WRTC928

I have the same antenna and I also get a higher SWR in the GMRS frequencies, but I figure that's because 462 is technically "out of band" for that antenna. It's not high enough to damage my radio and I rarely use GMRS, so I don't get too concerned.

Yes, it's fine. If you want to use more than 5 watts (5w on 1-7, 0.5w 0n 8-14), it's your only option if you wish to remain compliant with FCC rules. As others have said, try not to use channels that are used by local repeaters. That may be easy, or they may all be busy. In my area, there's only one, and in your area, you apparently won't have difficulty either. However, if you want to use repeaters when you travel, that may not be the case. If you're in an area with lots of repeater use, the repeaters will probably have Tx/Rx tones, so people can set their tones to match the repeater output tone and ignore your traffic if they choose. If you set "privacy" tones, try to pick ones that the local repeaters don't use for their output tones. Anyone with no tones set can still hear you, but at least the repeater users can tune you out if they want. It's really just about courtesy. The Golden Rule applies.

My mobile radio has crossband repeat capability. It's a nice feature, but TBH, I'll probably never use it. There are so many repeaters in my area that I can hit with an HT that I doubt the issue will come up. I suppose it might be useful when traveling to other parts of the country. My days of camping out in the wilderness are past. Still, I think the capability is cool. To answer the OP's question, I don't see any reason why that wouldn't work. If it's only you using it, the duty cycle probably won't be high enough to be a problem. It would not be working any more than if you were using it as a base station in your house. Still, because you won't be able to see it when it's in use, you might consider putting a small fan on it. If you want to get fancy, you could set it up so that the fan comes on when the radio reaches a specified temperature, or you could just set it to blow all the time. I can't imagine any downside to having a fan on it all the time except the negligible cost of electricity to run it.

If I understand your question, a repeater is typically used to establish communication between two HTs or mobile radios when the distance or obstructions prevent communicating by simplex. Yes, if it's properly installed, it will increase the range of your HT simply by virtue of the fact that it has a taller and better antenna and more power. However, that will only work on the one channel for which the repeater is programmed and only to another radio which is programmed to that frequency pair and CTCSS/DTCS codes, if any.

Question for the brain trust: Does it make any difference if you let the vehicle warm up in winter or cool down in summer before you turn on the radio?

Okay...get ready to laugh... After I changed the coax connector and tested the SWR...I forgot to put the antenna on. I replaced the antenna and tested again and got SWRs mostly in the 1.5 +/- range all the way up and down the 70c and 2m bands. As I got to the upper end of 70cm and the lower end of 2m, it went up but still was acceptable, which I expected for a dual-band antenna. I'm going to call that good enough.

So...I tested the outer shell of the coax and the center pin and definitely had continuity. I replaced the connector and must have gotten it right because there is now no continuity. That got the SWR down to 5, so that clearly wasn't the only problem. My test leads aren't long enough to reach from the connector to the NMO mount, so that will have to wait until tomorrow when I can get longer leads.

That was my first thought. I really don't want to remove the headliner, but I don't know any other way to find the problem.

I was using a Comet SBB-1 antenna on a mag mount on top of my car and had excellent SWRs, 1.0-1.5:1. This week, I had a hole drilled in the roof and a Larsen NMO-K mount installed in the same place where the mag mount was. Now, using the same antenna (and two other antennas) I'm getting SWRs of 7-10:1 up and down the 70cm and 2m bands. I don't know how it could have changed so radically by installing a roof mount. The coax is shorter, but I can't imagine that would do it. I didn't do the work myself and I didn't see it done, but the guy has installed radios before. What can be the cause of this?

There's only one repeater in my area and I can reliably use it from about 20 miles away. There used to be one about 25 miles away that I could hit from my house but it went silent a few months ago. I assume it went offline or changed the access code.

My remark was directed to your uncertainty whether the older UV-5r could transmit on MURS frequencies. You are correct that using a UV-5 on MURS frequencies would be inconsistent with FCC regulations. Everyone has to decide for themselves whether that's a risk they're willing to take. I do it, but I keep the power to no more than 2 watts and narrowband on channels 1-3. This is not really out of fear of the FCC, but respect for the reasons the rules exist. It's my understanding (subject to correction) that MURS frequencies are adjacent to some business and public safety frequencies. Using too much power could spill over and interfere with their operations. Too much bandwidth could do the same. While interfering with licensed business radio signals might not be catastrophic, it does plant you squarely in the a**hole camp. If I were deep in the woods with some friends, maybe I'd turn the power up if we needed it to stay in touch. IDK, I haven't had that come up. If you need more than 2 watts, you probably should be on GMRS anyway. As to using a radio that isn't type-accepted for MURS, I don't give that much thought at all. If you don't exceed acceptable power or bandwidth causing interference on licensed frequencies, nobody is going to ask what radio you are using. Hams are the most rule-respecting group of all radio users, and lots of them have MURS programed into their amateur radios. Whether they ever use MURS is another story, because except for being deep in the woods, it's hard to imagine a scenario where ham or GMRS wouldn't be better. Most of the hams I know also have GMRS licenses, and yes, those channels are programmed into their radios as well. Maybe they never use them, IDK, but in the event of a disaster or emergency, I want to have the ability to communicate with GMRS and FRS radios and many other hams feel the same way. The issue of type-acceptance often comes down to practicality. I'm not going to lug around three HTs or have three mobile radios installed in my truck, but I want to have all the bases covered should it become necessary. If someone wants to use MURS regularly but they choose a UV-5r because it's cheaper than a dedicated MURS radio, that's a matter of practically as well. If they're willing to accept the (very tiny) risk of being fined by the FCC, that's none of my business.

Yes it can.

I was about to tell you that I haven't had this problem on the 5RM. Is the TD-H3 a GMRS-specific radio? Sometimes the manufacturers of GMRS radios fail to consider the possibility that you might want more than one channel or more than one repeater on the same frequency.

Technically, it should work just fine. As @OffRoaderX pointed out, you probably won't hear any difference unless you were right at the fringes of perception, in which case you might -- or not. The only real downside is that it's taller, and apparently you've already decided you can live with that.

Probably nothing, but I agree that it's best to know the rules. IMO, you're less likely to find yourself in trouble if you violate the rules knowingly than if you do it by accident. If you know it's against the rules, you're more likely to be circumspect about it.

That is true, and the OP did ask about the "best" radio.

Yes, that's what I'm asking about, although I'm open to other ideas. It's not unlikely that I'll eventually end up with two antennas, so other mounting methods are good to know.

I'll say this for the UV-5R...it works and almost anyone can afford it. Sometimes that's all you need.

If you don't have any radio at all, I recommend you start with a good HT. I don't have any strong favorites -- anything reliable is fine. Then put a mag-mount antenna on your car and use the HT as a mobile until you decide what you want for the car. I got really good results with a Baofeng radio and Nagoya antenna, and they're kind of "entry level" items. If you already have an HT, I recommend you look for a mobile that will program in a similar way. For example, if your HT programs with CHIRP, it will significantly flatten the learning curve if your mobile programs with CHIRP as well.

The TH-9800 has the capability to receive AM CB channels, so ever since I got one, I wondered if it could transmit on those frequencies as well. With a minor software tweak, you can "unlock" them, but the radio doesn't have the hardware to transmit AM. I finally got around to checking it out, and the answer is yes, the 9800 can transmit on CB frequencies, but only in FM mode. It works great in FM mode, both transmitting and receiving. Not that it really matters, because literally nobody in the US uses FM CB, but it's kind of cool anyway. I only keyed up for a few seconds 3-4 times because on my 2m/70cm antenna, I was getting an SWR around 19. Obviously, to use it I'd need a different antenna. However, the radio has 10 meter capability, and when I start using it, I may be able to find an antenna that will do 11 meters as well. As I said, not likely to be useful, but if the capability is there, you might as well be able to use it should you want to.

Usually, when you ask about the "best" anything, you'll get a lot of differences of opinion. I asked the same question in another forum, and Larsen and Laird came in hands-down favorites in both groups. That speaks well to their quality. I'm probably going to go with a Larsen.

I've decided to install a permanent NMO mount on my car. On the principle of "buy once, cry once" I want to get something that will provide good service until the car gives out. I'm requesting recommendations for brand and type. Aaaaand GO!

The only one I've sent a request to doesn't provide the access tone until you're approved. It's been a couple of months and I haven't gotten a response, so I interpreted that as a no.

Start by double-checking the simple stuff. Make sure you don't have any tones set which would preclude you from being heard by anyone without the same tone. Be sure "duplex" is not set to "off" because that would keep you from transmitting on that frequency. Are you trying to use a repeater? If so, do you have the offset and tone (if any) programmed in? Did you program it with software? If so, a screenshot of the file might be helpful.

According to the video @IronWire linked above, the Baofeng cable doesn't work. You have to get the Radioddity cable. I don't know personally; I don't own that radio.