WRYZ926

Thanks. I couldn't remember since it's been over a year since I have owned a MXT500. I know on mine, I had to do the firmware update first.

You can add your own custom channels with the MXT500. I had to do a firmware update on mine to get more than 33 memory channels. After the update, I had either 100 or 199 memory channels to use. I don't remember now. I can't speak for the Midland models with everything built into the hand mic such as the MXT 575. Those models might not have that ability. Others can chime in on that. @Photog1018 as long as your radio has enough memory channels, then yes just add different repeaters on the memory channels above what came stock as long as your radio allows that. You can have as many saved channels as you want with the same channel/frequency and different tones as you want to program.

Another place to put clamp on ferrite beads is the main cable going from your alternator to your battery. I would get occasional whine while transmitting until I put clamp on ferrite beads on that cable. I put one bead on each end. I also have clamp on beads on the hot and ground wires going to each radio. If that doesn't help, then make sure that your alternator has a good chassis ground. Newer vehicles can be temperamental about grounds with all of the computers. Make sure to use a good quality electrical tape and tape up the ferrite beads to help keep them from falling off. As @SteveShannon mentioned, always run the ground wire to a good chassis ground, especially on newer vehicles that have the Battery Management System. Doing so can help prevent problems.

Something has had to change when you added the roof rack and moved your antenna. Now you didn't mention what radio you have, though that should not make much difference. I just checked my Wouxun KG-XS20G with my multimeter. I had zero resistance between the center conductor and the outer part of the SO239 on the back of the radio. I don't have that radio hooked up to any power leads right now. Again that shouldn't make a difference.

Well there is no getting to the repeater for a while with all of the snow and ice we have right now. I did do one test this morning between an unlocked hand held and my base radio. The base antenna is 17 feet directly above my shack. I programmed the repeater input into my Wouxun KG1000G and then used my Wouxun KG-Q10H to transmit on channels 9 and 10. The Q10H puts out 3.5 watts on high power on channels 9 and 10. I had the KG1000G side A on the repeater channel and side B on the repeater input so that I could monitor both. I didn't hear anything on either when I keyed up the Q10H on channels 9 and 10 on high power. I tried with the HT set to narrow and wide band and no difference between the 2 at 3.5 watts. I tried with and without tones set on the Q10H and the repeater input. I never heard anything or saw the signal meter move on the repeater's input or output on the KG1000G while transmitting on the Q10H. I didn't expect to hear anything on the repeater's output since I am 21.5 miles away from the repeater site. But if there was going to be any interference, I still should have heard something on the repeater's input with the HT only 17 feet below the base antenna. I also had another HT on and listening to channels 9 and 10. I did hear the Q10H on the other HT when I transmitted. I will try it again at the repeater site once all the snow and ice is gone. But what I can see from my test this morning, I would not worry one bit about interfering with repeater channels by transmitting on channels 8-14 with 3.5 watts or below. PS: I didn't bother testing with any of my Part 95 certified HT's since they will only transmit at 0.5 watts.

I'm not going to upset myself by testing that with the Mex 600 repeater since I am the one that maintains it. Edited to add: None of the other users would get upset at me as long as I announce that I am testing before hand.

I agree with using an APRS beacon instead.

I guess I misunderstood things. I was thinking of trying to run a repeater for several hours and I don't see an 1800 mah battery lasting very long if the repeater sees a bit of use.

While I haven't tested it, I doubt that 5 watts on channels 8-14 would cause much of an issue with the nearby repeater channels, especially if you keep channels 8-14 set to narrow band. Now I can see those channels set to wide band and using 20 or more watts causing issues. Again I would not worry about 1 watt on channels 8-14. Just leave them set to narrow band.

Weight would be the main issue due to batteries. While LifePO4 batteries are pretty light, that is still weight that you need to account for. A single 10 AH LifePO4 battery weighs 2.25 pounds on average. My Redodo 100AH LifePO4 battery is 24 pounds.

@LeeBo thanks you for sharing that information. I'll have to see if I get the same errors or not when I update CHIRP on my laptop. I have not updated CHIRP on my W11 desktop or Mac in a while.

I know that I have to choose the Radioddity UV-5Rx3 in CHIRP to program my Baofeng GT-5R after I opened it up for the 1.25m band. And all I did was use CHIRP to change the frequency range for 220 MHz.

Good information. We have always used external controllers for our 2m and 70cm Motorola repeaters so I definitely would not be any help to the OP here. We were using Allstar nodes as controllers but are switching over to Arcom RC-210 controllers. We recently upgraded the 2m repeater with a Motorola Quantar and RC-210 and the combo is working well for us. In fact, we are in th process of programming a second Arcom RC-210 for one of our 70cm repeaters and will also be connecting our Bridgecom GMRS repeater to it. We have issues with the Bridgecom's built in CW ID not transmitting with a tone and also cutting people off when it transmits. The only solution for that is to use an external controller.

Ham radio rookie has some interesting designs. His latest one is using faraday clothe on a fiberglass pole as a vertical HF antenna. And his faraday cloth j pole antennas are well built and work pretty good. I have seen others make slot antennas out of old satellite dishes before but never seen one made flat like the one above. It would be interesting to see a flat and horizontal slot antenna looks like in one of the modeling programs.

You are not suppose to transmit on channels 8-14 with more than 0.5 watts BUT I seriously doubt that you will cause any problems by transmitting at 1 watt. You can either delete channels 8-14, set them for receive only, or set the radio to low power. The FCC isn't going to send jackboot thugs to kick your door in and shoot your dog for transmitting at 1 watt on those channels. Like Sgt. Schultz, I know nothing, nothing.

Now on a Mac unless he is running Boot Camp, Parallels, or some other type of virtual machine running Windows. The software from Radioddity is only for Windows. @AndyOnTheRadio I have a couple of questions for you. Did you make sure the cable is plugged into the correct data port on the radio (port closest to the fan) and it is in all of the way? Did you select the correct com port in CHIRP? I'm sure you have double checked all of that but sometimes we all overlook the simple stuff when trying to trouble shoot things.

I had a Midland MXT 500 and replaced it with a Wouxun Kg-1000G. The Wouxun is a better all around radio and close to the same price as the Midland. My MXT500 was one that suffered from low output power when set to high power. I should have sent it back to Midland to fix but sold it instead.

The TYT mobiles are pretty easy to program with software. I have used both CHIRP and the official TYT software. I've been running one TH-7800 in my vehicle for a little over. year now. I had another one setup as my base radio until I upgraded to an Icom IC-2730. The second TH-7800 is now setup for Winlink. I also run a TYT TH-8600 in my SxS. TYT radios aren't the greatest but they do work well.

I agree that using a computer is easier. And the official Wouxun cable (red cable) is good to go.

Listen to 2m repeaters in your area in case they have a Sky Warn net is a good idea too. Another good source is your local sheriff department and county road crews. Here is a good site that lists all of the county frequencies for the state. https://www.radioreference.com/db/browse/stid/29

It is true about Midland radios. All of the models with everything built into the hand mic cannot be programmed with software. You can't update the firmware without sending the radios back to Midland either. The MXT500 can be programmed with software and you can update the firmware yourself.

I'm going to be an enabler here, go ahead and get the 935G Plus.I have the KG-935G Plus and definitely like it.

I know @OffRoaderX has compared the Midland and Melowave ghost antennas against each other and also against other antennas. I also tested the Melowave Shadow (ghost) antenna against my Tram 1184 and the Nagoya UT-72G. The Melowave outperforms the Nagoya. The Tram is definitely the best out of those three. You can run a longer antenna if you want. You will have to worry about the longer antennas getting damaged easier and also have to deal with them if you park in a garage.

Unlocking the TYT TH-9800 and TH-7800 radios is super simple when using the official TYT programing software. It is only a matter of pressing a key combination on your keyboard and then typing in a password. I seriously doubt that the radio is bricked by unlocking it through the TYT software. I agree that seeing a config file or even a screen shot will make it easier for us to help the OP. CHIRP will add the correct offset and I am pretty sure the TYT software does too. It's been a while since I used the TYT software. With RT Systems you have to manually put in the offset and offset frequency yourself. I had to do that when programming my different Icom radios using RT software.

If you are transmitting on 467 and hearing on 462 then you are getting into the repeater. Double check the tones. I would also try turning your radio's RX tone off.