GreggInFL
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Posts posted by GreggInFL
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19 hours ago, Raybestos said:
I know people get tired of hearing it, but Technician is a breeze and General is not really that bad, either. I understand, many are not radio geeks like most of us hams, but all it takes is a little study for a week or few to pass it. I will share a Deep dark secret with you and anyone else that is interested. You don't have to know all of the stuff in the manual, just enough to pass the test. Yeah, Extra is a bit of a b-word, but it can be done, too! I recommend the Gordon West license manuals. He takes what is essentially boring, dry, material and makes it so you can remember it, using humour and other devices.
Remember studying boring stuff like history, English, and all, in high school? Studying for a ham license is very close to that, except it is something you already have a little bit of interest in. No more Morse code test. No more drawing schematic diagrams of specific oscillator circuits. It is all multiple choice, and as you did in high school, you will hit questions where common sense and process of elimination will get you through it.
For instance:
"Profanity is allowed on ham radio:
A) At any time.
B ) After 10 PM.
C) Before 12:00 Noon.
D) At no time.
Obviously, the answer would be "D".
I have always been mathematically bewildered. When I decided it was time to upgrade from Advanced to Extra a dozen or so years ago, I bought a Gordon West "Extra" license manual. I promptly lost it and didn't see it for about a year. About a year later, I happened upon that manual. I looked at it and a little voice inside told me to find out when the next VE testing session would be in my area. It was one week from that day. I studied like crazy. Got to taking lots of online mock tests and trying to learn from my mistakes. The best I made on any of those tests was like a 70-something, failing all of them. Then I decided to actually study the math formulas using Gordon West's book. I was actually learning to make them work, the day before the test. The day of the test, I stopped by Starbucks and got a large iced mocha with extra espresso to keep the brain synapses firing. Brought an extra $14 for a second VE test in case I failed the first one.
I took the test and for the life of me, there were a lot of questions I wasn't sure if I got right or wrong. That was one of those tests that do happen, where nothing much seems like what you studied. That is the reason for the extra money, in case you fail the first. Odds are, a second test will be more familiar.
After I handed in my test, the examiner asked which I wanted first, the good news or the bad news. I told him I was braced for the bad news and to go with it. He said that if I hadn't missed two questions, I would have had a perfect score.
There is stuff on the Technician test that I am not interested in, never really grasped, and never will. But like I said, all you need is enough to pass the test.
The only license that has value to me is the General (given that I can't get to HF with a Tech license) but I'm not going to take two tests to get there. One yes, two no. I'm a registered PE with a masters degree so testing isn't something I find intimidating. I'll jump through one hoop, but not two.
There is a better way to do this. For example, I hold an advanced certification in a specialized field. To get that one does not pass a beginners exam, then an intermediate exam and finally the advanced exam. One enters the program by taking an assessment exam which establishes a level of certification -- beginner, intermediate or advanced. I first tested in at the intermediate level, studied more and then passed the same exam at the advanced level. One exam.
The FCC should give all applicants the Extra exam and issue appropriate licenses based on performance. If the applicant wants a higher-level license they can study and take the exam again. One exam.
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1 minute ago, WRXB215 said:
With that "kit" he will not need another adapter for a mobile. All he will have to do is remove the SMA adapter being used for the HT. The cable already has a PL-259 which is why it comes with the SMA adapter for HT in the first place.
Excellent point, sir. I stand corrected. Thank you.
- SteveShannon and WRXB215
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I have your radio and plug it into the UT-72G others have recommended. The combination works well. The antenna kit can be had here and has all the components you need. When you move to a full-size mobile unit you can use the same antenna without the SMA adapter.
Edited for truthiness. (See below.)
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On 8/28/2024 at 1:52 AM, Raybestos said:
Learning how to format, copy, and relay these messages is an integral part of these hf (shortwave) nets.
One needs a General license for voice on HF, correct?
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^ Putin loses that scenario.
<Cheyenne Mountain/NORAD once upon a time. Keep your sat phone, and your H.A.M. rig.
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^ I still have an HP-12C I got in 1984. Love RPN.
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On 8/25/2024 at 12:22 AM, WSDV608 said:
Wow that slide rule. That was my first calculator I used in electronics school at time when digital calculators were hitting or just about ready to hit the market. And they were expensive.
Looks like my old Picket. The HP-35 was $400. Too rich for my blood, so I went for the TI SR-50 for $150.
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10 hours ago, mixdup said:
There should be a middle ground between no linked repeaters and what some of these guys are doing. It would absolutely make sense to be able to link two repeaters on two sides of a mountain for example.
Ah, great example. I don't have a dog in this fight (couldn't link two repeaters if my life depended on it), but it seems like the FCC could score a lot of points finding a sweet spot.
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16 minutes ago, OffRoaderX said:
No, i think it offends his autistic OCD anytime someone does not follow every.. single..rule..ever..written..anywhere...
I..see..what..you..did..there...
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1 hour ago, WRUE951 said:
if you dont think complaints have not been lodged with the FCC in regards to the ongoing illegal repeater linking in the GMRS band,, you are very numb and asleep... The 'afoot' movement you speak of is defiantly part of the complaint process currently in progress.. I proudly admit, i'm one of those individuals. The FCC has already allocated space in the frequency spectrum for repeater linking. I advise you folks to move your operations over to the side of the fence where the practice is legal and also managed by experts and has rules already established. It's that simple and very easy to 'be happy'
Oh, I'm wide awake and completely get that it's potentially illegal. I'm suggesting that perhaps it shouldn't be illegal.
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1 hour ago, Odom1983 said:
I was just curious how long does it take to get approved for talking on a repeater? I asked for permission to talk on the Springfield repeater and it says approval (does that mean I’m approved) I’m new to all of this stuff.
Chad OdomWSEG546
Is the repeater open or private? If it's private you will have to wait until they approve you. If it's open you might wait a reasonable period of time, connect to the repeater, transmit your ID and ask for permission. If no one says no, go ahead and use it.
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As a poorly qualified noob I have the constant feeling that I'm missing something. According to the obviously qualified posts here, no GMRS users have complained about linking, technical complaints such as tying up frequencies are baseless and everyone who tries it likes it. Yet there remains afoot a movement to terminate all this happiness. What am I missing?
This is more of an opportunity for the FCC than it is a problem. The ability to communicate with others over long distances via linked repeaters is very appealing, with little if any apparent downside. If there is a problem with the rules then perhaps the FCC needs to change the rules.
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36 minutes ago, WSDV836 said:
I am brand new to GMRS and just bought 2 Baofeng GM-15 Pro radios. I set up one of the channels on both radios for privacy codes and at home they work great. The range is a different story, however. Very limited (a couple blocks at most).
What is the expected range of these radios? If limited, do I need to connect to a repeater?
I’ve performed many radio checks on various channels with no responses whatsoever.
I’d be grateful for any tips and tricks for a new user.
Many thanks.
I have those radios and like them. I live in a heavily forested area and usually tell people "Half a mile, maybe two if you're lucky" when asked about range.
Try a 771-style antenna, which might help. If you're mobile a mag mount on the roof of your vehicle will make a difference.
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It goes both ways. When I key up near my computer's UPS it triggers the alarm on the UPS. Go figure.
- SteveShannon, WRXB215 and WRUU653
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On 7/26/2024 at 10:32 PM, SteveShannon said:
A better way to think of this is to understand that your license doesn’t license you to use specific frequencies, but rather to use certified GMRS radios.
I understand the reasoning behind this -- to ensure that the operator doesn't transmit outside the specs -- but it would be preferrable if that were a burden placed on the operator without regard to the equipment. If one can get a toaster to play by the rules they should be good to go.
Operator A: "Hey buddy, what radio are you on today?"
Operator B: "A GE four slicer."
Of course that would require a test which defeats the whole purpose of GMRS.
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Congrats. But, in other words, there is no simple way to program this radio.
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1 hour ago, WSDE521 said:
My 2nd KG-935g plus arrived yesterday. If it works as well as the first one I will be extremely happy!! I am considering buying 5-6 more so everyone in the family that is old enough can have one when we go hiking and camping. My son can keep 4 at his house for the same reason and in an emergency he will have them for his wife and two oldest children.
Quick note: There is no minimum age for family members.
Which reminds me, before I got into GMRS I asked a user why he had the radios for his kids when they could just use cell phones. He said, "I don't want Junior dropping a $500 phone over the side of the canoe."
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Following. Having the same problem with the 25W version. I have a W10 machine around so I'll try that next, but a permanent solution would be nice.
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Any updates on this? Chirp now lists the DB25-G but I don't trust the Radioddity cable that came with the radio because when plugged into the computer Chirp returns a warning saying the cable won't work with Windows 11 -- this without the other end of the cable being plugged into the radio. Must this combo (Chirp/cable) be run on a W10 machine? I could try to back it up on the W11 machine but don't want to brick it. Can a different cable be used?
Also, when I tried the Radioddity software the OS says a file is missing or invalid.
Dead in the water here.
TIA.
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Any way we could get elevation data for a repeater's antenna? Would help when plugged into SCADAcore.
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GMRS and SHTF
in General Discussion
Posted
Triple the price?