marcspaz

I may be wrong, but I'm fairly sure the full details are only available if you are a licensed operator and have a membership to MyGMRS.

So, something new that I am extremely disappointed about with my MXT500. When I got this radio, I did not bother doing any real testing of the receiver for noise rejection, filtering and selectivity. And today I don't need to because I know it sucks. The receiver is so bad, that I may send this back to Midland for repair and then sell it, because it's not reliable and therefore not usable. I went offloading this weekend and opted to use my MXT500 because it is water and dust resistant and my other radios are not. I used the radio for about 14 hours a day for 3 days, out in the mountains of PA. This was the first time I used the radio for more than a few minutes for testing and getting familiar with the radio. On the first day, after having the radio on for about 30 minutes, a few people I don't know started chatting on a close-in repeater. The repeater is close enough to me that I receive its signal well enough that there is zero noise/static in the signal. After just 3 minutes of hearing the chatter, the receiver started cutting in and out. Not the audio, but the actual receiver would flutter as I watched the signal meter and hear the audio just go away and comeback rapidly. I turned on my handheld, just to confirm it wasn't the repeater or interference and the handheld was receiving the conversion perfectly. This issue persisted over the entire 3 days. If a conversion went on for more than a few minutes, the receiver went to crap. To make things even worse, it started raining on the second day and it rained all day. The whole time my headlights were on, we could hear a distinct crackle and interference with the receiver. Also, every time the windshield wipers moved, you could hear the wipers motor in the receiver. On top if that, my Jeep was completely off and a buddy pulled along side me to talk, and I could hear HIS windshield wiper motor on my radio. This is not a wiring issue with my Jeep. It is not an issue with filters on my power lines or my antenna cable. I simply unplugged my existing amateur radio equipment and plugged the MXT500 into the existing power and antenna system. None of my other gear has any issues on these connections. Now, as if that wasn't bad enough, listen to this... I was talking to someone at their home, on my local repeater while driving around last night (just dealing with the noise and receiver flutter] and I needed to jump out of the Jeep and run in a store. The repeater is about 25 miles from my neighborhood. So, I hoped out and grabbed my handheld so I could keep chatting while walking around in the store. The guy I was talking to asked me if I made any adjustments to my radio. I said "I just got out of the truck and switched to my handheld". I thought he was going to give me a bad report, but instead he said that may handheld radio had a better signal into the repeater and the audio was much much better. When I got back outside, I confirmed the Midland was in wideband and on full power. I'm so disappointed that the transmit signal of the Midland and the receiver quality or so bad. I mean, my quality into the repeater was better with a 5w HT while inside a building from 25 miles away... my heart sunk even more. I know you can't see it, but im making my sad face.

It's funny, I travel and go wheeling up and down the east coast several times a month. I never hear anything on 19 on the highway, but I always hear people on 20. And as far as offroad, at the National and private parks I hear people on every channel pair. This weekend I was at AOAA doing some wheeling and there had to have been well over 200 people sharing 22 channels. It was busy. Anecdotal, I know. Just sharing an experience.

HAHAHA... It's early in the year. Hopefully I can redeem myself. ?

May as well not waste your time, unless this is entertaining to you. You're trying to argue points of view with someone who believes a seriously hobbled service is the best for emergencies because the most amount of untrained people who will never actually engage in emergency responses has near untethered access to $9.99 FRS radios they can steal from retail stores or from their kids who got them as Christmas gifts. I think its funny that he keep taking jabs, implying Hams are old and senile, but then brags about getting his license when he was 10 and the chics dug it when he was a kid.

I lost my license while talking an unlicensed user, Seriously.... I have no idea where I put it. I ended up having to print another copy. Ah.... I'm just joking. I didn't lose my license, but i did get a strongly worded scolding from the club president. He said "Don't feed the monkeys."

No, there is no PA feature. You can buy a separate PA system for anywhere from $35 to $600. That's likely going to be your only option if you want the KG - 1000

LOL.. sorry, I'll try to keep this shorter. This is just my opinion... but this reply providing an explanation of your opinion is significantly easier to digest, except and respect. Especially for me comparing it to your initial post. I seriously do appreciate the cordial response. All of my friends call me Spaz. Please feel free to use whichever you are comfortable with. Understood. I have to be honest... there is a difference between understanding that it happens vs. being SOP and part of the plan, which is what it sounded like you were advocating earlier. I'm glad you clarified. I thank you for that. I try not to have a "holier than thou" attitude. I don't believe I am better than anyone else, but rather accept that I am flawed. Everyone has value, regardless of differences in any parts of our lives. I do owe you an apology, though. I really took you post personally, so I came at you pretty hard, not giving you a chance to explain your side of it. For that, I'm sorry. Legacy license Like Advanced and Tech+ are still honored, but the only new licenses currently issued are Technician, General and Extra. As far as getting rid of the test requirement for entry level, I think I would be really hesitant. With even an entry level an Amateur Radio license of Technician, you can have global communications with just a few watts and Amateur bands but up against frequencies that are used by emergency services. FRS/GMRS but up against frequencies that are used by emergency services too, but the radio equipment is restrictive enough to prevent someone who is not aware from causing harmful interference by mistake. Almost all of the Tech license training is about rules, more than technology. That is to help make people aware of limits so they don't make themselves or others sick (RF exposure) or mistakenly cause harmful interference to other services. If the test was ditched, I would probably be more open to the idea if it was replaced with something like a few hours in a mandatory class, so we know that new operators are aware of dangers, benefits and resources for information if they want to learn more or get a reminder.

@WRQI583 The things you are saying and what @WRQC290 are saying just don't match up to what is really happening in the world of emergency response. I'll share actual facts about what has been happening based on my continued involvement over the last 20 years. If you still feel the way you do, than I will just simply stop the discussion. Before I get too far into this, I want to share my background. Normally I hate people who "flash their resume" in an internet debate, but in this case I think its relevant to the topic we are discussing. Especially since John set the precedent. I am turning 50 this year. I have a gifted IQ and since I was 12 years old (1984), I have been working as a professional in Electronics Engineering and Computer Systems and Network Engineering. I have been specializing as a consultant for the Department of Homeland Security since its inception in 2002. I have several major roles in the organization. One of my roles are providing emergency communications sustainment to critical communications infrastructure to ensure first responder, emergency responders, public messaging, and 911 communications are functional during emergencies. Additionally, I am and have been a volunteer with ARES/RACES for 20 years. I am an Assistant Emergency Coordinator, Operator and trainer in two states, totaling 3 counties. I have decades of extensive training in NIMS, ICS and EmComm/AuxComm. In my years of experience, I have assisted with emergency communications with several major disasters in the US, both man-made and natural. Most lasting months. With some of my credentials listed (goodness I hated that) let me explain what happens in the real-world. Obviously I cannot speak for how everyone does everything, but my teams are regularly used as an example of what should be done. For someone to join our team and be a successful participant, they only need a technician class license, a decent VHF handheld radio, a couple of spare batteries and some entry level ICS training. Would other tools help? Sure, but our teams do provide almost everything needed. Obviously, there is a significant need for people to be in good health due to the working conditions in an actual disaster, but we don't discriminate due to disabilities. If you can do the job, you can do the job. The teams that I work with have a very heavy focus on VHF and UHF. We have VHF/UHF repeater systems owned by the ARES/RACES team members that are located at key locations, such as at the hospitals, airports and both County and State EOC's. We have spent a significant amount of time and money investing in battery, solar and liquid fuel generators at each location, for extended to unlimited amounts of runtime, regardless of commercial and public works infrastructure. Our repeater systems are designed in such as way that we have coverage with most of them for greater than a 90 mile diameter, with overlap for relays. We also have extensive, member owned digital and APRS networks in our support areas. We have our own extensive OTA computer network that allows us to send electronic documents, email, and other tradition computer-based functions. On occasion, that also includes voice and video conferencing. We have several redundant systems for portable and mobile VHF/UHF repeater systems that can be on the air providing coverage in minutes... not hours or days. All 100% standalone and supported by battery, solar, and/or liquid fueled generators. All of our VHF and UHF equipment has been modified for compatibility with with FRS and GMRS radios, as well as some DOD services. Often our civilian volunteer SAR/USAR teams use these radios, as well as us intentionally putting FRS radios in the hands of critical leadership and POC's inside the workforce so they can easily reach us if we don't have the manpower for a Shadow. Additionally, many of our members' personally owned equipment has been modified for this purpose as well. With regard to HF, there is an occasional call for the use of it. This is typically for voice or email traffic that does need to travel hundreds of miles and the backbone is down. Examples would be during the Katrina response or during the week-long power blackout that impacted all of the Northeast and parts of eastern Canada, to name a couple. We do have a few members who hold a General or Extra license who would man those stations at the EOC's, their home shack or portal shack, if needed. So, with all of that said, I get personally offended and defensive when people such as yourself or John say things like you have. Especially stuff like this... "old fogies who run the miscellaneous clubs, and prepper groups, think that reading fox news headlines over the local repeater, or broadcasting which Costco still has pallets of toilet paper in stock during a crisis is going to be the best use of 2 way radio comms after a major emergency." (Encouraging or advocating for theft? Wow) "The reality of course is that inexpensive radios that can be looted from the local Walmart and distributed to neighbors..." "overweight retirees with ham licenses, will be the ones needing rescue, not providing essential communications (or any useful assistance whatsoever)." So, are there a bunch of old farts, contesters, rag chewers and people with disabilities on Ham radio? Sure. In my 20 years of personal and profession experience specifically surrounding emergency services, are those the people who are responding to emergencies? Nope. Is FRS/GMRS "better" than Amateur Radio for emergencies? While if depends on the immediate need and the bodies doing the work at the moment, generally speaking I would say no, because FRS and GMRS simply can not provide the level of services that Amateur Radio can. Again, GMRS and FRS are extremely valuable for some emergency responses. I am proud to be a GMRS user. I am not bashing the service, its users, or the awesome men and women who put together some amazing GMRS networks to help people in their area. So, that's it. End of soap box.

?

I can't believe this is true AND you have the previously stated opinion. You would know that there is no other group or assortment of technology, techniques and talent that can match what we can accomplish and have accomplished with amateur radio and our partnerships with the aforementioned agencies. When no one else can communicate, Hams can. I'm certainly not bashing GMRS, FRS. The best solution is the one you have, but I'm not going to sit here and let you post that BS opinion and not call you out. Sorry... but no.

I can't even begin to describe how ignorant and arrogant you sound. You clearly have zero practical experience in amateur radio, how the operators are integrated within local, state and federal emergency response plans, nor the overwhelming success the amateur radio community has had serving in actual national emergencies. The assumption that every operator is a decrepit, overweight, old man whom needs rescuing is laughable at best. Sorry @OffRoaderX I know that has Sad Ham written all over it... but I have to draw the line somewhere. LOL

@WRMN374 glad to hear it! Always happy to help! I wish you the best and looking forward to seeing/reading about the install.

The DB-404B is an omni-directional antenna, so there is no need to rotate it. Just put it on the mast. You only need to be able to rotate an antenna that is directional. Freestanding towers are fine as long as you adhere to load and wind restrictions. Some tower manufactures have dual ratings, too; one rating if the tower is left freestanding and a second rating if it is guyed. If you are concerned, you should be able to contact Universal and see if they have any recommendations, if you think you are going to be on the fringe of the load or wind ratings. Based on the description about the tree height vs the antenna height, you should not have any interference from the trees.

I don't have experience with the 4-40 specifically, but I have owned a couple free-standing towers over the years. What are your questions? I may have an answer.

Man, blast from the past. I just wanted to hop in and say I always loved Vertex Standard equipment, but I am shocked to see some being actively used and even finding software for it. Between going from Standard to Yeasu, to Motorola, and the back to Yeasu before finally being dissolved in 2012, support and software must be tough to come by. Have to say, with the talent here, I am not surprised you got the right answer so quickly. How are you liking the radio?

@wayoverthere I'm not surprised. These companies seem to not put much money into the software piece. Seems like none of them customized the windows at all, defaulting to the built-in colors and presentation from Windows, which gives them all the same look and feel.

I searched the database and found tons of very expensive fines for stuff like Pirate Radio. I guess I'm gone scratch that one off the bucket list now. ?

In some radio services the offset does vary in step and direction (+/-) depending on the frequency you intend to use. You may have heard/read discussions about those other services (which is occasionally discussed here). However, as mentioned above, GMRS will always be +5Mhz.

Ellicott City and Bull Run Mountain are both on the ch19 pair and accept the 141.3 tone for emergencies. But the regular users of Ellicott City use 7a and the regular users of Bull Run Mountain use 4b for day to day to avoid bringing both machines up at the same time.

Man, I had to screen grab this one for posterity. I call this "internet gold". LOL

I know you are not asking me specifically, but are you asking about how well FM works in other bands, such as lower portions of HF (20m, 40m, etc.)? The reason I ask is because the RF propagation is not impacted by modulation type. Modulation types are chosen due to their performance characteristics with regard to either efficiency or ability to carry data.

Both in VA and in FL, there are a lot of POTA activations on 2m and 70cm FM. They usually call on or around the calling frequencies so they are easy to find. With SOTA in VA, there are a lot of VHF/UHF activations. I'm not sure about the rest of the country, but around these 2 states, except for the GMRS and fox hunt aspects, it's already happening. I'm not sure if that is a good indicator that you will have interest from others or not.

I love 10m repeaters. Had a guy somewhat local to my home in VA with a 10m repeater. It was 37 miles away from my house and I could work it from home all day with only 5 watts. It was high enough that with 100w, it easily had 100 mile+ of LOS/Ground wave coverage and at solar maximum the world was the limit. The repeater is listed as private/off the air now. I'm not sure if the owner passed or decided to stop public access.

That Proclips mount looks pretty neat!