TrikeRadio

"also for playing with... in the bathtub."

From a quick google search, it seems that magnets will not affect radio waves... and it won't harm electronics in small items like radios and cell phones. It can disturb some "magnetic storage devices" but I don't think that applies to anything in the radio really. The memory in the radios is solid state electronics ... But again just speculating. no real experience or definite conclusions.

Hmm, Yeah I am not really sure how a strong magnet would affect the radio itself over time. I guess those are made to attach cell phones too? So... I mean a cell phone is really just a radio with a computer in it and a battery like a radio. Cell phone put out 0.6 to 3 watts of power, the TD-H3 can put out 5... but maybe that has no bearing on anything. If you are mounting it in your car, know that an on-radio antenna inside your car will not perform all that well. Better to connect it to an external antenna anyway, if that influences anything regarding mounting it on a mag mount for easy access. Personally I mount or put the radio in a cupholder... and have a hand / lapel mic plugged in with the radio plugged into the antenna on the roof of the car so I can just grab the mic.

Not sure I understand the question or reason for the question. A magnetic mount antenna is usually mounted to a car roof... or used on a metal plate for a minimal "base station" antenna and connected to your HT via a coax cable and adapter. It is not mounted TO the radio magnetically if that is what you mean. Please explain what you are wanting to try if I have misinterpreted your question. I have a TD-H3 and I use my mag mount mobile antenna all the time with it on my car and at home.

Hal, did you resolve the problem? Just wondering if the USB cable connection solved the issue instead of the "programming cable" if that is what you were using.

I use the USBc cable into the programing connection under the mic cable connection. You are using a programming cable into the two prong microphone holes?

But California also has MOUNTAINS. Putting just one ore two on peaks can cover hundreds of miles of area and range.

The repeater channels on your radio are just channels on your radio set up to transmit on one frequency (+5 mhz) and listen on another frequency. This is how they contact and listen to repeaters. (They send to a frequency that the repeater receives and then it will re-transmit on the frequency you and others are listening to) Repeaters can be owned / operated by local individual owners or by clubs. The input (tx) tone and output (rx) tone can be any of the CTCSS or DTS (digital) codes that the repeater owner chooses. You have to know the proper TX tone to activate the repeater. The RX tone can isolate only transmissions from the repeater, or you can leave the RX tone off so you hear anything on the frequency. And repeaters are local. Usually with a range of a few miles up to 100 miles if they are powerful and/or up on a high location.

The repeater channels on your radio are just channels on your radio set up to transmit on one frequency (+5 mhz) and listen on another frequency. This is how they contact and listen to repeaters. (They send to a frequency that the repeater receives and then it will re-transmit on the frequency you and others are listening to) Repeaters can be owned / operated by local individual owners or by clubs. The input (tx) tone and output (rx) tone can be any of the CTCSS or DTS (digital) codes that the repeater owner chooses. You have to know the proper TX tone to activate the repeater. The RX tone can isolate only transmissions from the repeater, or you can leave the RX tone off so you hear anything on the frequency. And repeaters are local. Usually with a range of a few miles up to 100 miles if they are powerful and/or up on a high location.

Welcome to GMRS. I am also in S. Cal, new callsign since June of this year. Which repeaters have you been able to use?

I'm pretty sure it shuts off receive on both A and B when you transmit on either.

The Tidradio TD-H3 has duel channel and separate PTT buttons for the A and B channels, so you could easily transmit on one (as repeater) of the other (set as a simplex) ---but it is also not rated for water resistance so.. maybe not a good option for skiing (or playing with in the bathtub).

also... don't be surprised if your request for access either takes a long time, or you never get a reply. Some repeater owners don't check their messages here on mygmrs very often. Another reason to just pay to join a club and use their repeater. they respond faster to requests. But I totally understand. When I started I tried jsut the free ones that I had tone access to... before I paid to join a club or two

I think that might mean you are actually hitting it. (Unless that is your own radio doing a "roger beep" which you could turn off). I'm not sure how many people use that repeater so you may or may not get a response. Call it with your call sign and ask for a radio check for your new radio... as a test see if you get a reply but yes... outdoors where you have a clearer view of the direction of the repeater might help... but you may be hitting it from inside the house too.

Ranchino should be Receive on 462.600 023 DPL Output (TR) Transmit on 467.600 023 DPL Input (TX) Since the Baofeng UV-82HP is not a GMRS certified radio it might not be doing the proper +5 offset for transmit? But I have never used one so... Not sure.

Offsets are all the same for all GMRS repeaters. always +5 and that is just built into the certified GMRS radio's repeater channels. But yes, the repeaters on the same frequency will use their own input and output tone so you can communicate to and listen to only one at a time.

Have you tried to see if you can get a response from the Ranchino repeater? (I think it is the only one you mentioned that has the input tone publicly listed.) The others.. I guess you will just have to wait for their permissions to get the input tones. I can say that the Mesa Crest club (which yes it costs a very small fee) is well worth it... great coverage and good people on it. They also have a repeater on Santiago Peak as well as their main one. Good luck and welcome to the world of GMRS.

"Tones" I think he meant...(Typo I'm sure) It means your RX tone/code/CTCSS for the repeater. You may have the RX tone wrong that might be why you cant hear them

Yeah even if their new callsign shows up on the FCC site... usually takes a day or two for MyGMRS to add it or recognize it.

Excellent! Yep you never know until you actually try. Glad it is working for you!

Can you tell us what city or location you are in? Do you know what elevation or line of site there might be to the repeater? Is it on a local mountaintop, tall building, tower? 20 miles is not generally a problem for a 50 watt mobile unit or even a lesser wattage radio even with some obstructions. but line of sight to a repeater is always the biggest factor. EDIT (Oh I misread your statement about distance. I see now you said you are 20 miles from the edge of the repeater's 35 mile range circle so.. yeah that might be tricky to hit consistently) also... simplex (radio to radio without a repeater) can work even without great line of sight if you are close enough, so... how far are you trying to connect between two radios?

I have two TD-H3s and I can confirm that the provided USB cable can be used in the SIDE PORT USBc port (not the bottom one on the battery that is for charging) to both connect to CHIRP and program the radio, and you can update the Firmware using it. But yes you do have to either let the software select the correct PORT or you have to manually select the correct port for the usb cable. You CAN get a separate programming cable, but it should not be necessary.

That is the best part of it all! My family looks at me and wonders why I mess with radios. I guess I'll need to have a natural disaster happen around here to validate my radios.

I have not seen much as far as posting about any GMRS/HAM communication assistance in the Western North Carolina regions where the hurricane flooding was so bad. Does anyone have any news or stories if radio operators have been able to help out in that area? Would be nice to hear some good news coming out of Ashville and surrounding areas if radio operators have been able to make a difference.

In any case, you should call the repeater and at least state your callsign. Don't just key it to see if you get a tail. You may or may not hear it. - you can ask for a radio check or just state " testing repeater (whatever it is called or the channel or frequency) and you call sign to see if you get a repeater response or an actual person responding that they hear you.