Davichko5650

I use Fldigi quite often, but only on HF and 6 meters. I use it for RTTY, PSK31 and a slug of the other digital modes, as well as copying Naxtex and SITOR transmissions around the HF dial. I do not use CAT control on the FT-450D, I've never gotten it to work correctly. Not an issue as I'm more of a hands on manual guy anyway. When operating from the truck (not while mobile) on my FT-891 it works very well, both the program for TX/RX as well as the CAT control working. I don't see it really having a GMRS application, per se, but I guess it could be configured for short digital messaging with an HT?

I have not seen this here in Minnesota as far as dimming with age or freezing. When it's well below zero they tend to take additional time to fully display, but they come on fully after at most 20-30 seconds at -20. This on Kenwood, Yaesu and Retivis rigs in the truck.

Welcome from this Army Security Agency/INSCOM Vet here in the Twin Cities! Depending where you are up there in the North, some decent coverage repeaters. I use a few of them that are strategically located near a couple of the OHV Parks I like to off road the Truck in. If you get down to the Cities, there's a decent group of us on Ch. 19 Simplex, as well as some good repeaters that sometimes have traffic on them. Otherwise, you will find that GMRS can be a bit of a "bring your own" radio service. My wife and I use it up north where cell phones are spotty, as well as around the spread at home so as to keep in touch without having to yell!. Enjoy going down the rabbit hole! 73 de WRJG283

Bear encounters: Black, Attack! Brown, Lie Down! Polar, you're lunch!

About as close as we get on the group of us that hang out on Ch 19 hereabouts is using our Firstname and then the numbers on our call signs, as in, "hey Joe 690 are you out there?" "Yo Dave 283, yeah, what's up?" After that we converse and then ID at the 15 and EOT as required by the regs. That way if there's more than one Joe or Dave out there (and there usually is) we can differentiate who we're looking for.

I have one and have used it on Baofengs at home and in the field and have had no issues with it. Odmaster is a bit stodgy compared to Chirp visually, but works fine when out in the wilds.

When I got back into Amateur Radio after being out of it for about 10-12 years (always renewed my license even when off the air), one of my friends from back in the day steered me to try DMR. Recommended the TYT 380UV as it had a good price point, so if I didn't like it, I'd only be out $100 or so. I do use it on occasion on DMR, but like you, I get good audio reports on the analog side, so use it more there than on digital.

Yes, far more Fars so far!

Very satisfied with mine. Far better than the DB20G it replaced, which in turn was better than the Midland that replaced!

My Retevis RA87 has a squelch knob concentric with thee Volume knob. It can be defeated through the Menu using auto squelch settings. I have that off so I can tweak it for intermod or other non signal things that open it. But does seem most mobiles just have the quto type that's adjustable in the menu somewheres.

Wizardry, magic, smoke & mirrors! or is that Wizardry, magic smoke and mirrors?

Did that when I put the RA87 in the truck and moved the DB20G into the shack. Sits right atop the Yaesu FT-450D just fine! Haven't look at Jailbreaking it yet, but monitors 2m/440 hams bands just fine for now and gets on on Simplex with the local ragchewers on Ch. 18 just fine.

$334.99 at Amazon and Bridgecom...

First off, welcome to the exciting world of GMRS. Secondly, if the repeater has the PL tones listed, it can be accessed by you, assuming you can hit it. You could give a call out and see if anyone answers. Let them know you're new at the game and ask them if it's ok to use the machine. More often than not, it'll be fine. Repeaters listed here with the tones unlisted will be the ones you'll want to send a message to the owner to ask about.

Two-way radio for the non-hobbyist or dedicated user seems to be a fad item, As the CB boom of the mid 70's came and went, it has died down; a small resurgence is occurring in that service as seen by the plethora of YT videos and FB groups. But F/GMRS is the current go to in the radio fad world. Prepper driven to some extent, but also the mass availiblity of the units (both FR and GMR) and the ease of use has made it the radio du jour!

As many consider their pets as part of their immediate family, couldn't the dog grab the radio in his paws and key up and give out some arf's? Be a fun exercise for the Kraken Sdr?

The wren, the wren is king of the birds St. stephen's day he's caught in the furze Although he is little his family is great We pray you, good people to give us a treat

Recently I've been hearing SPPD being retransmitted on CH. 2 simplex sporadically. Haven't DF'd it, but definitely near my location as full scale on the S meter when out mobile near my house.

Again I was speaking to FRS and MURS, neither service requires a license. The regs. I cited are for those two services and not GMRS.

Yours is more concise and to the point, as befits the Queen!

Well I'm sure those massive fines and years and years in jail, right? From the traffic I hear on channels 1-7 and 15-22, I don't know of any enforcement going on with the schools, const. workers, bus company or nursing homes I hear using them with nary a callsign spoken. But I worry about my own operating, I'm not there to worry about what they're doing. On the FRS channels, more of the same with a few scattered kids playing radio thrown in, but they don't need to ID anyway.

Not for FRS or MURS - no license required. GMRS, yes absolutely must be licensed and they cannot advertise or offer items for sale.

Actually in 95.303 it is for business usage: Family Radio Service (FRS). A short-distance two-way voice communication service, with limited data applications, between low power hand-held radios, for facilitating individual, family, group, recreational and business activities. So FRS can be used for business purposes, but the limited range may render it less than usable for all scenarios... MURS is a License by Rule service. No fees, no callsigns As in 95.2703 MURS. A two-way, short distance voice or data communication service for facilitating personal or business activities of the general public.

From the article, sounds like they'll be calling CQ, and I'm assuming they'd use the W0ISU callsign. Article doesn't say anything about aprs, only the U/V freqs listed, so I'd say probably not. Only passed along the info as it was posted on the MHR website by Matt K. I'll be hanging at the wrench's place watching a couple oil changes for mine and XYL's vehicle, so may trying to see ig I hear them on the old BooFwang...