wayoverthere

I would have sworn there was something on midland's site previously mentioning it. That said, their authorization for the 275 DOES allow for it: https://apps.fcc.gov/oetcf/tcb/reports/Tcb731GrantForm.cfm?mode=COPY&RequestTimeout=500&tcb_code=&application_id=o9gcpY0BMlKQKr%2FMaUSLGQ%3D%3D&fcc_id=MMAMXT275

Into the antenna will be in the ballpark, but you need the dummy load to be as accurate as possible. Mine is due any day now, so I'll try to get some back to back numbers between antenna and dummy load and see how much it changes. (On mid power...radio issues)

The other tell will be if you're picking up interference. I haven't found gmrs to be super prone to interference in my truck (older ranger clone), though I've heard more issues in jeeps. Power wise, that sounds about par with other reports on the mxt500's. @marcspazhas some direct experience in this thread:

Not sure what's up with the ghost; I havent seen a lot of good reports, and it's always seemed like a step down from their previous 3db option, the 5/8wave whip. That one (mxta10) is a little taller but still reasonable at around 12", and I've managed 60+ mile reaches to a repeater with it mag mounted indoors on some sheet metal. Sportsmen's appears to still have some in stock, too: https://www.sportsmans.com/hunting-gear-supplies/radios-and-weather-stations/handheld-2-way-radios/midland-micromobile-mxta10-3db-gain-antenna/p/1476042

It depends on your preference, honestly. Tx tone is necessary, Rx tone is optional; I prefer to run it on the repeater slots to filter off simplex traffic on those channels, and no tone on the simplex slots, Some others prefer to skip the RX tone and hear everything...it just comes down to your preference and what's going on in your area. For reference, I have a couple repeaters in range on ch 16, but a local hotel is also using frs for housekeeping on simplex ch 16.

The directory is very dependent on the repeater owners (or whoever adds them to the directory) to keep their information up to date as things change. Given the overlap in RX frequency between simplex and repeater, it's possible the repeater owner changed output tones to filter out simplex users in the area. It's also possible you were just hearing simplex traffic (though CW or an automated voice id almost always indicates repeater).

So the biggest issue is making sure you're within range of the repeater, and that it's online (which, if you got permission, it should be). Your 935g should already have the appropriate presets (with the offsets included in the repeater channels). Dial up the right repeater channel for the frequencies the repeater uses. Go into the menu, and look for t-ctcs or t-dcs, depending on the tone the repeater uses....that's the big one to get into the repeater (with a decimal is ctcss, if it's 3 digits and a letter, it's dcs.). From there, you should be good for a basic setup; you can input a recieve tone as well if you prefer (which will work like a filter; you'll only hear signal with a matching tone). That's a popular radio, so I know someone else can chime in with a little more specifics as to the menu names and such.

Good to know, and welcome to the fun.

The repeater will tx on 462.625, and Rx on 467.625....to use the repeater, you'll tx on 467.625 (where it's listening) and rx on 462.625 (where it's transmitting). That said, if you're using one of the many new options for gmrs radios, it should already be programmed from the manufacturer with the full set of simplex channels and the 8 repeater channels (with the appropriate +5.0mhz offset).

I've got a hotel housekeeping on channel 16, and some amusement place on another, I want to say channel 15. Also have a couple repeaters in range, 2 on 16 with different tones, and one on 20 that's private. Heard a Convo on one of the ch 16 machines the other day, and flipped over to vfo and discovered I could hear one of the parties on the input, so they likely weren't too far away.

First, congrats on your new license! There's generally a day or two delay between the grant and the site recognizing it, since it involves the FCC pushing out database updates and back end processes that load the info into the site's database. I suspect by Monday you'll be good to go.

Think of PL/DPL (aka CTCSS/DCS) tones as a filter, where you only hear signals with the matching tone. You're on the right track, including the statement about preprogrammed HTs; the receive frequency is the same for the repeater and simplex channel. It's absolutely possible that you could have a RX tone set for the repeater, yet still hear simplex activity on the channel if someone is using the same tone as the repeater's output tone. For my use, the channels I have set up for a repeater, I'll set both TX & RX tones on the repeater slot. The intent is that the repeater slot will only break squelch for signals from the repeater, while the equivalent simplex slot runs with no receive tone set, so I'll hear everything else on the channel.

Given none of the other codes have 2 decimal places, I agree with Michael. My mxt115 manual has the same typo though.

What I've heard, I'd compare to a good analog signal, but "crisper". Haven't tried any simplex p25, just repeaters and a handheld. I also can't say it's been particularly inexpensive.

How's your sound quality on DMR? I'm reserving judgment till I get it up and running on a better radio (and possible via an actual repeater, rather than a hotspot), but sound quality seems not great so far, varying levels of garbled, from minimal to near unintelligible. not sure if it's my cheap radio, the hotspot, or just life on DMR yet. (on a side note, thanks again for the attempts to help...in the end it came down to the talk groups i had were stone dead...trolled the 'last heard' page on brandmeister for active ones, and added those, and boom, working.)

Sorry I wasn't able to get a good data points (and for the slight tangent)...going to poke at the issue a little more, see if it does it at lower power levels, and if the power meter on the display gives any indication (also, sanity check the PSU with an external meter, though i trust it more than the radio). Needless to say, that'll probably be about it for me and Btech. @wqmm866 unfortunately, it's coming up on 2 years old, so out of warranty. it hasn't seen a whole lot of transmit time, no funky SWRs or low voltage (Alinco PSU with ample headroom). haven't seen the power drop on anything else i've tested on that meter (Surecom SW102). The same PSU runs the 2 radios for my ham setup (though they were off while i tested), so between those points and Marc's experience points to the radio. It'll work fine for scanner duty, i guess, with that wide receive it has.

So...the btech isn't holding steady numbers...started at 51 watts on 462.650, and slides downward as I transmit. ? SWR is solid 1:1 into a Midland 5/8 wave whip.

Thanks..I know it'll vary some, just hoping for a rough idea how much to variance to expect. Also finalizing an Amazon order so I should have a dummy load in the not too distant future.

Marc, What did the numbers look like into antenna vs dummy load? I don't have a 50w dummy load currently, but I can get some numbers similar to Michael's off my Btech for another reference point if it will help. I know my vertex (rated for 45 watts) showed 43 at the radio with a 5/8wave whip on the other side of the meter.

I have one as well, and feel your frustration. I did read something that indicated that that level of lockdown equated to an easier approval process for certification.

I'll give them credit for finally including a proper mount (outside of the additional $$ bundles). That response is also an interesting development. Given their current focus on novice users, almost to the expense of features, I'll stay very cautiously optimistic...it IS nice to see they've finally made some progress in features though. Rt97 competitor on the horizon?

It's hard to say without some sense of what distances you're working with, and what the terrain is like. The standard 1/4 wave for 450-470 is 6", and with a drilled through should give you the clearance you need. I'll have to look at how much height the mag mount adds (I want to say 1/2").Alternately, how much height can you get away with from the fender top? (Subtract am inch for mount height, to account for bracket or lip mount) Pattern wise, the 1/4 wave will generally be more omnidirectional,where a taller gain antenna is more of a squashed donut (more gain, more squish). A 5/8 there would be no problem on the fender or bed rail at around 12", but I think the double 5/8 browning I have might be close again at around 36", though it's sprung so a little rub might be okay, vs if it hit close to the base on a roof mount. The comet 2x4sr is even taller, but it also folds...is folding it to park feasible? edit: did some measuring; the browning comes in at 34.5", the comet at 39" upright, and about 6.5" folded (just under 6" at the base, but there's a little spiral in the middle, and it doesn't fold quite 90 degrees), and the midland mag mount is ~3/4". surface mounting a 1/4 wave looks feasible, or the browning on a fender/lip mount if you want the gain...from what i saw, it was under 1.2:1 swr across everything i've used in GMRS and 70cm. the main reason it's not on my truck at the moment is clearance for the work garage (smaller truck, so a ~12" 5/8 wave is just low enough, though i have a 1/4 wave on now).

There's nothing that says you can't approach gmrs with the same mentality....you definitely wouldn't be the only one. Gmrs gives an easier path to license and the "sharing" factor in trade for requiring certified equipment. At the most basic, both are an avenue of communications. That said, there is definitely some that feel you shouldn't (as "it isnt in the stated intent of the service"), and a fair number of users do stick to their groups, which is something to bear in mind...just a matter of having realistic expectations is all.

Is there somewhere in the middle where you could place a repeater or two? If you're all within a 40 mile radius, it MIGHT be feasible to run one repeater if you can get the antenna high enough, or a couple linked. How your group is laid out geographically can definitely affect what is feasible. There is a member with a rt97 set up in Alaska getting 20-30 mile range on handhelds with the repeater placed on a mountainside with solar/battery power. Height is might, as they say.