a space station or telecommand station, must transmit its assigned call sign on its transmitting channel at the end of each communication, and at least every 10 minutes during a communication, For GMRS it is: § 95.1751 GMRS station identification. Each GMRS station must be identified by transmission of its FCC-assigned call sign at the end of transmissions and at periodic intervals during transmissions Note that neither service requires ID at the start of a transmission.

I think you may be unfairly characterizing the previous comment. I believe @WRAF213 was quoting the FCC’s own comments as a way of shining light on what might and might not be views and proposals the FCC would be open to entertaining. He did not claim to support or reject those views. My own personal view is that this discussion has pretty much served its purpose and it is now time to let it go before we reach the point of Godwin’s law: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Godwin%27s_law

Yes. IMHO, the functionality is minimal. Some people are fans, however, I was not impressed. There was a thread on this about a year ago, you could try searching for it.

For $75 I’d buy one just for fun. But, at ~$200 I would make sure it is returnable. Also, it appears they saved money by not hiring a translator.

I have also had great luck using this method. I also found that in the cases where the metal spring core of the antenna has become visible, squirting some silicon glue into the tube first can be quite helpful. One advantage of using shrink tubing is you can change the color of the antenna, should you so desire. BTW, I have never used them, but there is now shrink tubing available with an adhesive sealant . There are also some types with one sealed end, so they cover the entire antenna.

eBay

... and you have no adapters!

As speced by Baofng Tech: High/Med/Low Power Settings on UHF Are 7/4/1 watts respectively. Are you sure you had the radio on high power with a fully charged battery?

As you describe the problem, it seems the noise issue you have is based on reports from other repeater users. If that is the case, you don't have a lot of alternatives -- transmitter quality is probably not an issue. If you only use one repeater, or the two repeaters are in the same direction from your home, you could change to a directional antenna (it would look a lot like a UHF TV antenna and might not incur HOA wrath), or use more power. Note, the difference between 10 and 15 watts is negligible ~1.75dBm. So, just changing to a better quality radio is not likely to yield much improvement. On the other hand, if your problem is the received signal at your radio, then changing to a radio with a better quality receiver could make a big difference. As discussed in several threads here, the cheap imports have low quality receivers and that might be your problem. Also, a directional antenna and/or better coax would give you a stronger received signal as well.

Update: Thanks to @Radioguy7268 my first VX-264 is on the air in wide-band mode. Some notes for those who may follow... My Vertex Standard branded VX-264 with firmware 2.07 just arrived today and I used the Motorola CS150 v5.01 international version software to program it. To switch the radio to accept wide-band channel settings I used the Wide_Band_Recovery_Tool software v1.03. (This is not available from Motorola but, thanks to Radioguy7268, I can share a copy with anyone who needs it.) NOTE: with the VX-261/264 radios you must use v1.03, v1.02 does not support them. I did not use, though I have ordered one, the FIF-12 programming adapter. Instead, I used the <$20 CT-106p cable from BlueMax49ers. Extras: I do not own any windows machines so I used a Win-7 VM in VirtualBox for the wide-band recovery and programming. Also, as my MacBook only has USB-C ports, I used a USB-A to USB-C adapter. So far I am very pleased with the radio and find it almost ideal suited for CERT type applications.

You can search on the FCC ID Search web page. However, it is, unfortunately, not that simple. First you need the FCCID. To get that you can usually look at the radio's label (often located under the battery or on the back of the radio) or do a Google search something like: icom IC-F4001 "fccid" and look through the results. If you see something from fccid.io it might contain not only the fccid, but all the related information you are seeking. Usually the requested compliance is in the Test Report. Then you can scroll down to the Grants section to see what certification was actually granted. In the case of the IC-F4001, the FCCID is AFJ and the Product Code is 328601 If you use the FCC ID Search page, then choose the radio you want from the list that is returned and click on the checkmark in the Grant column to see what, if any, certification was granted. For further information click Detail in the Display Exhibits column. From the resulting list you can select the document Test Results to see which certification was requested. In the case off the IC-F4001, it was submitted for 47 CFR, Parts 2 and 90 (Subpart I) So, the IC-F4001 is not Part95 compliant.

Thanks... Bit the bullet and ordered: FIF-12A - Motorola Vertex Standard USB PROGRAM CABLE PC I/F AAJ23X501 1 @ $105.03 CT-106 - Motorola Vertex Standard Programming Cable AAD68X501 1 @ $29.25 According to Wisscom the CT-106 is required to connect the FIF-12A to the VX-264. BTW, v1.03 of the recovery tool is online at communications.support in this thread. However, attachments cannot be accessed until after some probationary period and some minimal number of posts, so I can't download it, yet.

Updating my last post. I found my old Motorola support credentials and was able to download more current versions of the programming tool (5.01 international - I had v2.04), the VX-264 firmware (2.07 - I had v2.04) AND the Wide Band Programming Recovery Tool - Version 1.02 (though I have heard there is a v1.03). Any thoughts on how to proceed? I am thinking I should try to program the radio as it arrives and if that fails, try updating the firmware, that might reset the US/Wide lock - if it is locked.

It was the VX-264, with display, I was most interested in.

I found a YouTube video on configuring the VX-231. According to Vertex From January 1st in 2013, if the USA version is used for the radio programming in the following frequency range, the CE programmer automatically/forcedly programs the radio with 12.5 kHz width. In addition, once the USA version is used for programming (even the programmer was used before that date), the radio is marked electrically in the radio memory that the radio is sold/used for the USA (NA) market, and this marking cannot be erased. However, that same announcement also says there is a way to reset the radio: The software tool is “Wide_Band_Recovery_Tool_1_00”. Located via VSOL > Resource Center > Technical Information > General Information. So far I have been able to locate the international version of the programming software for the VX-264. But not the Wide_Band recovery software. I have also read that even with the recovery software, it must be used with a genuine Vertex FIF-12 cable ($150). I have already bought a VX-264 and BlueMax49ers cable on eBay, due to arrive Saturday. So, I will report back on what happens when I try to re-program the radio. In the meantime, any tips/pointers most welcomed.

Close. Maybe even more accurate. Cheap Chinese Radio.

There have been several discussions recently about buying new vs. used equipment for GMRS. Since those discussions have been pretty complete, I won't duplicate them here. However, I would like to address one point that seems to get lost, concerns about quality. Many people seem to avoid used equipment under the belief used equipment will be more likely to have problems. If you are comparing the same brand and manufacturing quality, that assumption may be correct. However, when comparing used commercial equipment (Kenwood, Motorola, Vertex, Icom...) to cheap imports (Baofeng, B-Tech, Woxun, Retevis, etc.) it is a different story. Glancing through this forum and in particular Amazoin reviews, you will find many cases of brand new CCRs that had to be replaced. Even with Midland branded gear, several users have reported the need for 2 or three replacements before finally getting something they were happy with. In addition, you are probably more likely to get good service from a reputable eBay seller than some of the CCRs bought on Amazon and elsewhere. So, if concerns about reliability and quality of used equipment is your sole reason for looking at new radios, you might want to reconsider. Just one more thing to keep in mind when you start looking for equipment.

Not a comment on Icom per-se. But, regarding duty cycle. Depending on your needs and application a 20% duty cycle transmitter for a repeater may be marginal. Remember, the repeater duty cycle is the sum of all the inputs. I.e. two people each transmitting 20% of the time (12 seconds per minute), will put a 40% load (24 seconds per minute) on the repeater.

EXACTLY! Note also that unless you plan to use a radio strictly for simplex at the default power, with no PL/DPL tones and no optional settings, you will still need to do some programming - even on a brand new off-the-shelf, GMRS Certified radio. Yes, with some radios this programming can be done from the keypad. However, keypad programming is laborious and error prone. Further, if you buy a second radio and want to program it just like your first one or have to replace a radio, you have to start from scratch. If you programmed the radio(s) from your computer you can just clone the new radio in one step. Personally, I prefer the Motorola gear. However, while it can be found, Motorola software is not easily acquired. While Kenwood, (and Vertex) software is, as RCM noted, readily available. Again to emphasize what others have already written: When buying radio gear on eBay, look for good quality equipment from a seller with high ratings who will guarantee the radio(s). Also, make sure the radio will cover the GMRS portion of the UHF band (462-467mHz). You can usually tell this from the product description or the model number. If you are buying hand-held radios, assume you will also need a new battery and possibly a charging stand. Finally, do your homework and lookup the radio and specific model online to be sure it fits your needs for power and features.

Thanks for the comments. We do not need DMR or bells and whistles, these radios are solely for use on GMRS so the key requirement, besides overall quality, is simplicity of use. Thus the need for a display - so users get visual confirmation they are on the right frequency/channel. The VX-**** radios are also interesting. But, for the moment t we are concentrating on hand-helds to augment our existing P1225s. BTW, the major problem with the P1225s is battery capacity and life -- the only available batteries are NiCad & NiMh. For some reason, nobody makes a lithium pack for the P1225