kidphc

Station identification. Usually the call sign of the repeater owner. Not required for GMRS. Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G891A using Tapatalk

Found a real time CW decoder that can do it off of audio, in this months QST magazine. I don't think you want to spend a $100 +shipping for a decoder though.

This is over simplifying things a bit. A base antenna usually can be put up higher. Not that it is more powerful. Db values and wattage are misleading also. UHF is pretty much line of sight. So being higher up with less obstructions makes for futher contacts, all else being equal. Higher DBi values are not always better then lower DBi values. Note the "i", indicates compared to a reference antenna. Although, a lot of manufacturers never state what reference antenna. For instance off roading a 3 DBi antenna can be more beneficial then a 6 DBi antenna. The radiation pattern of the 3DBi antenna is going to be more sphere like and easier to make contact with vehicles below you on a berm. Where on flat lands the flatter radiation pattern of a 6DBi antenna is going to reach out further. Mind you DB and DBi are just the gain values of a given antenna and irrespective of it's wave length. Although, it may seam related all the time.

Then i guess you buy a frequency scanner that can decode the tones. Conversely try to find the repeater owner and ask. The trial and error way is going to be painfully long. Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G891A using Tapatalk

There are apps that will decode CW for you.

Thanks that opens a different possibility of putting the second 2m antenna on the fender, if I even go that route. Then place the CB where the 2nd 2m was going to go.

I don't plan on DX'ing, so a SSB and a perfect antenna setup won't matter much to me. I really was just expecting close to 3-7 miles at most. Directional to the front won't be so bad fo the intended purposes of just listening for road hazards and such. I had considered a No ground plane install, on the front fender by the windshield with a Firestick. I just didn't know what to do with all the extra coax. The FTM400 and all the other crap will be in the center console. The power line is coming through the steering column cover grommet, and there are additional power lines across the firewall for the dual battery and isolator. There really isn't any space inside of the engine bay to loose roll the coax and tuck it away. A bumper mount would shield about 4' of the antenna. A front fender mount, about 2' would be masked by the truck. A rear fender mount would be about 3.5'. I was going to treat it as an HF install and start bonding the truck. Atleast, I would be prepared if I decided to go HF. Might have to revisit this later. Especially, after the FTM 400 is in and I can start getting an idea of what my noise floor looks like.

It's a 02 Suburban. The whip was the first choice. There are alot of trees lining the roads so I was thinking left side was better due to it being in the center of the road. I figured a 1/4 wave was better. How much degradation in signal is there with going with a trucker style antenna. What can I expect with a bumper mount vs rear fender mount? Thanks for responding.

Marc had mentioned he believes the current commercially available antennas are too small. So that had brought up some questions. I had planned on getting a CB radio for the interstate road trips. More comms, more situation awareness, or at least I hope. Currently, FTM400 CAP/MARS being installed with a Larson 2/70SH dead center in the roof. Probably will switch it out for a 2/70B in the center. Maybe a second 2/70B installed 20" inches aft for a ID 5100a. Stock AM/FM antenna is mounted to passenger side fender by the windshield. Yes, parking garages are a big want, so I will need a reasonably flexible or lashable antenna. It was going to be a small cheap 5 watt cb radio with one of the following: -108 whip and breedlove ball mount on the rear driver fender. --- This one is tough since the previous owner had damaged the rear fender and the gas fill port is on that side. -108 whip on the rear bumper ---This one is tough since the whip will contact the body when it is lashed down. -5" firestick or trucker whip with top loaded coil on the driver front fender. --- Passenger fender has the am/fm radio I know none of the mounting points even come close to a terrible ground plane. Any suggestions on radio, antennas, placement any thing else? Things you guys found on previous installs.

Welcome.

Good to know. Thanks Marc for taking the time to explain why you started down that path.

Settled pulling the 12 gauge run for the 4 gauge. What in the signal report gave you an idea that there was a problem? Lower readings then expected? I appreciate any information. Since I am still learning. Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G891A using Tapatalk

Yes about the atas 120. Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G891A using Tapatalk

Curious what your long term opinion is. Everything I have read has not much nice to say about. Could just be everyone comparing it to its predecessor which a lot seemed to like. Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G891A using Tapatalk

Marc how did you figure you had a powerloss? Swr? Also, an ATAS 120 on a Camry... that should be a sight to see rolling down the road. Now I am thinking I should pull the 12 gauge out put the 4 gauge to the secondary battery power and ground. Run that to the dual 4 gauge distribution blocks. To run everything. What are the chances of getting RFI that way? Especially, if i run multiple batteries and usb hubs off of that as power and ground? Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G891A using Tapatalk

Some good info. I was going to run a 4 gauge wire to 12 gauge inside of my truck to power a Ftm 400. Running through a relay to a blade fuse to have key on power. But switched to a straight 12 gauge wire run and just going to run the apo. Using the inline glass fuse. Guess I will be hunting for a 12 gauge inline ato fuse setup noq. Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G891A using Tapatalk

I love the power pole buss personally. Used them extensively on high voltage rc heli applications. Learned to start making them into T's after I popped a BEC (Battery Eliminator Circuit) by simply trying to color code them. Well that was a very expensive lesson.

Yes. should of have elaborated a bit. For true emergency coms a satellite phone and a gps unit are hard to beat, well minus the cost.

Just remember to contact the repeater owner to ask permission out of politeness. I try to do so even if it is marked as public. I like to let the owner know who is using it, that it is in use and thank them for the time they took to set it up and maintain them.

Not sure what is going on with your antenna. Maybe a short in the coax or bad nmo. What does your SWR look like, only reason I ask is because the antenna is supposably rated for 120w. Could just be a cheap chinese antenna, knowing Midland probably is. As far as the DBI goes I wouldn't strain to much on that. You probably wouldn't even notice the difference between the 6dbi and 5.5 dbi. What power level are you running at?

Personally, I just assigned unit #'s for the radios. Although my family just adopted which radio they were on as their personal unit number. For instance, wife gets referred to as unit 2, oldest child unit 3. So a call out over the radio (simplex or repeater) is "XXXXX(CALLSIGN) UNIT2 this is XXXXX Unit 3. Works for me and my wife, since she doesn't want names out over the airwaves for the kids.

Just went to O.C. this week end. Got nada from the inlet. Didn't get any repeater tail or anything. With a chinese ht with NA771 GMRS-V1 with NA 701c

Thanks.. More of a sweat fest because of the mentatility going in. Took longer to get test session setup them me actually taking the test.

Pretty much how I look at it. Wife has been preaching to me for years about change yourself, you can't change anyone but that. Side story: In the D.C. area it is pretty much dead for simplex/repeaters on 2m and 70cm bands also with GMRS and CB, well at least up by Rockville. Spoke to a ham in my neighborhood for about an hour. Asked him if ham was really dead. He turned on a radio onto 70cm and started scanning simplex, turned on another radio and started scanning all the memory repeaters. 45 minutes of scanning and nada while we talked. Before I left he turned on a DStar radio it was just constant talking. His words were basically, it's not that we aren't out there. A lot of us are on different modes. Adjust your frame of thought a bit. The hobby is still alive and kicking just FM in our area is pretty quiet. I should add the Technician test is pretty easy. I personally, think I could of taken the test with about 3 days of study. Unfortunately, couldn't match any test times. Which resulted in a 3 week study time.