Downs

This is certainly the case on their dual band HAM radio. Their DBR2500 is a rebadged AT778 from Anytone. Rugged Radios is infamous for this rebading. Selling UV5Rs with their tag on it for 80 dollars. Their 60 watt vhf radio they sell for 400 dollars is a rebadged 130 dollar TYT TH9000D. Sent from my SM-G892A using Tapatalk

Looks like a rebodied BF888. Ive moved to motorola HTs mostly now and while i got my 2 MTS2000s for about this same price each (and a HT1000 for even less) the transition has been.......unpleasant lol. I still havent got it all worked out yet but i had to dig an old tower pc i had out that still has a serial port and tinker with it to be able to program. Theres something to be said for a 30 dollar radio i can plug into my computer with a USB cable and program with a free easy to find and use program. Sent from my SM-G892A using Tapatalk

The roof or hood or trunk of a car makes a far better ground plane than a body. Sent from my SM-G892A using Tapatalk

This.probably has more to do with the antenna advantage mobiles have over HTs than the power boost. Sent from my SM-G892A using Tapatalk

True. Even on my radios with 50 watt settings i rarely run that power level. I certainly dont feel "undergunned" running my 25 watt PM400. Even on that radio i typically run on "low" power which i have programed as 5 watts. Sent from my SM-G892A using Tapatalk

Midland, and Btech both have options in that power range. You can also find Kenwood TK880H that will do 40 watts. Im running a 25 watt Motorola PM400 but they make a 40 watt version of that as well. Sent from my SM-G892A using Tapatalk

You must have the worst electronic luck imaginable. Ive got a pile of UV5Rs, BF888s, a few UV82HPs, a BFF8HP, Wouxoun KGUV8D and a UV50X2. Ive had all of them on a meter. All put out advertised power levels. The UV50X2 actually does 70 watts on VHF in some parts of the band. This radio is a year and a half old now. Ive got a 8ish year old UV5R that's my motorcycle mobile radio thats been mounted on my bars since new and its survived all that time exposed to vibrations, UV, rain, cold, heat. Being ejected a few times off pavement at 40mph, ect Now i cant speak for how clean their signal is as i dont have the equipment to check that but for my uses theyve been quite satisfactory. Issues ive had with them The UV50X2 has a wonky channel knob. 1 of my 888s wont talk to chirp anymore KGUV8D consumes batteries even when its switched off. All this being said I switched a surplus Motorola PM400 (UHF) into my Jeep and am enjoying it quite a bit. Nice and simple. I know its rugged. Its pretty compact and the audio quality out and in is awesome. I lost being able to do a VFO mode and dual band of the UV50X2 but I rarely use VHF anymore so no huge deal. Sent from my SM-G892A using Tapatalk

Wheres the antenna mounted? Sent from my SM-G892A using Tapatalk

Yeah they got this stuff down prettt good. Ive yet to run across a dual band antenna for my ham setups that needed to be adjusted. Sent from my SM-G892A using Tapatalk

I use an l bracket in the hood channel of my Jeep XJ. My goto is typically a Commet SSB5 which is 1/2 wave on 2m and 2x 5/8 on 70cm. SWR across the board for HAM and GMRS is sub 1.7 MURS is 2.1 or so. Ive got a commet SS680 thats a little shorter that i get similar performance out of If i know im going to be running nothing but UHF for doing something like a trail ride Ill switch my my cheap little Tram 1181. Its sub 1.8 on 70cm and GMRS even on the fender. Does about 2.0 on 2m and a little more on MURS. Next time i have my headliner out i think I'm going to punch the roof for a NMO up top but the performance on the fender with these antennas has been very satisfactory for my uses. Sent from my SM-G892A using Tapatalk

Is there a TK880 usb programing cable or do you need a serial adapter? Been kicking around getting one. Sent from my SM-G892A using Tapatalk

If you own a car anyone can search your license plate with the internet and 20 dollars. Sent from my SM-G892A using Tapatalk

Those motorola antennas look lot like Browning antennas. Sent from my SM-G892A using Tapatalk

I miss socal wheelin Sent from my SM-G892A using Tapatalk

I miss being out west. Almost unlimited wheeling. And generally people took care of what we had. OHV parks arent my cup of tea but thats all we have in Texas. Public land is a rarity here. I spend a lot of time in Arkansas around the Ouachita Ntl Forrest. Sent from my SM-G892A using Tapatalk

[emoji1787][emoji1787][emoji1787] Sent from my SM-G892A using Tapatalk

Mmmm yes. Lets play FCC lawyer... Sent from my SM-G892A using Tapatalk

You could just run it with no recieve tone. If you are in an area with a lot of GMRS traffic that may make for a noisy time though lol. Sent from my SM-G892A using Tapatalk

IIRC Wal Mart lobbied for certain frequencies to be added to MURS just so they could use a license by rule radio servcie instead of paying for a business band license for each location. Sent from my SM-G892A using Tapatalk

Ive got a small pile of those. For the price its hard to beat. Sent from my SM-G892A using Tapatalk

Here try this guide https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://wiki.radioreference.com/images/0/0a/CHIRP_tone_programming.pdf&ved=2ahUKEwj8idSwuoLiAhURKqwKHSlAChQQFjAAegQIAxAB&usg=AOvVaw1WwaQbSsZPbM62mksPtEsr Sent from my SM-G892A using Tapatalk

Thats my bad for not clarifying since this is a.thread about GMRS operation [emoji106] Sent from my SM-G892A using Tapatalk

CW test hasnt been a thing for the past decade. There are online resources to take practice tests on. Many have used this route to simply learn the test without doing a lot of actual studying. Grade school children have passed the tech test easily. This is a 15 dollar solution to your problem. Sent from my SM-G892A using Tapatalk

For using it for amatuer use? Yeah sure. Im not advocating freebanding here. The GMRS btech will run you 55 dollars. When the FCC starts to care about other things let me know. If they truly cared they could roll out to the california desert and write enough citations to fund the FCC for a year, in one day. Sent from my SM-G892A using Tapatalk

More like 24 vs 150. While that may not be a big deal for you to drop 150 dollars to test out a new hobby others may not be in the same financial position. I must have the best luck ever when it comes to cheap radios then. Ive got a pile of their HTs and a couple of their mobiles. No radio failures. I have had 2 batteries fail out of probably 15 or so batteries. One of my original UV5Rs has been riding around on my motorcycle handlebars for about 5 years now, exposed to off highway use, vibrations, rain, sun, ice, its been completely ejected a few times taking spills on dirt roads at 30 or 40 mph after being a little airborne on the bike. Looks awful with faded buttons and rusted wrist strap attachment and screws but still functions and gets good audio reports. Sent from my SM-G892A using Tapatalk