kidphc

Unfortunately, at work. So I"ll just do the signal test as I use it normally. Thanks though

No. Signal reports as of today, just got it installed. Btw. Don't run out and buy one just yet. It is a 2m 1/4 wave and 3/4 wave 70cm antenna. 3/4 have a weird radiation pattern and a take off angle of about 60‐70 degrees. So who knows, how this will work in the real world. I should of have taken 2m sweeps but failed to. I really wanted an antenna taller than the 1/4 for 70cm p25 and gmrs, i was also hitting the 1/4 wave in some garages. 2m was not a consideration, so I didn't even bother. Because of the garage/tree thing I started searching for nintinol antennas. 2 came up signal stalk and sti flexi ( about 2x the price). The sti was ruled out for the first round due to the cost and the cut chart would of had it back at 1/4 wave for gmrs/70cm. Might still try it in the future. Going to look at my buddy Seth's sti antenna to see if it is more flexible. ** the signal stalk is flexible. But no where near a signal stick. You will not be able to loop a signal stalk like a signal stick. I think you can loop the Sti (will check when I get the chance). *** DO NOT try to trim with cutters. I recommend a bolt cutter or cut off wheel. Even my pneumatic cutting off wheel at the shop took some time to cut through it. On the order of 5-10 seconds. Usually, it will go through a steel whip in 2 seconds. Sent from my SM-S901U using Tapatalk

Cut off a hair more than an inch (1") whip measurement 19".. 446 Mhz (national 70cm calling Swr was at 1:1.4 swr. 472.7250 Mhz ch22 repeater input the Swr was at 1:1.49 swr. 450 Mhz swr (target mid band) was at 1.08 Swr. Note: weird curly q in the Smith chart. Never seen that before. Sent from my SM-S901U using Tapatalk

Initial swep of the uncut signal stalk measures 20". About 2.5 swr at 467.725 Mhz. 1.75 swr down at 440Mhz. Sent from my SM-S901U using Tapatalk

Sadly hidden and blened in with the telephone pole. Retaking the photo.

Uncut Laird b4505cns. Swr sweep. Always impressed with this antenna. It was mounted in the same place the signal stalk was located. Sent from my SM-S901U using Tapatalk

Found there wasn't much info on the signal stalk. So might as well put it up for people to see. First off, the signal stalk installed.

Good to know. Kinda spoiled with all the mobile units. Almost don't want to go back to the ht with an external antenna days. Ocassionaly, have to throw it in high power, I often find myself on fringe of some of the repeaters. XTVA with the xts5k is redundant with the XTL5k. So the XTVA sits in the garage with all the hardware. Who knows maybe I'll get permission to throw it in the JKU or the wife's van one day. Now talking about a $2.5k APX.... i'd probably go your route, but throw the amp in just because.

Probably will separate the antennas. Plus if a 1/4 is wracking crap in parking garages the diamond well it will become scrap metal fast. Sent from my SM-S901U using Tapatalk

When I get the vhf unit I will be installing another signal stalk if it works well after trimming. I would rather punch another hole in the roof then run a diplexer if I can. I love the fact the pre-amp on the vhf models are a flashcode and not an add on board. Marc, Any reason you went with a high power vhf? Are you going to run dual heads or run a w3? Sent from my SM-S901U using Tapatalk

I'll have to talk to Marc next time there is a meet. Or if I catch him on bullrun. I ordered a signal stalk. 1/4 2m, 3/4 wave 70cm. Mostly because it's nintinol and more then 1/2 the price of a sti flexible antenna. 1/4 wave, unfortunately is play the antenna song in parking garages. So want max flexibility. Sent from my SM-S901U using Tapatalk

Because unlike Ham repeaters. GMRS repeaters are usually privately owned, thus private party. Even ham repeaters don't need to be published or shared (most are, and are owned by clubs). A local repeater to me is not published but open to GMRS users. We do have problems with unauthorized (non-license) and people whom are purposely/willingfully interfering with the repeaters. Yes, we have a semi active group hunting for this person. It so bad, so much so that the repeater owner is pulling tones. Requiring several dozen users to have to reprogram radios. He has even discussed the idea of completely pulling the repeater off the air or switching frequencies. Its better to be a contributor then one of the nuisances. You of course could spend the tens of thousands of dollars to properly setup a repeater, if you have a location (that doesn't cost you $2k a month, like a commercial site).

That is what I was reading. They are on ebay for about $500. I read somewhere that some SS (special services) had motorola configure a dual brick with the 05s. Not sure but my buddy whom I bought the radio it is an S split,using modded cps to get it in the "q" split without the "out of band" message. Said not to stress about it, that he's help me when it comes time... Sooo cryptic. Long story short. Told me to run an extra power cable and canbus cable as he handed me the new cables. So we shall see. Good news is I found an antenna that might work well with GMRS and 70cm UHF p25. This too is a we shall see. Since the spread is about 38+- mhz. From one end of the band to the other end of the band. Which is huge to cover short of using a 1/4 wave with high swr on the edges.

Yup, unfortunately most of the XTVA I was looking at were also missing the amp. I could find the amps for uhf, but they were damn near the cost of the XTS. Friend suggested just looking for a mobile Telewave amp since the Moto one was a Telewave to begin with (take with a grain of salt, I might have been having another stroke during the conversation.)

It begins. Replacing the CDM1250 for this beauty of a XTL5k... Gotta get it installed.. Now to figure if I really want a VHF brick to dual brick it or run a second O5 head in the rear of the truck with a hangup set to get cool points. Just too bad even mid power VHF bricks, and the DTMF mic (standard doesn't fit well in my hands) are silly priced right now.

No firmware crack is available that I know of. The sister amateur radio I know people have been able to unlock, not a gigantic amount of information out there on how. The firmware is the main difference between the two radios. There is really no point to open tx the radio. Since the kg1000g has the ability to listen to ham bands it is tx locked on those frequencies.

For monitoring get a scanner or sdr radio setup. Sent from my SM-S901U using Tapatalk

Only currently on gmrs repeaters. Sent from my SM-S901U using Tapatalk

You don't need to mars/cap to listen. The radio just needs to be wide receive capable. Maybe a $20 sdr from Amazon and a long wire might be something to look at for receive. Sent from my SM-S901U using Tapatalk

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.

Biggest issue with being non compliance (opened up) with this radio. 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. Sent from my SM-S901U using Tapatalk

Not even really necessary to have 2 unless compliance is sought after. 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) Sent from my SM-S901U using Tapatalk

Funny enough. Starting, to hear sad gmrs users. 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. Sent from my SM-S901U using Tapatalk

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. Sent from my SM-S901U using Tapatalk

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. 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. Sent from my SM-S901U using Tapatalk