Logan5

Construction is almost done at my new house, but the pad for the tower is still not installed., Our neighbor is in a frenzy over our construction and for the time being, and until the proper tower structure is final, it was best to remove the temporary setup. I have almost a dozen licensed users that will have to wait for now. I have a communications lawyer who is handling all the paper work and we should be ready to pour concrete in the next week or so. This was not an easy decision, but is best for the long haul. hopefully not more than 2 weeks. ****73's....

Also Chirp comes pre installed on Linux Mint 14, just plug in your radio and it ready to program.

You can download and burn to CD or DVD a dos boot disk. old dos on a newer computer is still DOS? no? I once had a radio that required Win XP, I just got rid of the radio.

Love the pic's. I am just getting caught up, is that a 25-40 foot ladder? next to a 50' telescoping mast? I am guessing but those trees look to be over 100', like I said have not been on in a wile. are you planning a tower? or plan to mount the mast in the top of the tree? very exciting. and yes if you step the voltage up to 480V you can run a super long run on much smaller gage wire with little loss. They do it in modern solar installations, step up to 400V DC and they can go from AWG1 to AWG10 and save several thousands on copper. If you built a tree house you would have an awesome shack. Wish I could help.

Thank You PG, I think this is the Document that will work.

Yes John I am aware of the FAA height limit's and lighting. This is simply my local zoning making it hard on me. They only said they have no problem with my proposal and that they only require some kind of documentation from the FAA that clearly states what their position is. a stock regulatory document should do, I just need to find the document that includes the FAA requirements and that my installation falls well within the limit's. Yes, quaterwave, I am under no HOA just local restrictions that I am well within. Thanks Pastor Gary, looking at those links now. 73's..

I have had my contractor submit design drawings and spec's for my 30' tower at my new house. They said they have only one concern and they said I need a copy of an FAA document that clearly states what their restriction is for towers less than 50' I have been searching for hours and have lot's of document that may work. I am tired and wanter to see if anyone here knows of an FAA document that pretty much spells it out for my local zoning? It's the last thing I need before we pour the pad. Thanks in advance...

Thank you Pastor Gary and Rich. Got all my passwords changed now. So Happy!

when I try it it seems to cut off at 14 or 15, I typed my whole password and spaced back and it is hard to tell, but less than 18 I am sure. I am going to try now.

Rich, I do like the sound of that. a single catagory with additional security? If more than that would reduce our use to search users, if the best info was all only shared privatly amoung us. Also Rich, I had ask the other day what is the Max charactures can be used in the password field? It is very hard to tell from the "change PASSWORD" menu. I ask because I have heightened my online security protocall and new passwords are much longer. and can the password field be increased on the main board? 73

Yea, Jerry your interference sounded like simplex. This managment group actually has a repeater set up on our pair. and they seem defiant, wtich is not good "for them" I did some signal finding on the beach today and I heard on of the employees mentioned "since the radio got caught" and said he would come to the others office as opposed to talk on the radio. sounds like they may be making some changes, we will see. Regardless I am still collecting information for my report. 73's....

I am changing all my passwords, to new. need to know what is the max characters field for passwords? I can not tell from the change password screen, Please advise.

It seems many of their Employs refuse to use the radios now. so that has reduced illegal traffic. but it seems a few are defiant. Another licensed user is setting up a recorder that will only record transmissions of the group involved. It seems it is a management group with several buildings under their service. My truck is in the shop, but should be out WED. I will then set the scanner to listen on the input freq. and hone in on their location, I will also take pictures to add to the report I make with the FCC

Yep, sounds like an IDEAL installation, 50watts into short hardline on high gain antenna at altitude. Super range and building penetration. I hope you guys list it here. does it have a travel tone?

I think any grandfathered business, would have indicated that by now. and this repeater just showed up in the past few months.

I have yet another repeater on our groups pair. they had over a dozen users till I contacted them 2 weeks ago, now it's just 3 or so users, each time they communicate, I simply announce "Your communication is not secure and is not Legal" sometimes I explain that the frequency they have chosen to use illegally is not secure, since a radio could be obtained from Terget or K-mark, and that tenants and guest would be horrified if they were aware their names were being shared on such an illegal unsecured radio system. I expect them to change frequency soon. I hope they get compliant as well. I wish I knew who is going around town setting up these illegal systems.

Thank you PG. I had considered asking. as usual you arre on top of it.

delightful PG!

The jumpers I use are 1foot TM LMR400, I remember hearing LMR400 was not optimal, I can't remember why.

depending on the size of the battery's and the float charger output. I have a 1.5 amp float charger and two T105 6volt battery's I think 225 AH each, is unable to float these battery's. I think your needs will differ. I am guessing a 1.5 amp float can maintain 70 to 100 AH. at best. but it could be me and or my setup. I have 8 of these T105's They have been sitting left fully charged since I took the panels off of my roof 8 months ago. took 24hrs each at 10amps. to top them off. Would have taken 4 to 5 hrs with the solar panels for all 8.

I also dislike drilling into trees. I wish I had an 80 foot tree. I can think of a lot of ways to mount to a tree w/o drilling into it. I think you would want to shut it down during electrical storms, unless it were grounded? but then again, a ground would attract lightning. lol

Thank You PG for the Updates!

I have been using a UV5r+ for over a year. Same manual programming fiasco. and get's quite hot when having a long winded convo. However I also own and love the UV3r+ it is half the size of the 5r is also dual band and TX 2 watt max. is clean and discreet when I am out and about. Very good radios. In lot's of 2 the 5r's are about 40 each. and the 3r's are around 25 each. I also like the BF888, 2watt UHF only 16 channel radio. they are as little as 15 bucks each in quantity. I have been looking at the UV82 since Baofeng has proven it's self by me. Although not part95B accepted they do meet all criteria to be so. However I do not know of any Beofeng radio that is legal to TX on FRS 1/2 watt service. since they all TX at about 1 watt on low and close to 4 watts on high. not to mention the removable antenna. I may purchase a UV82, as I have heard they have new electronics. 73's

I am hopeful for him and his Family. SPD641 is a Major contributor here. We all await his eventual check in.

Yes we just upgraded to a Bridgecom BCR-40U so I have programed 22 CTCSS tones and one CTCSS to DCS tone. the standard travel tone is one of them. there is also a sysop tone that allows remote programing vis DTMF. If you are listening for potential "Emergency" calls out for help. you would want to listen to the open channel with out any RX CTCSS or DCS tone. However it is likely this type of call out could come in on any of the GMRS and or FRS channels. GMRS is an unlikely place to find help from strangers in the event of an emergency. Yes I have the travel tone set up to RX and TX, but keep in mind only other hand set's set to 141.3 or open scanners will hear you if you use the travel tone. yes the tone is meant to weed out others, limiting the amount of noise and convo you are not part of or interested in. It does not offer any technical privacy. I have several scanners, I can listen to a channel "OPEN" or program any CTCSS and or DCS codes of party's I wish to listen in on. Since we have a lot of Illegal business use in this area.