LeoG

Sounds like you have a good location which is probably better than any coax or antenna. I need more punch since I am limited in height and live in hilly terrain with lots of trees. Height is might, and that's something I'll always lack. Highest up I'll get is 80' above ground at 166 FT above sea level. To the east and west of me 5 miles away are 300-400' mountains, dead cutoff

The price difference between LMR400 and 1/2" Heliax isn't really that large. The dB loss between the two is pretty significant. Going up to 7/8" is a big jump in price and the gain in signal isn't that huge in shorter runs. But pretty significant when distances grow.

If you are running a base station, simplex or repeater communication I'd say that might be so. But if you are running a repeater I wouldn't go much more than 50' with LMR400. Plus the dissimilar metals in the coax can cause issues long term. I'd use 1/2" Heliax minimum for a repeater for the whole run and when it got farther than 125' I'd switch over to 7/8" or larger.

There's an option in signalling that is CSQ that I think will run no tone. But I think it's global. I can't see a way to do no tone.

Have you tried a different USB cord? The cord that comes with the radio works. I'm using Win7 and I can get it to go

Yup, just upgraded to the newest version which was March 9, 2025 and it includes the H3 GMRS

I know the option won't come up for me. Maybe the newer version of the app includes them.

I complained to them that I had to sign in and they gave me a dummy email account so I could log in. Without the log in some of the radios don't show up and the H3 is one of them that won't show.

In the description it says it can be used as a base station. Some people take that literally and think it'll do 1-23 plus the 8 repeater channels. It will not. It can't because it has the duplexer built in which would kill the incoming simplex channels. It's designed so you can respond with the repeater on the repeater stations with the microphone instead of needing a separate radio to transmit to the repeater to talk. Some people.... don't understand this. Even Randy was hoping the description of the "base station" was that of a full range GMRS radio as described. But he to, found out it can only transmit on the repeater pairs while only receiving on the 467MHz side.

I also think there an option in the updated menu about being a non toned channel.

That would be tough for the Spanish speaking tv stations. I would assume since it's govt it would be a "one size fits all" rule.

I'll only be using 1/2" Heliax for my transmission line. For me the cost difference for the dB gain isn't worth it on a 80 foot run to upgrade to 7/8" (1.18dB vs 0.65dB 32 vs 36 watts at the antenna in my situation). And there's no way I'd want to take the chance of getting used coax they may or may not be compromised from the weather. This isn't an area repeater, it's for my family for use in town and maybe farther out if the radio Gods permit it. I don't have nearly enough height to get real distance out of it. I don't expect much more than 10-12 miles in my terrain.

Whoops

I think the Kenmore (Kenwood- whoops) plug is easier to use than the USB. There are some USB cables that won't work properly with programming. The cable that comes with the radio works for programming. Cheap cables only designed for power might not work.

The H3 can be programmed with the standard Kenmore cable or a USB cable in the USB programming port. You are correct that you can't program it using the charging port, but that isn't even connected to the radio, it's internal to the battery itself.

Copy and paste is your friend. That was the only way I could get anything in there. Low power on the repeater is 5 watts I believe.

Seriously? The 1000s of pages of regulations that are "interpreted" to mean one thing during this case and another during the next? You read them and understand them as best you can and then you might get corrected because of your wrongful interpretation. No one, not even the smartest guy at the eff sea sea knows all the rules and regulations pertaining to even a single class of radio and understands them to the fullest exception of the interpretation of the different people who will eventually rule on them on an individual case basis.

After reading the soldering thread I'm not so sure about that.

I have 10 of these, or will on Wednesday. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09V4ZDJTJ?ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_fed_asin_title&th=1 I also have two of these but they went from $69 to $109 which prompted me to buy the others before they doubled in price. They are on my truck and charge the battery that powers my 3KW inverter.

The only thing I've bought to circumvent the tariffs is 3 solar panels to bring my total to 10, which was my target.

For BTECH it's still a work in progress. They say they will keep updating it. It has many plugs on the rear panel that are yet to be connected internally. Not sure if a firmware update or actual tinkering will need to be done to get them active. When I got it, it was version 1 and had issues. No DCS available and wonky duplexers. A simple firmware upgrade fixed the DCS and they sent me a new duplexer without me asking. A likely found out defect. Then months went by and they did the 2nd firmware upgrade and the mic upgrade. The unit I purchase had no usable microphone, disappointing. That next upgrade fixed that and they even sent me the patch cord to do it for free. The firmware upgrade cleaned up the menu system, added a squelch. It was set at 6 (of 9) and that screwed up my reception from my house which is already a weak signal. I knocked it down to 1 and that fixed that. All I need to do is jack the antenna up in height.

It's rated at 10 watts and it usually produces 6-7 watts at the connector.

I've been running the BTECH RPT50 since early August and besides them replacing the duplexer, which had been a bad batch or inadequate for the power (ask Randy) it has operated well. It's programmable from the display, microphone or computer (Win10 or greater). Simple channel change over if you wish. Simple tone change over, takes seconds from the display. Mine puts out about 42 watts after the duplexer. The newer ones have this function installed already, I had to upgrade it so the microphone actually worked as a microphone and not just to program the repeater. The CW ID works but is rudimentary. You can program hang time, it has a courtesy tone if you wish, has a signal strength squelch which is new. No longer limited to a 12 volt system. Will accept a standard 13.8v system if you need battery backup. Takes about 20 minutes to get it setup the way you want. Quicker if you are familiar.

Ya, that's the reason I'm putting the tape on then the heat shrink. If for some reason I need to get in there the heat shrink glue is going to be adhered to above and below the joint and glued to the tape which is removable but still protected by the heat shrink. Are you saying the self fusing tape will stick hard to the antenna and connector points? I am using 3M Temflex 2155.

OK, still waiting to get this antenna up for my repeater, but I've bought a second one for the house. I had a water infiltration issue in my coax and need to replace that. Since I borrow a bucket truck to get up there I am also replacing the current antenna with the 712EFC. What I'd like to know deals with waterproofing the system because I don't plan on going through this again. The 712 is a two pc antenna and it has a screw type grommet system to join the antennas. This is a possible water infiltration point. I got some marine type heat shrink tubing (1.5") and plan on wrapping the joint with 3M rubber splice tape that was recommended here someplace. And then cover that with the heat shrink tubing. It has an adhesive in it to seal everything off. On the top of the antenna is a cap, I plan on sealing this too just in case. Just want to make sure doing this won't affect the SWR or performance of the antenna. I don't think it should but I figured I'd ask anyway. I plan on wrapping the N connectors with the 3M and the heatshrink tubing also at all my connections at the antenna and the lightning arrester.