Lscott
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Posts posted by Lscott
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I thought this thread was about getting a commercial radio license, not for motor vehicles. My mistake.
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4 hours ago, gortex2 said:
I ve never found a VHF 1/4 wave to perform well on a UHF even though it will work. For TLMR and great repeater systems its ok, but for 90% of my UHF stuff a 1/4 wave UHF will outperform it.
Not surprised. The radiation pattern is crap. Most of the power is at very high angle relative to the horizontal. I modeled a 1/4 on a ground plane operating on the third harmonic, which is what you would be doing.
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25 minutes ago, gortex2 said:
Dude you needed 3 different threads on the same topic ? Really ? This is a dead horse. Stop beating it just burry it. It will never happen. Go use another service.
People learn the most from their mistakes.
It's like the little kid in the kitchen. Tell them don't touch that, it's hot. Turn your back and a few seconds later you hear the scream. Time to get the band aids out. Next time you tell them something is hot they'll believe you and leave it alone.
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1 hour ago, WQWX838 said:
Yeah, this plot is not very good... However, it was into a 50 Ohm load. A better measure in practice would be to do the same plot using the HT factory antenna, and measuring the same parameters using the off air antenna on the service monitor. A/B more complete characterization. Performance my be worse at 2nd or 3rd..., or could be better. Best I have ever heard is these radios are exactly what you pay for. They do have a giant upside though as people get in cheap with little downside $ risk. Oh, and was the one test sample random? How many were there? Just one won't do. Perhaps some are made that perform better?
I have no idea how many were tested. I was doing my usual thing looking for documentation on the various radios I have. I found the test data during one of my search sessions. I keep a folder with all of my radio info in it. One of the hardest things to find is the service manual/schematic for the cheap radios. Usually the commercial types I had far better luck finding stuff.
I had zero luck finding the service manual anywhere on line for my Ham TH-D74A. I finally got a support tech from Kenwood sent me one complete with schematic. I passed that around to several people who wanted a copy. Also posted it on a user group too.
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1 minute ago, marcspaz said:
@Lscott Great find on the PDF! and... Wow... that makes both my head and my heart hurt to look at.
Yeah those Baofengs make great dual and triple band radios. You can transmit on several bands all at the same time!
- AdmiralCochrane and WRVX790
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40 minutes ago, WQWX838 said:
OMG guys! Yes..... I did not know until about one minute ago what "CCR" even meant!
Well you learned it doesn't stand for the old rock band " Creedence Clearwater Revival"
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The attached file, found on the Internet, is a test done on the often recommended UV-5R radio.
This is the FCC section dealing with emissions on the Ham bands.
https://www.law.cornell.edu/cfr/text/47/97.307
Section "e" is worth reading. Particularly about transmitters of 25 watts or less. That would include portable radios.
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2 hours ago, kirk5056 said:
I know the un-official GMRS Travel Channel Committee has met. And while I disagree with the Committee’s findings I whole heartedly agree with the beginning premise. That is SOMEONE HAS TO TAKE THE BULL BY THE HORN AND JUST DECLARE A TRAVEL CHANNEL. I am just hoping, after I present more ideas in my next 2 rants that the Committee might reconsider.
This is like the old joke about how 3 people can keep a secret. It works as long as two of them are dead.
That seems to be the only way it’s going to happen on GMRS, agreement on a travel channel.
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46 minutes ago, tweiss3 said:
You may have to ask a dealer that does a ton of volume. I really like the dealer I first placed an order with, but with the market as it is, I asked the local dealer that serves the whole state (and does pallets of radios a month). They usually get priority, and can make another one appear on the truck. The big downside is you pay list, and that price has been adjusted 2 times in the past 6 months that I'm aware of.
Figures. I have a Kenwood 2022 price guide showing the discounted price and list price. When I was soliciting quotes I sent the section of the price guide to a few to see if I could get a better deal. One vendor commented it was a good price except Kenwood just increased them. From their quote it was about $50+ higher. ?
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2 hours ago, catbrigade said:
I heard that chip issues played into Kenwood discontinuing or at least stopping production on some of their ham gear.
Kenwood doesn’t appear to be going to the 2023 Hamvention this year. All sorts of speculation why that is.
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22 minutes ago, Radioguy7268 said:
Even before Covid hit, Kenwood had an issue because one of their major chip suppliers (AKM in Japan) had a huge fire that destroyed most of their factory. Then, once Covid hit, Southeast Asia went on lockdown, and most of the chip making factories locatd there were stretched pretty thin. Last batch of the NX-1300 series radios I ordered took almost 4 months to get in.
They are a nice radio. I like the audio on those, especially compared to the similar priced Motorola CP100d.
I think for the money they are a good choice. The long delivery times IMHO is due to them saving critical chips used in the higher tier models, NX-3000's and the NX-5000's, which I suspect are more profitable too.
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8 minutes ago, marcspaz said:
I've had the same results trying to get solid-state amps.
Which amps were those?
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I sent out a bunch of requests for quotes on a new Kenwood NX-1300DUK5 radio. I had more than one vendor tell me the radios are unavailable due to chip shortages. The last email from one said Kenwood advised them they won't see any until late summer. I found one vendor that had some of the analog only models in stock, and purchased the DMR feature license key to upgrade it before shipping.
By the way if somebody wants a new good quality commercial grade radio for GMRS these are nice. They are not going to be exactly cheap, even in the analog only version.
https://forums.mygmrs.com/gallery/image/290-nx-1300duk5/
I read about the cheap Baofengs being shipped without a chip, I think it was for the FM broadcast feature, a while back.
I also haven't got my Bluetooth remote for the D578 yet. That's been a couple of months on that too.
Anyone else having issues with ordering and getting delivery on radios?
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27 minutes ago, Sshannon said:
You’re absolutely right. With wire antennas it’s easy enough to leave a pulley and rope attachment on the pole for lowering and raising the antenna periodically, but that’s difficult to do with a mast or beam type antenna.
With a utility pole, if installed right, you don't need a big cement base to anchor it like you would with a more traditional metal tower.
I had a discussion with a coffee group buddy about a tower recommendation for his house. I suggested a 30 to 40 foot tubular crank-up design. Those you normally don't need guy wires. Being a crank up tower they can be lowered enough that a step ladder can be used to access the top for maintenance. Also when very strong storms roll in the tower can be lowered to minimize or eliminate potential damage from high winds.
Also some neighbors may not like looking at the tower either. You don't want your house to look like something out of the X-Files. Keeping it down when not in use can promote better neighbor relations too.
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11 hours ago, Sshannon said:
There are literally thousands of hams who attach antennas to trees, but most of them are wire antennas. How you attach the antenna to the tree will determine whether it damages the tree. There are straps to minimize damage to the tree.
Here's a link to a forum thread in another forum talking about this. One person said that TV reception suffered, but it's important to understand that TV signals are much wider band and more susceptible to problems than our analog voice signals.
https://www.arboristsite.com/threads/antenna-mast-in-tree.198967/
I wouldn't hesitate to do it. If it doesn't work, then you look at your second choice.
A few people have used a wood utility pole as a cheap antenna tower. Of course the issue is lighting protection and how do you get the antenna up there and service it later. You can use either certified climbing gear, or better rent a bucket truck for a few hours.
Oh yes, you will sooner or later have to check/repair/replace the antenna and cable, maybe more than once, at some point. This goes for any place you put your antenna. That might change your mind on the mounting location.
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7 hours ago, Sshannon said:
The male SMA that’s on the radio showed no sign of damage either.
Some people feel the switch to SMA, from BNC, on HT's was a mistake by the major manufactures. The opinion is BNC connectors are physically stronger.
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1 hour ago, WRVZ612 said:
What are your opinions on Baofeng radios?
After being disappointed by one, or more, you learn why people spend a lot more money on better radios soon after. I have a buddy at work that purchased several Baofengs for GMRS. I got him to spend money on a good clean Kenwood TK-3170 commercial radio.
https://forums.mygmrs.com/gallery/image/263-tk-3170jpg/
Since he started using the Kenwood he doesn't bother with the Baofengs, and comments how the Kenwood works better.
With these cheap Chinese radios, CCR's, you get what you pay for, and maybe not even that is some cases.
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1 hour ago, WRUU850 said:
It's all good. We put up Macomb 675 and Detroit 625. Holly is coming as soon as the weather breaks and I'm working on Pontiac. All Motorola Quantars. You can keep an eye on our progress here http://mi8.systems
I see there are some repeaters on P25. You going to do any for NXDN?
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2 hours ago, WRUU850 said:
I think you asked about what repeaters in Metro Detroit I was referring to. Did you listen to what she said and look at my username by any chance?
I was reading the post as activating a new repeater. I was wondering if another one besides the Detroit and Mt. Clemens machines was going in some place.
I was talking about the above repeaters at our Thursday night coffee group meeting. One of the Hams mentioned your name I believe. He has the cross-band repeater in Melvindale.
Another Ham in our group just put up a repeater on UHF a short while ago. I was suggesting he could get his GMRS license and put it on the band. That would provide coverage out on the west-north-west side of the Detroit area. I believe he has access to emergency power at the site. -
3 hours ago, marcspaz said:
Come to think of it... I don't recall ever hearing, first-hand, a repeater ID on it's own. Like, anywhere... ever.
One of the new GMRS repeaters by me does so using a female voice. It even announces it’s an open repeater and the access tone required.
- wayoverthere, KiltedHam, Sshannon and 3 others
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1 hour ago, WRUU850 said:
However, I am in the process of putting up multiple high profile, linked, GMRS repeaters in the Metro Detroit area and wanted to know. The answers provided here, before I resurrected the thread, seemed flat out wrong and provided by someone who should know better...
Where do you plan to locate the repeaters in the area?
GMRS radio not transmitting
in Guest Forum
Posted
The alternator “whine” is a few hundred hertz’s and might be screwing up the tone decoding on the repeater end since it’s in that range. The sub-audio-able tone filter in the radio might prevent you from hearing it. This is just my guess.