Lscott

That's a good question. I really don't know. There is a sizable group who are dead set against the idea. Those people have valid points why it shouldn't be allowed. IMHO I think many of the objections could be mitigated through careful rule changes. The fewer the better. Unfortunately the GMRS community can't even agree to a common digital voice protocol. That would be the first major step one. Everyone has their favorite mode. However the favorite mode may not be the most appropriate. It has nothing to do with it's "technical" superiority. Whatever mode is chosen has to "fit" into the current usage of the service without causing widespread interference and chaos. That places some difficult restrictions on what could/should be used, and where. The end result could be a mode that might not be the majority's favorite, but would cause the least problems.

This is a later version of that manual. NX-200_210_300_410 Function Reference.pdf

You might like a copy of this document. At times the Kenwood help file isn’t detailed enough. NX-200_210_300_410_411_700_800_900_901 Function Reference.pdf

Because this topic come up again and again.

I think it is doable to a point. See the attached file for some slightly more in-depth comments on the topic. Also reference the following link since the radio is mentioned at the end of the attached file for a bit more information. Note there are a non-display and a limited keypad display model available. https://forums.mygmrs.com/gallery/image/290-nx-1300duk5/?context=new Also the same basic radio design is used for the Australian license free 5 watt UHF CB radio service too. It is sold under a different model number as well. https://www.kenwood.com/au/com/lmr/tk-3710/pdf/TK-3710_CB_LMR Portable.pdf I agree. This has the best chance of action by the FCC. I'm guessing but a lot of people are running Part 90 only certified radios on GMRS now. The FCC by allowing this would just be officially acknowledging the current practice. GMRS Digital Voice - 20241011.pdf

OK, I get it. It's just too easy to be disinterested in something you don't have a personal stake in was what I was trying to convey. I was being a bit overboard in my comment.

Same could be said about somebody here in Michigan, where I'm at, and don't give a crap about earthquakes, mud slides and forest fires there.

I remember that. It was buried in a really obscure part of the regulations. That was why the FCC bounced your application for some of the business itinerant frequencies you wanted.

Welcome to the group. Lots of knowledgeable people here. Somebody is likely to have the answers you're looking for. Remember there are no dumb questions here, just a lack of knowledge that learning will soon correct.

No, but when I took driver's ED the instructor told us about a girl driving the car once. They were doing some real on the road practice. The instructor told her to make a left turn off the side street into the school's parking lot. She grabbed the shift lever on the right side of the steering column and flipped it all the way up. The transmission didn't like it much.

Did you know that many young people can't read the time on an analog clock with the moving hands either.

Sounds like a fairly robust fault tolerant system. Has it been actually stress tested to verify it stays functional?

Wait till the system fails due to flooding since it's likely the critical lines are ground based. Then they'll start thinking about the microwave links again. A buddy, whose a radio tech for a local city's transportation department, is working on installing a backup radio system on the city buses since they've had the cellar based communication system fail one too many times.

You ever watch a Gen Z try to use one? They stick their fingers in the holes in the dial to press the numbers thinking they're buttons.

That is a VERY extensive network. I wonder if there is any linking between that network and the NXDN one?

Looks like Hurricane Milton is headed for central West Florida. https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/weather/2024/10/07/hurricane-milton-tracker-path-spaghetti-models/75551975007/ That area is well covered by an extensive Ham NXDN digital network. https://ni4ce.org/nxdn-digital-communications/ Some good used NXDN digital equipment examples: https://forums.mygmrs.com/gallery/image/418-nx-320jpeg/?context=new https://forums.mygmrs.com/gallery/image/290-nx-1300duk5/?context=new https://forums.mygmrs.com/gallery/image/251-nx-300jpg/?context=new https://forums.mygmrs.com/gallery/image/250-nx-820ghjpg/?context=new

No phone numbers to remember either.

And remember when people laugh at you when you mention having a two-way radio for emergency communication when cell phones are so much more convenient.

It's a good antenna. Yes it's on the large side. I did an SWR scan with it on a tri-magnet mount on a sheet metal ground plane for testing. The SWR was reasonable over most of the Ham VHF/UHF range. On VHF MURS it was really good. On UHF GMRS it was under 2:1 on the repeater end and around 1.5:1 to 1.6:1 on the 462 end. Most radios are fine with SWR's of 2:1 or less so it should be OK. Using a different mount type might improve the SWR. https://forums.mygmrs.com/gallery/image/268-ca-2x4sr/?context=new I would recommend getting the optional spring bottom section. https://cometantenna.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/CA-SPR-instructions-x-1.pdf That way if the antenna wacks something it won't rip up the roof using a through hole NMO mount or damage the antenna. For an emergency backup antenna you can also get a cheap 1/4 wave. Those are about 6 to 7 inches tall. Good for urban application getting into local repeaters and not having to worry about low clearances such as drive through windows and garages. https://www.amazon.com/Antenna-410-490Mhz-Motorola-Kenwood-Blackbox/dp/B00L9D2N6Q You can also make your own using some parts found at local Ham flea markets. https://forums.mygmrs.com/gallery/image/338-cheap-14-wave-gmrs-antenna/?context=new

The RDM models seem to be the favorite at Walmart. When traveling do you use an external antenna? There is a dual band magnet mount specifiy for MURS and GMRS. https://dpdproductions.com/products/dual-band-gmrs-murs-mobile-antenna If you use a duplexer, some adapters and a couple of short jumper cables, you can have both a MURS and a GMRS radio connected to the above antenna at the same time. The duplexer will isolate the two radios so they won’t get damaged during transmission. https://www.dxengineering.com/parts/cma-cf-4160j

Now if it was a TK-2302 that would be the VHF version. The band split on those is 136 to 174. It could be programmed for the 5 license free MURS channels and RX only on the 7 NOAA weather channels. Good for hiking and camping.

If it’s a TK-3302 then that’s a UHF band radio. Look at the downloaded brochure. It’s clearly identified. I see sellers getting this mixed up all the time. The deal with “for parts or not working” means they haven’t tested the radios and can’t say in the ad the radios work. That’s basically an eBay requirement thing. Likely some or all of them work.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/286079880475?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0&ssspo=wblQe9xfQCm&sssrc=4429486&ssuid=j_t98fioS_6&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY

One interesting "feature" with Kenwood radios is you can "push" them a bit beyond their official band split. When you try to enter a out of band split frequency you'll get a warning popup. Just click OK and it will take the entry. Doesn't mean the radio will work there. It depends on the range of the VCO and and the PLL can lock. It likely varies by radio so you have to try it and see. If not you get an error tone out of the radio's speaker. My 128 channel TK-3170's, lower end is 450 MHz, and I have a bunch of Ham 70cm repeaters in them. The radios work. I tried some of the simple 16 channel Kenwood radios with the lower band split of 450MHz. About the lowest frequency the PLL would lock was around 435MHz. Plenty for the repeater section of the band and the upper simplex section too. I have noticed that many of the older Kenwood digital radios had band splits of 400 to 470 MHz. Perfect for Ham and GMRS. If I see any used for a decent price in that range I'll consider a purchase.

I believe that's for multi tone signaling. I wouldn't select it since it's never used in GMRS or Ham from what I've seen by me. For Kenwood it's their "FleetSYNC" or MDC-1200 signaling I think.