WRYZ926
-
Posts
2153 -
Joined
-
Last visited
-
Days Won
46
Content Type
Profiles
Forums
Events
Gallery
Classifieds
Posts posted by WRYZ926
-
-
53 minutes ago, WRUU653 said:
I can also confirm first hand that MXTA26 is a great antenna.
As much as I would love to use a MXTA26 antenna, I just don't have the clearance between the top of my Ford Escape and the garage door.
For those like me that have a SUV or truck and Parkin a garage, keep the antenna height in mind.
-
-
-
The Abbree AR-771 antennas I have work fine. I'm using them on a pair of Baofeng UV-5R GMRS radios.
-
2 hours ago, WRXB215 said:
I can't testify to authentic Nagoya but the Abbree 771 is definitely an improvement to the stock antenna. I would like to get the "tacti-cool" antenna some day and try it out. I've heard that it is the best HT antenna for the Baofeng radios.
Good to know. I didn't even bother with the rubber duck antennas since I put the Abbree 771 antennas on right away.
-
I have a couple of Abree AR-771 antennas that came with my Baofeng UV-5R GMRS radios but I haven't tested them compared to the stock rubber duck antennas.
I can say that an actual Nagoya 771 antenna is an improvement over the stock rubber duck on my Baofeng GT-5R dual band radio.
-
27 minutes ago, WRQC527 said:
Is it just me, or are the GMRS/FRS rules and regulations among the most convoluted, ill-conceived and poorly-written set of rules the FCC has ever come up with? It could be just me. Maybe not. It could be others too. Or just me, I don't know.
The rules can definitely seem convoluted at times. People having different opinions and interpretations of those rules don't help matters either.
-
I might have went overboard a little with my GRMS antenna. I have a Comet CA-712EFC mounted on a 40" J mount on top of the roof. I couldn't go any higher without chopping a tree down. I know the Comet and Tram antennas are popular here for a base antenna.
I don't have my dual band antenna mounted yet so I am just using a magnet mount mobile antenna mounted to the side of my house with two shelf brackets and a cookie sheet. It working okay for 2m. I can hit a couple of repeaters that are within 30 miles of me.
-
8 hours ago, Tiercel said:
I was 31/2 miles (as the crow flies) from the house, with some commercial buildings between us. At that distance, my wife and I could still tell we were transmitting but could not understand each other. I called her on the phone and told her to go upstairs (two-story house). She did, and we could talk clear as day. This will be a good unit to practice with. Since they only cost $43 each I will have to figure out what an extra hundred dollars each would have gotten me
That sounds about right for a HT given the circumstances. Now having a mobile radio setup as a base station with an antenna above your house will definitely increase the range. If you were inside a vehicle while using your HT then you did good. Vehicles will block a lot of signal.
And it looks like you are going about things the right way by starting off with HT's and then deciding what you want /need as far as equipment goes. It is too easy to go crazy buying radios and such right away. An easy solution for vehicles would be a good antenna hooked up to your HT along with a hand mic. That saves you from having to buy a mobile radio right away and you can use the antenna for a mobile once you decide to get one.
-
7 hours ago, WRQC527 said:
I used to have a stereo system in my room as a teen, and living less than a quarter mile from the freeway, occasionally I would hear CB transmissions come through the speakers when the stereo was turned off. I'm guessing these guys had amplifiers, because most likely a cheap 4-watt CB probably couldn't do that.
Yes they were using illegal amplifiers if that was happening. CB radio is restricted to 4 watts. My buddy would scramble everyone's TV signals that were nearby when he would key up with his amp running. But that was back when hardly anyone had cable TV and only rich people had satellite dishes (the big ones).
-
Yep some myths just won't die.
-
2 hours ago, Tiercel said:
BTW- I ordered (2) Baofeng UV-5R Ham radios a week ago but I am going to send those back even though they were cheap as dirt. When I get my Ham license I will get something better.
I have the Baofeng GT-5R which is the same price and it works well for a $26 HT. The GT-5R definitely gets better reviews than the standard UV-5R. I can stand outside my house with the GT-5R and hit the repeater 20 miles away. Granted it is pretty flat around me. I am using a Nagoya 771 antenna on the GT-5R
-
The only things I have seen CB amps do is interfere with analog TV stations and light up a fluorescent light bulb. The 4 ft bulbs had to be right next to the antenna though. My buddy would key up his CB with amp next to mine and my CB radio never blew up.
-
Yes a 20 amp power supply will be plenty for a 20 watt radio. You could even run a single 50 watt radio on that power supply. Most 50 radios will draw around 12-13 amps at full power. Now if you think you might end up running two 50 watt radios at the same time then get a 30 watt power supply.
One thing to remember with power supplies (and generators) is that they are rated for the maximum/peak amperage. On average the continuous amperage they will run is 80% of the peak amperage. So with your 20 watt PS, you can easily run up to 16 amps continuously.
-
I knew from the get go that there can/will be an issue running 70cm and GMRS at the same time with antennas close together like on a roof of a vehicle. I do have a little more room with the Escape versus a sedan to space the antennas out a little. Right now I am mostly using 2m and GMRS occasionally.
The use of GMRS will change now that others in our club are starting to get GMRS radios. We discussed looking into a GMRS repeater on the 900ft tower that the 2m and 70cm repeaters are on.
-
-
Well I sure won't try to transmit on 70cm and GMRS at the same time with both antennas on the roof of a vehicle. I probably won't even tune to 70cm while the GRMS is on. They are close enough in frequencies to cause issues. I was more concerned about 2m an GMRS.
ANd I do appreciate all the helpful input from everyone. So please do not turn this into a pissing contest.
- SteveShannon and WRUU653
-
2
-
-
-
I have decided to go with a magnetic mount for now on the Escape. I will have to use a 15-16 inch tall antenna so I don't tear up anything pulling into the garage.
Next question for the gurus. How far apart should I keep a 2m/70cm antenna and a GMRS Antenna while mounted on top of the Escape?
-
13 minutes ago, Flameout said:
It's 40' from the ground. That mast/roof line is about 12' and it's also secured to the fascia right at that point. I would love to get it higher, with a tower, but that's way too expensive right now
Make sure to use guy wires for everything sticking above your roof. 1 3/8" and 1 5/8" fence rails are flimsy when not supported.
-
One caution about about using fence top rail or even 1 5/8" fence posts connected together. You will want to support the poles by clamping them to a structure and/or using guy wires to support the mast. I am using three 8 foot 1 5/8" one posts connected together and they are pretty flimsy without any wall clamps. Two poles together sticks 2 feet above my roof. I will have ten foot of mast plus antenna sticking above my roof so I will have to guy it. The two lower poles are attached to the house with a couple of wall clamps.
Grounding antennas, coax, etc can and does cause some arguments at times. I won't get into it other than to suggest reading the many books on the subject. There are also NEC codes and local building codes to abide by.
-
@OffRoaderX I kind of figured nothing really bad would happen other than things heating up.
-
A friend and I applied two weeks ago and it took four days from applying to receiving our license and call sign.
It took 12 days from testing to receiving my amateur technician license. I tested on the 7th and received my license/call sign today.
2023 Ford Escape antenna options
in General Discussion
Posted
I ended up buying a Midland MXT500 to use as a base station and put the included mag mount on my Escape. With the mount in the center of my roof, I was able to run the coax through the back hatch without any issues. That does leave the cable too short to put a radio on the dash. I might use that mount for a dual band radio with a detachable head unit and get another mag mount for my GMRS radio.
There isn't a whole lot of space to mount radios in the Escape. I might go with the BTech GMRS-20V2. That way I only need to worry about the dual band head unit and two mic's.