Davichko5650

I would, but I need $$$ for new guitars and guns....!

Good mix of users there! There's a clown on one of the local repeaters here who transmits, on weekends only so far, some sort of alarm protocol. "The loading dock doors are open." "The pool doors are unarmed." Etc. Another person likes to retransmit the local SPFD Computer dispatch info. Don't hear much feedback as there's not a lot of people using the repeaters. Have two nets we get here. The Family Fun Net, Saturday's at 6 pm local, and a couple nets on Sunday that trade off. Definately more activity on the simplex channels, and channels 1-7 at that. But since I got into GMRS to talk pretty much to my wife and son, I' don't much use it to reach out to others. The occasional conversation with a random stranger, but I've got the amateur bands for those, LOL...

Wasn't trying to be snarky, btw, my fingers managed to hit the "send" button before the below comments: No issue, just surmising their higher ups got them some cheapo FRS bubble Packers. easy to replace when (not if) they bust them. They're getting about 1 - 2 miles of range from where I'm hearing them, as the Bus Co's and the schools are at known locations. That and the lack of callsigns being used. Haven't bothered to do a ULS search to see if any of the users have a grandfathered Business license. Don't really care, just interesting to hear what's out there besides my own small group. Actually had a decent conversation on one of the local repeaters this morning. Guy called out his callsign and "radio check", so I replied and we chatted for about 10 minutes. We tried Simplex, but he was on an HT with a mag-mount and about 20 miles out, so no joy.

Around here we call it "The People's Radio"!!! Have used a couple out in the field on occasion. Good radio, but not sure it's enough for a long time Yaesu guy to look at adding one to the stable.

Know these already, thanks!

Actually driving by one over the weekend had a few WallyWorlder's on the lower channels, but that was a drive by, so not included... My son's work uses MURS but I generally don't listen there much.

On the three recent radios I picked up for GMRS, only the Retevis RA-87 was preprogramed with CTCSS and DCS Tones. Botht the DB20-G and the GM-30 from Radioddity came with no tones!. Quick work with the laptop fixed the RA87. Deleted the tones on the shared channels, except the ones wifeypoo and I use, and corrected the repeater tones for the 6 local repeaters hereabouts....

Attention grabbing Title, lifted from Tolkien! But driving around town with the new RA-87, I have it set to scan the FRS/GMRS channels. Making occasional contacts on a couple repeaters and via simplex with a few friends as well as the Wife and Son. But mostly I'm hearing a few stations on the same channels during weekdays with some regularity. Located in St. Paul, MN for those who care. Here's where and what I hear very often. Ch 1 - local kids teaching each other "radio etiquette" and otherwise chatting ("You have to remember to say over, over...") Ch 2. - Dispatch and mobile for a DT hotel shuttle bus service Ch 3 - Local restaurant, mostly in Hmong, with occasional bursts of English. Ch 4 - Charter School, bus lady looking for buses and other such traffic. Also an occasional group of construction workers in the DT area. Ch 5 - Local School bus yard office to yard workers. Ch 7 - Factory workers of some sort. Foreman barking out orders with more than occasional profanity. Ch 14 - Flagger Crew for the many street construction projects. As you can see, most of the traffic is in the shared channels 1-7, but I seriously doubt these people are using GMRS radios! What kind of consistent radio chatter are y'all hearing, assuming you're scanning around the channels?

Balance this against the definition of "network connection found in 95.303: "Network connection. Connection of a Personal Radio Services station to the public switched network, so that operators of other stations in that service are able to make (and optionally to receive) telephone calls through the connected station." Nowhere in Part 95 could I find a definition of "other network", so the grayline continues???? The prohibition in 95.349 seems to be slanted towards not allowing autopatch or other types of phone patches to PRS radios. The regs of course predating the explosion of the internet. What is really needed here is a test court case, or a NAL being issued and the response thereto to maybe clear things up in the muddy waters we now have...

You did say "beginner in the Thread title, but any HF rig can be used by a beginner or an expert! But to look at basic, no frills rigs, one still in production is the Icom 718. Has DSP, but no many bells and whistles. Lacks 6 meters. Can't recall off hand if it does FM for 10 meters. Have seen a few at our monthly (non POTA) Hams in the Park gatherings here in the Twin Cities, and am impressed in the RX and TX from this solid rig. Used, you'll be looking at things like the Yaesu FT-450D. Very excellent rigs for beginner and expert alike. It's the mainstay of my Shack and even were I to upgrade, it's never leaving! Internal Tuner, DSP, 6 meters, all modes. A soldier on digital modes. Other used, late model rigs to look for are the Icom 706G MkII. If you're looking to operate mobile, my hands down recommend is the Yaesu FT-891. Have had mine in the truck just over a year now, and it's a solid performer. Lacks an internal tuner (moot point as I run the ATAS-120A tunable antenna) and is a bit menu driven, but the rx/tx results are very good. Older rigs in the mobile area will be things like The Icom 7100 (still in production?, I'm not a Icom guy) or Yaesu FT 857 - 897 - 818 - 818. Hope this helps, Dave WRJG283/ N0TXW

It looks to be listed in the Baofeng area on the Odmaster App. I found the best $22 I've spent of late was the TIDRadio bluetooth dongle, makes field programming of Baofengs a breeze with the Odmaster app! Waiting for them to get the Beta for the Radioddity GM30 worked out to try that as well, although the CPS software from them was a snap to use. Basic difference between Chirp and using Odmaster is that Chirp displays all the data where with Odmaster, you have to open each channel's info one by one. But not having to lug around a laptop makes up for that.

I did go ahead and get the Retevis RA87 - works pretty well, okay Chinglish manual, but pretty intuitive to program on the radio. Much easier with the software on the laptop. Might go ahead and pull the trigger on the DB40 to compare the 2 since ORX hasn't seen fit to do a comparo for us on YootOob yet. If I do, which ever one I prefer or performs better will go in the mobile, the other will be put in the shack for base use. So far, better RX and TX than the DB20 the RA87 replaced, a function on TX side of more power? But seems to have a better receiver than the DB20 I drive around with 3 friends it seems then, having the MXTA26 and a Comet 2m/70cm and a Yaesu ATAS120A on the truck. MXTA is on a mag mount, the other two on diamond K400 mounts.

Or we could have ORX release the Kraken sdr....!

Welcome aboard. I'm a bit in the same boat as far as the XYL goes, except she will never get an amateur license, absolutely zero interest in most any facet of the radio hobbies I engage in. But when we're way up north and there's no cellphones, she will use the GMRS radios. Work well for cabin to boat calls, and other such things. She also has started using them here in town around the house, beats yelling across the yard! As I just got a new mobile rig, the old one is going into service as a base at the house, and the older Midland MXT275 will be thrown in her car. Enjoy, and best regards Dave WRJG283/N0TXW

And as we know, that is WHEN and not IF, LOL. We use GMRS here in MN when going off road at the OHV parks and/or off exploring logging and forest roads up north. Cell service is spotty out there. A lot of us use channel 7 in group runs, as well as channel 16. Also good that there's a couple repeaters with good coverage near a couple of the OHV Parks. Nothing to worry the Moab crowd about, but definately some good rock crawling to be had here, although that's not my bag as I run my daily driver. Have fun, stay safe and SEND IT!

No worries!

Recently purchased the RA87. Comes factory with the GMRS channels 1-22 and the 8 repeater channels. I downloaded the programming software and driver from the website and used the supplied cable to program the radio. Like many HT's I see ORX go off about, the RA 87 had CTCSS or DCS codes on almost every channel. First order of business was to clear those, and set tones for the 2 frequencies we use about the spread so I only hear wifeypoo and the son when they call. Then I set up the 6 local repeaters hereabouts. Added some outstate repeaters we use when Off-Roading and/or travelling to see friends. From what I've seen, the radio is easy to program on the rig, but it was super easy to do on the laptop!. Have only had it a couple days, but so far the extra oomph of the 40 watts has worked well around town. Better than the DB20-G it replaces, which will replace the MXT275 we were using at home. And yes, when you use the software, the first thing that pops up is the Freq. range window - either 136-170 (I think, at work) or 400-490, so yes, this is the same platform as the 900 2m rig it seems.

The mount should work fine. Decent NMO CB Antenna is the Browning BR-140 - 49" length, runs about $60

MXTA26 is not a CB antenna.... Browning BR-140 is an NMO CB Antenna - round about $50-$60 online... 49" length

Most other replies have already noted that the majority of GMRS users don't log contacts. It wouldn't be hard to make a google sheets or excel spreadsheet to log contacts if you do want to do so. Callsign lookup would be easy enough here on mygmrs.com or the fcc ULS database. In my case I can't see the need to use repeaters when traveling except for Off-Road runs, where there's a repeater handy, JIC. Most my use of the service is for mobile to base. In town mostly simplex, with some repeater use, to call home, as does my wife (she has zero interest in two way radio other than this). Up north, it's great for mobile to base and base to boat on simplex as we're out of cell phone range on most areas around the cabin. I do have a couple friends I chat with, very occasionally, on local in town repeaters, and one net I try to check into when I can. But I have no desire or need to log any of this radio traffic. Same goes when I talk to people on 2 meter amateur. Mostly people I know and as most FM and repeater contacts don't qualify for awards, no reason to log them. Dave WRJG283

I have tried it and it did in fact say "fars". Midweek so I don't recall if it said "mygigglehertz"....

And the mailman, er, um, letter carrier, will probably still bring you some of his mail!

I just dole out one of my LXT600 F/GMRS HT's and tell them stay on Channel 8 FRS, I'll relay if you need something from farther up or down the trail... I still have the ancient Travel CB I got years back, and an older, tweaked Cobra 29, but that has sat so long, no idea if it'd even fire up, much less transmit.

I used our unused clothesline pole, it was perfect for mounting a collapsible 33" Channelmaster stainless mast. Up atop that is my Comet CHA250B 80-6 meter antenna. The Pole has a 3 foot concrete base and has withstood sustained winds of 74 mph unguyed. It was $165 well spent. Contemplating a side arm below the 33' mark to put a GMRS antenna up for better simplex base to mobile coverage. Installation took 2 of us; my ancient self and my younger son, but was very easy to do...

Isn't the collector's answer "buy both" ???? Just sayin'