kevsh

Actually nobody owns any frequencies is true, but a repeater is a system. If you have a closed access repeater using a form of codes to activate other than ctcss or DCS, and some one figures out the access code it dont give that user the right to use. If you really want to operate on GMRS without a repeater and get distance. I suggest is get a pair of yagi's cophased and and 50watts. Their is no erp limits on the GMRS repeater output channels. At least it does not specifically state it.

Actually not all of the chinese radios are bad quality. Most of the HT's that have the big names like Icom, Yaesu, Kenwood and others are made in China, Phillippians, Tawian. Made with the same parts but with different designs. The TYT, HYT, Hytera are decent, but majority of the baofengs are cheap designs. What hurts the baofengs are the receiver selectivity. When I get a spectrum analyzer I will be making some observations of the the transmit signals

Ok, I would like to cover all the current antennas on the market today below 400 dollars for a repeater. I would like to know from experience from the repeater owners. I realize that antenna height, location and coax play an important factor. The current antennas that are below the $400 mark are Comet, Tram, Diamond ect. I currently use a tram 1486, and works ok, but I believe it lacks the gain the manufacture claims. The Station master is a good antenna too, but it is near 900 to 1000.00 dollars and out of budget for some users. Any feedback would be appreciated.

Not Illegal to record traffic on your repeater its actually a good idea. You never know what may occur. As for keying up repeaters to see if it is accessible, I don't have a problem with it. Just when the keying gets way out of hand like keying to agitate everyone, that is when it becomes a problem. There was a software called rf ID alot of repeater amateur radio owners used, that was good. It gives u the ability to ID the keyer or chunker on the input side, and with a sufficient yagi helps you find the direction its coming from.

The comet gp-9 tuned specifically for 2m and 70cm. I can imagine it is effecting you ERP cause of swr. Construct a jpole it's better than running high swr on that radio. Tram makes a Omni directional for amatuer radio and commercial, tram 1486 bought online at home Depot for 52.00 plus shipping.

Simplex repeaters are taboo on gmrs, and there horrible to have two way communications as you really know when it's your turn to transmit. There is very good possibility the walkie talkies is receiving rf signals from the other transmitters. These walkie talkies, and most mobile radios don't have very good selective receivers for repeater operation.