kidphc

That is part of the negative of modern digital transmission radios, well a lot modern radios. Everything is buried in menus, buried under another menu. Yaesu being one of the worst, I think Icom does better with the menus. I inadvertently pull up memories of high school calculus, when trying to adjust even simple things like squelch on the ftm400 couple that with it always is kinda done when driving and it becomes painful. Those that complain, about Uv5r programming need not look at some of the higher end radios. I have copies of the manual, on my phone, in glove box, at home and a travel back pack. I push rtsystems, at least it is fairly consistent across multiple radios, does most what everyone wants. You have a really good chance on finding a setting. Too bad they have nothing for LMR radios. Sent from my SM-S901U using Tapatalk

Yup. Only reason I didn't upgrade the ftm400 to the ftm500 was the lack of a touch screen. For me the ftm400 was a nice analog radio, main selling point was aprs. The touch screen was deal breaker, for the ability to write aprs sms messages, aprs winlink, and simple aprs text. Each to their own, I guess that is the moral of this message. Sent from my SM-S901U using Tapatalk

Nah. You kinda described the negative. I think all healthy opinions should always be welcomed. It's negative, berating behavior that shouldn't be tolerated on a forum. Sarcasm, jokes etc are hard to read/pickup on at times in text. Sent from my SM-S901U using Tapatalk

Well he has the radio so he is going to be forced to learn the advance features to use it, not a bad thing. It will convolute the learn path, let's face it digital is a side path with its own learning hill and concepts. He'll be fine. Just do some basic research on questions, before asking someone. It will limit the side branches of topics, there are a lot. I have friends that can spend hours just talking about pl tones, from why some tones are better than others, it's history etc. My brother who works mobility for the federal government said it best. "People buy flagship phones not because they need it but because they can, most don't even use 20% of the phone capabilities. Even myself and you whom are phone geeks barely use more than 50% and we are serious power users." Features go unused that can cause headaches and vulnerabilities. Enjoy the radio. If it becomes too much buy a ceaptacular bofeng uv5r, it's pretty basic and disposable (as a gift, if it get destroyed oh well). Sent from my SM-S901U using Tapatalk

No. It's required for wirex. Plug your gmrs call sign or we'll part of it. You change it later, or revert the radio to factory. Kinda $$$ for not having a license. Would of chosen a straight analog radio to practice with. Since there are features that won't be used on systems like digital ID, groupid or group monitor. Don't worry about sounding like an idiot. We all started somewhere. Tell then you are new, the otherside will normally congratulate you and will take the time to answer your questions. Ham does not equal whatever notarubicon makes us sound like. There are as@holes in every group. We do self police (fcc wants us to) some are way too fundy and the grump comes out. At least it has not turned into the wild wild west like uhf-cb and 11m cb. Enjoy... and have fun. Sent from my SM-S901U using Tapatalk

Need a bit more info. Can you clarify the problem? Sent from my SM-S901U using Tapatalk

Yeah you can tell by certain people, the way they speak and what codes they use. Their back grounds become apparent. I too try to keep all the garbage out as much as possible. Sent from my SM-S901U using Tapatalk

It really depends on the local ham groups a lot. As an amatuer radio operator you know a properly set up repeater can be pricey to install and operate. Although places like your where there are an abundance of out door activities I agree it probably would be nice to have several overlapping repeaters. But who is going to foot the bill? Government, nah they probably have their own setup and put low value on a public available system. In our area we got super lucky. Old federal communications guy with a bunch of old left over gear public saftey repeaters, personal professional grade repair instruments, the knowledge of 500+ of us radio geeks in his head. Just to let you understand Marc, from the mygmrs, is probably the only guy that could pick up when he is taken from us. But even Marc, whom by the way managed some of the local ham emcom repeaters will probably admit he can't even shake a stick at him. Actually, Marc is one of the few hams that I think our friend even likes or thinks is knowledgeable. With a lot of handshake and his time we probably have coverage that some cell phone providers stare at and go can we do that? If you want it you might have to champion it. Both financially and with the knowledge. Sent from my SM-S901U using Tapatalk

It will work. Pretty much any length antenna will work to a point. Depending on size and frequency it might be a bit deaf. The closer the antenna is to resonant frequencies the better it will work better. Hence, why long wire antennas, random length or resonant are perferred for mw/hf listening even on sdr radios. The rabbit ears will work but are limited by their size. With a gmrs antenna tuned to gmrs frequencies. That is where you best frequencies of reception will be. Sent from my SM-S901U using Tapatalk

True. I always wished we had more hf privileges, small slices with low power cap. More inline with the foundations license in the Uk. Too bad SHF and EHF gear is so pricey looks like it could be fun to play with. Sent from my SM-S901U using Tapatalk

It's kinda exploding, if I get the gist of the thread due to the following. 1. No technical/skill block. -really a poor excuse technician license is easy. -applying for an lmr simplex frequency can whack you about $500 depending on the cordinator. 2. Cost of entry -cheap ccr radios -Ability to use old LMR gear Really can make repeaters affordable or down right cheap. -business abuse frs a bit, let's face it lmr service can get expensive, if you don't coordinator. Contributing factors, cell phone outages want for e-comms, covid boredom Murs is still available, limited in frequencies. Not exactly sure why it isn't more popular. A lot of it does come back to $$.

Think you need the programming cable and to be on later firmwares to flip to wideband. Don't have the radio so couldn't be exact. Hopefully, some one will chime in. The TJ 4.0l where awesome till you tried to jam on 35". Then it got pricey.. I think a CJ with a v8 swap is more fun and to the nature of jeeps. Although my land cruiser might not be set up for rock crawling (old 100 series) she is damn comfortable on the highway and off trail. All my friend's jeeps (even my dad's jku) beat the snot out of me traveling to the trailhead and on the trail as I get older even more so. Most mobile radios can deal with high swr so as long as you have some ground plane, or have a ngp antenna and didn't botch the install you should be fine. All the years, off trailing, fire roads and such. Never heard a peep on 2m/70cm calling or on gmrs for emergencies. We'll except for kids on frs in the neighborhood. Has to do with the trails around here being sparse and I wouldn't call it technical, unless oversteering between trees is your thing. Orv parks are a bit different. No one even responds, when I am following aarl wilderness protocols. Most of the gmrs/frs usage near trails that is heard for me at least, are parents calling their kids or the occasional spotter screaming driver, driver side, driver side...omg.... Sent from my SM-S901U using Tapatalk

Sorry thinking 6m Sent from my SM-S901U using Tapatalk

Yup sounds like tropopheric ducting. Vhf and uhf pass through the ionic sphere where hf bounces off it (skip). Yes, I know 11m is technically also vhf, but it's low band vhf. Tropo occurs a lot more in the spring and fall. But can occur early and late summer. Not uncommon to get NY and parts of NC in the fc area when it occurs. Our tropo tunnels are more n/s directions due to the mountains and ocean. Sent from my SM-S901U using Tapatalk

I believe gmrs call signs are just sinply sequential. The ham call signs are sequential but also have a geographic designation. My ham call sign is a vanity from a silent key extra W3HRD (1x3). My original technician call sign was KC3NSR (2x3). Both are from the same geographical call area. Hence the "3", I live in the land of 3 which is md, pa, Delaware. Doesn't really matter i could move to Ca and keep my 3 callsign. Back in the day I would of HAD to apply for 6 callsign. I do not believe any of the gmrs call signs have a geographical location. But rather a class and individual identifier. Sent from my SM-S901U using Tapatalk

Are they made in the us? I mean the pro's fccid shows it was tested by a chinese firm. Well I guess 98% of shit now adays is made in china. Sent from my SM-S901U using Tapatalk

For rx only, you have the options of a ht scanner. Although, a half way decent sdr will have some serious sensitivity. No suggestions on hts. Only because I found that the more you spend generally you, after a certain point, you get more features (ie ruggedness, color screens etc.) But I will say I have been more impressed by the selectivity, and sensitivity of commercial offerings by motorola, kenwood, harris than any of my amateur radio gear. Sent from my SM-S901U using Tapatalk

Well yeah. To be honest. No one cares as long as the callsign gets thrown out. Sent from my SM-S901U using Tapatalk

Should you don't really need to put the callsign with their unit/or whatever. Since they will be answering with it. Sent from my SM-S901U using Tapatalk

However you want. Provided the callsign is included. Callsign base to callsign mobile. Callsign Vicky to callsign Billy Callsign ht1 to callsign ht2 Callsign unit 1 to callsign unit 2 My favorite Callsign actual to callsign unit x Sent from my SM-S901U using Tapatalk

Yeah it went up and came down in less than an hour. But the repeaters haven't been thr same. Sent from my SM-S901U using Tapatalk

Mostly in the nova group on facebook. Original post was removed. But the damage was done. Sent from my SM-S901U using Tapatalk

Curious. Sent from my SM-S901U using Tapatalk

You are hearing several of the aforementioned dc area gmrs repeaters. They weren't messing with you. Yes those repeaters (not often), can reach deep into the heart of va. Try programming bull run, Warrenton, blue mountain and possible Capon mountain (wva). Prime example, I was passing your neck of the woods on 95n comming from north Carolina. I could hear, Warrenton, loud and clear. Keep in mind she sits basically in Warrenton proper. She talks a lot better than she hears, unfortunately. Sent from my SM-S901U using Tapatalk

In my area, D.C., we "use" to have heavily used multiple repeaters. Well, this was till, some one bitched on an group where a tons of people in the area where part of. Openly bitched, about it not being ham. That people shouldn't rag chew yadda yadda. This killed almost all the traffic. He was not the repeaters owner. Both the repeater owner and I are friends with him Then a member whom everyone knew passed away. He was always listening and always talked to everyone. God speed Roland, 42. The repeaters then fell silent because of the two events. Now all we get is radio checks. Myself, I am a ham, I have tried to keep all the ham crap off of gmrs. Trying to teach radio basics, get the antenna up high etc. I am at this point done with radio as well due to the anti-ham rhetoric. So much so I have been trying to return all my borrowed equipment, and ham disconnected and boxed much of of my gear. I am sorry for the way you feel about the hobby. There are great people out there. It isn't easy to connect with them at times. But is well worth all the efforts I will say amateur technician test isn't hard, in fact, it's barely an effort. Most that have taken it will agree. But, if you are into rag chewing, experimenting with antennas, or "feeling better than your fellow radio operator", according to non-amateurs. It's for you, and offers some incredible things. Sent from my SM-S901U using Tapatalk