GreggInFL

I just picked up a couple of these. How much power are you seeing?

Love it. Yeah, I'm originally from your neck of the woods so I know the story. And I've always been a fan of twisted pair. Srsly, something like a solar-powered repeater can do wonders for the neighborhood in a emergency.

Don't get many hurricanes in Indiana, eh? Try that with a week without power and 1/4 the cell towers down.

Agreed. Reminds me of my first day in drafting class when the professor said, "Any drawing that can be interpreted in more than one way is wrong." Change "drawing" to "regulation" and here we are.

^ Understood, but the question remains: Does the FCC consider the internet a "wireline"?

Do the FCC rules make the distinction? If not the fault is with the FCC for not being current -- or Congress for not being current.

Agreed. Amazon should run it.

Which closely resembles 1.5^2.

Yeah, I have the original 5W GM-15s but couldn't find the link.

1,500AC(43,560SF/AC) = 65,340,000 SF. Assuming a relatively square property, your 1,500 acres is about 1.5 miles per side, or ~2 miles on the diagonal. That's nothing for a five watt hand held with a decent antenna. Buy these, install the large antenna and see what happens. How are you getting around? Side-by-side, truck, jeep? If the handhelds don't work due to terrain or vegetation a mobile unit with a mag mount antenna should.

Unfortunate. Isn't this what tones are for?

I'm surprised no one has tried it and reported. Time for an experiment...

(Slightly off topic but not worthy of its own thread.) What kind of performance would one expect if they moved the 712 -- or any antenna for that matter -- into the attic? Between the hurricanes and lightning strikes I'd be willing to give up some farz to keep it in one piece. I know, I know, it depends. But is there some rule of thumb we can work with?

Ah, thanks. (Best bar in town. )

How small is too small? Is there a height/diameter ratio that is optimal, or minimal? What size pizza do I need for my 20" Nagoya?

I was once at the same place when I started with GMRS, i.e. thinking about getting a mobile. A wise non-sad H.A.M. advised I start with the antenna: "Forget the mobile radio for now, just plug your HT in to a mag mount on the roof and see what happens. When you go with the mobile you'll need the antenna anyway." A few bucks later I had a newfound respect for antennae. I drove that sucker to the top of a hill and everything lit up. Height is might, indeed. I'll leave the radio comparisons to those here who are more knowledgeable.

Hey, we're hear to serve. Others are not obligated to respond to your transmission, so the only thing you may get back is that hissing sound -- especially if you are the only one on the channel. Next time try something like, "WSAW335, radio check please." If anyone is listening there is a good chance they will respond. BTW, pushing PTT without saying anything is called "kerchunking"* and is considered bad form. Don't worry, it's happened to the best of us. * https://www.amateurradio.com/proper-kerchunking/

What happens after you push the PTT button? Does the light go green and you hear a hissing sound? If so you are connecting to the repeater. Repeaters must identify periodically. Most use morse code every 15 minutes or so. If you are monitoring 462.675 and hear nothing the repeater may be down.

^ Better said.

You need to transmit to the repeater on 467.675. Setting your radio to 462.675 allows you to receive from the repeater. All repeaters have an input frequency and an output frequency. Also, it looks like 146.2 is the tone you want.

The wife and I recently agreed that I'm at the age where it would be wise to pay someone else to fall off the roof, hence the search for an installer. After about ten minutes of research I think I'm looking for someone who is R-56 certified. Is that right? If so, how do I find them? We're talking a very simple installation atop a single story residence in a wooded, residential setting. Two chimneys and a DirecTV mast await. There is a budget, but I only want to do this once and do it right. It's a central Florida location. Thoughts? TIA.

Sorry to go slightly off topic, but it's a related question not quite worthy of its own thread: If I place a mag-mount antenna on top of an Airstream trailer, would the trailer's aluminum shell function as a ground plane? I'm thinking yes, but I'm new here. TIA.

For mobile, base or both? Thanks, Steve.

What vendor(s) would you guys recommend for a pre tuned antenna?

I asked because it seemed odd you found no difference.