kidphc

Recording for cwid only. You can probably be done with say a Yeasu FTM mobile with optional voice module chip. Got mine for vfo frequency readout while driving. If i remember mine only recorded one side of the conversation (sorry my 400xdr is DOA presently so cant confirm). I believe it only recorded in comming and not outgoing. Which was ok since i was logging and trying to document the pota callsign. Don't recommend CAPS mod. I have witnessed 2x Ftm's die, not sure if was related or not. Take the following with a grain of salt. 1st (mine) FTM400XDR, 3years internal smd fuses might be dead. 2nd Buddies FTM500 repaired confirmed smd fuses blown. Both had caps mod done by giga. I believe there was a 2nd ftm400, but cant confirm because he nija'ed away from this area. Sent from my SM-S901U using Tapatalk

If you got it might as well use it and not deal with iffy or static coms. Sent from my SM-S901U using Tapatalk

I tend to agree, but its not as drastic for most situations or as perceivable. Kinda like having a 100 watt flashlight and then using a 120 watt flashlight. Yes, there is a difference but just how much and how perceivable is it. Think also dark woods vs in the city. But ever bit can help, somewhat imo. Sent from my SM-S901U using Tapatalk

Well to be fair at that sort of distance, every little bits help, even being on your tippy toes on the roof line would help as well. Sent from my SM-S901U using Tapatalk

20w watts will get you further than a walkie. It's 4x more powerful than an ht (handie talkie, hand-held, walkie-talkie) most are only 5 watts, some are lower on UHF/GMRS frequencies. Distance is subjective and varies due to 1000 factors. Only testing will get you the truth for your environments. Dont agree completely with Randy, but i use his farzz.. because frankly its the right way to explain it. I have spoken to a guy 70+ miles on simplex. I was using a ht on Sugarloaf Mountain, some 1500ft above sea level, 1200+ above the level surface below, and he was on the Shenandoah Ridge with a yagi (probably 1800-2000 above sea level. They were doing most of the work with the signal. Mean while my ht can barely make 3 blocks in my neighborhood under normal circumstances. Keep in mind also that a phantom style antenna will have a very round radiating pattern with no gain to about 3dbi. When you get a 36" long 5/8 over 5/8 you are going to be between 3dbi to 8dbi. Without getting into other stuff, raw power-wise wise on power a 20W radio with 8dBi will be around 60W-160W (effective radiating power) where the phantom would be theoretically 20W-60W ERP. Sent from my SM-S901U using Tapatalk

You have described my area. DC being piedmont, we have massive rolling hills. It's almost 1000 foot jagged down hill from my house to D.C. in a topographic study. Wattage helps when you are on the fringe and especially when the leaves are wet (large amount of trees here). So a majority of the time the 20 watts are enough especially for a repeater. Running on the highway the 50 watts start shining when we start out running each other's range, it will take if from "no copy" to "i think you said". Never had good luck with the ghost antennas on car to car, worked well with the repeaters. The gmrs repeaters out here are out of the world especially for the topography, once again thank you Washville. Back to car to car, I try to run 5/8ths at a minimum, 5/8th over 5/8th perferred. Wife hates it because it sounds like the roof is going to rip off with all the parking garages. Remember 20w to 50w is about 1 S unit or about 3db. Only testing will show if it is worthwhile in your use case. Wish you were closer would loan you both for about a month to determine if it was worth it. I will say going from an ht to an ht with an external antenna is a big step up. But going to a 20W mobile with a good antenna setup is a world of difference. Almost night and day on transmit and receive. DB20G (and its clones) are cheap and relatively easy to sell. I have one setup with a DIY indoor blade antenna for a secondary base antenna to get to a local shopping mall where an ht wouldn't cut it. It gets ripped out and thrown in the van with an external mag mount for roadtrips. Sent from my SM-S901U using Tapatalk

For relatively flat ground look towards 5/8th over 5/8th whip antennas. Most all the antennas are going to be the same, same with the antenna physics. Just will come down to how long it lasts, this excludes repeater and tower antennas. Also just because you don't have a visual line of sight, doesn't mean the repeater doesn't. Ever climb a 100ft tower or go up more than 20 floors in a building. Impressive how far you can see, especially on flat (nearly) land. I love how when i go to my eye doctor (13th floor) I can see from Rockville, MD to antenna towers 20-40 miles away with ease. Sent from my SM-S901U using Tapatalk

Should be fine. Is the conduit on a slight grade to drain water? Sent from my SM-S901U using Tapatalk

If your antenna is 100 feet in the air an additional 1.5 db might be worth it. As you increase db the antenna's radiating pattern on an omni-directional antenna gets flatter. It sends more of it signal to its horizon. I would recommend plugging the info into a one of the free typographical antenna coverage calculators to quickly ascertain if it is worth it. They changed this tool it seams. It use to allow you to map it out and set each site differently with gain and antenna values. This is what I use to recommend. https://www.scadacore.com/tools/rf-path/rf-line-of-sight/ Have you thought about a yagi on with a TV rotator? Sent from my SM-S901U using Tapatalk

Yeah, was listening on it was pretty wild how good it was. Meanwhile, 11m(cb) ssb was dead. 40m was cranking as well. Sent from my SM-S901U using Tapatalk

Self Edited/deleted due to useless info

I know those mounts.. at least it think i know the owner/fabricator for that goldiee... Either case, back to the op. My current favoriteamateur/gmrs ht that i grab, is the Harris XG100P. Dream is the APX8500 HT. For mobile, it's the XG100M and FTM400XDR both suit different digital modes. For the base, I use either the CDM1250 or XTL5000 for GMRS. The FT991a for everything else amateur related, can't mod the UHF/VHF side sadly. Sent from my SM-S901U using Tapatalk

Think its because the average person sees extra antennas, it's got to be the police/military. Sent from my SM-S901U using Tapatalk

Gone to Toronto multiple times. Truck looks like a porcupine. Never questioned, never asked by either Canadian or US border patrol. I do carry all my FCC paperwork with me (amateur technician). Pretty sure now I mention it I will be stopped next time. Also my gmrs radio in the truck is an xtl5000, which is usually tuned into local p25 amateur repeaters. Sent from my SM-S901U using Tapatalk

Good question. Even my amateur radio gear is the same way. My LMR stuff, I set it and forget it, wouldn't really touch it anyways. Mostly using pl, don't really monitor simplex often. What I wish all radios had was nuisance delete. Sent from my SM-S901U using Tapatalk

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