WRYZ926

While the practice of running an omni directional antenna and a beam antenna is not very common with GMRS, it is more common with the 2m and 70cm amateur bands. The omni works well for general omni directional use while the Yagi allows for getting longer distance contacts since the design is directional and usually higher gain. @WRPT980, as long as you can keep both antennas at least a full wave length apart then you should be fine. A full wavelength at 467.600 is 2.1 feet.

You can use dielectric grease on the threads only. Don't let it get on the outside of the connector and the center conductor at the same time. Or you can use vaseline on the threads only too. Best is to wrap it with self sealing rubber tape.

I've been know to turn the Roger beep on while using the local 2m or 70cm repeaters whenever I hear an old curmudgeon complain about how GMRS is as bad as CB. Yeah I can be ornery and like to sometimes mess with the cranky codgers. Or I turn the Roger beep on to mess with friends. We have our 2m, 70cm and GMRS repeaters located in the same rack and we have never had any issues with the repeaters due to someone using Roger beeps.

I have two remote heads on my Lido seat bolt mount and they stay put on the rough gravel roads around me.

Roger beeps will not confuse a repeater, or at least they don't with my club's repeater. People are probably saying that just to get others to turn off the Roger beep.

I ran into the same issue with my 2023 Ford Escape. I ended up going with a Lido seat bolt mount.

The DX Engineering brand cable is pretty good also.

Yes that is one brand. And it is a very good brand the makes some of the best coax cables.

I would not use RG-8X coax. it will have too much loss at GMRS frequencies. RG-8X is for HF frequencies. Your best bet is to use LMR400 or equivalent. Here is a good thread on coax loss. https://forums.mygmrs.com/topic/252-cable-types-and-losses/page/5/#comment-69960 RG-8X is not listed. But it generally has more loss than standard RG-8

Another vote for the Surecom SW-102. It works just fine. I do have more expensive analyzers but I mostly use those when I build my own antennas.

I have a Comet SBB1 dual band antenna and a Nagoya UT-72G GMRS antenna on my car. They are spaced about two feet apart and I don't have any issues.

Getting the antenna centered on the cab roof is always best. But lip mounts will work. Try to get as much of the antenna above the roof will help. You can attach a steel plate to the top of you camper shell and use a mag mount. I've done that with the aluminum tool box on my SxS and the mag mount stays put.

The Wouxun KG-XS20G does very well in my SxS with a Comet 2x4SR antenna. I get excellent signal reports when talking through the repeater 21.5 miles away. I picked up an Apache hard case from Harbor Freight today. I am going to use it for a go box for my Xiegu G90 HF radio and might see if I can fit a KG-XS20G in the case too.

This is true. I kept the waterproof connector on my KG-XS20G simply because I have it installed in my SxS.

Using power poles does make things easy and simpler. I will buy the actual Anderson brand and the correct crimper when I start switching things over. My plans are to use them for a go box. @WRDJ205 I am going to suggest to just use the connector that came with the KG-XS20G since it is water resistant. I also suggest running the positive lead to the battery and the ground to chassis ground of your vehicle. Here is where ring terminals that are crimped and soldered is better.

The cigarette plug is fine for temporary use. I prefer wiring the positive lead directly to the battery and the ground directly to the chassis. I use ring terminals that I crimp and solder. There are pro's and con's with Anderson's and the T connectors. I have so far just used what comes with the radios and haven't made the switch to Anderson's yet. If you decide to go with Anderson Power Poles, then I will suggest sticking with the actual Anderson brand versus the cheap knockoffs found on Amazon.

Boy oh boy. That will get a whole lot of people stirred up if they don't realize that is an April Fools joke.

There are quite a few GMRS repeaters in the Kansas City area. https://mygmrs.com/map

The Comet CA-712EFC is advertised as 9 dBi. If my math is correct, 9 dBi equals 6.85 dBd.

The Comet CA-712EFC is a great antenna that is very popular with a lot of people.

This is very important to remember. Get the best and correct type of coax you can afford.

Occasionally you get lucky and a 2m/70cm dual band antenna will also have SWR of 1.8 or lower on the GMRS channels/frequencies. But not all dual band antennas will work for GMRS. I get a SWR of 1.8 or less on GMRS with my Comet GP9 dual band base antenna and a SWR of 1.8 or less on my Comet 2X4SRNMO mobile antenna. As mentioned, the best is to get a GMRS specific antenna that is tuned properly. A good one is the Comet CA-712EFC.

I did not know that since I have never used a J pole antenna. I do put chokes on all of my HF antennas though.

Correct, you won't be able to use the Yaesu for GMRS. What you bought is for the amateur 2m and 70cm bands which requires an amateur license. I would try to return the radio if you can and then buy a GMRS radio instead. Or keep it and get your amateur license.

Make sure the antenna/mast is grounded along with using a lightening arrestor where the coax enters the building. You can roll up any extra coax at the antenna end which will act as a RFI choke, but it shouldn't be necessary.