BoxCar

False positives from Norton are quite common and that's the main reason I stopped using Norton several years ago.

Woxoun is better than Mudlands any day, but depending on what you need a TYT or Radioddity are good choices too.

RT Systems software can't be beat for ease of use. +1 on @Sshannon recommendation.

You aren't going to cover a large area with an antenna that's that high off the ground. The Tram is a decent choice, but the antenna needs to be tuned to the frequencies your repeater will be using for best results.

Yes, I did read your file and still proclaim it pie-in-the-sky hogwash. Digital and analog will NEVER be compatible on the same channel concurrently.

4 MURS radios on two frequencies. One for chase/escort vehicles, the other frequency for the train.

Schools can't be licensed for Part 95 or 97. They can license under both 90.20 and 90.37.

One other point no one broached is to talk to the local PD. They will help your school with interoperability issues and may even have some units they can provide your administration for use in a situation requiring police presence. You won't use their radios for bus duty and the like as they would be for emergencies only. I would steer away from FRS radios because of the issues with possible interference. Talk to a local radio supplier and get some business band units. Yes the brand name ones like Motorola, Kenwood and ICOM are expensive but others like RCA, Hytera and a few others are reasonable.

All those mentioned will last with nominal care. the 20 - 25 watt radios are smaller

From one of the AI bots: Based on the web search results, it seems that the dPMR modulation mask is accepted by the FCC for operation in the US. According to one source1, “dPMR equipment complies with the relevant European standard ETSI EN 301 166 as well as the FCC emission mask applicable for operation in the US.” Another source2 states that “dPMR uses 4FSK at 2400 Bd. The dibits are mapped to +/-1050 Hz and +/-350 Hz from the center frequency. Because the emission mask is so tight, two 6.25 kHz dPMR signals can be used next to each other within a 12.5 kHz channel without causing interference to each other or adjacent channels.” A third source3 confirms that the dPMR modulation scheme would comply with the FCC emission mask mandated for LMRs to have a 6.25-kilohertz capability.

Virtually all the GMRS radios from China come from 3 or 4 factories, so there is little difference between brands. The features are what set them apart, but a higher cost doesn't equate to better quality. The TYT DB-20 is a great radio that will meet the needs of about 80% of those looking for a small mobile.

And good practice is to only use the amount of power needed to reach the destination. But then, why would you care?

VERY TRUE WORDS!!!

yup.

Belden is a well-known name for wire products. Look at the cable specs and see what the minimum bend radius is for all the cables you are considering. Compare that to the path your cable needs to run, and use that as one of your selection criteria. The bend radius will tell you how sharp a corner you can make with the cable while maintaining any loss figures.

There are numerous YouTube videos on how to program virtually any radio using any software. Try looking on YouTube for videos and learn from them. It's really easy as the Midland radios are rather dumb and lack a lot of options. You'll need three things, the Midland or compatible software, a programming cable for your radio along with your radio being connected to your computer through the programming cable.

As GMRS/FRS is an unregulated, uncoordinated service, just like CB, you'll never be able to control who installs what where. As the service is well established as a low-power, uncoordinated service, you'll never be able to get the cat back into the bag -- period! Hams got it to work in VHF/UHF because they saw how Part 90 was done and had a national organization to act as a clearing house to spread the word on the frequency assignments. The only way to accomplish your dream would be for the FCC to allocate new unlicensed spectrum and the chance of that happening is slim and none, (Oh, Slim had already packed his bags and that truck left town 5 years ago.)

+1 on the Polyphaser recommendation. You are trying to protect a high priced radio, do you want to trust it to the lowest priced protector or do you want one with a known good reputation?

WRONG! Stun and Kill are activated using DTMF (Dual Tone, Multiple Frequency) tones, not digital although they can be sent in digital radios.

Mixing digital and analog services on the same frequency just doesn't work. It works in Part 90 because the channels and coverage areas are coordinated to prevent one service from interfering with the other. GMRS/FRS is an uncoordinated service meaning you can use any of the frequencies at any time and any place. Also, as there are so few channels available you can't help but have the modes interfere with each other.

I will chime in and plainly state: MIXING DIGITAL AND ANALOG RADIOS ON THE SAME FREQUENCIES DOES NOT WORK -- PERIOD. We Part 90 coordinators fought through this issue when Moto introduced MotoTURBO. It reached the point where the 4 Public Safety coordinators froze all applications to either convert existing systems to digital or create new digital coordinations. We were finally able to create guidelines that often resulted in converted systems allowed lower radiated power or antennas being aimed lower on the horizon. New coordinations were also restricted on radiated power, often much lower than originally requested.

Starting a thread for sale notices

Laird antennas are some of the best ones made. Larsen antennas are a close second IMO. What you want to look for are any gain figures. Measurements in dBd are real gain while measurements in dBi are theoretical gain. You can convert dBi to dBd by subtracting 2.1 from the dBi figure, and yes, some antennas have negative gain in the real world. You'll find a lot of the inexpensive antennas have no or unity gain 0 dBd or 2.1 dBi. Gain flattens the signal sphere around your antenna, so more signal radiates toward the horizon rather than up (and down) toward the sky.

For coax, go here: https://thewireman.com/product-category/feed-lines/coax/?product_count=48. The Wire Man provides the private branded RG-8 coax sold by DX Engineering. Same coax, half the price,