WRZF693

Buuhhhahahahahahaha.. I just realized what you were talking about with my typo.. That's hilarious. I also used to work for FFL dealers.. I had my own back in the 80's, but it was only part time and I just didn't have the time to do it as much as I wanted so I let the license expire. I worked for couple class 3 dealers. Great comment btw.. Too funny.. Thanks brother! I'm going to check out the ham test. I'd like to get the license for sure.. For Emergencies I like the idea that ham has all the frequencies available for all HT's including GRMS, Murs, etc, etc,,.. or an unlocked radio would have! I would love to talk on HF frequencies or SSB stuff and try to see who I could reach for fun, but I doubt I would buy a dedicated antenna and radio just for that, although it sounds like it would be fun! Regards sir. Tim

Thanks everyone.. I'm also looking at Antennas to use.. I think I'll buy the tidradio hd8 to use as a SHTF radio if needed. Thanks again all! Tim

Yes indeed. I totally agree.. All companies use numbers that show their products are the best and use the extreme best conditionis to state the stats of their respective products. Still, If I can use a 10 watt radio in an Emergency over a 5 watt and all things being equal I get even a little more power, then I'm all for it. I want as much on my side as possible was what I was trying to say, but I probably didn't explain it that well..

My Beofeng HM15 pro came with the little rubber ducky antenna and the abree 771 antenna.. I tried the 771 on the beofeng against a Tidradio 5 watt radio with the rubber ducky short stubby antenna in a test with my buddy driving in his van as I talked to him on the same channel alternating the radios.. He did pick me up better on the radio "beofeng hm15" with the 771 antenna from abree.. I don't know if it was the radio though or if it was the antenna, etc.. It just seemed to him it was receiving me better with the radio with the long antenna. I think a lot of that stuff is marketing crap until you really get an antenna way up in the air specifically tuned for GRMS, etc, etc.. I guess it can't hurt to use the longer antenna if you can prevent it from poking your eye out and can carry the thing. It's a pain in the ass for sure! Regards Tim

Hi Folks.. I have been researching, and everything I'm learning says having a better antenna high up does more for range than say using a few more watts in output power.. So, I'm wondering if I bought one of those midland antennas with the included coax cable that's normally used for their mobile radios, would it drain the power very much of my small HT beofeng HM15 pro? I just want to put the antenna out the window or on the roof a few feet away and be able to use it instead of the 771 antenna to see if it helps give me a little tad bit more range. I ask because I'm not able to hit a repeater in my area because it's so hilly here and so many woods.. I can get about 4 to 6 miles though just talking to my friend .. I live in a rural area and he lives in a small urban town and we can chat no problem, but I'd like to be able to hit the repeater that's about 22 miles from me and I'm wondering if that antenna sitting on top of the roof stuck to a cookie pan with just a few feet of cable would work in giving me enough range to connect and talk on this repeater??? I can get the kerchunk at times, but can't actually talk. Otherwise I'm thinking I'm going to have to go to a mobile radio of 20 watts or more with a permanent antenna on the roof which I want to avoid at all costs if possible. I mean, I don't want to have a permanent antenna because I'm about to move at the end of winter.. I hope all that made sense.. Also, I don't want to have to buy a new mobile radio until I get moved along with a power converter or whatever it's called to use a mobile radio at home.. Thanks in advance.. Great forum! This is a fun hobby..

Congrats on the rifle. I used to work in the firearms business and have shit a few of those. Great rifles. Well, most are until the end of WW2 and they were making them very sloppy. Good luck on the Ham test. I'm considering it myself because I want to talk on the HF frequencies maybe. Regards from South Central Indiana USA. Tim

Hey folks. Anyone have both radios or have tried both radios and if so which do you prefer? I need a radio that does split times and I prefer it to be chirp programmable. Also, do radios that have the super heterodyne or whatever it's called listed usually in their sales literature or ads on Amazon? I've only seen one that I know of that was on Randy's channel which was too costly for me. I can't really justify it, so wondering if there are inexpensive, or more in expensive radios sat up to 100 dollars that have the super heterodyne feature? Thanks folks.

Great topic guys.. I'm wanting to do the same thing, but right now just considering using the 5 watt HT I have an setting up an antenna to use on top of the house or the side of it.. What cable and antenna would you guys that know this stuff recommend that I could buy off Amazon? I don't mind if it's a little expensive if it works better and gives me more range? I've thought about just buying one of those Midland antennas for their mobile radio's and then use it ? Would that work ok? I really only need about 20 feet or 25 feet of cable at the most.. I could actually probably just stick it out the window in the garage and use it which would take like 6 or 8 feet .. I know less cable is better, but higher antenna is better too. There are so many versions of cable that it's confusing to new guys like me.. I just got my license about a week ago.. Any help would be appreciated.. I hope it's ok to ask that here instead of starting a new topic. I just assumed it was since it's related.. Thanks Tim

Has anyone used a ssb CB radio? I ask because it's in the HF ham range almost and I'm wondering how far people are able to talk and what kind of radio they are using? It would seem this would be the channels to use on a CB if you wanted to talk many farz as Randy says on his channel.. hehehe.. Anyone here have a HAM license and use the HF frequencies? It looks like that would be the emergency radio to have.. Especially if you knew Morse code maybe.. I have thought about trying to learn it now that I'm at the tender age of retirement. Just two months ago actually! I see some expensive radios for field use with HAM HF bands.. that would be very cool to have though! Thanks everyone..

Thanks everyone.. My GM 15 Beufeng came with an Abree 717 I think it is, but it looks suspiciously like the Ngoya, or whatever they are called. It works reasonably well.. I was able to talk to my buddy about 4.3 miles away thru some buildings and woods in the way partially and even though there was static I could hear him loud and clear and he had the small antenna and said I was coming thru very well! Tim

In case anyone is wondering I was able to do a google search and found a website that has a scanner.. I'm thinking it was something broadcasting.com or something like that.. If you do a search you'll find it and they had my area both police and fire and ambulance available, but it was about as exciting as watching paint dry.. Not hardly any traffic.. Someone locked themselves in a fence, two people unconscious needed an ambulance, etc.. Nothing really interesting, but I live in the Rural South of Indiana which is about like living in TN or something.. I love that part..

Hey folks.. I know the TidRadio 10 watt ham radio isn't meant for GRMS frequencies, but if you used it as a ham radio couldn't you just type in the GRMS channels and use say a repeater channel so you'd get the full 10 watts ? Not that I'd ever do so, but just wondering.. Could you buy the h8 ham and then just program in the GRMS frequencies and erase or only use the HAM channels to listen to ? Again, not that I'm suggesting this to anyone, just wondering if it would work? Like in Emergency? Are there any higher powered HT's that have all the frequencies available to use in an Emergency? Thanks in advance.. Great forum!

Almost forgot.. You for sure want the programming cable. It makes it much easier to use.. I downloaded the radiodidity gm30 pro software and it worked great.. Added channels, named them, etc.. It's very easy to use software on my windows 10 machine! Very similar to chirp..

I purchased one and I agree with OffRoaderX. It's a good radio. I was able to talk about 4.3 miles away with no problems at all. I did get the Abree 717 I think it antenna.. It came with the package.. The antenna and ear listening thing and separate mic, etc.. I've not used the accessories, but the radio itself is a dandy! I would easily recommend it.. I also purchased two tid radios, the cheaper one's and they work well, but I don't think the antenna's come off, or I can't see how they do, although they look like they have a small allen wrench screw that may need to be loosened, but I haven't tried. The GM15 would be the choice though if I could only have one of them.. Hope that helps!

Thank you so much.. Tim

Interesting.. There is nothing, and I mean nothing going on around me, but I live in a very very rural area..

Interesting..

Thanks man..

Anyone own the 900 mhz radios and digital radios I guess in this frequency range? Are they good? I see them advertised as licensee free from time to time.. I think it was the 900 mhz.. Just wondering if anyone has experience with them?

Hi Everyone.. I wanted to add some channels to just listen to and I went to RadioReference.com and added some channels that were mostly VHF frequencies and I have yet to hear a word out of those channels.. With that said, I did notice that the local police and state police, and fire, etc, have all been upgrading to a system called Safe or something and I think it's called a Trunking system with encryption. They still however list some VHF frequencies for the fire department and local ambulance, etc, and even a HAM club just down the road.. I've not heard a word.. Only NOAA seems to be using these frequencies.. Anyone else have luck listening to VHF channels? I've not tried the air wave channels for airports, etc.. I'm mostly interested in Police, but that seems to be impossible now as they all seem to be upgrading to new systems.

Hi.. From his building to my place is only 4 miles and the HT's do fine, but we have property that is about 33 miles away and on top of a pretty big hill for this area.. The property is.. Only one hill any taller in the area, so it should I would think reach with even just a good radio and tall antenna.. I can get to his downtown location easily with my 5 watt beufeng radio.. It's 4 miles away in an urban area or partially and partially wooded, and down a hwy with lot's of businesses. So, I'm thinking with a tall antenna and a repeater of any power I should be able to reach the remote property since it's on top of a hill for this area and pretty rural.. Not a lot in the way except tree's and open space.. That said it's up in the air and with an antenna there up high I would think it would be possible, but that's just an uneducated guess on my part.. Thanks for the reply. Really appreciated.. Tim

Thanks everyone for the answers. I tried to add reactions to everyone, but the forum software said I'd used up all my reactions.. Strange.. Anyway, it's 4 miles to my buddies house, but we have some property out in the country we want to be able to talk to which is about 33 miles away from the building as the crow flies.. Hence the reason for wanting the repeater. I may do what someone on here said and just get a 50 watt mobile radio.. I think that might be a better answer.. I'm not even sure then I can reach that distance, but it will be fun trying! Thanks again.. I'm learning here slowly!