Logan5

I concur with Pastor Gary, get as high as possible, if you have feedline length concerns get bigger coax, LMR400 is fine LMR600 or 1/2LDF is even better. You could also consider an outdoor enclosure at the base of the tower. Nothing can make up for the lack of antenna height, in two way radio communications. Best of luck. Jim...

I also have a Uniden unit similar to this and I can confirm it requires crystals for frequency reprogramming. I have upgraded to a BridgeCom so I keep this one stored in a metal box for a rainy day.

I just got the Bf-F8 very similar to the UV5r line, even uses same battery. Not sure how I feel about the reverse display but it does have the latest chip and preforms very well.

ah, not sure this would work, but I could be incorrect. I have much money invested in my equipment and I can see a product like this damaging something very expensive. I was told before that I would need notch and filter cans, and it sounds like the ability to tune the cans would also be very helpful. The sinclar sounds like notch and filters combined in a nice rack mountable module. I am e-mailing the seller now.

Thanks Zap, yes I only use "N" connectors. I will check out the link.

for some time I have wanted to utilize the VHF portion of my GMRS repeater antenna. I know you need notches and filters to do this. Will this sinclair power divider help me accomplish this task? I understand I would have to tune it to my frequency's. If not what does this product do? Thanks in advance Jim...

Actually the bricks are over the lanai, so it is not over any indoor area. it is also on a 3/4" 4ft X 4ft piece of plywood. I do not for see any problems with it. I have never had a fire that I ran away from, I always put it out myself. However if there were a fire, 3/4" of plywood lying flat would take some time for ignition, as well as much time to burn thru. and again this is a temporary set up wile waiting for the Tower installation.

4ft X 4ft 3/4in plywood. with a standard tripod and at least 150lbs of bricks. get's the Comet up about 12 more feet. apx 22 feet. about 65 feet of LMR600, I also have a another run of LMR400 into the garage and a yagi about midway up the pole.

Ok, I really did try to post pic's of my peerless roof mount. I was just unable to get the jpeg size down to 47.24kb lol. I guess I try something else.

I am wanting to try, but I only have huge 6 volt batteries from my previous solar set up. this would require 2 T-105's, I do not recall the exact numbers but I assume I would need to charge this size bank with other than the BCR charger? or is it enough? The power seldom fails here, but it lapses for a second several times a week. This is more of a problem for other electronics than the repeater. or should I just invest in a smaller 12 volt battery?

William, Have you connected batterys directlly to the BCR yet? I am sitting here thinking about connecting two Trojan T-105 batterys, and was currious if you have and if you had any information about doing it .

That's a shame about the Astron, Still waiting to get the Solar panels reinstalled here. Keeping the batterys charged with AC charger for now. If I have a power fail condition, I would have to switch manually to the batterys.

Dan, I was also confused prior to purchase, Yes there are 24 input PL tones, these can also output as the same or convert over to DPL, giving you 24 groups of users. although the repeater is frequency agile, this would only apply to one GMRS repeater pair at a time. setup takes less than 5 min's. simmilar to setting an HT via USB. NOTE: If you chose to set this repeater up to listen on DPL, you can only use as a single DPL group. mulit-Group function only seems to work when input is PL

William, you and I are in a similar boat. when you said rebar, I realized it has been over 3 months since my tower was supposed to be up and operational. I am also on temporary set up, I shall take some pictures and post.

Ha!

This is an antenna made with ladder line, it comes rolled up in a bag and you insert it into your own PVC and cap end. I hear it is a good antenna but is not a high gain design. whatever you chose, just make sure you get the antenna mounted well above your roof line.

I am using a CA-712EFC it is 10 feet tall and I honestly can't tell the difference from the cheaper UVS200? that it replaced. what do you plan to mount it to? is your home 2 story? thinking about a tower? or maybe a telescoping mast? got a nice tree for a tree install? I know Easton MD. you could have a perfect tree for it. If you got the money put in a tower. If you want to get a nicer radio, go ahead, but again more watts is seldom if ever the answer on UHF.

Lucky Dog. lol

Yes you will have better luck using a mobile gain type antenna mounted near the center of your car or truck bonnet/top. You may also consider a home base type setup, this would include some high quality feedline LMR400 is good, LMR600 is better, with a roof mounted gain antenna. the higher the better. you may connect this to your beofeng or a UHF mobile transceiver for higher watt output. but usually a higher antenna and quality feedline are much more important than watts of output. I bet your UV5r will do fine with a rooftop antenna. What is the height of your tree line? here in south florida our tree line is less than 50' and average is around 35, so just getting the antenna over the roofline makes a huge difference. If your still thinking of running a repeater from your home, might as well start by building your repeater antenna setup now and test it with your current radios.

BCR40U http://www.ebay.com/itm/NEW-BCR-40U-FM-Repeater-UHF-400-470-MHz-/281405833688?pt=US_Ham_Radio_Transceivers&hash=item41851841d8

the Bridgecom is 995 bucks and is part 95.

Nope, She and her whole family (everyone in that house) is crazy, unreasonable whack job's, they have made WAR with everyone on our street. other neighbors have 3 law suits with them. they are a blight. unfortunately I am the one that has to pay extra. They are very unhappy people, that think they are Big Shots.

Fort Lauderdale is very populated, Only one complaint, but she complains about everybody and everything. The lawyer is to confirm to code that I meet all requirements for the FAA and the FCC. I refuse to allow anyone to stop me. Our HOA is voluntary so there are no rules that prevent installing a tower, just code wants to make it as difficult as possible.

Well so much for 2 weeks. I returned FTL600 to service yesterday, again on a temporary mast. apx 25' to ground plane. Still working on the tower, the lawyer wants another 1400.00 to make it happen. I decided against running ldf5, so I am going to stick to LMR600 apx 80feet with one end to end splice at 8' so the tower can be retracted or tilted over for hurricanes. Much work still to be done.

07/07/2014 > The FCC has *denied* <http://www.fcc.gov/document/ > dismissal-friedlander-gmrs-rulemaking-petition> a /Petition for Rule > Making/ (*PRM* <http://apps.fcc.gov/ecfs/comment/view?id=6017689262>) > filed by a Florida radio amateur that sought to permit hams who also hold > General Mobile Radio Service (GMRS) licenses to operate on GMRS channels > with transmitters that have not been certificated for GMRS use, provided > the transmitter meets GMRS technical standards. Mark Friedlander, KV4I, of > New Smyrna Beach had asserted in his May 29 filing that the proposed rule > change would facilitate interoperability in emergency situations, since > many emergency response groups utilize both radio services. > “I think it would facilitate emergency communications with CERT groups and > other EmComm workers if we could eliminate the need to check with the FCC > for each radio,” Friedlander said in a statement seeking support for his > petition and which was posted on the East Coast District ARES (Florida) > forum. “Doing so would also minimize confusion about the permissibility of > ham operators using their radios for transmitting on both services.” > Transmitters used in the Part 95 GMRS must have FCC certification prior to > sale and marketing; in general, Part 97 Amateur Radio transmitters do not. > In a June 20 letter to Friedlander, the FCC pointed out that GMRS > transmitters that also can be used on Amateur Radio frequencies will not be > certificated. The FCC said it adopted that rule “to prevent the possible > proliferation of GMRS equipment that is also capable of operating on > frequencies for which the GMRS licensee is not authorized.” > Friedlander has noted that the Amateur Service and the GMRS operate on > similar frequencies. He argued that Amateur Radio operators who are > authorized to design, build, and operate transmitters without equipment > certification in the 420-450 MHz amateur band should be allowed to do so on > the 462/467 MHz GMRS channels, the FCC said. > “We conclude that the proposed rule change would undermine the prohibition > on GMRS equipment with Amateur Radio frequency capability,” the FCC said. > “An exception to [the rule] would allow for the proliferation of > home-built, non-standardized transmitters in the GMRS, with no practicable > way for the Commission to monitor and enforce regulatory compliance for > these devices.”