kidphc

Standard UHF rules apply. Get it the antenna up high. 5 miles or so can be rough with HT due to terrain and obstructions. Base stations probably would be able to do it no problem with 20w. Fortunately these radios are under $100 usually. Unfortunately, the antenna and power supplies add to the cost. Plus your 9 year might be ptt shy on a repeater. Yes, most of the community is great but there are still a-holes out there. Gmrs was meant for exactly what you are trying to do. I would suggest looking at cheap ip ht radios as well. The conversation will be local to your group over an internet connection. Yes, it's not true rf to rf. But hey you are trying to fan a spark. I would also suggest looking at getting him on a Santa net. Dstar has one, requires a Dstar radio. If you are a general with a decent setup the wheelers have one on 80. You know where another ham relays to Santa, so the kids can talk to Santa at the North Pole [emoji6] Sent from my SM-S901U using Tapatalk

As well as people like me whom are more visual then auditory. I find it easier to identify signals and their types visually than listening to the signals. Doesn't hurt that the entry cost for it are as minumum as you want. So it is worth a try. Usually, a cheap RTSLDR dongle is under $80. The software for basic usage is free or minimal in cost. Tons of articles on setting up antennas. There is very little that is as cheap with the same flexibility and versatility in the radio world. Sent from my SM-S901U using Tapatalk

I get it. But some of the newer people might be unaware. That this opens up the radio to lmr 2m/70cm band and amateur radio lmr 2m/70cm. There is a reason there is no skill test for GMRS and locking down of the radios. Not going to get into it further either. Sent from my SM-S901U using Tapatalk

Note: Those that do this should know. The radio is no longer type 95 certified. Not like any one is going to hunt you down. You will be able to transmit outside of gmrs band even between interstital frequencies. There are lmr frequencies assigned and licensed there. Which could get you into a bit of trouble, if a digit or number is off. Sent from my SM-S901U using Tapatalk

My mommy said I was special. But not in a good way. Sent from my SM-S901U using Tapatalk

Morsetoad app for android used it for a while. Stop playing with it for 2 years.... and it's all gone again..lol Sent from my SM-S901U using Tapatalk

Had no clue till now. Basically almost always use Tapatalk, which there isn't even an option for it. Sent from my SM-S901U using Tapatalk

You can certainly use a transverter. For 2m/70cm work it ended up with the ft991a. It can't be unlocked for GMRS. I mean most of the GMRS users are looking at Baofengs be it a uv5r or a gmrs locked variant. So a 1k HF radio isn't normally on the radar. Plus GMRS gains nothing from having a waterfall [emoji22] Sent from my SM-S901U using Tapatalk

First off. Something like a ic7300 is a massive overkill for GMRS. Akin to a nuclear bomb to kill a fly. Most people will not even attempt to buy it. Secondly, there are great mobile radios. Like the wooxun kg series, older Motorolas/kenwoods all the way down to something like a db20g. Lastly, I wouldn't want a 50w mobile rig blasting away with an antenna inside that close to me. I have friends that do something similar, but they were mentally off to begin with. You can also cut a 2x4, and make a psuedo pass through for a window or sliding door (if you have a balcony). I perfer the balcony route for the antenna, since you can dress the antenna to look like a plant from far away, it's outside. There are several reasons for it, more than rf exposure, electro magnetic waves tend not to like some structures more than others. This is why you need to get close to the windows with the ht, a lot of the signal is getting attenuated by the building structure. Sent from my SM-S901U using Tapatalk

Glad you are getting it. I should rephrase the part about listening to the output. You "can" transmit it just will go over simplex not be heard by the repeater. Sent from my SM-S901U using Tapatalk

Is it a non gmrs repeater? Why I ask? The gmrs repeater frequencies are set by the FCC. Set with a +5Mhz offset. Unlike amateur radio repeaters, you can not have a reverse offset and remain compliant. Even then a way to "monitor" a repeater is simply listen to the output frequency. You just won't be able to transmit. For the db20g, you can three finger salute the radio in "open it up". So you can bypass the firmware locking for GMRS. I don't condone it. [emoji6] Sent from my SM-S901U using Tapatalk

I have seen dstar signals on the sdr. It wasn't anything like a digital fm signal. We confirmed as a nearby aircraft pass. Probably on a glide path. Which would make sense that a radar altimeter was engaged. The signal looked like a giant diamond on the waterfall. Sent from my SM-S901U using Tapatalk

We are pretty confident now it is a radar altimeter. Sent from my SM-S901U using Tapatalk

I'll ask. Sent from my SM-S901U using Tapatalk

Not that we have seen it narrows back down and slows down in speed and width. It is intresting to see. It's right inside of the fm portion of the band plan. Just a bit higher than the atv portion. I thought it could be a smart meter but those are in the lower section of UHF same with radar which should be in the 1 GHz portion not 1.2 GHz of the 23cm band. Sent from my SM-S901U using Tapatalk