kipandlee

I would avoid that thing.  For ~200 dollars you can find a great deal on an XPR4550 Motorola Mobile that will draw rings around that.
 
G.

To replace the lost or broken rubber tip on your portable antenna, go to your local auto parts store, and ask for the appropriate sized "Vacuum line cap" available from carberator parts companies. They're cheap, and do the job of looking nice while keeping the rain out. Silicone sealer makes them rather permanent.

I've used the marine heat shrink with sealant in it, and it's great.
When I want a sealed end, whether with or without the sealant I just pinch the end with pliers while the tube is nice and hot. That welds it closed.

I have also had great luck using this method. I also found that in the cases where the metal spring core of the antenna has become visible, squirting some silicon glue into the tube first can be quite helpful. One advantage of using shrink tubing is you can change the color of the antenna, should you so desire.
 
BTW, I have never used them, but there is now shrink tubing available with an adhesive sealant .  There are also some types with one sealed end, so they cover the entire antenna.

have repaired a few antennas using heat shrink tubing worked great and cheap

FB2 is Single User Repeater
FB4 is Multiple User, "Community Repeater", Each user group (Ex: Bob's heating and cooling) is licensed for the repeater pair and their mobiles/portables.
FB6 is Multiple User, Common Carrier, Only the system (Repeater) is licensed, users are licensed as part of the system when they become users. 
FB7 Same as FB6 but non-profit
FB8 is a trunking repeater (centralized)

Unfortunately for the old stuff, Vocoder tech does indeed make a huge difference.... enough difference to make DMR sound better at even (arguably) half the bitrate. So it is not about the theoretical max bitrate being transmitted, its about how much those bits are actually encoding useful information, and a better compression algorithm will provide, like MP3, better audio quality at lower bitrates. I like to compare Vocoders to the Fraunhoffer MPEG Layer-3 audio (MP3) which can store audio at 1/10 the bitrate of an uncompressed PCM 16-bit WAV file and deliver near identical quality to that. Sure, an MP3 is still not as good as a 16-bit PCM uncompressed, which in theory is not as good as a true analog LP vinyl 33 RPM, but it takes 1/10th (at 128 kbps rate) the space of a PCM to send nearly identical information to the analog LP signal, and because the brain knows how to put it back together (ECC is in your brain, filling all the missing FFT analysis gaps, etc) you get a pretty much near perfect song. The MP3 codec was far superior to pretty much all of the pre-MP3 era audio codecs that preceded it. and the bitrates needed for an Mp3 to sound great were almost unheard of at the time (1:10 compression ratio in the early 90s was huge, when most consumer hard drives were still measured in megabytes) The same principle pretty much applies to newer Vocoders. Hence why I say, P25 Phase I its obsolete. Much like DMR will be made obsolete once a new Vocoder tech, or something new comes along and renders it obsolete (like Tier I DMR). GSM is obsolete not because of the more sophisticated radio modulations, but because the increased processing power than didn't exist at the sizes of today three decades ago to make such advanced modulations feasible. Newer modulations ranging from OFDM, WCDMA, LTE, QAM....  cell phones can do gigabits per second on just RF... compared to a 9600 baud FM radio the difference is measured in orders of magnitude, that is just ridiculous. So, to sum this long winded paragraph. Its about useful information density, not the bitrate, more bits doesn't mean a better useful information density. Newer Vocoders offer that, older vocoders don't.
 
As for Dual Capacity Diret Mode, or DCDM, it requires no infrastructure to work at all. Please understand DMR terminology (not just read it from Wikipedia) before emitting such statements, DCDM is a simplex Tier II DMR feature and pretty much any DMR Tier II compatible radio I've tried can do it. Even my 44 dollar CCR Baofeng BF-1801 DMR (a low grade GD77 clone) radios can do DCDM, and have two conversations on a simplex frequency. Can't do that with P25 Phase I, nor analog. Again, DCDM is simplex ONLY.
 
Then you can also go with a Tier I DMR on simplex if you want to run legacy stuff, operating the thing on full single carrier, which is obsolete too b/c you pretty much throw away all the benefits that a Tier II TDMA system has to offer.
 
In a Tier II DMR environment you're not limited to having to use a repeater, you can choose what kind of infrastructure use: you can go with a simplex double slot approach, simplex DCDM, or even simplex Tier I continuous single carrier. And then if you need it, you can chose the repeater double slot option too. You have infrastructure options, which you simply don't have on legacy obsolete stuff. Sure, for ham, P25 Phasie I is certainly fine, to talk about that SWR increase of the newest patch cable on the shack, that doesn't matter, but for a commercial customer, having these options, it makes the difference. (also for a family too) ETSI TS 102 361-x (DMR) was designed pretty much from the ground up to replace FM analog. 
 
Timing slots are for the radios talking at any given moment, there is no need to create an universal timing for the entire country. At any given site, its either the radios themselves (double slot simplex, or dcdm simplex) or a repeater infrastructure that takes care of the timing, and when interconnecting different sites, either using IP Site connect, or any kind of MMDVM, b/c these convert CAI to IP, those packets get sent over the wire to be rebroadcast somewhere else, so how its timed or modulated back to CAI at destination is up to whatever is being done there. Hence why MMDVM can do all this multi mode "ham stuff", you get the IP packet, retrieve the digital voice information and pack it up as P25, NXDN, Fusion... etc.
 
Also, timing on a DCDM simplex setup (b/c there is no DCDM on repeaters since repeaters operate on 2 timeslots), DMR Tier II radios on DCDM simplex will select a timing leader automatically, and I can see that they will chatter once in a while for a fraction of a second to figure out the timing between all of them, so when you press the PTT, all the radios are already synced up and communication happens.
 
In regard to DMR radio mixed mode, my Alinco DJ-MD5 does DCDM simplex with mixed mode analog+digital on the same channel, and will transmit back on whatever modulation the last received transmission was on just fine: It can listen and demodulate correctly DMR or analog depending on the signal that is being received. There is no "interoperability" with FM problem there, but at the same time I have all the DMR Tier II options that a legacy system like P25 Phase I simply lacks.
 
I still don't understand why range, or operating near threshold is relevant to this discussion? Nobody has argued that having better audio to threshold is bad. DMR has that too.... but FM wideband will still reach further. In addition, RF range can be extended using the right infrastructure, better radios, or both. 
 
As for hearing kids on GMRS: here is what happens. First off, I don't hear them breaking the squelch, ever, I never said that. when I hear them is when key my BF-888S running @ 1 watt power, which opens the squelch on all the radios used in the intercom, but if at the same time I am keying my intercom, a 5W portable starts talking, I can hear both radios on the channel. That is the issue I've experienced, which has nothing to do with signaling. Now, when testing DMR all we noticed was a slightly lower audio quality. 
 
 
G.
 
 

Yes Mark, the TK-880 is my preferred mobile.

Do any of you use the TK-880 Radios?  I am also considering one.  RCM, Are the TK-880's what you talk GMRS on? I am going to go with one of the Kenwoods, as I like their ruggedness.  My main activities are Local Emergency Agency (Law Enforcement, Fire Dept, EMS) monitoring & GMRS.
Thanks for the comments and help. KipandLee I did reach out to the link you shared.
 
thank you.

we have a few of the TK-8360 H good radios no complaints if you choose  to go with one here is the software  https://hamfiles.co.uk/index.php?page=downloads&type=entry&id=radio-programming%2Fkenwood-programming%2Fkpg-135d-programming

I have seen a few posts talking about getting more distance out of UHF gear, such as the GMRS equipment we use. It looks like the common theme is, many immediately want to go for more power, assuming they can brute-force their way through issues. I am hoping myself and some of the other people who have some training and practical experience can use this thread to help new users understand how to make life better without more power.
 
I want to start with handheld transceivers. HT antennas use your body as a counterpoise. Depending on how you are dressed, how tall you are, how you are holding the radio, the radio position, the distance of the radio from your body, what direction you are facing, all impact performance. Even how much fat, salt and water your body is retaining at the moment impacts how an HT antenna works, because those things vary the conductivity of the human body. In all seriousness, forget about more power... or even more range from a typical HT.
 
If you want more range out of your HT, your best bet is to find higher ground, figure out where the best place to stand is, and what general direction to be facing when compared to the receiving station provides the best communications path.
 
 
Mobile antennas are often several wavelengths+ in overall height and the body of the vehicle is typically a much better reflective counterpoise. There is a lot that can be done in the mobile and base antenna world that can help, but for now, lets continue to focus on why 'more power' likely isn't the right answer.
 
 
 
There is a standard in radio communications about intelligibility of radio communications. It is called the 5/9 scale. 0 to 5 for voice clarity and 0 to 9+ for signal strength in s-units. It is said that while a 2/1 signal provides partially usable comms, the lowest "reliable" communications happens at a 3/2 (or 32) and the best is a 5/9+ (often called 599, 59+20, 59+40).
 
With that in mind, you have to quadruple your power to impact a receiver 1 s-unit. So, if the other party is receiving a signal at 1/2 s-unit while you are using 4 watts, you need 16 watts to go to 1 s-unit. You then need to jump to 64 watts for 2 s-units. Finally a third jump in power of 256 watts to get to 3 s-units and possibly getting a reliable communications signal (a 2/3 or 3/3). Depending on the modulation of the carrier signal and bandwidth, you may need to jump to 4 s-units, requiring well over 1,000 watts.
 
Now, lets say the same receive condition exists, but now you are already using 20 watts for that 1/2 s-unit. Now your power jumps are 80 watts, 320 watts, 1,280 watts for 3 s-units and possibly needing 5,120 watts for 4 s-units. Well, the first bump you made already seriously violates power restrictions in GMRS.
 
AND, this is under hypothetical perfect conditions, assuming nothing else changed in the environment. Which almost never exists.
 
Chasing better performance by boosting power typically doesn't give you any truly desirable results. The top 3 items that will help improve comms in almost every band is elevation, elevation, and elevation. From there its antenna tuning (and beams) filters to reduce interference and lowering the noise floor, as some examples.
 
 
 
So, for our technically skill folks... Would anyone like to contribute some general advice for new users to benefit from?
 
General advice on what to do or not to do?

Absolutely, finding higher ground should be the first step towards improving a setup. Running more power only matters on fixed setups where the antenna is already as good as it can get, or on mobile operation where there is no 'finding a good spot'. Even then, there's not a huge difference between 15 and 40 watts.
 
Here's my first piece of advice for new users (and I have a bunch, fair warning): use scan mode on a radio that will tell you the active CTCSS tone or DCS code if you're looking for repeaters to use. RTL-SDR is also a good tool, and makes the entire 462 MHz band visible with good sensitivity and excellent selectivity.
 
Especially on fixed setups, grounding is important. Noise will get picked up along the coax and travel up to the antenna, where it enters the receiver. The effect is very apparent on SDRs, where the noise floor is directly visible. When grounding a setup, check for ground loops with a multimeter.
 
Learn to recognize the busy-channel indicator on your radio. When the radio detects any activity on the channel, regardless of correct CTCSS/DCS, it'll turn on the busy-channel indicator. It'll help you to know if you have the correct CTCSS/DCS for a particular system. Some repeaters use multiple CTCSS/DCS, so this indicator can be useful on those repeaters to make sure you aren't interfering with a different conversation. On Baofeng's radios, this is the green LED on top of the radio. On Motorola's commercial radios, this is a blinking red or green LED near the antenna; on their FRS/GMRS radios, this is the red LED above the display.
 
Some repeaters transmit CTCSS/DCS back to you, but only while someone is transmitting to it. If you're hitting the repeater but can't hear it come back to you once you finish transmitting, this could be a possible cause. Use the monitor feature on your radio or check the busy-channel indicator to check for the repeater's tail.
 
Don't be afraid to try simplex. If you hear a callsign with variable signal strength, they're probably not going through a repeater. It's rare to find contacts that way, but that's largely because hardly anyone calls for contacts on simplex. 462.5625 (channel 1), transmit and receive CSQ; and 462.6750 (channel 20), transmit CTCSS 141.3 and receive CSQ are good places to try calling CQ.
 
People who use MDC-1200 on their radios don't actually have to hear the data bursts, the radio can detect the burst and mute it. It gets annoying so most people with MDC-1200 radios have their radios like that.
 
This forum sure does love their Kenwood TK-880s and Motorola M1225s. They're great radios, but terrible general-purpose radios. Virtually all commercial radios can only be programmed by computer software, so you have to know ahead of time what you're going to talk to. Speaking of commercial radios, used Motorola HT1000 radios are incredibly durable and inexpensive. They use the same programming
 
Don't waste your money on the BTech GMRS mobiles, the quality control is practically absent. The GMRS-V1 is apparently alright and Part 95 accepted. Use CHIRP for programming; it will save a lot of time and headaches, while allowing for named channels.
 
When buying a used radio online, make sure the frequency range actually includes 462-468 MHz. For handheld radios, make sure that you are getting (or already have) a charger and antenna. The battery is probably shot, so include a replacement in your budgeting. I like to have at least one spare battery, so I can continue using the radio while a battery is charging. Don't transmit on a handheld radio while it's charging.
 
Counterfeit antennas are a thing, especially with Nagoya. Buy from trusted sources, or find a friend with an antenna analyzer or VNA who'd be willing to show you how to see if an antenna is good or trash. Be willing to learn how to use test equipment, or at least be aware of what that test equipment is testing. It'll help greatly in the future when you are faced with new problems.
 
GMRS isn't ham radio, but it's often used pretty similarly to 70cm. Ham radio clubs are still a useful resource where you can make lots of friends with lots of knowledge. If you don't have a ham license, they'll pressure you to get one. A Technician-class license is easy to get, costs much less than your GMRS license, and you may even be able to use the same antenna for 70cm. Different clubs have different focuses, so don't get discouraged if you don't feel a particular club is right for you. Depending on the area, hams may not like GMRS for one reason or another; but recognize the common interest in establishing reliable communications between licensed operators.
 
There's a 30 MHz gap between 70cm and GMRS, so most 70cm antennas with appreciable gain don't work on GMRS (and remember you're usually transmitting at 467 MHz, not 462 MHz). Check your antenna's documentation to see how much bandwidth you have. Most handheld antennas are broadband enough, and most commercial-band antennas actually work better on GMRS.
 
Don't put up a repeater until you know exactly what you're doing. There's enough deaf GMRS repeaters out there. Don't take on the task alone, either. The more support you have, the better (and, for you, cheaper) the repeater can be. Even a low hilltop provides significantly more coverage than a rooftop repeater. Sites cost money, but can cost a heck of a lot less if you get to know some repeater folk and can make a good sales pitch. Don't use LMR-400 for repeaters.
 
Getting above the roofline makes a big difference in suburban areas, particularly when trying to work hilltop sites. For more rural areas, try to get above the treeline if possible. If you're the only one-story house in a block of two-story houses, ouch.
 
Be it ham radio or GMRS, remember that the radio hobby is about communication. This includes, but is not limited to: rag chewing, technical talk, emergency communication, repeater building, proselytizing the wonders of properly configured radios, and being willing to help the confused. A lot of people out there try to assert their dominance over a channel and run around with a better-than-thou mentality, and over the course of your license you'll find at least one of them. They aren't out to improve either service or what each service stands for, so stay away from them. Don't let them change your perception of the radio hobby, either.
 
If you hear confused FRS users on channel 1 that can't get their radios to talk to each other, offer to help. Transmit CTCSS 67.0 and receive CSQ. They'll probably need help configuring CTCSS on their radios. Ask for the model number and look up the manual on Google. Stuff like this happens more often than I'd like to admit, and half the time those people spent a lot of money on those radios. Be a good citizen.
 
Some repeaters will beacon out their callsign. That doesn't mean there's anyone using it. Repeaters aren't supposed to do that, but not everyone has a good repeater controller. It's almost universally agreed upon that such repeater behavior is super annoying.
 
Not all repeaters identify, and that can make it a pain in the rear to figure out who owns the repeater. It's usually private repeaters that don't identify, and some legally don't even have to. It's another fact of life that makes frequency coordination difficult for repeater owners.
 
The FRS channels, especially 1-14, are flooded with business users. They're allowed to be there, and aren't looking for conversation. Let them be. They're close enough together (a few hundred feet, typically) that they won't even notice you're on the same frequency as long as you're on a different CTCSS/DCS code.
 
Not everyone is following the rules. Report egregious violators to the FCC, but don't expect enforcement action. Report criminal activity (eg. terroristic threats, use of radios in a crime) to law enforcement, not the FCC. If you happen to know who the perps are, tell the FCC as well. You probably won't encounter any such activity.
 
If you start getting involved in the commercial radio users crowd, be it on 70cm or GMRS, you'll see a lot of brand loyalty. I'm a Motorola guy, since those are the first commercial radios I got involved with and those radios meet all of my needs. We have a lot of Kenwood folk on here, and boy do they love their TK-880s. Both make rock-solid commercial radios. There's other brands out there, too. Stay away from cheap Chinese radios, those are markedly not rock-solid radios and may not have any type-acceptance whatsoever. It's generally accepted that radios with commercial (Part 90) type acceptance are fine for GMRS (Part 97E) operation, since Part 90 requirements are more stringent in terms of RF performance. While the FCC is yet to make an official exemption, they allude to it frequently in the 2017 rule change discussion.
 
Directional antennas (mostly Yagis or log-periodic antennas at these fequencies) are terrible general purpose antennas, since you need to know the direction towards the stuff you want to talk to. Commercial omnidirectional antennas covering 460-470 MHz at a minimum make the best general-purpose antennas. Browning's BR6157 is a good starter antenna, with some gain and a wide bandwidth. If you spend more than $60 on one before any sales tax, you've overspent.
 
Use FakeSpot when shopping for radios or accessories on Amazon. Don't get ripped off by fake reviews.
 
Monitor channel 1 (again, transmit CTCSS 67.0 and receive CSQ) during disasters. You may save someone's life. Prioritize your safety highest; you're still a victim.
 
Don't be a dillweed on the air that hides from consequences behind a microphone; respect is reciprocal. Not everyone you'll meet understands this.
 
When you got your GMRS license, your whole family just became GMRS licensees as well. Come up with a separate simplex channel for them and them only. It's useful when outdoors, communication between vehicles on road trips, or during disasters. Having a nationwide license to operate a radio without frequency coordination, and with unlicensed operators on FRS, is a beautiful luxury we have on GMRS that you will get nowhere else. Make sure to test your channels ahead of time, and check them regularly if you don't use them often.
 
I mentioned it earlier, but I'll elaborate on it: RTL-SDR is an excellent tool for GMRS. All of the output channels are visible with a spectrum analyzer-type visualization. Interference becomes easy to spot and identify. CTCSS and DCS decoding is straightforward and nearly instant, and works with hardly any signal strength at all. Signal strength readings can be calibrated against an absolute scale (dBm), which allows for comparison between antennas and locations. A fancy setup of them, Kerberos SDR, can do direction finding with real-time map plotting, but requires some technical knowledge. SDR is fairly recent, and there's plenty of user groups online (like Reddit's r/RTLSDR). When shopping for RTL-SDR, don't spend more than $30 for a bare unit, and don't buy anything that doesn't have a 1.0ppm TCXO or better. If the item description doesn't say TCXO, it doesn't have one.  RTL-SDR Blog v3 is a good unit, and the Nooelec NESDR SMArTee performs the same. Throw the RTL-SDR Blog 20dB LNA on there as well, life will be much better. Use a USB 2.0 extension cord with SDRs.
 
Talking on a handheld radio while driving a vehicle is illegal in California under the cell phone laws. Mobiles, with a simple PTT-only hand mic, are fine.
 
Don't get a 16 or 48 channel radio as your first real commercial or commercial-grade radio. Go for something with at least 128 channels and a screen. Get the programming software and cable before you get the radio so you aren't stuck with a paperweight. Don't give money to HamFiles.
 
If you have a lot of long conversations but all you have is your handheld radio, get a mobile radio and a power supply. Use a proper antenna (as discussed earlier) and some low-loss coax (RG-8, LMR-240, or better). PL-259/SO-239, also called the UHF connector, is a terrible connector at UHF. Avoid it wherever possible. Use TNC or N for permanent or semi-permanent connections, and BNC for connections you switch out a lot. Keep your connectors clean and seal any outdoor terminations. Assume each adapter adds 0.5-1dB of loss, so use as few adapters as possible. Get your coax terminated in whatever connector your antenna has; don't leave the adapter outdoors. Mastic tape gums up over time and future you will hate present you. If you use cheap non-outdoors coax like I did, it can get water ingress. SWR will still show a rather normal reading, but the wet insulator will suck up all your RF (easily 99% of it).
 
Good coax is thicker than you think. Take that into consideration.
 
Folk at your local ham radio club, or GMRS club if you live in an area with one, have done enough fixed radio installations to be able to help you with yours. Don't go out alone and do it, but take some notes so you can eventually help others. Honestly, they're not that hard.
 
If you're in a place that gets thunderstorms more than a few times a year, lightning protection is a real concern. Nothing will stop a direct strike, so unplug your equipment during such inclement weather. That's another reason to keep portable radios around.
 
Repeaters almost always use hardline instead of flexible coax. Hardline is expensive and requires special tools. Good feedline is critical on repeaters because you usually have a 40-watt transmitter on the same antennas as a sensitive receiver. Slight non-linear effects, even a rusty fencepost nearby, can cause issues with receiver performance.
 
If you have an opportunity to visit a hilltop repeater site (an opportunity you may get if you're involved with repeater groups), take it. The first trip to one is an experience, and you'll get to see a variety of real-world installations. Hilltop sites are surprisingly dirty; nobody's up there keeping the floors clean. Some sites are cleaner than others. It's often a long drive and fair distance from civilization, so bring a lunch and go to the bathroom before the trip. Some sites require four-wheel drive and an experienced driver to get to. Buy their dinner.
 
Flat areas can get significant coverage from a low-level repeater. Rooftop repeaters actually have decent performance in those environments.
 
Even on rooftop antennas, your simplex range to a five-watt mobile/portable can be as short as two miles. GMRS is heavily influenced by line-of-sight propagation. Building penetration is better than MURS or 2-meters. 

did you simply view the entry in chirp to confirm the radio function, or did you disable and then re enable the FM function? It's worth a shot.

I would also write the  changes to the radio after each change with CHIRP. Disconnect the radio fro your PC and cycle power on the radio before reconnecting to switch the feature again.

Update:  Thanks to @Radioguy7268 my first VX-264 is on the air in wide-band mode.
 
Some notes for those who may follow...
My Vertex Standard branded VX-264 with firmware 2.07 just arrived today and I used the Motorola CS150 v5.01 international version software to program it.
 
To switch the radio to accept wide-band channel settings I used the Wide_Band_Recovery_Tool software v1.03. (This is not available from Motorola but, thanks to Radioguy7268, I can share a copy with anyone who needs it.)  NOTE: with the VX-261/264 radios you must use v1.03,  v1.02 does not support them.
 
I did not use, though I have ordered one, the FIF-12 programming adapter. Instead, I used the <$20 CT-106p cable from BlueMax49ers. 
 
Extras: I do not own any windows machines so I used a Win-7 VM in VirtualBox for the wide-band recovery and programming. Also, as my MacBook only has USB-C ports, I used a USB-A to USB-C adapter.
 
So far I am very pleased with the radio and find it almost ideal suited for CERT type applications.

Happy Thanksgiving! Hopefully everyone's bellies are full and you're spending time with your friends and family.
 
Now that we're heading straight into the holiday season, I wanted to mention that we have launched a new store. Previously we had a Spreadshirt shop which only sold t-shirts and similar apparel. Now, we're expanding into other categories such as radios and radio accessories. Many of our Spreadshirt items are available on this new Shopify store.
 
We're still working on dealer arrangements with some GMRS radio manufacturers, but in the meantime we have a great Black Friday/Cyber Monday deal: 20% Off your order of $50 or more! Just use the discount code BLACKFRIDAY19 at checkout.
 
If you have ideas for products or designs we should carry, please let me know! 
 
https://shop.mygmrs.com/

this software can be used to adjust power levels to your liking BTECH UV-25X2 and UV-50X2 Squelch Engineer Software

The link posted above is correct for the TK-880.

Thanks for the help and link. I'll give it try. I have ordered a cable and should be here this week. I'll keep you posted.

link to software https://hamfiles.co.uk/index.php?page=downloads&type=entry&id=radio-programming%2Fkenwood-programming%2Fkenwood-kpg-49d-rss_2           the TK-880 s are great radios welcome to the forum

Unfortunately, a lot of crap is made right here in the US and some quality product is manufactured overseas. Not only that, but some products sold by American companies are imported, especially at the low end of the line.
 
But, I think Corey hit the nail on the head when he wrote...
... and many other things in life.

I have tested Motorola, Kenwood, Icom, Midland, Macom, etc.. All of these radios are for the most part spectrally clean, the audio does not over deviate and the error rate on the transmitters is always within spec. This just goes to show you get what you pay for in electronics.

You posted a request about help selecting a radio, to which I responded. If you don't want to hear what other people have to say, don't post. My point was, if you are willing to consider Part 90 radios, there are a lot to choose from.
 
If you don't want an M1225, the CDM1550 is newer and there are a lot of them on eBay. They will outperform a cheap CCR (and the Midlands are exactly that at inside) long after the CCRs have died.  However, if you don't like Motorola, try Kenwood. They are solid radios and easier to get software for. Just search the forum, there are dozens of posts on the Kenwood radios.
 
But, suit yourself.

Sometimes a good ol harbor freight wrench and a grinder come in handy to make those specialty tools

Couple things to check in the software. First, under "scan information" make sure you check the box that says "off-hook scan" This allows the radio to scan despite your mic not having an off hook detector, or if your using a base, it'll scan even though the mic isn't in a clip. Also make sure "Revert Channel Display" is UNCHECKED.

In the "Channel Information" window, ensure the channels you wish to scan have "Scan add" set to Add. Note, the TK880 will only scan channels in the same group by default. If you wish to scan all channels regardless of the group, change the "Group scan" setting to multi (Found in scan information)

I think that'll clear the "E" and instead just say "Scan" Note this is for the 49D software, if your using other software you may have different procedures to do.