WSEZ864

I see your point of view, but I look at it from another metric beyond radio value: How much of my own time and aggravation does it save? Usual answer: "A lot!" It is SO much easier to program radios using external software than it is to input all of the minutia via a keypad and multi-layer menu. I buy RTSystems stuff for every radio I own that allows software programming and consider it a very worthwhile investment. Not only do I get RTS capability, but the cable facilitates use of CHIRP, VX7 Commander and other aftermarket programming software. For most of my radios each software provides slightly differing ability to make changes. Your comment about having multiple radios IS spot on. I have a few duplicate radios and it's nice to be able to make changes in the computer, save the file and then just dump the changes into the radios at 30 seconds each.

Nice. I made one exactly like this for 2 meters and it too works great. I used doubled up #12 solid wire and it's a little flexible for outside use, but works fine indoors.

Some of these battery pack assemblies can be rebuilt using new cells. Just getting the housings can be a benefit to the right user.

This makes it sound like the OP might be transmitting on the repeater output frequency, which would explain why some users cannot hear him and why his signal would be weak when the repeater should have carried him as well as any other user. I cannot explain how he could still kerchunk the repeater though...unless he happened to hit it with someone else. We did have a 2 meter long-distance check-in last night that our net control operator could not fully copy his call, while I was able to hear him clearly, so that does happen sometimes.

It IS odd that the squelch is so often buried in the menu. Frequency/Volume/Squelch - what else is necessary to fiddle with during operation? As complicated/convoluted as my FT-8900 is to operate in other ways, the squelch is a ring around the volume knob and super-easy to tweak underway.

Thanks for the corrections guys! We run two nets a week on our 2 meter repeater and all of us let the carrier drop. We have a Time-Out-Timer on the repeater and if we don't let the carrier drop, the repeater will eventually time out.

Can also be due to light/intermittent contact if the plug/adapter are not securely connected.

Agreed. The proper way to use the repeater (ham and GMRS) is to let the repeater carrier drop between transmissions, both to keep the duty cycle lower and to allow time for someone to break in.

This doesn't sound like the best use of GMRS and based on what I'm reading here, it really seems that the OP's area is ripe for a decent 2 meter repeater setup. The amateur radio Technician's License (to start with) isn't terribly hard to get and with that, one can use those 2 meter frequencies and legally maintain the gear. I would think that the local emergency infrastructure would welcome additional communications and it would likely be easy to get tall tower space somewhere. Our club has a repeater antenna up on top of a local water tower. The initial setup is relatively expensive, but donations can often defray the costs.

Marc, Thank you for your work in putting together this excellent video! Ed

Thank you sir!

Hi All, I'm a new GMRS user and recently got my license, mainly to allow my family to participate without the licensing exams (my wife would never take the amateur exams) and also to broaden my own communication capabilities. I've been into electronics since the 70s, when I worked on radars for the Army and enjoy learning about radio. I had a CB license back in the day and still have a CB radio, albeit disused. I'm a licensed ham, an Amateur Extra for about 11 years and a volunteer examiner for administering the ham exams with my local amateur radio club. I also hold a GROL+Radar and a GMDSS license, which I decided to go ahead and test for since one of the very few east coast NMEA test facilities is only about 10 miles from my home. I've joined the forum to learn more about GMRS operations and better understand the equipment and operation. Thank you for having me!