CoffeeTime

The Midland MXTA26 is very popular here for GMRS off-road use. Ready to go without trimming. I run one on my 4x4 farm truck, and it takes a beating in the woods. Nevertheless, that antenna continues to get compliments on the quality signal/sound. Note: I don't even have it roof-mounted for the best possible ground plane. Mine is on an SS homemade bracket on the side of the rear window protector/headache rack. It just works. Best Regards!

I do not use the Retevis cable and instead use an aftermarket (Mirkit universal set) cable and Chirp. Nevertheless, if I am remembering correctly, you might also need to download the Retevis Driver in addition to the Retevis Software -- offered on the Retevis Website on the RA87 page. I expect that the driver is for the cable. Once you get the cable working, you should be able to use either programming software. Best Regards!

Three Cheers! Best Regards!

Here is a possible link/or a contact to explore: Best Regards! https://grapevineamateurradio.com/collections/radio-gear/products/ed-fong-j-pole-antennas-dual-band-220-and-roll-up?variant=32440756568243

No experience owning a DB40, but I do RX and TX with a guy who owns a mobile DB40, and that radio sounds very loud and clear through my mobile. It sounds good! I have been running a RA87 mobile in my dusty 4x4 farm PU truck for about 2 years with no issues. I leave it on 20 watts, and it does fine with good reports from other stations. No fan, so the dust stays outside it. FYI, It can get warm on 40 watts if very long-winded. I also have a DB20 (20-watt) on a power supply set up as my home base unit, and I love it. It uses a dual-band/mag-mount/mobile antenna riding a baking sheet set in my first-floor window. I receive good reports back. I just ordered another DB20 since they are currently less than $90. Note: The RA87 is TX on GMRS only. No jailbreaking/expanding the TX per Retevis- I asked them. The RA87 has been a mobile good radio for me so far. My DB20 TX and RX frequencies can be expanded and easily returned to GMRS only as desired. However, I am not sure about the DB40. I have received good customer service from Radioddity (easy radio replacement), and I have received good Tech Support from Retevis for programming questions. Radioddity was extremely easy to work with. My experiences with Retevis reveal a much slower process. It simply takes much more effort to communicate with Retevis and more hoops to navigate through to get your need/point across and get results. It will take a lot of emails /and repeated efforts to solve problems with partial shipments/ missing items/ damaged items when purchased from their Retevis site. They shipped an order of 3 units to me in multiple separate shipments, and I was missing items. Communicating the issues was difficult and took repeated emails and pictures of packaging, etc. I no longer buy direct. I prefer to use Amazon for the 30-day returns/ local return drop-off. Test all gear as soon as it arrives so you meet any return deadlines. Either brand-- please save all packing materials and take a picture of all of the small parts items you receive -- just in case of a return or missing items. Radioddity wants everything back, in the original box. A picture taken when opening the box will help repack it all later and ensure that you return only what is needed. Radios bring more money on the resale market when the original box and manual are present. The shipping materials I held onto from Retevis proved that there was no way three mobiles arrived in the package I received from China. There wasn't room for three units. Best Regards!

I am rural and just getting started with Meshtastic. I built a RAK/ solar node combo three weeks ago (operating in client mode), hanging twenty-four feet up a private utility pole that I own. I also assembled two Heltec V3 devices for field use. Last Saturday, I left a V3 (in client mute) running inside the house while I took my second V3 device out on the road trip for testing the hops back to the property. I used some newly established secondary family channels. I was able to get 30 miles through a high-elevation relay and 10 miles with other nodes. I usually hold the device in the open air outside the vehicle for better chances. I was surprised when I drove to a large regional shopping/business/residential area and realized that there were no mobile or fixed nodes in that area to hop through on. I had better luck in smaller residential areas.

Trying to assist someone... He is looking for a mobile radio recomendation. He wants a Mobile rig to use with FRS at 2 Watts and GMRS 5Watts for Comms with his rock climbing friends. They all have Rocky Talkies and he wants a Mobile that will work with Rocky Talkies-- both the FRS and GMRS versions. He threw out around a Mobile in the 10-15 watts unit-ballpark. Any ideas on a GMRS Mobile rig that has that 2 watt pwr. option for TX on FRS and is not locked out on FRS? Thank you!! Best Regards!

If you are still having questions on the menu/Echo function... Please try an email question directed to Amber Chen at support@retevis.com She has been very helpful and responsive to all my questions. Best Regards!

Retevis has updated the page numbers so that (reference to missing page 36) is now page number 16. Please see this update /visit their site to download the PDF for the latest revisions. Best Regards!

I love reading the questions and answers. Keep asking! Welcome to the group! Best Regards!

For manual programming of my Baofengs (UV variations) with the keypad, I know that unless I hear "Saving Memory," this channel number already has data assigned to it --- and that this assigned/occupying data must be deleted before any new data will be reliably saved. I no longer try to update any occupied channel---I simply delete the channel and program anew for that channel number. To manually create a channel memory, using the keypad menu, I enter/ define everything I want from the keypad menu options (including tones) before saving the channel memory. Again, If I don't hear "Saving Memory," ... I don't have a reliable saved channel. Hope this helps someone. Best Regards!

My RA87 in the truck as been great performer for months now. Many of the issues I faced early on was from me learning the radio. If things go sideways now( from me playing with features) I simply reload the code plug and all is right again. Not having a cooling fan is a good thing in my dusty truck.

I have been here myself with a new H3. Please troubleshoot /check the radio's antenna port pin for visible damage/broken off. Please also examine the cable and the inline SMA adapters used during testing. Poor antenna port connection problems might affect your Finals, Output, and Reliable Repeater Connections. I have history here. I think the current CP is corrupted and not actually writing to the radio what you think. If you have a reliable H3 available, you can easily upload this good CP from this reliable HT >into Chirp> and then write that reliable CP to the non-working unit. Loading a reliable code plug is better than a Reset in my experience with multiple brands. In Chirp, always confirm that the Vendor and the Model are correct. Best Regards!

I found a missing tone issue on my DB20 (I always program via the software). In my case, several rewrites to the radio didn't fix it. It stayed absent. All other tones were there. I needed to delete the Code plug line (for the fault channel) and enter the details again for that channel only. All great now. I like the DB20. Best Regards!

Here is a working example for my RA87. I hope this helps you somehow. Best Regards! SILVERADO MOBILE 04182025 Ham .img