wayoverthere

Not all antennas have provisions for tuning, and some ostensibly come pretuned. Mine have all been too close to perfect to mess with, including both the Midland and Laird 1/4 waves. That said, it's still good to double check the swr as installed, to ensure there's no issues that may not be obvious...though uncommon, a coax feed that was crimped badly (shorting the shield and center conductor together) isn't unheard of. On meters, I've had good results with surecom, both the sw-102 (better suited to mobiles) and the sw-33 (better suited to handhelds), though, like most things there are some quality control issues and therefore not everyone is a fan.

It's hard to tell, but the model number at the top of the chart looks like it ends in a 3, leading me to think it's intended for a different model (possibly with different length above the phasing coil or in the base). Also did some googling and had zero luck turning up a cutting chart for the br-450

Btwr lists it as pretuned for 450-470. With it starting out that bad on 467.(anything), it makes me wonder if it was really bad to start with, if there's something up with the feed line, or the meter. Do you have a dummy load to check the meter with? Failing that, or along with, I'd be tempted to grab a 450-470 rated 1/4 wave and see what that reports. They're only around $10, and may be good to have for limited clearance situations.

Yeah, I was leaning toward it being the reopening side it things, but wasn't sure if I was processing the original post correctly. @alanplarue's method is another way around the file association issue too.

This....the 2nd line under the file name is usually what format you're saving the file in. Does it do the same thing if you save the file in your documents folder? Having a hard time visualizing what's going on from the description, whether the issue is when saving the file, or when trying to reopen the file afterwards. If it's the latter, it's probably more of a file type association thing, where windows wants to open that file type with IE. This can be fixed by right clicking, picking "open with", ticking the checkbox at the bottom to "always open this type with" and selecting the tidradio software (may need to look under 'more apps' to find it.

Looks like it started up in VFO (frequency scanning) mode rather than memory channels. Look for a "vfo/Mr" button, either on the mic or faceplate (don't have one to look myself, going off of https://www.buytwowayradios.com/blog/2021/01/wouxun-kg-1000g-programming-and-menu-options.html ) to switch modes.

Screenshot as promised. A few things i'll point out: note i have most of the channels set with Tone Mode "none"; this means the only filter is i won't hear signals low enough that they don't break through the squelch. with tone mode to "none", it won't matter what's in any of the tone columns. Note REPT16 and REPT18, Tone Mode is "Tone", which will send the tone in the Tone column on transmit, with no filter on the receive; if I set that to "TSQL", then the ToneSql (tone squelch) filter is in play, and the incoming signal needs to match the number in the ToneSql column for you to hear it. you can also use "cross" if you need different tones for TX and RX (referred to as "split tones") Some repeaters don't use an output tone, and if you have one set and it isn't sending one, you won't hear it. On the other hand, if it IS sending a tone, and you don't have a RX tone (again, think of it as a filter) set, you'll still hear it. Hope the extra info helps.

No worries....the beauty of fourms compared to Facebook is it's easy to come back to your posts without them getting totally buried. I'll get some screenshots a bit later this evening or tomorrow; in the meantime, a few things come to mind. First, tones; for testing purposes, turn off any receive tones (if you go into the menu, either pushing the left knob on the radio or the button on the mic). The menu items you want will be r-ctcs and r-dcs, and make sure both are set to "off". Since tones are kind of a filter, this means you'll hear everything, with or without a tone. You can also use the "mon" button to shut off squelch altogether and see if you can hear them that way. If i remember right, the signal strength bar will show a signal level for signals not matching the rx tone set, but grey instead of color and no sound...are you seeing any indication it's receiving something? Second, double check that the squelch isn't set too high, just above the threshold to keep it quiet is a good point for testing. If it's too high, their signal just may not be strong enough to open the squelch. Third, the setups, and the distance between you and the other users. Is it possible your setup transmits farther than theirs, and they just can't reach you? If you still aren't hearing anything with the squelch open, it makes me think either A, range issue/mismatch, or B, they're transmitting on the repeater channel, while you're using the simplex channel. If you want to check for this, go to menu item "tdr" and set it to a+b or m+b. For your b channel, switch to vfo, and punch in the repeater input for the channel youre using...instead of 462.xxx, it'll be 467.xxx. Then, switch back to your a channel youve been using and have them transmit. If you hear it on the be channel (the arrow on the display will move over to b), they're using the repeater channel instead of the simplex channel. (15rp on a Midland, rept15 on the btech for ch 15..462.550 for simplex, 467.550 for a repeater input).

Probably the biggest flag I see for which part of the site you're in is the three lines at the top that open the menu; for the forum (forums.mygmrs.com) that's in the top right corner, while most of the rest of the site (mygmrs.com) that menu button is in the top left. While the login is now the same for both (they were separate logins in the past), the cookies don't carry over well between the two. I find myself having to re-login to the main page for repeater listings most times I use them, which are pretty sporadic. Mostly I'll just be on the main forums page.

95e refers to the portion of the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) that covers GMRS, which is itself a subsection of the Personal Radio Services (which also include FRS, MURS, CB, and a few other things). https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-47/chapter-I/subchapter-D/part-95/subpart-E on the MXT275, it definitely has its limitations. With that in mind, for some, the features it offers are sufficient and for them it's not a bad choice. If simplex will be the primary use, or if you're planning to set up a repeater, it may not be a bad choice. If programmability is a big need, other options would be a better fit. For some, they're willing to put up with the limitations for the mounting convenience the 275 offers with the controls on the mic, allowing the main body to hide under a seat, behind the dashboard, etc. The Wide/Narrowband thing refers to how much spectrum your signal occupies, 25kHz vs 12.5kHz. It's not so much a matter one being better or worse, it's more about mismatches between equipment causing poor signal quality, and most equipment other than Midland is wideband by default. A lot of repeaters are set up for Wideband, and a narrowband signal sounds much quieter as a result. Equally, sound quality from a wideband radio into a Narrowband repeater is going to suffer as the signal blows past the limits the repeater is listening for.

(Going with the text, since being in CA, I'm a bit far for an in person chat) Honestly, unless you want to add a bunch of specific things to listen to, delving into programming via software isn't absolutely necessary, since as far as I know, the btech is still limited to the first 30 (hard coded) channels being all we get for transmit. Nearly all part 95e (gmrs certified) radios come with the basic 30 (22 simplex+8 repeater, or 7 low power, 8 high power simplex, and 8 repeater with the 7 frs channels left out) channels preprogrammed. Tones arent a necessity for simplex (radio to radio) use, just make sure you're on the same channel/frequency as who you want to talk to. For repeater (duplex) use, adding a transmit tone is the only extra needed (think of tones as a filter...your signal needs to match the filter to open a repeater). Miklor.com has some good examples of various setups, and setting up Chirp, hooking the radio up and reading out what's there is a good place to start, and get a look at what the preprogrammed channels look like. While you're there, save a copy of the stock image, and put it aside. Then save a 2nd working copy to add to. I'd be willing to get some screenshots from my working image for you as well...could be useful as a sample, but you'd want to adjust for what's in your area. Miklor also has a guide to chirp and a link to Chirp's field descriptions. Hopefully you can find some local assistance, @wrow674 , but you'll definitely find some willing help here in the meantime. If there's some specific stuff you're stuck on, the knowledge and experience here can probably help.

Marc is spot on..while you'll be able to see the listings, the access tones aren't available unless you're logged into the site (which requires a license). (my phone logs me out of the main site periodically, so when i go to look up a repeater listing, find i'm not logged in)

at the time the thread was started, the 701C was the better option for GMRS (being tuned for 455mhz) compared to the normal Nagoya 701 or 771 which are tuned for 430mhz. The 701g & 771g are a step better for GMRS, but they didn't come onto the market until mid 2020. https://www.buytwowayradios.com/blog/2020/07/new-gmrs-antennas-from-nagoya-are-now-available.html

I think pretty much all of my Vertex gear does MDC1200, including the analog, part 95 certified, vx4207's. (Double checked that, fairly sure the others do as well)

what power level are you running at? i know mine takes a good 45 seconds on high before the fan kicks on, and the power starts dropping almost immediately, from 48 watts and settling at 25 watts. is it only on high power? or does it work correctly at lower levels? i think the duty cycle is something like 30%, iirc.

(had a post half-typed earlier, but lost it to a page refresh) I was thinking a similar estimate to @Lscott, at around 5 amp draw for a 25 watt radio, based on what i've seen from 15-20 watt rated (around 3.5 amps) and the 45-50 watt stuff (in the 10-11 amp range). Looking at what your PSU is rated for, you're probably right on the border between 'enough' and 'not quite enough', with 5 amps continuous rating. that said, running it at the limit all the time isn't usually a recipe for long life. Alinco is a good suggestion on upgrade as well; I've been running my 'shack' off of a Alinco DM-30TR for a little over 2 years, though i don't leave it on continuously. It's a bit less expensive ($135, currently, vs $190), and has a correspondingly lower power rating (20 amp continuous, 30 amp peak), along with powerpoles rather than the bare wire connectors (i made my own powerpole to 12v socket connector from a couple other pieces). Still has a switch to set it to 13.8v, or adjustable voltage, and the noise offset knob. Currently have 3 radios connected, sometimes use a 4th with that 12v socket/powerpole for testing, and it's holding up fine.

yeah, i think all of my 45/50 watt radios have shown between 10 and 11 amp draw transmitting on high, i wouldn't want to test the 12v socket with that...if i want to run one off the power bank, i'd go the same route; use the AC outlets with a PSU.

You may be thinking the 771...the 770 looks to be a mobile, with a pl259 base. The description also mentions needing a separate base, which if you peek at, it's a mobile mount. https://www.buytwowayradios.com/nagoya-nl-770g.html

Can it be done? Sure. Besides voltage, the other big factor is what it can handle for draw and what the radio wants for current. IIRC, my mxt115 showed a 3.5a draw on high power, and I wouldn't expect a lot more draw for 25 watts. Ive done some limited testing running the anytone 779uv off of a small jumper pack that has a 12v socket accessory (I'd have to look at the brand and rating, I want to say 8a) for a short time, and it worked fine. Also been meaning to test it with the big power bank (ecoflow river max) that has a 10a rated 12v socket, and also rated for something like 600 watt draw on the ac outlets (or 1200 in "boost" mode).

agreed, if the HT Is hearing the mobile transmit, desense is the most likely explanation. checking the coax and SWR isn't a bad suggestion, but given the same setup was working fine with the midland (if i'm understanding the original post correctly), that's less likely to be the issue.

You're reading it correctly, but it's one of those "doesn't hurt for testing" kind of things...getting the "filter" (tone) out of the way to confirm things are working. Keeping "tone" is what you need to still get into the repeater (assuming it's transmitting as it should)

Haven't noticed with mine, but I haven't taken it apart right after rain. I'd say I'll check after the next rain, but it could be awhile here I know I have a few rubber gaskets/rings that go on the nmo mount, though at this point I've forgotten which ones they came with. It seems the comet stuff (also have a sbb1), some of the tram, and the signal stuff use those in place of the oring in the base like Larsen do. The Browning uhf i have (1713bs) and the base loaded midlands (1/4 wave and 5/8 wave) use the oring like Larsen as well.

So...I'm expect some of the other members with experience with that model may have some better suggestions in the morning. That said, a couple things come to mind: First, can you set the retevis (or another radio) to listen on 467.550 to see if the wouxun is indeed transmitting? That would help narrow if it's a transmit issue or tone issue. Second, the only thing in that config screen that stands out to me is the "ptt-id" field. can that be set to 'off' just to rule out the possibility of that interfering with the tone, since it appears to currently set for "beginning of transmission"? (I think my 805g has "bot", "eot", "both", and "off" as options)

Hadn't seen it yet, actually....I don't get their emails even though I've bought from them before, evidently. I'll give them credit for getting with the program, though. They were a really compelling option when they were basically the only thing in the gap between Midland and the LMR gear, but they were falling behind with a lot more flexibility in Radioddity, Anytone, Wouxun, and Retevis gear that's on the market now. Curious to see if there'll be changes coming to the 50x1 as well to open that up too.

Good catch, both. Thank you for filling in the details...I clearly haven't used mine under gmrs mode enough.