kidphc

To fold, grab a meaty part pull up, then try to fold it over. Go slow it's fairly stiff the first couple of times. The hinge has been known to fail over time. Another thing get extra grub screws. They are really only designed to used once. But go through clean them with isopropyl alcohol and blue loctite them. They have been also know to loosen up overtime. Sent from my SM-S901U using Tapatalk

Nope it doesn't. I have had mine fold over before the spring did anything on a solid whack..lol Sent from my SM-S901U using Tapatalk

First it's a heavy stiff antenna, part of the reason it is broadband. Marc and myself, as well as others could not get the swr into a manageable number in the upper gmrs regions. Other have had it lower than 1.7. Not me, it was floating closer to 2.5 in the mid of the band. It heard well, but was starting to be iffy on transmit. I got good audio reports. I don't know about Marc, but mine was on a hood mount. So that certainly doesn't help with the ground plane. Sent from my SM-S901U using Tapatalk

Repeater distances, are at best a guestimate by the owner. Obstructions will be the main cause. If you can climb on to the roof, and see the antenna of the repeater you have a good chance. I have been up almost 50 stories locally and am surprised by the amount of antennas I can see. But the rolling hills here tell me there are tons of rf shadows. Plus some repeaters, transmit better than the hear and vice versa. Sent from my SM-S901U using Tapatalk

Give or take about 1x1 foot square. Usually about 6" radius is enough for gmrs. For 2m 2.5x as much. Sent from my SM-S901U using Tapatalk

I suppose to believe that an ai said "fars"..lol [emoji14] Sent from my SM-S901U using Tapatalk

Since ssb suppresses the carrier and other ssb. It is more powerful than fm, from my knowledge. The signal to noise ratio is better so it gets out further. Ssb is also narrower so it does get out further. In short yes. Maybe some will expand on it. Sent from my SM-S901U using Tapatalk

I was saying between the two, I would probably go for the ed fong. Personally, in the attic I have the x300a (hoa restrictions). Till I have the home brew 4 element gmrs yagi and the 5 element 2m yagi up. Sent from my SM-S901U using Tapatalk

Good review. Not shocked by results. One antenna was designed by a Professor that teaches antenna design. The other by an amateur radio operator, whom visually reads of cue cards in his videos, not knocking him. But I would choose the antenna designed by an RF Professor with some very sound design. The ed fong should last years, the pvc maybe not so much, depending on sunlight. Have fun! Sent from my SM-S901U using Tapatalk

Yeah other hams i talked to at least when it came to mobile antennas. Recommend the following 5/8 better than 1/2 which is better than 1/4 for the reach on flat ground. Most of my testing shows 5/8 over 5/8 was thr best for my area for reach and gain levels with mild terrain. So it is my preferred antenna style. Too bad because I was so disappointed with my signal stalk on uhf. An antenna is still better than no antenna. Sent from my SM-S901U using Tapatalk

I was told by others that ³/4 antennas don't work well. Since the patten is different from 1/2 waves and 1/4. It is suppose to have a medium elevation lobes.. which for me i thought would work well with repeaters. But the opposite was true. Sent from my SM-S901U using Tapatalk

Be warned ³/4 is iffy. I used one for a while and went back to a ⁵/8th. Just didn't get out too well due to the weird radiation pattern. Sent from my SM-S901U using Tapatalk

I do not "need" 7/800. But it was real easy and nice to non-affiliate link to several of the different counties systems. Some in my area have not gone full encryption. Sent from my SM-S901U using Tapatalk

Would love to test with that stuff. Alas too poor and will have to test with what you said not to a $100 antenna analyzer. Sent from my SM-S901U using Tapatalk

I kinda try to get my lowest mid-band. Then take acceptable if the band edges are 1.7 or so. Sent from my SM-S901U using Tapatalk

Trick question. 1. Yes, aluminum will work for a ground plane, like when using a drill through nmo. Many antennas are made with aluminum. 2. No, it will not work with a mag mount. Aluminum is non-ferrous, so a magnet will not stick to it or make capitance with it. Sent from my SM-S901U using Tapatalk

APXs are very well worth the money if you can afford them. Especially, if you are looking at the 8k series. Since you can get them in Tri-Band. My interim till I start gathering funds again, currently jobless. Is the Harris xg series, yes older but cheaper, then buying an xts/xtl 5k in uhf/vhf and 800. The 100p (portable) was like 600 and my 100m all together was 450 (more now). When it comes to accessories (wires,connectors) I generally will buy generic, but some accesories like mics I usually go with oem. Sent from my SM-S901U using Tapatalk

Now you know why amateur radio guys say trim less than you need. Then tune tiny bits to find a balance with something like a nano vna. We have tons, usually a stack of antennas whips that were trimmed too much. Can you get a replacement whip? Sometimes it's less than 1/8" between "oh that works well" and "shit". Sent from my SM-S901U using Tapatalk

Yup love "nuisance" button on most lmr radios. Power off back on and it's added back to the scan list. I wish my amateur radios did that. Sent from my SM-S901U using Tapatalk

Off topic, but need to start with the media. Everything semi, full auto, belt fed, etc is an assault rifle, as long as it's black and has a pistol grip. Point being, if we do nothing we lose what we have. Sent from my SM-S901U using Tapatalk

I get that. Around here marijuana is legal. Although, it was never legalized federally. Which happens to have a seat in a city that legalized it...lol Same crap happens with guns here in Montgomery County, MD. Things that were straight up deemed unconstitutional by the Supreme Court, in NY are put into law in the county i live in. But then again I am use to the people here calling in because there was an assault rifle on the hood of a jeep. No amount of explaining that it was a jack was going to make it pass the air around her head. Felt bad for the guy as had to pull the jack off his hood to defuse the situation. Sent from my SM-S901U using Tapatalk

Not sure if Marc answered the question that you were asking. He did but the question might have been different. Marc mentioned multiple tones earlier Many of the repeaters in this area have multiple tones. One is kinda a psedu repeater owner tone. That if you have enabled the tone he always listens to, it's his private tone. In our area, you really need to receive with no tone, or be at least able to turn the tone off (monitor). There are multiple repeaters across the area that are on the same pair. By listening for the squelch tail turning off and the recieve tones off/monitor, we are effectively able to cross repeater talk. Sent from my SM-S901U using Tapatalk

It is and you will learn just how good of a site it is. Sent from my SM-S901U using Tapatalk

Simple way is to leave a radio on the input frequency that you have chosen then let it run for 12hours. Same on the output. If nothing heard. Of course with low to no squelch and no tones. Then you should be good to go, assured that you probably aren't interfering, but it is hard to say with so many private repeaters. Just remeber enabling tones just has it so the repeater won't open unless the the tone matches. Sent from my SM-S901U using Tapatalk

I always try to explain antennas as a dipole. You have one end that radiates and the other as being the reflector. With mobiles you snip the reflector portion off, and need the ground plane. When you increase gain or remove the ground plane you add more compromises. So of it can be good ( like gain, which everyone see as benefit, but neglect pattern a lot of time) and some of it bad (introduces things you have to make up for). Think of antennas as a slide bar, you take from one end to gain something but lose something in return. BTW, love your explanation. Sent from my SM-S901U using Tapatalk