marcspaz

Agreed. On field testing, mobile to mobile, bumping the power from 5 watts to 50 watts only netted an additional 1/4 mile. That's it. The only time I can see any benefit to boosting power is in a flat-out life or death emergency and you are trying to increase the odds of someone/anyone hearing you. And even then, if your in a bad spot, it wont matter how much power you're running.

Same here. I have had an original X50a on my roof for almost 18 years now, still with the original feed line, too. Still dead perfect match. The Virginia winters are not as bad as where you are, but still... Got to love em'.

RFParts.Com sells them... so does Ham Radio Outlet. They are about $50 each.

Man, can I relate. I have two Btech HT's that I use when off-roading. I'll settle for the reduced performance out in the mountains because we are only a few car lengths apart and if I drop a radio in the mud, I would rather have it be a $20-$30 BaoFeng than a $250 Yaesu.

Glad I could help!

I have a pile of them in a bin at my desk. A few aluminum connectors too.

EDIT: You have one of the more complex requirements. This image is how you should set up CHIRP... http://fiveguysracing.com/marc/HAM-GMRS/SplitTone.JPG Or this if you want to hear everyone, not just repeater traffic... http://fiveguysracing.com/marc/HAM-GMRS/SplitTone2.JPG I can't speak about what your radio can or can't do, but Chirp is pretty straight forward. Use the image below as a reference for what the general meanings are. Start here... https://chirp.danplanet.com/projects/chirp/wiki/MemoryEditorColumns LOC is the channel location, aka what memory slot. Frequency is the simplex frequency of the channel you want to use. If it is a repeater frequency, you enter the repeater output frequency, which is what you will be listening to. Name is just that. Pick a name that give you an idea of what channel you're on. Now... the tone mode can be a little confusing for people. There are a few options to pic from, but until you get used to the radio and software, I would not set the tone mode for anything unless needed for a repeater. The tone mode that is most commonly used is 'Tone', which your radio transmits sub-audible tones to open the squelch of the radio/repeater receiving your signal. If you look at my example below, I have Tone set on the repeater memories. But I also have TSQL on two repeater memories. That function transmits a tone to open the repeater and my squelch only opens when the repeater transmits that same tone. The reason I have that set up is because there are two repeaters near me, using the same frequency pairs, but they use different tones. So, by using TSQL, I know when I hear a signal, it is coming from one specific repeater. So, you populate a value in the Tone column if you what to trip a repeater, but hear everyone. Use the TSQL column if you only want to here people or machines using a tone when they transmit. (Note, there is a Cross mode. That is for radios that support transmitting one tone to open a repeater [for example], but having another tone open the squelch on their radio. I would suggest spending some significant time researching how that works before you mess with it.) You will also notice that I have two memories configured for DTCS, at the very bottom. This mode is commonly called Digital Code Squelching. It is just another squelch type. Most repeater owners don't use this method. It is most common on simplex channels. It can also be insanely complex. You can have DTCS or Split DTCS, transmitting one code and your squelch opens with another code. Than you can reverse the code sequence on none, one, either or both. I would suggest spending some significant time researching how that works before you mess with it. If you look at the image below, you will see which tone column is associated with what tone mode. That should help understand those. Just ignore DTCS RX Code, DTCS Pol, and Cross Mode until you learn about how those items work. The duplex mode is going to be None for the GMRS and FRS channels, unless you are programming a GMRS repeater pair. Then it will be a Plus (+). If you are programming a repeater pair and select plus, the software should automatically select the proper frequency offset, based on the starting receive frequency. If it doesn't, you should enter 5 MHz (5.000000). This automatically changes your transmit frequency, when you press the PTT, to the repeater's input frequency. For Mode, you can use FM for everything except the FRS channels 8 through 14. Those must be set to Narrow FM or NFM. Also, if you cannot program your transmitter to 0.5 watts or if your radio has a detachable antenna, per the law, you are not allowed to transmit on those frequencies. My radio doesn't go any lower than 1 watt and has a detachable/external antenna. So, I have them programed for receive purposes only. Power and Skip should be pretty obvious. Anyway, hope that helps. http://fiveguysracing.com/marc/HAM-GMRS/ChirpProgram.JPG

I have 3 of the MXT400s. The all put out about 35 watts RMS, depending on how long they have been on.

Having lived in New England for many years, I have seen what ocean and road salt does to everything. What a mess.

NP... I'm a fan of Diamond antennas myself. Them and MFJ... I have had good luck. I seem to have the best luck with stainless steel, though.

If I may be so bold, I believe he is making a comment about 'brand loyalists'. Not saying this is you... you and I have chatted off line and you seem like a smart, well-versed individual... but in my experience, many recommendations are because of limited exposure. Not that they have had a wide exposure or performed any significant testing. So they talk up their favorite product or the only product they have used. Honestly, everything that I have that has weather exposure gets replaced every 12-18 months. Especially cables with ends that are not water tight and mount terminals that are not water sealed. Everything starts to oxidize and/or corrode with time. The only exception to that rule is 3/8-24 heavy-duty studs and stainless steel whips. That is only because they can very easily and reliably be disassembled and cleaned. An example of why... I tried using a K400 mount for more than 2 years. The base corroded enough that the electrical ground was not perfect and it led to the receiver in my Yaesu 6m radio going bad. I am still waiting for it to come back from repair. Needless to say, that mount is now gone and I switched to a 3/8-24 stud.

Thanks! I appreciate it!. Yea, it take a lot of time and money to restore these old vehicles. But, so worth it when they are done. That old CUCV is my favorite vehicle to drive. I miss that old 6.2L Detroit, but the 350 is pretty fun too. No joke, right there... You can kill yourself quick with a farm jack. The bags are awesome for mud, snow and sand, for sure. Definitely very stable platform. Cool. Let us know. It's always good to see how others resolve issues. Things we share will likely save someone a lot of grief.

I wanted to do that, but my wife complained that she didn't want to see the antenna in the middle of her field of view. Figured that was a nice compromise. LOL I love my farm jack. I agree, they are a get multipurpose tool. I like the air jacks but my Jeep is too tall. I can't find one that actually gets the tires off the ground. Thanks! I know it doesn't look like it now, but that is/was an M1008 CUCV. At least it was when we bought it. It started life on Fort Lee, and eventually made its way here. We completely restored it to original military spec, including the troop seats and paint. The original 6.2 was in it and it only had 52,000 on the clock. It had the IR/Service lights, 24v electrical (basically for just the starter and jump port). Sadly, the motor let go, then the TH400 let go and took out the transfer case. After that, someone smacked the bed with a big truck and made a mess of it. We put a 6" lift kit on it, cross-over steering, high-performance carbed 350, rebuilt the turbo 400 with a manual reverse valve body, and slapped a new transfer case in it. It has all new brakes. Its about to get a new hydro-assist, front and rear winch, and some other minor stuff. Anyway, we changed it so much that we decided its not much of a M1008 any more. So we are restoring the full interior and we are going to slowly rehab the outside. After the first restore... http://fiveguysracing.com/marc/CUCV/CUCV1.jpg http://fiveguysracing.com/marc/CUCV/CUCV2.jpg I volunteer with the County, doing emergency comms. So, we are setting it up for 'Hi-Visibility'. We still need to finish the paint, but this is what it looks like right now... http://fiveguysracing.com/marc/CUCV/CUCV3.jpg http://fiveguysracing.com/marc/CUCV/CUCV4.jpg

Comet mount and antenna for daily use. http://fiveguysracing.com/marc/HAM-GMRS/Comet_Mount_And_Antenna_1.jpg http://fiveguysracing.com/marc/HAM-GMRS/Comet_Mount_And_Antenna_2.jpg http://fiveguysracing.com/marc/HAM-GMRS/Comet_Mount_under_hood.jpg Comet mount with Tram antenna for offroad use (so I don't break the other antenna). http://fiveguysracing.com/marc/HAM-GMRS/Comet_Mount_And_Tram_Antenna_.jpg

I have a 2016 JK. I am using the comet NMO mount and the comet CA-2x4SRNMO, clamped to the side lip of my hood, on the passenger side, just in front of the windshield. It works great. 1.5:1 swr on 467 mhz. I'll post a pic tomorrow.

It's pronounced Marc, BTW.

You always have to ID from the originating station every 15 minutes and at the end of your transition session. Same as ham, but an extra 5 minutes.

I got you. I agree that the audio fidelity is lower in narrowband because there is simply less data. I never tested how much power increase would be needed for the same fidelity. That would be a fun field experiment with a couple of radios. My son just got his ham ticket. I'll have to see if I can get him to hop in the truck and help me run that test.

I have no idea who this company is... but this article supports my comments above. https://www.mwrf.com/systems/comparing-narrowband-and-wideband-channels

I'm confused. Are you referencing GMRS/FRS specifically? How does wideband have a 3db advantage? 3db of what, exactly? Carrier power? Modulation? Received signal strength? Are you talking about a wideband FM receiver listening to a narrowband signal? I ask because the tech stuff you wrote is nothing like what I have been taught and observe in practice in FM signals. In AM, sure, you can make a preposterously wide peak to peak sign-wave and just flood the airwaves... but that still doesn't make it cleaner or better. Just more of it. Hence the popularity of SSB in NLS radio services (MF/HF, for example). Every 3db of loss is power cut in half compared to the reference power, or 3db gain is double the reference power. And to change a received signal by 1 s-unit, you would have to quadruple your power or reduce it to one quarter of the starting power. That is a gain or loss of about 12db compared to the reference power. So, I'm having trouble tracking how you are determining loss or gain based on this understanding. As far as signal to noise goes, narrowband is the lower noise bandwidth, not the higher. The reason we use wideband in line-of-sight radio is because wideband carries more data... in this case a voice signal, thus better audio fidelity inside of the short rang capability of the frequency and power being used. Due to being a line-of-sight service, there is no benefit to using narrowband. Maybe there is a misconception that wideband has better signal to noise ratio because there is more voice data for a wideband receiver to work with, but there is actually more noise too, reducing the heard distance. Narrowband usually has a far greater range of reception because narrower filters can be used, cutting out unwanted band noise. The transmitted energy is also concentrated on a smaller portion of the spectrum.

Its not just you. We have discussed it here a lot. It's irritating to a good portion of the people I have talked to. In my area, its every channel, all day. Construction companies, grocery stores, schools, restaurants, warehouses... like you said; poor mans business radio. I personally find it irritating. Not that they are bothering me, because I couldn't care less who I share the frequency with. My irritation comes from the fact that it was marketed as "Family Radio" for a very long time, is still marketed as "Family Radio Service", and many families use the band as such. I curse like a drunken lunatic. Bad language and talking about work related stuff doesn't bother me, but families, kids, church groups, etc., shouldn't have to hear it. FRS used to be a wholesome place for them, and in most of the nation it still is, but around high population density areas, not so much.

The benefit of using a narrow channel is the lower noise along better sensitivity and range. The advantage of wideband is the capability to transfer higher data rates. I would stay away from narrow band unless you want to forget about digital and hi-fidelity. As far as repeater pairs go, CTCSS and DCS were created for a reason. If you are using tone or digital code squelching, unless the repeaters are within miles of each other, you can have potentially hundreds of repeaters in place within a 500 mile radius and not interfere with another repeater. The only exception I could potentially see there is if traffic went up 100 fold and all repeater owners started using 200' towers; which I don't see happening. Additionally, there is a massive shortage of people willing to spend insane amounts of money for proper repeater equipment, site rentals and maintenance costs, just to allow other people to user their system for free. (Hard to imagine, I know.) Opening up more pairs isn't really a need.

148 pages. I'm 16 in. Should be interesting to finish up.

There is a monitor button on the front. If TSQL or DCS are enabled, when you press the button, you will see the busy light and S Unit bar light but no audio will be presented due to the lack of proper tone. I tested it a few minutes ago, just to be sure I am not putting bad advice out there.

Exactly. Think of cell phones. They use a voting system to help keep your call uninterrupted.