Soladaddy
-
Posts
49 -
Joined
-
Last visited
-
Days Won
3
Content Type
Profiles
Forums
Events
Gallery
Classifieds
Posts posted by Soladaddy
-
-
In layman's terms, how will this affect mixing use with wideband radios?
My thoughts are:
Tx narrow to Rx wide = will be quieter audio
Tx wide to Rx narrow = sound terrible
Tx narrow to Rx narrow = no isssues
Tx wide to Rx wide = no issues
I've heard arguments that both NB has little more range than WD and visa versa.
Maybe NB to NB has more range, like SSB? But WB to WB has more range over a mixed radio setup...?
-
When I try to upload a profile pic, the pic stays the default. No error, no nothing,
-
Since things move somewhat slowly at times on these forums, I hope this post isn't considered necroposting. I wanted to make sure that the OP and anyone else searching for a display-less, dual band handheld in the future know about this option.
I used a Boafeng UV-6 when I was in the fields working on the farm. It has 128 channels but it does it in banks. That means one should be able to just program up the first bank and use it as a 16 channel handheld. It does both VHF and UHF. It worked pretty well for me in the field and seemed about as durable as a BF-888. At the time, I think I paid around $20~$25 for it new but I can't recall for sure.
https://www.amazon.com/Baofeng-UV-6-VHF-136-174MHz-Professional/product-reviews/B00E4KCDAW
Those do get good reviews on eham and that is saying something.
-
... Did find that with CHIRP on the B-Tech I can add repeaters and their names to the other memory positions...
Really? I have to give that a shot. Last week Chirp wasn't working with the GMRS V1 (with the latest version) it did work with the January file.
-
Interested in their mobile line up, esp the 115 due to price/repeater capability. Is it true they are all narrowband? Thought I read that somewhere...
-
I bought two of these radios a month ago
They are worth the $50 but don't care for the digital squelch , adjustable (1-5) I prefer a knob control for better adjustment
Also the weird antenna connector is difficult (if removing the supplied rubber ducky) to find an adapter, basically you have to go with btech antennas my ham antennas being bnc or so-239 are easily adaptable for antenna upgrades. If anyone finds an adapter please let me know.
Are these radios capable of tone scan? as dhm001states "I especially like the tone scanning feature it is great for figuring out repeater tones when on the road" I had not realized they had that capacity. I know you can program in tones but not so sure it will scan for tones.
You can use Kenwood commercial antennas as well. I have some Laird antennas https://www.theantennafarm.com/catalog/laird-technologies-exh-155-sfu-2004
tuned for 155, the base is for many Kenwoods. I bought for a TK-2100. They fit my MURS radios; Btech MURS V1, Kenwood TK-2100 and TruTalk MURS-22 (Legacy/Maxon). They are beefy antennas and are stiffer than the Nagoya 701C. Not good or bad, just different depending on your preference.
Don't hold me to it, but I bet any antenna claiming to fit a Kenwood TK-3100 would fit the GMRS V1 and be tuned for the freq range. This one looks promising, https://www.theantennafarm.com/catalog/laird-technologies-exc-450-sfu-2042. The antenna farm also has another Laird and 2 Kenwood stubbies that should fit.
Not limited to Boafeng antennas.
-
Just received a GMRS-V1 and am playing around in Chirp. Can you add into memory a repeater pair with tone? It appears that you cannot and must setup tone with the standard Repeater Channel. This works well for one repeater on a freq, but when traveling it would be nice to create a memory entry with the correct tone for other repeaters on the same freq.
-
I used GMRS rather extensively during the Thomas Fire to provide evacuation information during the overnight power outage; and collect power, traffic, and fire status from residents and motorists. Cell service was unavailable that entire night, and with no power or cell phones, some residents dusted off their FRS radios and hopped on channel 1 looking for information. Directional antennas aided in determining rough locations of operators. Presently, I use GMRS to communicate with a small group of primarily FRS users and a local repeater. Few people monitor simplex channels, and those who do aren't GMRS licensees, so virtually all GMRS-to-GMRS operation is repeated.
That is great......Finding them with directional antennas.
Back on topic.... I just received the Btech GMRS V1 and am chasing the same issue. I can add a tone to a set pre-programmed "channel." It appears that I cannot add a channel, but can add a memory. Have only messed with Chirp for one day and have just figured out the terms used for tone. Chirp terms are not a tic-for-tac duplication of the radio's front panel terminology. Has anyone been able to add into memory extra repeater settings for those with different tone requirements?
-
Digging the old PC tower case. Now that you have worked out all of the bugs, are you ready to mass produce on the cheap? lol.
-
A few years back I would hand out bubble pack radios to the kids as I was worried my precious, rare at the time, MURS radios would be broken. I set them on a FRS channel and locked it for two reasons: compliance and low power for longer battery life.
-
Interesting observation Matt,
I have visited that site plenty, and just from reading a lot of posts, I got the feeling that they felt any radio operator other then Ham is a lower of a person, not able to learn and take the test. I mean months and months I would visit there. My first plan was to get my tech license and become a ham.
Obviously, I have changed my mind, as I am here and operate GMRS.
No disrespect at all to the hams out there, just the feeling I got visiting there a lot. I "may" at some point get my Ham license, but I'm really not interested in that aspect of radio at this point. 73
In my county, if you are a licensed ham, you are exempt from tower regulations up to 199 feet. They wouldn't know what type of antennas are on said tower(s). To me that alone is worth the license. Now I just need to find non-deed restricted land that I can afford.
-
-
Yes the airwaves open up for UHF sometimes as well, especially with a very high antenna. a few years back from 12floor condo balcony I was hearing repeaters from Orlando, Land O lakes and Tampa areas. over 100miles away. Later that day I listened on our local net and everyone was astonished by the opening on many Ham bands as well as UHF.
Last year I was on the SARNet (FL statewide repeater linked network, mostly 440) during a net and was receiving from a ton of repeaters. One ham checked into the Jacksonville repeater from Ft Myers, around a 300 mile hike.
-
Glad they corrected the issue. Wonder if there is a way to tell the difference between the newer units that have the fix and the older ones.
-
Heard about several 115s having receive issues. Did Midland get that worked out?
-
-
My understanding is a j pole does not need a ground, but does need a RF choke on the coax near the antenna. I make a 4" loop of about 4 turns of the coax just under the coax connector.
-
I've found my range jumps after clearing the roofs of the nearby houses at about 25 ft. Now if I can clear the tree tops near 45 ft, then range should bump up again. But I can see the appeal for short distance if the audience is covered. How do you like the j-pole? Was just looking at his offerings and the prices are not bad.
-
Saw a comparison receiver test with the MXT115 and a 105. It showed the 105 having a much better receive and the 115 having issues. They were both on a base setup using same antenna and the other being an HT circling the base about a mile out. This wasn't the only receive complaint I've ran across about the 115.
Midland MXT400
in General Discussion
Posted
Curios if there is a performance difference because they are similar electrically. I could see differences in SWR and quality.