WSBR383

I got the bulkhead connectors on Amazon, bought a few different ones, and just returned the ones that didn't look as good. That is what is good about Amazon is the return process. Thanks for the compliment.

I wanted to share my results of my 2nd Ed Fong GMRS antenna. This is on a 18' MFJ tripod mast on a Retevis RT97 GMRS repeater go box, powered by a 50AH lithium battery charged by tactical solar or wall charger through SAE ports on the box. Also using a repeaterid.com ID system with morse code. Couldn't be more happy with the results, the machine ran all weekend and solar kept it fully charged, and hardly any battery loss over the night. Using the 462.550 / 467.550 repeater pair with TX and RX codes. SWR under 1.1 and getting 5.2W output after the duplexer. The Fong GMRS antenna is the star, so lightweight and portable, with no need for grounding. Using 18' of Messi & Paoloni Ultraflex 7 with the good waterproof connectors (also have a 25' run of it if needed, love this cable and connectors for tactical or shorter runs). If anybody has any questions regarding this set-up, I will be more than happy to help.

Ya of course, the CA-712EFC is a 10'+ commercial grade antenna and a good one at that. Congrats, unfortunately where I live I can't have an antenna that large and/or high above the roof line. I have another Fong GMRS antenna on a tactical retevis repeater go box, using a 18' MFJ tripod antenna mast, works great as well. Very light weight and movable.

Excellent, can't complain about 1.1.

BTW, just ordered a 2nd Fong GMRS antenna for a tactical mobile repeater system. Love this antenna and it's application. Once I get it, I will upload second real results.

Tico, on the Fong, I am also using HVAC nylon zip ties instead of metal hose clamps or clasps as to not have any metal anywhere near it. In my experience that does make a difference. Yes also on a PVC mast, thicker of course, and I made it adjustable for a service if necessary https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0C61V8TCS/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&th=1

I am using a https://shop.mygmrs.com/products/nagoya-gpk-01-nmo-ground-plane-mount-kit for the SB-790A, the two antennas are probably 25 to 30' apart. The SB-790A states that you don't need radials, but I tested with and without and my results were slightly better with, so I keep them on. I use a DAIWA switch DWS-CS-201A, and the loss is so minimal, I get less than 0.1db. Daiwa states 0.2db, but my loss is less. 1.6 VSWR is acceptable in theory, but you are losing RF. Do you have your LMR-400 going directly into the radio with no other junctions or adaptors? Are your connectors good and there is no excessive kinks in the cable? Also, I put three ferrite beads as close to the connector attaching to the antenna on both runs of LMR-400, what is your reflected? That could be an issue. What meter are you using? And have you tried an antenna analyzer?

Tico, I have tried that antenna, it was okay and did work on 2m 70cm and GMRS, but it did not do anything really good. I use a Comet SB-790A for 2m and 70CM and the Ed Fong GMRS for GMRS, running through an antenna switch. I have been cleaning up my connectors and jumpers, impedance matching and getting the system to operate at the maximum productive (RG-142 Jumper from radio to the antenna switch really helped, was using RG-8X before), plus upgraded the connectors (Messi & Paoloni EVOlution UHF Male (PL259). Here are results for the ED fong currently on a 70' LMR run. The results are pretty amazing. I can reach a repeater over 80 miles away full quieting. Repeaters that I used to have to use high power to get full quieting, I can now use medium power. Proof is in the pudding. I am 1.1 through the GMRS band, with a 1.0 on the 465mhz.

Well that is good, can eliminate that. I just wasn't sure if you were powering it with that DC power supply and thought that could be a potential issue. Put another handheld on the same receive frequency as the repeater and see if that is having those random noises as well, troubleshooting is eliminating potential issues. Another thing I would try is to try another power supply for your SWR meter or something that doesn't require power to eliminate some type of failure there as well. And like you said, change the CW and monitor, to get to the root of the problem. Good luck and hopefully you will find it and post the results to help the next guy/gal with a solution if they ever have that problem.

Are you connected to a DC power supply? If so, and it is not adjustable, it needs to be exactly 12v, not 13.8v. I think they just updated that in their marketing information. Could that have been the cause?

That is awesome, truth is I posted this just to help people on my experiences. I do believe everybody has their opinions and sometimes they try to push it on others, but I feel try things and do your research for YOUR specific situation. Thanks for sharing your experiences it all helps people make informed decisions.

Ya, that could have been the problem with the slim jim as well (being close to other objects), I have restrictions on antenna height. It was a miracle that I got the HOA to approve what I have, but I had a height limit and had to submit drawings and plans for the antennas I currently have. The top of my fireplace has a metal / tin cover, so not sure if that effected my results with the slim jim or not, but it hasn't effected the Fong antenna. I am happy with the results, but don't get me wrong, I would like to have a DX-333 for tri-band (2m, 1.25m, and 70cm), plus a CA-712EFC for GMRS, but that won't happen in my neighborhood, lol, no way to hide a 10'+ antenna above the roof line. 73's and my advice to anyone is use what works for the situation!!

I wanted to do an update (see images on original review), I replaced the Rg8x jumper cable coming from my radio to the antenna switch with Rg142 and it helped and is better matched to the LMR-400. The images on original review are through my antenna analyzer with a new RG142 cable into the antenna switch, then 70' of LMR 400 to the Ed Fong antenna. I will say my signal reports are really good and I am extremely happy with the end results, it is near a perfect match. I run a Comet SB-790A antenna for 2m and 70cm on the switch as well through a 60' LMR 400 run, numbers are great on there as well. Very happy with the set up. Again, like I said, the Ed Fong UHF GMRS antenna just works, I have tested a bunch of different antennas and the numbers and actual field results are good. But, just wish the UHF connector on the cap was better and/or more durable. I used some caulking to seal it up and I have it mounted to my mast with HVAC zip ties, which are hefty.

WRXP381, I am sure the Comet 712 is better, but again, in an HOA, they don't allow you to have a 10.4' antenna above the roof-line. If I had no restrictions, I would choose a different antenna. I actually have a comet SB 790a for 2m and 70CM and love it, it was the biggest I could go and still be allowed in my HOA. Please keep review in context, I am not saying these are the "Best" antennas, but they are the best antennas that are smaller, don't require radials, and put out decent gain for a reasonable price point. My 13 mile reference is with mountains between btw, I can hit well over 30+ miles till I hit south mountain simplex. As an x signal-corp officer and an electrical engineer, Dr. Fong impressed me and didn't try to sell me on his antenna, he just answered questions I had about his antenna and my locational situation.

This is a non-biased review of both antennas which are both great. Nobody gave me anything for free, I bought both of them. The tests were all made on the same 70’ LMR-400 cable run, same antenna mast, same MFJ Grandmaster Meter, Mini 1300 Antenna Analyzer, BTECH UV50x3 on high power (50 w). I live in a HOA so both antennas were raised as high as could be allowed and painted (non-metal base) per HOA request. First, I started with the Slim Jim, it is a very durable and tough little antenna, which claims a 6dB gain. It works great, I was able to reach nearly every repeater in the city, and I thought it was great on simplex GMRS frequencies too. Michael at KB9VBR was very helpful when I talked to him, and the antenna was shipped fast. What got me to consider another antenna was the high SWR’s and lower power on the repeater transmit frequencies. Overall, it is a great antenna, but although the numbers in the simplex frequencies looked great, I wanted to reach out more, so I gave Ed Fong a call. This led me to talking with Ed Fong about some antenna theory and decided to buy the DBJ-UHF antenna tuned for GMRS, for my GMRS antenna. I ordered the antenna and received it in two days, in the meantime, I purchased the 200 psi PVC pipe (he tells you which stuff to buy, and Lowes had it for $5 for 10’). I painted all but ½ inch on each side for the end caps to slide on. Received the antenna, put it together, sealed with silicone at the caps, and painted the ends. First thought, it is a flimsy antenna, and the UHF connector is on a plastic end-piece, you can only finger tighten it. This worried me and still does. Installed it and started my testing, and this is where it gets interesting. Below I am having side by side forward power and swr measurements for both antennas through the GMRS band, but numbers don’t always tell the whole story, which is why I needed to write this non-biased review. I have a buddy that lives 13 miles west as the crow flies (I am on 51st Ave and Happy Valley and everybody knows about the mountains on 67th Ave and 83rd Ave) with mountains between us (not a direct line of sight for sure). With my Slim Jim, I have been able to hit the Sun City West repeater and he lives close to that so we can talk through the repeater, but I wanted to get him with simplex and with the Slim Jim, he could not hear me. Keep in mind he has a handheld, so he can’t reach me, but I wanted to reach him on simplex. We did our first radio check, and what do you know, he can hear me 4x5 simplex, and on the repeater, he says it sounds like I am in the room. That is the test that tells all. I know there are other things in play, but overall, I have made other radio checks and getting the same results, better transmit quality and distance and the receive side is just better. I am attaching some images of the antenna analyzer for the antenna guys (Ed Fong Antenna Only) and also posting side by side forward power and swr’s with both antennas on the same everything (running through the MFJ Grandmaster). Enjoy, both antennas are good and both work, but for me the Ed Fong is superior in performance, not so much durability, so for a repeater antenna that I didn’t want to mess with, the copper KB9VBR Slim Jim may be better only due to overall longevity. But for actual superior function and performance, the Ed Fong is my choice. EDIT: I have changed the antenna analyzer images, as the original images were through a Rg8x jumper and switched to a Rg142 jumper which is a much better match throughout all the bands I have tested with my LMR-400. KB9VBR Slim Jim Ed Fong Fwd SWR Fwd SWR 462.5500 45w 1.22 46w 1.39 462.8000 48w 1.18 45w 1.38 463.0500 50w 1.14 46w 1.39 463.3000 52w 1.12 45w 1.36 463.5500 55w 1.15 44w 1.35 463.8000 59w 1.21 44w 1.35 464.0500 58w 1.29 43w 1.35 464.3000 52w 1.37 42w 1.35 464.5500 50w 1.49 42w 1.35 464.8000 48w 1.60 41w 1.36 465.0500 42w 1.70 41w 1.35 465.3000 40w 1.80 41w 1.34 465.5500 38w 1.85 41w 1.33 465.8000 37w 1.90 41w 1.35 466.0500 34w 1.91 41w 1.33 466.3000 32w 1.91 41w 1.35 466.5500 31w 1.91 41w 1.37 466.8000 30w 1.90 40w 1.39 467.0500 30w 1.85 39w 1.41 467.3000 30w 1.80 39w 1.48 467.5500 31w 1.71 38w 1.5 467.8000 31w 1.59 38w 1.54

It actually isn't bad, the software is easy to program. The problem is you can't name the channels, have to remember or have a cheet sheet for what each channel number is, but it holds 99 channels.

Thank you I figured that, but wasn't sure. So they say USE DCS CODE 065N ON THE ENCODE SIDE OF YOUR RADIO ONLY FOR LINK ACCESS, So basically, on receive there is no code, the carrier is the 462.575 frequency correct. Just like the regular Payson non-linked repeater, only a transmit code which is DCS 065 for the linked repeater and 82.5 tone for the non-linked repeater. I also have a Retevis radio that I program in the truck and it is so much more simple, it just asks for receive and transmit codes, and has all the possible codes in a book and just pick the number, lol

Thank you!! There is not a specific DCS field see photo of available options

Hi everybody, first post on the forums. I understand setting up repeaters using the different transmit and/or receive specific tones and the +5 step. But.... I am having a little trouble figuring out programming my radio for repeaters I currently use individually, but they also have a linked repeater code. I will use the Payson repeater for example as it is an open repeater. DIAMOND PT 575 : PAYSON, AZ, this is an open repeater Has basic set-up settings which I understand as follows: 462.575 MHz Frequency 82.5 Hz Input Tone No Tone Output Tone But, if you want "Link Access", you have to put the following in the radio: USE DCS CODE 065N ON THE ENCODE SIDE OF YOUR RADIO ONLY FOR LINK ACCESS, CARRIER ON YOUR DECODE SIDE. Question is on Chirp, which is what I use to program my radios, how do I set this up as a separate repeater for link access, as this repeater links others that I use? This is how I currently have this repeater (non-link) set up on Chirp: [462.575000/+5.000/82.5] see attached file

Base BTECH GMRS 50V2 and mobile Retevis RA86, plus a lot of handhelds, love them both. The BTECH puts out true power on the meter.

I wanted to comment on the Retevis RA86, have it in the 4runner and I really like it. Things I don't like, doesn't have channel naming ability through the program software, so have to have a laminated small cheat sheet when looking for an odd or new channel. You can not, I repeat, can't extend the MIC with a CAT5 or CAT6 cable, it makes a ticking sound. I have trouble shot this for hours, put the radio on my base power supply and antenna, etc. I also talked to Retevis, they are sending me an extension cable that will work, but I let them know that isn't optimal if you want a clean dash punch out CAT6 Port. Things I like, it just works, it is super easy and simple. The main unit is small and fits nicely under the driver's side dash. Tested power, it was right under 20W at the GMRS frequencies. Cheap....., if you order from Amazon for 110 bucks, it comes with the programing cable, so you don't need to purchase one. I didn't know that so I also bought a second cable that I don't need if anyone wants one. It has narrow and wide band, Midland doesn't. That extra 5 watts is nice. If anybody has any specific questions about this radio, I will be happy to give you the insight.