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Extreme

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Posts posted by Extreme

  1. Retevis RT76P programming

    in Technical Discussion

    Posted

    Fingers crossed.  Mine (2) arrive today.  Have the software and firmware loaded into the PC.

     

    There's no need to write "every time" you "plug it in". You can save a configuration as a .dat file and open that, or you can read the current configuration from the radio.

    The CPS program is about as simple as it gets.

  5. Welcome!

    in General Discussion

    Posted

    Welcome aboard.. and thanks for your service (Cheddar Curtain.. LOL)  

    New to GMRS.  2nd day with WRKP227 - Reside in the northwest cornfields of The Peoples Republic Of Illinois.  First radio was a CB in 1963.  Intended to go HAM but after my 18th birthday, L.B.J. invited me to join a different group and that changed everything.  Much to learn.  Setting up a base, waiting on a J-Pole antenna from  KB9VBR on the other side of the Cheddar Curtain.  Thanks in advance.

  7. Bubble pack repeater capable radio?

    in Guest Forum

    Posted

    Just for giggles:  

     

    Of course there's not much antenna height with this setup but still better than ground level.  

     

    I might look at my RV TV antenna to see if it can me modified to mount a UHF antenna with radials or build my own radial mount for a ground plane.  That way it would be 'crankable' to elevate the antenna a bit and lower when travelling.  Have to wait for warm weather to get up on the RV roof.

     

    Spit-balling, you see.

  8. Bubble pack repeater capable radio?

    in Guest Forum

    Posted

    Is the radio mounted inside your RV?  Curious if it could be connected to an external speaker outside, as in the built in stereo speakers on mine (I don't do music in camp and run Bluetooth for any AM/FM/Online listening when cellular is available).  Actually thinking I might install the mobile in the slot where my radio/CD player is in the 5er and connect to existing external speakers.

    Is there a reason a 450 1/4 wave antenna on the roof wouldn't be sufficient?  Of course it would require a ground plane.   I could probably come up with a ground plane mount on or near the existing TV antenna (which I also do not use - all this junk is standard equipment these days).  

     

    I also like your dual channel programming for power usage.. but, unless you're TX/RX a lot, isn't the standby power draw equal?   Maybe you're in an area with lots of traffic, I'm surely not.

     

     

     

     

    So i have mine with 2 channels programmed. One on high power (25 watts) and one on low power (10 watts). When I have a 50 amp hookup its on CH1 HP when im dry camping its on CH 2 LP. 

  9. Retevis RT97 Portable GMRS Repeater 5W

    in Technical Discussion

    Posted

    Retevis RT97 Portable GMRS Repeater 5W

     

    I'm considering this for my 5th wheel that already has 400w of solar and 2000w inverter.

    I expect it would not draw a ton of capacity from my battery 'plant'. 

     

    Question I have is on antenna placement/mounting on a rubber roof.  Could I build a ground plane mount on the ladder or maybe a bracket somewhere else on top?

     

    Next question:  How about dropping it on a bald/rocky mountaintop during hunting season.  Power:  can I use a mini-solar panel or would a USB power pack keep it going?

     

    Looking for a link to a simple portable repeater build that this would work with.

     

    Thanks

     

     

     

     

  11. Raptor Liner Roof & Ground Plane

    in General Discussion

    Posted

    It will work fine, however you need to remove the raptor on the top under the mount also. Most NMO mounts are desighned for thin metal and adding a "thicker" surface may cause some issues with install. It really depends how thick you sprayed it. On my JK its pretty thin on the exterior parts and my antenna mount if fine.

     

    Good contact is the only concern.  Thickness is not; lots of mounts out there: 

    https://www.theantennafarm.com/catalog/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=264_270_292&products_id=1153

     

    But maybe should make it bald just the same for a flat surface.  I might have to back up the roof material underneath - that stuff is very thin.

     

    I avoid mag mounts when at all possible.

     

    Thanks

  12. Raptor Liner Roof & Ground Plane

    in General Discussion

    Posted

    My Cherokee's roof is pitted with rust.  I want to clean it up before installing an NMO antenna for my mobile.  Will Raptor Liner (bedliner type stuff) affect the ground plane of the roof?  The NMO will be grounded to steel on the underside so thinking I might be ok but can do paint instead if it will cause a problem.

     

    Thanks

  13. Nevada - Las Vegas area repeaters (GMRS)

    in General Discussion

    Posted

    I did, and a few other databases too but no luck. I love the repeater map on here though - very useful! I'm doubting any of the ones listed here would reach (due to terrain) the location in question.

     

    I'll also try asking around with on the radio with some of the callsigns that I'm beginning to recognize. Seems to be a fairly small group that is active on the GMRS repeaters in Vegas area. Most of them seem to be Ham operators too (which I would like to get into as well).

     

    Cheers!

     

    650 in Pahrump is listed and 725 "Central Pahrump" and 575 Angel Peak in Vegas are on the map but you need to select "Show Outdated Listings" at the top of the MyGMRS Map.   Maybe you knew all this. 

     

    Checking out Bing Maps it looks like Lee Canyon is on the north side and if his place is not elevated he might be SOL.  From on top of the area he'd probably hit both Pahrump and Angel.  Might be worth a shot to take a drive up and find spots the repeaters will work.

     

    I've never been there so just spit-balling using maps.

     

    Good luck

  14. New Guy, Twin Falls Idaho

    in General Discussion

    Posted

    I am the owner of the repeater in Mountain Home.  Unfortunately, it has been offline for a while.  I used to have an elevated site that would possibly reach out to Twin.  I also have a 220 MHz amateur repeater that was on the hill and I had regular contacts with hams in Twin on that machine.  Unfortunately, amateur radio politics ended up pissing off county officials and they kicked me off the site.  I'm working on getting access again but it's a slow process when you are trying to work with folks who are ignorant of all things RF. 

     

    I found that there are repeaters in Caldwell and Kuna that are on the same frequency that I selected so I will be changing the frequency when I put it back on the air.  I am moving it from 550 to 675.  Once I have it back on the air, I hope that everyone in southern Idaho uses it.  It troubles me to spend a ton of time, money, and effort on a machine just to hear it sit idle with no traffic.  I have close to $4000 in my 220 machine and it gets used for less than ten minutes a week I'd say.  Sad.

     

    ctrout,

     

    Is that your repeater back online in the Weekly report today (675)?   Does it ID when it's brought up?  If/when I come thru there, or get anywhere near at elevation, I'll hit it up.

  15. New Guy, Twin Falls Idaho

    in General Discussion

    Posted

    I am the owner of the repeater in Mountain Home.  Unfortunately, it has been offline for a while.  I used to have an elevated site that would possibly reach out to Twin.  I also have a 220 MHz amateur repeater that was on the hill and I had regular contacts with hams in Twin on that machine.  Unfortunately, amateur radio politics ended up pissing off county officials and they kicked me off the site.  I'm working on getting access again but it's a slow process when you are trying to work with folks who are ignorant of all things RF. 

     

    I found that there are repeaters in Caldwell and Kuna that are on the same frequency that I selected so I will be changing the frequency when I put it back on the air.  I am moving it from 550 to 675.  Once I have it back on the air, I hope that everyone in southern Idaho uses it.  It troubles me to spend a ton of time, money, and effort on a machine just to hear it sit idle with no traffic.  I have close to $4000 in my 220 machine and it gets used for less than ten minutes a week I'd say.  Sad.

     

    Good luck to you, sir.

  16. New Guy, Twin Falls Idaho

    in General Discussion

    Posted

    Welcome aboard John.

     

    There are repeaters near Idaho Falls and one near Rexburg, and if you're traveling through Elko, there are a couple here (select "Outdated" on the Map) that are open and active.  I have the Rexburg programmed into my mobile and HT but have yet to use it.  I travel through there at least annually.  

    Doing the high desert thing here also.  Have a Kenwood mobile in my SxS and going to install one in my Jeep soon (for now use HT).  I've hit the Elko/SC 625 from near the Idaho border and Wildhorse at 7000' elevation.  

    Trying to get our off-road group to adopt GMRS so we can all use the repeaters (already have permission); just have to encourage all the members to license up.  For now, there is little to no traffic on these local repeaters so I usually don't bother to monitor.

  17. Repeater Options for New Club

    in General Discussion

    Posted

    Nice... 

     

    I'm considering approaching a local repeater owner about linking to the GMRS Network.  I've looked at the "Linking Bundle" but that's as far as I've taken it.  I'd like to be a lot more informed about the requirements, benefits, cost, etc. before I approach him, including information I need from him about his equipment, etc. that I'll need.

     

    I know I'll need to know his repeater setup, which make/model radios, etc.  What else?

     

    He's also working on adding another mountain-top repeater in the area so maybe that would be a good time to consider linking.

     

    I'm also totally unclear on how to use the network.  I see it's required to have 'access' to a linked repeater but not sure what that entails.. do I have to be within radio range of the linked repeater, i.e. in Las Vegas to access the linked LV repeater?

     

    Thanks.

  18. GMRS Network

    in myGMRS.com

    Posted

    Disregard:  Found it.  Will try to contact Rich.

     

    NOTICE - READ THIS - NOTICE: You will need to have access to a repeatr system that is part of the myGMRS network (see https://mygmrs.network) and participating in the net. Do not check-in unless you have access to the net itself first!

     

    Is there a simple guide to verify this?  How do I know if I have access?

     

     

    I have local repeaters but not on the network.  Do I have to be in radio range of a network repeater?

    Isn't there a post somewhere about how to link a repeater?  I have access to a local repeater and might be able to convince the owner to connect if I help with expenses and installations.

     

    Thanks.

     

    Gary

    WRAF233

  23. FCC License How-To. Where did it go?

    in General Discussion

    Posted

    Where's the recent post with screenshots on GMRS license application data?  Just saw it a couple days ago but..

    Looking to get our off-road club involved so we can use area high elevation repeaters (already got permission from the owner, who happens to have another repeater in the works at 7700' - the 'valley' is 5000'), and if I can ease the pain of the process, along with rumored lower license fee I can probably get them onboard.

     

    Thanks!

     

     

  24. Baofeng Programming

    in Technical Discussion

    Posted

    Miklor.com has a lot of good info on a variety of baofeng/btech models. The baofengs I have, I got the cable off of amazon at the same time, and it came with software, though chirp covers a lot of models as well (chirp.danplanet.com)

     

    Looking up FTDI for Baofeng UV-5R on ebay it comes up for Baofend and Kenwood.  I have a Kenwood cable I've used for my 880 and 3170 HT. 

    Sounds like I'm good to go after downloading software.

    Reading info on FPP on Miklor.com.  

    Great source, thank you.

  25. Baofeng Programming

    in Technical Discussion

    Posted

    Asking for a friend so I can get him through the programming phase and maximize his HT for repeater and simplex GMRS.

    Not sure the model number of his HT.

     

    Looking for favorite programming cable and software.  I think I found the software on Baofeng website but looking to ebay for cable.

     

    I'll get him to provide which M/N radio he's running

     

    Thanks.

     

    OR:  Are these HT Front Panel Programmable?  Maybe it's in the manual?  I know zip about these.

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