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Awesome self Christmas gift.. enjoy Sent from my SM-S901U using Tapatalk

Never had one so can't comment. But Alinco makes decent amateur gear. Really like the motorola xtl5k. Need to swap it out for a Harris 100m in the garage. Stopped due to the triplexers I want range between $200-600. Sent from my SM-S901U using Tapatalk

Sometimes... Switching between 1/4, 1/2, 5/8 over 5/8 (4505). Even tried a ³/4 wave. Each had its pros and cons. The 4505 reached the furthest. But worked the worse in some areas, due to the rolly terrain here. Sent from my SM-S901U using Tapatalk

It is rough for us Hams because the 70cm and GMRS bands are to close to use a duplexer for separate antennas. But far enough apart that anything that cover both bands, that we either sacrifice part of each band, or have silly SWR at the ends of both bands. Personally, I shoot for about 450-453 Mhz, when tuning them to try to get the most bandwidth. Usually, start ending up with 1.67-1.75 on the band edges. Acceptable, for a really compromised antenna. Easiest route is to go 1/4 wave for either band and usually will cover both bands with below 1.6 SWR. Lowest SWR will end up being in the commercial band. But they are the broadest bandwith designs you will find. I don't use them because the roof rack shadows too much of the antenna, I end up with worse performance then with a 5/8 wave and coil design.

The 4505 can be tuned. The recommend lengths for the parts below the enclosed collimator coil (where cut is ) is printed on the bag. The 4503 can be tuned a bit. First check the bottom of the coil to make sure they sent you the right one, and not miss packaged. If that fails contact the vendor. You maybe able to add a Laird spring, and cut the antenna to get it close to where you want it. If all else fails you can buy some .150 (i think that is the right size) nitinol wire/piano wire or bug a HAM for left over whips from over cutting. Then cut it first to larger then the original whip and tune for the mid of the GMRS band. With nitinol you will have a very flexible whip that will be near indestructible. Nitinol is basically, what laird cause a super flex, STI and signal stick/signal stalk make their antennas out of. Do not user wire cutters, it will get destroyed. Best to use a cut off wheel, still takes a while. Just be aware without a corona ball glued on it will easily take an eye out.

Yeah something isn't right... it's not even in the specified ranges. How big is the ground plane? Aka where on the roof is it stuck to? Sent from my SM-S901U using Tapatalk

Readings? I was actually asking what meter. Sent from my SM-S901U using Tapatalk

I don't remember a tuning chart for it. But you should be in the middle of the factory tune. What is "red"? What are you using to analyze it? Sent from my SM-S901U using Tapatalk

Yeah, it's a really small petition. Can't see why they want to bypass a 30 second retransmit rate. Well short of trying to stay inside of transmission allowances. Maybe an attempt to get small changes made for a bigger end goal. Sent from my SM-S901U using Tapatalk

Looks like Midland is pushing for something like aprs, well bit by bit. Really right now, more like a mobile unit vs the currently approved hts. Why more then one beacon in a 30 second time frame? Is the only question I have. From a reddit thread (contains Midlands pettition. https://www.reddit.com/r/gmrs/s/aaCXcecUYt >To Amend the Commission’s GMRS Corporation Rules to Allow Non-Handheld Radios that Utilize a Non-Integrated Antenna to Automatically Transmit Digital Data and Digital Voice Data More than Once within a 30-second period, and to Operate at 50 Watts. Sounds like it's saying they want mobile units, with removable antennas and up to 50W (all already legal) to be able to do digital data more often than is currently allowed AND to be able to use digital voice. Possibly both at the same time. Best comment is... "gmrs needs to allocate one channel to ft8" Sent from my SM-S901U using Tapatalk

Funny enough at dinner with a local guru/ multiple repeater owner. He was joking around about not doing or changing his antenna presentation. Kinda focusing on the basics. This, after hearing how Marc's presentation was received. I said please no.. let Marc handle the new guys. We all want to reserve you for why a bed spring may not be an optimal antennan even if resonant type questions. Sent from my SM-S901U using Tapatalk

Highly recommend. It got a lot of positive feedback. Sent from my SM-S901U using Tapatalk

Get them as far apart as possible, especially if they are close in frequency or hamonics. Mine are about 6 feet apart, on two different planes. 22w low 48 watts high, out from the rf port on the xtl5k Sent from my SM-S901U using Tapatalk

I second this. Trying to find a triplexer for my for my Harris 100m. While not impossible hurts, cheaper ones are +280 and commercial ones average $600+ for used ones. Note: watch antenna spacing. My xtl5k (set for gmrs and p25 65cm/70cm) when at full tilt has blasted my ftm400. That is with the 5/8th for the xtl at the back 1/3 of the roof ND the 2/70sh on the driver front fender. Doesn't happen the other way around with the ftm400 on 70cm and the xtl5k on gmrs. The xtl is just has better selectivity. I have to turn off the ftm400, when using the xtl. Marc has toasted a vhf xtl. Not sure if has to do with the proximity of his uhf xtl. Maybe he can chime in. Sent from my SM-S901U using Tapatalk

Don't go with a higher loss cable coax. Additional height or additional gain from a higher gain antenna will be negated in the losses of the coax. Sent from my SM-S901U using Tapatalk

Your title for the thread is "Terry Sullivan". Lol.. Sent from my SM-S901U using Tapatalk

Higher gain normally is going to cost you bandwidth. ⁵/8 over 5/8th best I have had for gmrs was my laird. But only going to do between 450-470. Big thing here is the more bands you add. The harder it gets, because more comprimises are added. So one band ends up at the bad end and one of the other bands is acceptable, then the last band becomes meh. Best = least comprimises. Closet to what to what you want is going to be something on the lines like the nmo 150/450/800 or nmo150/460/700. Note no 200mhz. They are also designed for the public safety focus (ems/fire/police). They have acceptable (depends on what think is acceptable) swr for amateur services. No, they are not tuneable. There is the 2x24sr. Very stiff, meh for me at least performance wise. You can use diplexers/triplexers and separate antennas? Are some bands listen only? Sent from my SM-S901U using Tapatalk

He won't listen. Still regularly tries to climb towers to help out with the repeaters around here. I was going to do the same as you. I was going to tether the base of the antenna as well. To stop the antenna from swinging. Even thought about climbing the pine tree to lash the antenna with rope. Damn hoa... Alas, the tree one storm decided it wanted to take a nap on the neighbors house. If you can get access to a bucket truck, it will make securing the antenna easier. Sent from my SM-S901U using Tapatalk

None. It is what I recommend. If you could get it above the canopy, it would be awesome. Local here WRPJ758 Roland 2.. has one on top of a 100' tree, where he hoisted part of a tower, and a flag pole. One of the best stations you will here. Simplexes 18 miles easy, and hits repeater, up to 30 miles away with conditions. He is also only like 250 feet above sea level. ( rolly polly terrain of dc hampers his range) It is grounded properly, running heliax 50w from old motorola mobile, as well as a commercial antenna. Heliax from the antenna to his house. Pic is from the base ladder. Which is about 15 feet up. Keep in mind he was very picky with the mounting gear. He didn't want to poison and kill the tree with the bolts. Only maintenance, has been to redo the ground wire, with broke due to the growth of the tree. Currently, the tree has claimed it as part of its trunk. He wants to climb the tree to clear the canopy from around the antenna. None of us want him to, since now he is 78. The antenna use to be above the tree. Now you can barely make out the tip. I have more pictures at home. Old photos he gave me. Will try to post more later.http://files.mygmrs.com/forums/monthly_2023_11/IMG_20220922_164134.jpg.cd1cbfd566fdc74e1cf9b504678e9ae6.jpg Sent from my SM-S901U using Tapatalk

You could use a repeater radio = $$$. Or 2 kg100g with repeater cable, less $$$. Or old commercial radios and configure them as a repeater less $$$ (like kenwoods). You would need a duplexer. Price will depend on if you choose a cheap Chinese brick duplexer or something like a 5 cavity duplexer. Plenty of youtube videos on different configurations. Depending on topography and antenna height. The repeater may not make 35 miles straight line. Most of the repeaters around me (d.c area) will generally have an 18 mile radius. These repeaters are usually minumum 100' with no obstructions using all commercial gear. From the repeater (like a quantar), antenna (lots of comwaves) to heliax feed line using cavity duplexers (for the isolation, and power handling). Sent from my SM-S901U using Tapatalk

That is what is currently available. With some of the radios. Btech pro, garmin reach. Albeit simplex only. I can't see gmrs users spending the umpteen money on the digipeater or server infrastructure part of it. Sent from my SM-S901U using Tapatalk

I have some old radios like that. I even have one that only way to set a pl. Was to crack open the case and flip dip switches. Bet you have flash backs when an unaware user sets a tone on his aprs frequency which happens to be the voice alert tone, and you get the screech. Sent from my SM-S901U using Tapatalk

To be honest I just use cell. With location tags, ie airtags and such. As well as the apps no need really. Been trying out civtac app, to kinda have aprs like functionality. Civilian version of atak. Which I think was designed to work with an mpu5 mimo radio. Nasty little rabbit hole. Thank god mpu5s are like $30k. Quick overview of atak/civtak: Atak video. Sent from my SM-S901U using Tapatalk

Well to be fair... Having aprs like service for family is kinda a cool idea. But omg, that would make gmrs so much worse. With the network being over congested with packets. Hmm, i want to update every 30 sec, so I can track everything. To loosing, a channel for a dedicated aprs frequency or worse having aprs packets on every channel. The unaware don't realize that the amateur aprs frequency is lost to anything but aprs traffic, yes i know voice alert. As well as it is noisy as hell. With voice alert, any transmission basically halt traffic till it clears. Depending on the node, it can have a backup from 13 billion weather stations ¹/4 mile apart. Sent from my SM-S901U using Tapatalk

Speaking of infrastructure. I wonder how many of millions $$$ cumulatively clubs have spent to set up digipeaters. Just for the end user to have aprs functionality, not talking about the hobbies style with a Pico and baofeng. But rather an actual integrated ht or or mobile. There are no ht units sub $250, avg about $400+. Mobiles are the usually $300+. Higher then most gmrs users are willing to pay. If the FCC was considering having aprs down the road, I don't think they would of specifically said, ok you get a little digital (thx garmin for lobbying for this, not aure how much you guys paid), but you can't use it on the repeaters. In fact, any radio that has the capability must not have the functionality on the repeater pairs for type certification. This alone leads me to believe the FCCs attitude to be. You want it? We got a tech license for you to get, they have it. Sent from my SM-S901U using Tapatalk