TrikeRadio

I see you changed your icon too. Well done. @OffRoaderX

As people have already stated, yes the stronger signal will stomp on other transmissions that are weaker in spite of tones. It can distort or cause distortion on the other tone transmission. and if a user is not using a tone on receive (only transmitting on a tone, they will for sure hear the other party in open if it is stronger than the one they intended to hear. Two groups on the same channel/frequency CAN use it together with different tones but it is never likely to be ideal.

Here is what I use wtih a mobile antenna. Juse a metal pizza pan. (This was mostly and experiment using it indoors and it seems to put out a great signal to he repeater 24.5 miles away)

I knew, just from reading the title of this thread that @OffRoaderX would be the first to reply.

I guess it is sort of like the stock market... when everyone is freaking out because they don't understand the reality or the long term ... time to buy at a discount.

FYI.. Routing the coax through the rear hatch on my VW Passat wagon seems to have worked best for me. the angle, spacing, and rubber seal seemed to work much better than the doors or sunroof without bending the coax very much at all. Thanks for all the idea and input everyone.

I bought this mobile mag mount antenna for trying my HT in the car and on a metal cookie pan for a ground plane in the house... works great and comes with the adapter. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09TPZ221K?ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_fed_asin_title

Using VOX on a bike is probably never a great solution. Beyond the technical issue of getting it to transmit when you want and not due to wind noise is one thing, but from my experience, there are a lot of other things one says and noises one makes while riding that would trigger it... sounds and words you may not want to be transmitting! Think about it... Just saying. Get a boom mic with something to cut the wind noise and a PTT button.. or get a small hand mic.

What frequency are you trying to transmit to? QUOTE From link below... "The firmware and software can also be found on the TIDRADIO Support site which allows full operation in the frequency range of 136-174 and 400-520 MHz (and beyond). This range is also accessible by pressing PTT and * at PowerOn." https://www.miklor.com/COM/Review_TDH3.php

I don't think it matters about the firmware... Even though TIDRADIO has separate firmware files to download, I think they may be essentially the same. When you reset its mode to NORMAL it should work with the "unlocked" setup. Question for OP WSEK624... * What channel slot are you putting your test frequency into. (In NORMAL it should take any channel slot, but if something is not right and it is still locked in GMRS mode... then it is programmed to only allow GMRS channels in 1-22 and repeater channels in 23-45 I think.) Above that it is listen only in GMRS. * I assume you are trying to enter HAM frequencies since you have it in "NORMAL" ? * Can you also check your firmware version for me in setting 42?

Hmm.. that might work. I had not thought about the back hatch... that might work actually. gotta check my coax length but I think i might have enough.

Thanks for all the input and Ideas everyone. I'll take a look again and see if I can find a way that works best. I am mounting this on the roof of a VW Passat Wagon. I like putting it through the sunroof but I think If i closed it all the way the fitting between the metal/glass parts would be too tight. The passenger door may be better. I'll look at it closer again.

I did try putting it through my door jam once... but I guess I was a bit paranoid about doing it. It did seem to make the cable take on a "bend" or some amount but straightened back out again. I was just wondering if it is better to try to lay it down lengthwise in the door jam, or toward on edge of the door or the other. And yeah... not that much to have to replace it but I don't want to damage it just because I was not doing it the best way.

I have a mag mount antenna that I have used on my car roof successfully. I have routed it into my sun roof which works fine except for the wind noise I have to deal with with the roof glass tilted up just a bit to not pinch the cable. I have thought about routing it through a door but I am paranoid of pinching / damaging the coax. Is there a preferred or recommended way to route a mobile coax cable through a door without crushing it? Any methods you have used or tried that worked (or didn't work) that I should be aware of?

From the mind of a nube GMRS user like me... LOL

Very true. Yeah I was just always curious if it was possible and fit the rules. Yes, you would probably make a lot of people mad and the FCC could probably call it an "RF NETWORK" to get you... so not a good idea anyway.

Oh... repeaters are not allowed to transmit on "input" frequencies? it would not necessarily be a loop it it transmitted to the input on a different channel would it? (Example: if repeater A takes input on 467.675 and outputs to 467.700 ... which Repeater B picks up and re-transmits to 462.700) (if it is ok for a repeater to transmit to an input frequency)

I know everyone is sort of sick of this topic now but I was wondering... if a repeater was set up to take input and retransmit to the input of another repeater further away... rather than re transmit on the regular output frequency... thus "linking" between it and another repeater further away... would that be ok as defined by the FCC. The connection would be over the air not via wires or networks or internet. Just curious if this kind of "daisy chain" via radio only would be something that could be legitimate.

Besides some older radios not being able to use DCS... Are there any other real differences? Is DCS possibly more reliable or able to overcome static or interference more so than CTCSS ?

I second this... Some way to say I don't need to ever see responses to this thread anymore.

And I suppose neither repeater owner is willing to just change their tones? Seems like they would want to so it was not messing up people between the two.

Well... next time I try to hit that repeater 800 miles away...

WOW! Thank you for that link! I have been looking for something that could show line of sight and take elevation into consideration. Do you know if it also accounts for curvature of the earth over distance or does it just simple calculate on elevations.

I like some of the ideas in your NET like mentioning one's radio, and a measurable response about the quality of their check-in. In the weekly Net that I participate in, the net controller almost always says everyone has a "good signal" ... and well.. sometimes to me at least it does not seem some are that strong or clear. I think it is a more practical and useful method your group is using if the purpose is to check and test communications and how they are working. I might suggest this to our net controller. The tribute to a "permanently logged off" member also was a touching thing to do. We have members how have passed listed as "silent key" members. Many are checked in by the net controller as silent keys for a number of weeks or more after their passing in memory of their years of service to the club.

Good point. I don't think twice about the AM/FM radio that is factory installed. So yeah, I assume a mobile unit would be fine. I guess I am just a bit paranoid. I currently only have HT units and I don't leave them in the car for both fear (however unfounded) of the heat killing them... and because I don't need them to attract thieves. (of course I could just put them out of sight in the glove box or something.) Maybe I am over-thinking this!