ROBV60schwifty

"Fars."

Im only really interested in repeater channels when using this setup as a base station, so I should be more than fine at the ERP ~43W output? Any other time Ill either be using a hand-held, or the DB25G will be mobile in the car. Which in that case I'd probably still be using RPT or 15-22, standard channels.

So Im OK with my ERP at just below 50 on the repeater channels? I was trying to find a combo that between cable loss, antenna gain and the wattage at the radio would net me as close to 50W as possible without going over 50 because I thought that was THE limit after ANT gain. Are you saying people are running WAY more then 50W TX ERP, because all that matters is that the radio itself isn't putting out ore than 50W? In other words, I could have a 50W radio, the maximum allowed, and boost it with a 12dbi ANT to WAY over 50W, and be fine because the RADIO is only rated for 50W? Am I over thinking this?

Im afraid I may have misunderstood the transmit power restrictions and could use some clarification. My setup: Radioddity db25-G @25W used as a base station , probably more like 18W in reality, but I do not know for sure as I do not have the tools to test. 18' run of LMR400 to the attic, which effectively places the antenna roughly 20 'from the ground in my house. Antenna is the Slim Jim from https://www.jpole-antenna.com/shop/uhf-440-470-mhz-slim-jim-antenna/ tuned to 465MHz, with a claimed gain of 6dBi, which to my understanding equates to ~3.85 dBd (?) Using the calculator below, using an SWR of 1.5, I do not know the actual SWR just yet, I used this as a middle-ground, doesn't make a notable difference on the calculator https://kv5r.com/ham-radio/coax-loss-calculator/ These numbers given above result in an ERP of just under 50W when using 20W as the transmitter output, again probably figuring high. I was calculating off of the 50W transmit power limitation, but saw a couple write-ups a few minutes ago that have me confused about the power limitations for TX with this set up, as it relates to ERP. Its a wording issue Im having trouble with, essentially. Is there any difference between the radio's power and the "ERP" out of the ANT? Am I able to transmit and receive on channels 15-22, and equivalent repeater channels when my ERP is <50W, after cable loss and ANT gain are taken into account? Or does my power need to be no more than 50W at the radio? Does that make any sense?

Im about this close to joining ->||. I have been able to hear traffic from their repeaters from pretty far away on my HT, and was able to listen in on the Net the other night. Right now, funds are going to a base station antenna/setup.

Maybe I should not define it as "more powerful," but rather, "greater range/higher elevation/LOS" ...?

I've no idea how much it costs to maintain a network like theirs, I imagine its quite expensive. I do know they said they had 400 new subscribers last year, according to a video from 3 months ago. So, 400 users times $90/year is a pretty good chunk of change, ( not counting existing users, the website says they have 550 active, not sure if that includes the 400 new ones or what the total is of active/non-active. ) but when they say it costs ~$9000 just to install and support ONE repeater site, that $36k from the 400 new members would only support 4 of their 29 sites! So, I certainly get the need and desire to charge for access. I wish it were a little more affordable for ME, though, haha. I mean its only $7.50/month but with my lack of travel and there being a good, available and open repeater just 6 miles down the road from me, I don't know that I can justify it, yet. I'm cheap. As I travel more, It may be worth it going forward just to have the access because their coverage is quite extensive.

I see, thank you for the clarification.

I don't really have an issue with them charging, its their equipment, I just don't necessarily want to be compelled to join because I cant connect to anything else in the area because someone may be monopolizing the channels. Doesn't really matter all that much, as I only got into GMRS mainly for emergency simplex communication, but it would be nice to, say, get some traffic updates or something like that when Im in the car, that might require connecting to a repeater, from time to time. I imagine it wont be an issue if the repeaters don't overlap and/or they use different tones. ....?

Im not really concerned about the quality of the free ones, just whether or not they get "overtaken" by the more powerful ones, that I can't access without buying a membership. Seems there is an organization in GA who have a lot of repeaters, covering the vast majority of the northern part of the state, that restrict access via a membership. My understanding is that they may be using most of the available 8 repeater channels. Maybe Im thinking about this wrong, I am quite green with all this.

Just got my license and am awaiting my radios. Hope to get on the air soon and check things out. I have a general access question regarding north Georgia: Does anyone have trouble connecting and using various open repeaters throughout the state? Given that most of the repeaters I see on the map are behind a pay wall, how is the reception throughout the state when using open repeaters? Do they get drowned out by the more powerful, far-reaching, membership-driven systems? Im not too keen on paying a yearly fee to use GMRS airwaves as a subscription service, that's why I have a cell phone. But, If I must....