It is! What the graph doesn't show is that I was down in a muddy creek bottom, behind a hill when she heard the conversation between rigs. She's too radio shy to chime in and inform me she's listening. All good tho'. My part of the country is ideal for elevation changes and long distances.
Did a 25mi hit with 805G to Kenwood 3170 on simplex Saturday. Brought up the repeater, spoke with the wife on that then had her switch to 16 simplex. She listened to the offroad conversation details when we were down in a gully and told me all about it after I got home. Scadacore RF LOS attached.
Local radio tech commented to me the other day when I suggested cutting my cable to length for my XJ to 36". "These antennas/radios like some resistance". Just his remark FWIW. I'll probably loop mine around above the headliner when I get around to how/where to mount the radio.
Download old Retevis v1.45 software in Post #35 of this link. That's what I had to do to get the W/N bandwidth to hold the settings. Can't remember but it might solve other settings issues as well. https://forums.mygmrs.com/topic/2305-retevis-rt76p-programming/page-2
https://forums.mygmrs.com/topic/2305-retevis-rt76p-programming/page-2 Download the older version of the software in post #35 in the link above and you should be able to change and keep bandwidth settings.
Thanks. Doing a trail run with a gang of off-roaders tomorrow and will be checking range to the repeater via HTs. 25 mi. LOS from where we're headed to the repeater and the same to my house to try simplex with the wife. Haven't installed the mobile just yet. Gonna have a 'garage day' and hopefully get mobiles in more Jeeps & others. Pushing for licensing. Will push harder if/when it goes to $35.
In the process of installing 1/4 wave NMO mount in the roof of my '99 XJ, connected to a Kenwood TK-8180 either above the mirror or inside the DIN by replacing the stereo I don't use. Have the Kenwood DIN bracket made for this. Trail rides with a group and hunting.
Usually don't think of ebay. There's this: https://magneticmic.com/ at $35 or $40 on Amazon Yeah, need the mic to magnetically connect to clip, not the clip magnetic to mounting surface. Old fashioned will work at $35 per, especially since I have 3 or 4 vehicles to outfit. Thanks..
Next question: A buddy has an old CJ-6 with fiberglass roof. Wondering if an 8 x 8" or larger metal plate on the inside, under where we mount an NMO would provide a ground-plane or would it have to be on the outside.. probably same answer as before. We would ground it to the chassis.
Not finding if I posted this earlier. Will Raptor Liner on the roof of a vehicle change propagation characteristics of a 1/4 wave NMO Ground Plane antenna? Raptor is not rubber based like many but is poly. It's posted here somewhere that a molded plastic kayak over the top of said antenna will not cause any problems.
Has anyone installed a mobile unit in the newest body F-Series CC Ford? Looking for installation hints. Planning for Kenwood TK-8180 under/behind rear seat with head on remote mount on the dash, 1/4 wave antenna center of roof. I'll visit YouTube as well but hoping someone here might have a write-up of sorts. Thanks.
Downloaded and "installed" the latest version of Chirp to program a BF-F8HP and get nothing but a blank when I open the application (chirpw). FILE Edit View Radio Help There is nothing to choose like Program, etc to check/set Com Port. yes the cable is connected on Com 8. No Menu, no Setup.. zero.
I finally found a photo of the KRK-10 remote mount for my TK-8180. Ordered it up. Should work A1 on the existing bracket on top of my '18 F350 dash. And with a 1/4 wave 6" antenna in the middle of the CC roof, I expect good performance.