kidphc
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Posts posted by kidphc
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Biggest issue with being non compliance (opened up) with this radio.Agreed. This is a case where non-compliance is harmless as long as the person using the radio is acting responsibly. But for people who worry about strict compliance with the letter of the regulations, having it spelled out may help.
Is fat fingering when programming the frequencies on gmrs. Well that can happen also with ham frequencies.
Just double check and triple check your code plug over 2 days before hitting the ptt, is my suggestion.
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Not even really necessary to have 2 unless compliance is sought after.This!!
Two of the Radioddity DB20G radios with one configured for GMRS and the other opened up to the ham bands and there’s not even a question about compliance.
Since opened up, you can have all 3 bands (in which case a single radio now would be out of compliance in the most strict sense)
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Funny enough. Starting, to hear sad gmrs users.Good point. Not too mention the sad hams complaining about your post. LOL they don't even see the irony.
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Whining about not having extra frequencies, more digital allocation bandwidth, digital (thx btech pro) on repeaters, among other things. Even encryption..lol..
No, they are not hams. I know some of them personally. Even tried to convince them to get tickets. More whining ensues.
The fact is our beloved service will go the way of cb. Where you can't turn it on around kids because of the behavior and language. Enter the jerk wad who is on local repeaters, broadcasting music, scratching the mic and ptt'ing when someone is talking to stamp/distort the transmission.
God, nowadays I wish I had the money to put up a business repeater.
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- SteveShannon, Lscott, gortex2 and 1 other
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Actually, with my crappy antennas the sdr hears better then my ft991a. Plus displays more on the waterfall. Since atleast with the sdr (using adr console). I can zoom in faster and more then the radio.
You can hear on the sdr and transmit on the radio. Doesn't mean they will ever hear me, again crappy antennas.
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If you can get a dealer to give you ham friendly pricing. The kenwood for mixed amateur/gmrs usage works for a decent price. Then make sure to get what you want. Unfortunately, you aren't going to get ham friendly pricing from motorola. I perfer motorola and so does a good friend, whom sells, programs and modifies commercial gear.That is an option. Although, I must admit, I am very biased again all 5xxx series Kenwood radios. I used to be an engineer within the JVC/Kenwood Group.....and my current employer has NX53xx radios as part of a confined space radio project. I prefer Motorola (or in reality Harris military) radios over Kenwood/EFJohnson/Viking with only a few exceptions for several reasons.
Kenwood has tried to do too much via software in the 5xxx line of radios, and you must be very careful hardware/software wise, that you get what you want when you buy the radio. Many municipalities for example could not afford P25, but grant money only flows for P25 capable radios. So, Kenwood said they would offer P25 as an add on option at a later date. When that time came, the radios needed to be sent back for an additional hardware module, so they could then be software updated for P25 capability. Kenwood and other parts of the "Group" hired to many Microsoft software engineers that thought you could update everything like a laptop computer, and most lacked any radio, dispatch, telephony, or even amateur radio experience. Majke sure you get what you want on the "NX" path, or you may get burned, more so if you buy hundreds at a time. (Might apply or not, this is a GMRS forum after all, if you only get one or two used units at a huge discounted price).
It is definitely a bit outside the gmrs forum aspect.
But anyone like the op looking for a vhf rig capable of gmrs. Me included. Is in a bind. Act crappy ccr radios that can be unlocked, cap mod a ham rig or mod (using nod loosely here) commercial gear. Commercial gear kinda sucks because being able to tone select and fpp. Really is only an option on gear produced in the past 10-15 years.
I was looking at a dual rig xtl5000. Just decided it would be better to wait till an APX 8K series was more affordable. For now cdm1250 and ftm400 will do.
Btw. At home I am running an Anytone 779 which is the same radio( little cheaper) as the Radioddity db20g, upstairs for the wife (gmrs). Unlocked for ham vhf/uhf use in case. In the shack it's a cdm1250 and ft991a.
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Been eyeballing apx8500's with xtva modules. The the ht can do 25wm kinda nifty.Definitely high end and will cover VHF and UHF,.....I just received 13 of these for work. Christmas came early, along with three APX8000XE handhelds. What did not show up was batteries, single chargers, antennas, belt clips, and the six bank charger for the APX8000XE's as Motorola is making the expensive items first. My employer does not pay on purchase orders until all line items arrive, they may get paid six month's from now at this rate.
Other pricey options are as you said the apx8000.
Another option often overlooked is the Kenwood nx series. You can buy entitlements for p25, and dmr. Think they come with analog and mxdn.
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5 minutes ago, gortex2 said:
That link goes to VHF not UHF
But as said a 1/2 wave will work ok. To be honest a 1/4 wave on an L-bracket bolted to boat will most likely suffice unless your traying to talk 50 miles. We ran one on our fire boat for years and it was fine.
Sorry yeah came back to correct the post. They are VHF antennas
Are you suggesting something like this or just a simple l bracket without ground planes?
Mobile to base gound plane bracket
I plan on using one personally for the eaves to a house. A thin mobile design would hide better from the HOA then a 17' white fiberglass on a 40' mast.
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most marine atennas take into consideration the lack of ground plane. Either by 1/2 design or by using part/all of the coax as the ground plane.
Here is a good place to start narrowing down you choices. Although these are VHF design.
I do not endorse either site. Simply to start pointing you in a direction.
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Ditto don't think there are gain settings.
Guess the closest you will get is to adjustments is how far is the mic from your mouth. Could shove cotton in the mic hole to lower modulation or drill the hole to increase modulation. I prefer just moving the mic.
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I just can't condone it nor would I do it. Sure its just collecting data for open WIFI systems. Not like Apple and Google don't do it as "location services' Just the thought the data is used for potential (more then potential should say likely) pedophile and dark web use.
I just found it an interesting aspect of the radio hobby. Not like you need to be licensed to collect these data points.
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The image that started it all. Posted on Reddit. Now reading about wardriving. Such a hobby amateur radio is, although wardriving isn't specific to amatuer radio.
The reddit post.... linked to the owners response.
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Cell mountOn my 2000 LC. I have mounted the radio bodies to the glove box and 3rd row molle panes. The mics magnetic mic mounted to the center console molle panels.
Now for the heads. The FTM400XDR head is mounted above the rear view mirror which was 3d printed by a member in PETG on IH&MUD.com for the Landcruiser. My CDM 1250 remote head is 3m body tape (VHB)\ in front the coum shifter.
THIS IS WHERE IT MAY WORK FOR YOU.
I have a cell phone mount that I used a RAM bolt through 1"Ball. Mishmashed with Ram entions connected to a17mm ball that I connected to a wireless cell mount. Well in your case. Case if you have a driver side door handle if you pop off the plastic cover you can take a bolt and measure it. why? because the ball mount will require most likely a slightly longer screw and may even require you to fabricate a spacer. With a Ram X mount you can mount your head in the same location.
I dislike suction cup mounts. I have had very expensive electronics fall off the windshield. However, another universal suction cup mount may work for the head.
If you have a center glove box or center console you can fabricate a simple wood mount to slide into said space and mount the radio body to it. Or even under the rear bench if you have a king cab or crew cab.
You will be drilling holes But not into the body or interior of the truck.
Picture of cell phone mount.
Ram ball mount I used
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005J43I56/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1
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Also if you don't want to work with hardline for 100 foot runs LMR600 can work well. Hardline is still less lossy.
Have you tried adding an extension to your mast mount? This could help with far receive. Having a good antenna helps, but uHF really likes height. Even with that said, its a matter of luck sometimes. Sounds like you were experiencing some light ducting in the early morning, that wasn't there at night.
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I have an 8Ft fiberglass antenna in my attic. Fortunately, I have a vent right over my ground location and it was the shortest run. Lately, everyone is trying simplex more. I can hear them but its noisy since the antenna is indoors.
i however, plan on installing a mobile antenna on the peak of the eaves of roof side. Which again would be a straight run down to the grounding point. Why is this important? Ground wiring or installations shouldn't have 90 degree bends. Plus it will reduce the cost of the install by using the shortest amount of LMR400 or Heliax, which will end up being a majority of the cost of your install.
I plan on using a mobile nmo base mount. They really are for temporary installations. The maintenance is higher, which is a problem. Why not a base vertical? 3 letters HOA. Should hide a tons better then a 1 inch round white fiberglass tube. From the front of the house it is about 54" to the installation point. So really 2 downsides. One N type connector, and maintenance up.
The mount i plan on using. https://a.co/d/beQaNDn
This is an option as well. Do you even know if the vent pipe is steel or aluminum? If it is aluminum, not going to work. With bends in antennas, it can cause a impedance shift at the bend throwing you out of the band you are trying to use. We often don't want bends in our antennas. You see tractors all the time with their antennas at 45 degrees, since the antenna bends when driving. They do it to keep the Swr swings low. You are going to take a compromise antenna, and make the install a compromise, couple the metal roofs proximity and you are making another compromise. I expect a thread on why you are only getting 1 mile on simplex at 50 watts and can't talk to a repeater without hash when it is 5 miles away.
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If using programing software and a cable
You would program the frequency in the software, use the selection usually under tones for DPL next to it should be a pulldown to enter the Tone.
CTCSS or PL is a subaudiable tone that is carried with your transmission, usually at the beginning.
DPL is just DIGITAL PL tone. Usually, they will have a slight delay, so give a 1-2 second pause after clicking the PTT before you speak. This delay is caused by machine decoding the tone.
For front panel programming on the radio, it is much the same, just have the manual in front of you so you know where the items are in the menu.
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On 8/19/2022 at 12:22 AM, flashover52 said:
I have had the CX-333 on gable end of house (35’ off ground) for almost a year. I have been extremely happy with it. I can’t share any measurements as I don’t have any meters but have had nothing but good sound checks using a BTech UV-50x3 mobile.
Repeaters 50 miles away are easy to hit. I can get some folks on VHF in simplex at over 20 miles. I have had no bad experiences with the antenna.I get similar with and Diamond X200a it's abou 8.5 feet tall in my attic about 35 feet up, with LMF400. HIt Warrenton GMRS repeater from Potomac, MD. which is about 37.4 aero miles as well as Towson GMRS repeater (41.9 mies) at 50 watts.
No swr readings, to hand off.
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Local repeater because of myself and Rolund (a local super user, why he's a regular on about 7-8 repeaters) pretty much have to have a Round Robin system ,since now a days our little conversations have attracted more than a handful of users. Jokingly, said we should just assign a net controller or at least some system so we do not double as much.
FYI. Rolund has been on the Harrisburg repeaters and is a regular on the Mount Holly, Ellicott, and Towson nets.
It really depends on the repeaters and the personalities that use it. Some won't even respond unless you know them or are asking for a radio check. You get the same thing with ham repeaters.
Just keep calling out on the repeater and have conversations. You'll probably end up with some people with like minded thoughts. That is how it starts, then it goes into in person meets, and spending holidays with them...lol
Also look at the GMRS zello groups, there is someone usually looking for somebody to talk to.
- SteveShannon and WRTJ860
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Intresting read.Ahh, go read this
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rayleigh_fading
Explains a LOT of what you are experiencing.
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3 minutes ago, marcspaz said:
I was using the Comet 2x24sr for about a year. I am not surprised to hear your feedback. The antenna sucks. It's a compromise on all bands and wasn't designed to perform well on the 467 MHz range. Comet say the top-end in 465 MHz. Its an 'ok' antenna for close range split duty between Ham and FRS/GMRS if you are actually doing some type of SAR/USAR mission in close proximity on low power, but anything over 2 miles and I just can't get good performance out of it.
And I think it's the design, as 462 MHz is at the top of the design scope and 467 MHz isn't even a part of it. I started off with the NMO version. I ended up getting a second one in a UHF mount and it had the same issues.
2x24sr definitely is a very big compromise antenna. I think At mid GMRS Band around 465, it was about 2.1 SWR. The Laird 5/8 over 5/8 hasn't been cut, but by the factory cut chart 472 is right around 1.75 in its stock form. Still waiting on adapters, will take measurements later. The Laird completely kills the Comet in everything from weight, construction, and rigidity. If you have held a 2x24 you know it is heavy antenna that feels unbalanced(like it is a sword or something) when in the hand, the Laird feels about 3x heavier. I might get rid of the 2x24sr, because good grief the antenna is so stiff the mount is always shimmying.
Yes the Laird 5/8 is 2x-3x the cost of the Tram or its competitors. I feel it is justified. Plus the famous Laird center contact pin, no more bending tabs. Even the center pin on the Laird makes the Comet push center pin, feel like a chintzy toy out of a gumball machine.
- wayoverthere and marcspaz
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So some reporting to do from real world, only about a week or so.
Repeater is on top a water tower (about 100' up) at about 427 feet in elevation for the base of the watertower.
Comet 2x24sr (hood shoulder mount) Using the FTM400XDR
- The Comet 2x24sr I received a lot of reports of breaking up, barely getting through the noise floor (40 watts), in/out with receptions. and a lot of dead spots when connected to a very good repeater.
- Dead spots, lots of static
- Was able to test with a repeater in Glenmount MD, to Frederick, MD. Got about 30.36 miles (48.4 km) of rolling hills, elevation changes sometimes up to 100 feet. Spotty, but was making it in with 15watts hashing getting bad.
1/4 Laird Unity antenna: (on roof 18" in front of rear hatch lip) Using a CDM1250
- Decent, very small, tip barely clears the roof rack. Much better reception and transmission when compared to a shoulder/hood mounted Comet 2x24SR antenna.
- reports of a lot of scratchiness and but legible.
Laird B4505CNS 5/8 over 5/8 No Ground Plane. (on roof 18" in front of rear hatch lip) Using a CDM1250
- So far my favorite. Until i start clipping garages and such.
- Best reports (Sound like you are sitting next to me.)
- Little to no scratchiness even at low power
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Area I call the Mormon Temple Curse, is a dip and snakes around the Temple. It is a bad dead spot for this repeater. The highway dips there and gets curve. I call it the curse, since it is where the highway snakes with high angle banks, sun peers through 3/4 of the year with the visual attraction of the temple.
- It is the only antenna, that makes reliable contact transmission/reception with a little scratchiness on receive and transmission. (a lot of it is the antenna location on the truck)
- Now i get occasional squelch breaks, and transmission from other repeaters (Towson and Ellicot city) that between 18-26 miles away depending on my local topography.
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On 9/18/2022 at 11:25 PM, WRKC935 said:
Here's the video. THis was posted on Facebook in the group.
So some explanation.
I have a DB-420 antenna mounted at 180 feet up at the tallest point in the county. I have no issues with using it to communicate with locally and even from the tower lot. It works fine.
Another thing you need to consider if you are looking at down tilt of an antenna. That being the UP tilt of the opposite side of the antenna. If you were to tilt your antenna DOWN to talk into a town or someplace below your antenna, then you tilt the other side of the pattern UP into space killing the ability to communicate in that direction at all. And frankly there are better ways of dealing with an antenna system that has this issue with local coverage. You add a second antenna and a power divider lower on the tower and if needed a yagi or corner reflector antenna to cover the area you need covered and only having a SMALL effect on the overall coverage footprint form the main antenna.
I agree with your synopsis. Nice setup btw. I can only think of like 1 or 2 instance where this would even be useful. Even in those instance I would say a director of some sort or yagi beam antenna would perform better. Most repeater owners don't want the expense of a repeater to have a concentrated area of reception, again most. I would think most want the largest foot print around the antenna, really comes down to the purpose.
I have always kinda wondered about the wagging of my antennas on my truck and it's effect on transmission and reception. But haven't noted any really doppler or picket fencing. Biggest changes always came down to my ground plane on my truck. Mount it on the fender, meh... up on the roof of the truck and it started competing with some base stations.
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On 9/13/2022 at 5:07 PM, gortex2 said:
Cheap LED bars are our issue. Replace the bar with a quality unit and it should be fine or keep it on a switch.
Common issue with cheap stuff.
More notably the drivers for the LEDs. You could try some RF clip on chokes. You will need to figure out if the noise is coming in through the power leads or the coax. Wrap the cable a couple of times through the choke and clamp it. If it is coming through the power leads, hopefully the radio is connected to the battery. It could be a grounding issue or ground loop being caused.
GMRS Enforcement
in General Discussion
Posted
Yes, it is clear this is user is a radio guy.
1.) Figuring out the tones to unpublished repeaters. Knows to keep transmissions short (less than 5- 10 seconds). Is constantly moving about, by being mobile, as well as being completely random. It makes it difficult to fox hunt, uch less get a directional bearing.
2.) Seams to live or travels in the Montgomery area.
a. really likes Wheaton repeater. Rarely hits 6xx 7 corners or the other repeater there. Only kinda heard him once on Bull Run, count your blessing.
This person is more intent on messing up transmissions more than anything else.