GreggInFL
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Posts posted by GreggInFL
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I'm new to this also and went through the same progression, i.e. HT to mobile, with the expectation of eventually adding a base station -- maybe a repeater at some point. All this would, obviously, require lots of equipment and a modest stack of bucks, especially with more than one vehicle in the household.
I've satisfied all of my use cases and spent a total of less than $150. How? By making everything portable. I have a 25W mobile radio and a small 3dB mag mount antenna. The radio plugs in to the cars' cigarette lighters so nothing is hard wired. I can move it between the cars and bring it inside to use as a base station. As I type it's sitting behind me in a closet atop a pizza pan hitting a repeater that's about 30 miles away. Hell, I could use it on my fiberglass boat but I don't want to explain why I have a pizza pan on the bow.
Is this top-notch gear? Nope, but it works very well for me. I'll eventually upgrade (probably the antenna), but for now everything is working everywhere, and I haven't drilled a single hole.
Oops, forgot the new inside power supply, so let's call it $200 total.
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^Come to my place sometime and show me how your HT will go 50 miles. I'll buy the beer.
- WRYZ926 and SteveShannon
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On 12/5/2024 at 4:51 PM, GreggInFL said:
A recent FB post said there will be a net on Orlando 700 at 7:00 pm tonight. News to me.
Update: This is on every Thursday at 1900 hrs. 700 is the strongest local repeater -- good for ~35 miles.
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10 hours ago, Linus said:
My wife and I are making an interstate move and it was great to have a radio in a Penske truck and one of our cars. In addition, we have two handheld radios. That made backing up the truck with a car carrier so much easier! She could direct me when I backed out of our original home. Along the way, she could pull behind me and let me know if there were any trailer stability issues at higher speeds. After a few hours, I had my wife drive the speed limit while I drove at a slower rate (trailer limit). We had some awesome range in Eastern Oregon.
We had great range as she pulled away. Our radios have repeater capabilities but we kept them on a simplex channel. We said our goodbyes as she pulled away from the line of site. A few hours later, I caught up at the hotel.
We have been long users of GMRS, and the service was awesome for the move.
we hope that others get great use out of GMRS.
We used them recently with three RVs on a road trip. Sure beats trying to set up a conference call or a group text.
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Hey, how'd you know I'm in my underwear?
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^ Unleashed.
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On 5/17/2025 at 6:59 PM, tcp2525 said:
Rubbish, that only points out the bare minimum requirements, but not what is optimal and yields a higher degree of safety and functionality. I look at the NEC the same way, a guide to get by with minimal effort. I've seen way too much substandard abominations the "met" code, but is an embarrassment to the trade. Plus, not all inspectors are created equal..
I've seen this in other industries, more than once. Someone invents the jet engine, but it gets rejected because it doesn't meet the propeller spec; the lightbulb doesn't meet the kerosene lamp spec, blah, blah, blah. I spent a couple decades working with a team moving our structural titanium alloy aerospace components to the medical implant field, which had been using stainless steel. I eventually concluded that FDA approval is the stamp of obsolescence.
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^ Good to know. Thanks.
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Let's talk about a tilting/tipping base for a mast. Any recommendations?
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16 hours ago, WRUU653 said:
I was aware that you are required to monitor 16 while out on the water and why. The info of recommended channels for “chatting” was new to me. My dad had a commercial fishing boat. Sadly I get pretty sea sick so I’ve kept my boating to the bay, lakes and streams. Still I liked the info.
Here is the USCG page for channel/freq assignments: https://www.navcen.uscg.gov/us-vhf-channel-information. Even though I'm just a recreational boater, it's still fun to monitor some of these channels, especially when overseas.
- WSGL775, WRUU653 and SteveShannon
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24 minutes ago, WRUE951 said:
remember the days when we watched TV off Antennas.. One could easly pick up VHF signals 100's mile away and it didn't always requrie line of site.. The same broadcast and from the same site in UHF never faired as well. UHF reception always required line of site and distance was drastically cut short. Marnie Radio is VHF, where cell is UHF.. VHF signals tend to work bounce back and forth between the earth and the ionosphere where UHF signals don't under most conditions making VHF a lot more reliable in the water
A fixed-mount marine radio with a big antenna mounted on the top (third?) deck at max power (25W IIRC) transmits many farz when the only obstacle is the earth's curvature.
Another good reference for those new to the subject: https://www.boatingworld.com/articles/boating/vhf-radio-your-ultimate-guide/
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For those of you remotely interested in why a cell phone may not be enough when on the water:
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14 hours ago, WQAI363 said:
The LEARN SYSTEM is the Law Enforcement Associated Radio Network. LEARN was form about 40 plus years ago by Law Enforcement Officers to have private social network of GMRS repeaters, which I'm sure they have included Amateur Radio Repeaters for Law Enforcement Officers to use while traveling.
The conversations or QSOs that I hear on the LEARN SYSTEM is exactly what you probably hear Amateur Radio, minus the Ten Codes, which I think the LEARN members watch too much old TV shows and movies. However, don't get me wrong, I realize that at one time, Public Safety use Ten Codes, with so many changes that has taken place. Plain speech is the standard protocol, because Ten Codes weren't universal. Maybe a Few were, but Plain Langue is the Best Practice.
Thank you.
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I give up, what's the LEARN system?
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On 5/6/2025 at 8:39 PM, Socalgmrs said:
It’s good in that for around $150 total you can get a really nice 20w water proof radio and antenna with coax that will work hard every day...
Agreed. I have mine hooked up to a DB-25G, but I've come to the same conclusion: Nice, cost-effective way to do GMRS. Simple, no holes to drill and highly portable (I move it inside atop a pizza pan when not in one of several vehicles). I'm a lightweight user and you are hard-core, but we both agree that the combo is a lot of GMRS for $150.
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I love this bar.
- WRUU653 and TrikeRadio
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On 5/1/2025 at 5:36 PM, Evolricy said:
Please let me know if you need any additional info to assist in recs.
Thanks!
Give us point A and point B. With that we can determine the LOS. You may be fine with HT to HT -- on a good day, down hill with a tailwind.
You're welcome. And welcome to the site.
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On 3/20/2025 at 3:24 PM, SteveShannon said:
I struggle to even skim through it. I mean it’s so far over my head that I don’t even know where to start...
I struggle to understand Steve, so don't ask me any technical questions.
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15 hours ago, Guest Frank said:
I have a feeling that no one can hear me.
Can you hear anyone else?
15 hours ago, Guest Frank said:I do have a handheld FRS radio, which works for about a mile before losing signal.
Can you communicate with the FRS radio? Put them both on channel 15 (462.550) and start pushing buttons.
Hang in there Frank. You'll get it working. Feel free to check here for more info.
Long, Long Ago
in General Discussion
Posted
Agreed.
Some philosophical consistency would boost the FCC's credibility, also. On marine VHF one can TX on channels reserved for port operations, intership safety, intership commercial, international distress, state controlled, U.S. government (non-USCG), USCG, bridge-to-bridge intership in the lower Mississippi river only, U.S. EPA, noncommercial and a dozen other uses with a 25W mobile without having anything -- no testing, no license, no nuthin'.
How much damage can one do on GMRS frequencies? A lot less than the above, so why require a license?