Lscott
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Posts posted by Lscott
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56 minutes ago, WRUU653 said:
The next thing you know your looking for a support group for compulsive radio purchases
You don’t want to know how many HT’s I have.
- WRUU653 and back4more70
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2 hours ago, WRUU653 said:
This is good advice. I do this too. I have even download the software ahead of a purchase if the radio isn’t supported in chirp…
I buy mainly commercial Kenwood HT’s. If I find a radio model I don’t currently own but thinking about buying I’ll research it first. Get the brochure, which is good for a summary of features for the specific sub-model types.
The second is getting the programming software. If I can’t get it then I just don’t bother with getting the radio. Usually without the manufacturer’s software to program it then it’s just an expensive brick.Also want to make sure that items like battery packs and chargers are easily available too. Some people have purchased nice radios but the battery packs are almost nonexistent.
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15 minutes ago, vefrancis said:
I thought there was only one type of repeater. What is a simplex repeater? How will I know the one I'm contacting is simplex?
It's also commonly called a "Parrot" repeater.
The way they function is the repeater will record, some seconds to a minute or so, of the input audio stream. Then on termination of the reception it will re-transmit the audio just recorded usually on the same frequency.
These repeaters are less expensive due to the fact they don't need bulky and costly cavity filters, used to isolate the receiver from the transmitter, for true simultaneous reception and transmission of the audio stream. Some have built one for remote emergency communications.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o05ILiIg5o4
https://www.argentdata.com/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=98
The negative aspect is the delay due to the necessity of recording the input audio stream and then the re-transmission. Many people find using a Parrot repeater rather irritating due to the delay.
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Is there any growing consensus, like with SSB, what channels to use for FM?
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Has anyone used the new CB 11m radios on FM? Opinions?
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1 minute ago, WRXD372 said:
As you all seem to be sitting in your backyard by the pool, let's try something:
Get a friend to join the "GMRS fun" - challenge !!!
What, and contribute to more band crowding that others have been complaining about lately?!
- wayoverthere, marcspaz, SpeedSpeak2Me and 2 others
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46 minutes ago, intermod said:
Are you suggesting that people in areas that were just ravaged by wildfires are irresponsible when they install a new repeater to save lives?
I wouldn't equate the two.
I do want to point out the somewhat frequent post where a new GMRS user wants to setup a repeater. Most have no idea what they are getting into and what the various pit falls might be. The real important question is how many of those who want a repeater REALLY need one of their own? With just 8 frequency pairs it won't take that many before interference between them becomes a problem.
Perhaps the FCC could require some kind of coordination, either officially, or through a local group of repeater owners. The Ham community had a coordination group.
It might even be a better idea to pool the resources from several potential repeater owners. The pooled resources are used to Install a repeater at a location with a wide area coverage and open access to reduce the need for a bunch of smaller coverage zone repeaters scattered all over a given area at random. When one looks at the cost and work required to roll your own and the small coverage zone you get with a site with poor antenna elevation the above suggestion looks better.
This was done with a couple of repeaters in the Detroit area in the past several months. The additional benefit are the repeaters are link so even more of the area is covered. My understanding is another one will likely get install farther up north of the area, likely also linked too.
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20 hours ago, TheSidewinder said:
Looking at a chart of Amateur Band frequencies, and see the names/types of devices permitted to use in various ranges, such as RTTY, Data, Phone, Image, SSB Phone, etc. All nicely color-coded and very informative, except for something that's probably so basic they didn't include it.
I know CW is a Morse key device/output (I think), but what "type" are our little hand-held GMRS/UHF/VHF radios?
I can't seem to find a definitive answer, though I'm unsure of a good search term.
Thanks in advance.
The attached files are also useful.
Common Emmision Mode Designators.pdf FCC Service and Station Codes.pdf
- WRXB215, TheSidewinder and Sshannon
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2 hours ago, tweiss3 said:
but there are some odd things in the rules, such as you can use a cell phone and hold it up to your ear, but cannot hold it for GPS usage.
Given how small the screens are you almost have to hold it up close to see anything.
The one thing all these laws show are the people who write them have little to no technical or operational knowledge of radio usage. Further what studies do they even consult, if any, to justify some of the stupid provisions in them.
I just have to laugh when watching YouTube videos of cops in a high speed chase doing 90+ MPH driving ONE HANDED while calling out direction and road intersections on the radio. You can clearly see it in the body cam footage. I sure would like to know what course they took to learn how to "safely" drive like that, one handed using a radio, while the rest of us are considered a road hazard.
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6 hours ago, axorlov said:
Great article, thanks. Explains real life vs theoretical +3db advantage of wideband.
This also explains why manufacturers went to digital for the very narrow band channel setting, 6.25KHz, which at some point the FCC might mandate. The manufacturers claim FM using anything less than the current 12.5KHz channel spacing isn’t practical and the only way to achieve it is through digital voice technologies.
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1 hour ago, WRUQ758 said:
There will be a 3 dB degradation going from analog "wide band" (25 KHz channel spacing) to narrow band 12.5 KHz. See the link below where, a table and maps will explain the interaction of reducing the modulation and using a narrower filter in the receiver. There is some receiver sensitivity improvement, however, lowering the deviation reduces the modulation energy.
It’s a bit more complex than the above.
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40 minutes ago, KAF6045 said:
Lack of a cable connection to the actual radio along with the presence of a significant display on the unit would likely put it on the wrong side. The former as holding it will look a lot like a cell-phone to any outsider (police), and the latter serving as the "distraction factor". Anything where one is likely to be looking away from the windshield&instruments.
From other sections of the bill (emphasis mine)
(d)(ii) appears to cover devices that can be (bluetooth) linked to the vehicle dash/display unit such that one only interacts with the vehicle, not the device itself.
(e)... dashcams
(f) with (d)(i) -- suction cup mount on lower windshield, with device in hands-free operation other than maybe needing a touch to, say, answer an incoming voice call.
They'd have had fits with my first dual-band mobile rig. Transceiver mounted in trunk. NO dash-mounted control head -- ALL controls were tiny buttons on a T-shaped speaker-mike, along with a narrow LCD display. (I don't know of anyone who paid for the optional "front panel"). https://www.universal-radio.com/catalog/fm_txvrs/C5718DA.html From before Standard Radio became part of Vertex-Standard (which got entangled with Yaesu, before splitting again and maybe getting sucked up by Motorola).
This is exactly why the law is very poorly written. Leaving it up to the cop or judge to make a technical determination is not how the law should have been crafted. There is no “objective” standard and leaves it to the personal option of the officer or judge. That’s how laws get invalidated.
Just to make it clear the law as written ONLY mentions some part of the upper body holding or supporting the offending device, nothing about the legs. I mention this because on more than one occasion I’ve had Hams tell me they send CW while driving with a Morse key strapped to their thigh. Dah?! That’s OK while a wireless BT speaker mic isn’t?
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12 hours ago, WRXD372 said:
"If you look close enough, you will find something!"
Stalin’s head of the KGB once said “show me the man and I’ll show you the crime.”
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I’m guessing it’s a homemade repeater that went on the fritz. That’s why there should be a TOT, time out timer, on the transmitter. Also there should be a repeater control operator monitoring it too. The later should have the ability to remotely gain control of the repeater and disable it.
I’m reminded of another story on the Ham band. There was a similar case with a continuous unmodulated signal. That case was tracked down by some Hams using DF techniques. The cause was the mobile radio’s mic got stuck in the seat back somehow where the PTT was pressed in. The owner never noticed.
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17 minutes ago, WRXD372 said:
Looks to me like this is considered a "electronic device that is not permanently installed in a motor vehicle". Yes, you could try to argue that this is a "radio part / accessory" by gluing a cable to it ...
The way that the law is written provides an easy way into stopping any person with "any" device in their hand. The rest is just falling into place during the "chat" after the stop. If the cop concludes that the driver was "distracted" ... or takes a close look at the driver's cabin ... or at the paperwork ... or ...
"If you look close enough, you will find something!"
If the law is written in such a matter where it’s vague and subjective interpretation that varies from officer to the next courts have found these laws invalid and or unconstitutional. It seems to me the law is arbitrary without logical reason for the distinction.
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I’ve had good luck with Kenwood radios. Most allow programming for wide or narrow band FM. My typical GMRS carry radio is the TK-3170.
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So how does my remote control Bluetooth speaker mic fit into the picture? It seems technology is a step or two ahead of the law and it hasn’t even gone into effect yet!
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If anyone is interested the attached brochure has the various models shown.
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15 minutes ago, nokones said:
The Earclip was uncomfortable for me after wearing it for 10-12 hours. It always felt that the edge of my Ear was being pinched. The curly clear tube and molded earmold was a lot more comfortable for me for 10-12 hours.
I don't care much for anything that sticks in my ear either. Mine are rather sensitive. After a few hours the ear starts to hurt a lot where the insert is located.
The "D-Ring" is comfortable to wear for long periods. I don't much care for the lapel mike location. I have another ear headset that is a multi wire design. There is a long wire you run down your sleeve. The mike and PTT are on that.
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1 minute ago, nokones said:
That's the heavy duty wire kit.
That fits several model Kenwood radios I have. Those use the universal connector side port. The rest of them use the typical "K" type connector you see on the cheap Chinese radios.
The universal connector is billed as being pretty much water proof compared to the "K" style. The negative with the universal connector is one of the pins can be energized with 5VDC which is used for some of the GPS and noise canceling enabled microphones. If you're not using an external speaker mike you need to have the side cover installed or you could short out the pins and wreck the radio.
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3 hours ago, nokones said:
An earpiece wire kit with a molded ear insert would also help to impress the chicks.
All kidding aside I like the “D-Ring” ear hanger type better. Nothing to stick in your ear and my experience the sound quality is much better.
?!? -- that might explain it ...
HTs and mobiles with full control of memory slots within the bounds of Part 95
in Technical Discussion
Posted
That wouldn’t be noticeable in my collection.