WSAH786

Ok, so as I understand it, transmitting in simplex from the KG1000 on channels 1-7 and 15-22 (462.xxx MHz) should be ok. 8-14 (467.xxx MHz) blocked on KG1000 due to output wattage anyhow. However, if I'm using the KG1000 in duplex (467.xxx MHz) on other repeaters it could cause deafening of my own repeater, especially around my repeaters input frequency as it is not a high-end duplexer. Good food for thought. Radio traffic is always light in my area anyhow, so I don't see it as an issue, but this good knowledge to have. Thank you, guys, for your input. I appreciate it. I guess one last question I have is, if I upgraded the duplexer to a higher quality can type, would I still have the same issues with deafening of my repeater due to the proximity of the two antennas?

Can you elaborate on that? I have two antennas in my attic (HOA). Both are TRAM 1486's separated by 15ft. One attached to a repeater/duplexer and the other to my KG1000+ (used as a base). I have wondered if the base would interfere with the repeater antenna while on deferent frequencies. Obviously, I don't use the base to hit my own repeater but would it interfere with someone trying to use the repeater at the same time? Or is this a totally different question?

Good morning ole' wise members of knowledge. When it comes to configuring tones for a repeater, does it matter whether I use CTCSS or DCS tones. My repeater will do either and I currently have it set up for a CTCSS tone, both broadcast and receive. Are there pros and cons to using either? Or just personal preference?

Greetings wise people, Probably a silly question, but would it be possible to modify an Astatic D-104 microphone (like the one below) for use with a GMRS base? I really like the feel of these old mics, but realize my KG1000 that I am currently using as a base has multi-function controls through the existing mic... but most are redundant to the control head/radio itself. Would it be a fool's errand? Sorry, slow at work today, so my mind wanders on things like this.

I'm not totally against Ham, just haven't researched it heavily. So, a Technician's License wouldn't give me what I need? I would need a General License?

So, sort of like when CB's used to skip. Interesting read. Thanks for the link.

Sorry about your friend. Sad how life events can affect random things. As mentioned above that’s kind of how I ended up tinkering with radio again. I'm not feeling really down on radio... just probably set my expectations too high. I've added a lot of non-GMRS frequencies to my base (KG1000G +) and scan through them at night and early mornings before work. mostly hear activity from Kings Dominion and occasionally Bass Pro shop. The nearby airport I only get the FedEx traffic, that must be data because it's just a buzzing noise. I actually was listening this morning to GMRS and had two clear and strong signals coming from, what one guy claimed was a Falls Church repeater. I didn't interrupt, but one was claiming to be in Alexandria, and the other in Delaware hitting this repeater on GMRS. I feel like they were screwing with me, but they didn't know I was listening. That's 83 miles away. I was getting almost full signal from them and clear modulation. One guy mentioned that the sunrise would disrupt them. I didn't know such a thing would interfere. Oh well, could have been pulling my leg. I’m sure I will dabble with ham in the future. I have been considering a technicians license. All good food for thought! Thanks for the input.

There's not really that much of a question here, but it would be interesting to hear people's feelings and comments on the state of GMRS. I recently got back into radio after the passing of my wife and in an effort to pass boredom at night. I came across my 47-year-old CB radio that had been packed away and not thought about for at least 43 of those years. I bought an antenna, coax, and turned it on.... nothing. Or at least nothing that was interesting to listen to or anyone to realistically communicate with. I thought with my proximity to the local beltway and interstate there would be something going on. With that being the case, I figured cell phones, social media, and streaming TV had pretty much made CB obsolete. The old days of having group chats any night of the week on different channels among friends while using handles, that reflected their personalities, rather than using call signs which were usually announced when signing off using old ten codes. Yeah, back then one had to purchase licenses for CB. I can still remember mine. Guess the FCC gave up on that band. I can remember talking throughout the week on radio and then putting faces to the voices on weekends for a Saturday morning coffee break usually at a Shoney’s or Bob's big boy. Time marches on I guess, and things changed, but I have really good memories from back then. Time to look for something else. Anyhow, I've always known about HAM or amateur radio, but also knew it came with studying for a license which was simply more effort than I was wanted to put in. I read about GMRS, which seems a little like CB 2.0 having a purchasable license but still seem to have some of the elements of HAM as well, in that it can use repeaters and required user identification. I monitored a lot of channels for a while with a cheap Baofeng just to get an idea of what, if any radio equipment I wanted to invest in. As previously mentioned, I didn't want to put in the time for HAM licensing, not to say I won't in the future, but it seems to me that is all about making contacts which doesn't seem to fill my needs. There is a very good GMRS repeater here in town with very good coverage given the terrain, as well as some more localized repeaters. I ended up purchasing and setting up my own repeater and after some hard learned lessons (radio desensing is real problem and coax on UHF, don't cheap on it... they mean it, use LMR400 at minimum), I finally got the results and coverage that I anticipated from my own setup. I am disappointed though that most people I interact with still seem to use it sort of like ham in they mostly just want signal, location, and call sign to log somewhere. There are a few people I hear from time to time that appear to be coworkers chatting on simplex. I occasionally will hear traveling groups in separate cars just keeping contact as they move through the area and every morning, I hear a Wegman's distribution center talking about which docks they need to be on. I know that a few off-roading groups and campers tend to use it but mostly in simplex. So that leads me to wonder, is this all there is? What is the direction and future of GMRS in your honest opinion. Am I being too nostalgic? Maybe so.

Hello everyone, I'm still fairly new to GMRS but have a question. I have been monitoring the GMRS channels in my area and have recently been noticing what sounds like old CB sideband. I'm pretty sure side band frequencies are much lower than GMRS and am confused at what it could be. It seems to be coming through on a channel I setup a repeater for and previously monitored for a couple of months before settling on that frequency. Just though I would ask and see if anyone knew what it may be? It doesn't seem to be hitting the repeater but is annoying none the less.

Greetings wise ones. I have a question about trimming a TRAM 1486. I understand how to measure and where to cut when tuning the antenna, but my question is when using it as a repeater antenna with a duplexer should it be tuned for the receive (467.xxx) or transmit frequency (462.xxx)?

Ok, I really appreciate all the information above and have looked into the Comet CA712EFC. Unfortunately, the length of this antenna has exceeded the height of my attic as I only have roughly 9 1/2 feet of head space and it appears the Comet needs about 10 1/2 feet of height. I have noticed that the Tram 1486 seems to be popular as well and is with in my constraints. Is there any input someone would like to share about this antenna's performance or lack of? Thanks in advance, Mark

Thanks, WRYZ926 for your concise answers and with what both, you and Randy's responses are along what I was thinking, but it's nice to hear it from seasoned veterans of the GMRS community. Also, thanks for your suggestions on antenna types. It gives me food for thought going forward. I may try one in the future just to see where things go. I'll enjoy allowing my repeater to service the local airport industrial airpark which it has good coverage as well as the I95 and I295 corridor if even for only a few miles here in Virgina. It's what I had expected. Thanks guys.

I appreciate the honest words. My repeater really does meet my expectations and maybe in the future I will try something else. I was just trying to wrap my head around the tech talk on antennas. And that other guy (WRXP381) was kind of like an unhinged liberal insulting my situation and choices.

Greetings oh wise ones, First basic information: I have recently installed a repeater to my attic due to HOA restrictions and am trying to make it the best I can, given the limitations and budget. The equipment being used at the moment is a BridgeCom BCR-40U. Originally, I was running it at a full 40-watt output but after some testing, I turned it back to 25 watts with no evident fall off that I can tell, in range (5-6 miles), or quality so why run it at maximum. There is a 50-foot run of LMR-400 up three stories to an Ed Fong GMRS antenna in the attic which resides 38 ft up. I live in area with gentle hills that has subtle changes of elevation of roughly 20 feet with only a couple of spots dropping 50-75 feet for the cutout that the interstate runs through. I've been reading through many threads here on the subject and quite frankly my head's starting to hurt. I've been trying to understand the difference between low and high gain omni antennas having doughnut or pancake patterns. Then there's DBi vs Dbd (don't get me started trying to understand that when comparing). As mentioned, I'm currently using a Ed Fong which I've seen advertised at different gain numbers. Not sure if it is considered high or low. My understanding that since UHF is line of sight, that low gain (doughnut pattern) is better for higher mounting application while a high gain (pancake pattern) might miss users close to the antenna. But since there are many homes and trees in my area and my antenna is in the confines of an attic at only 38 feet, might I gain coverage with a high gain and not lose local users close to me? Or would it even make enough difference for the investment. My expectations were met with the current setup, but I might splurge for a better antenna. I mean the distance to horizon at 38 feet of height is about 7.5-8 miles. There still are trees and buildings. Sounds like I'm talking myself out of it. Just want to make sure it's not due to ignorance.