wayoverthere

Kind of a chicken and the egg...less use because of less equipment, but less equipment because of the double whammy of less traffic and NA being the only market for 220.
Edit: this gave me the nudge to go ahead and email BTWR about future availability of that UV920p. 🤓 Maybe if we can show some interest we'll get another run?
Edit#2:heard back from BTWR, indicating the 220 version is discontinued 😣 the remote head would be a big win. Too bad the uv980 can't trade 10m for 1.25

Kind of a chicken and the egg...less use because of less equipment, but less equipment because of the double whammy of less traffic and NA being the only market for 220.
Edit: this gave me the nudge to go ahead and email BTWR about future availability of that UV920p. 🤓 Maybe if we can show some interest we'll get another run?
Edit#2:heard back from BTWR, indicating the 220 version is discontinued 😣 the remote head would be a big win. Too bad the uv980 can't trade 10m for 1.25

Kind of a chicken and the egg...less use because of less equipment, but less equipment because of the double whammy of less traffic and NA being the only market for 220.
Edit: this gave me the nudge to go ahead and email BTWR about future availability of that UV920p. 🤓 Maybe if we can show some interest we'll get another run?
Edit#2:heard back from BTWR, indicating the 220 version is discontinued 😣 the remote head would be a big win. Too bad the uv980 can't trade 10m for 1.25

I appreciate where Ken is coming from and you as well Steve, I’m just trying to put some perspective of the guy who’s trying to figure it out and needs a hand and had the guts to ask after only joining moments before. He may or may not be here because he’s into radios but he needs the tools to work for his situation. It’s all good. Coffee is on me this morning ☕️

If you're using the preprogrammed repeater channels, they *should* already be using the correct offset (worth checking in the software though). The other piece of the puzzle is the transmit tone; many of the cheaper Chinese radios call it t-ctcss or t-dcs, some repeater listings call it PL. (if there's a decimal, it's likely ctcss/PL, if it's straight 3 digits, maybe with an N or I, that's dcs/DPL). Needs to be set to the appropriate tone for the repeater to hear you.
The final consideration is range...are you close enough for the repeater to hear you? The limits here will depend on the repeater's antenna, and surrounding terrain.

If you're using the preprogrammed repeater channels, they *should* already be using the correct offset (worth checking in the software though). The other piece of the puzzle is the transmit tone; many of the cheaper Chinese radios call it t-ctcss or t-dcs, some repeater listings call it PL. (if there's a decimal, it's likely ctcss/PL, if it's straight 3 digits, maybe with an N or I, that's dcs/DPL). Needs to be set to the appropriate tone for the repeater to hear you.
The final consideration is range...are you close enough for the repeater to hear you? The limits here will depend on the repeater's antenna, and surrounding terrain.

You're on the right track with repeaters, for the most part. With linking declared "not allowed", you and the other station would both need to be in range of the same repeater. Previously, it was allowed to connect repeaters to each other across the internet; if you were in Maine in range of a repeater that was connected to another repeater in PA, you could talk to someone in range of the PA repeater and vice versa.
On your tones, you'll want to set the tone mode for that repeater to 'tone' rather than 'tone sql'. That way you send the tone on transmit, but the radio isn't expecting to receive one back (opening the squelch).
Think of tones as a filter.  Tone squelch only lets through signals with the right tone, be that hearing your buddy across the field, or that other station over the hill via the repeater. If the sender doesn't use the tone the receiving radio is expecting, it doesn't get past the filter.
In the same vein, even for the reoeaters that do have an output tone, you can choose to run without a receive tone (known as "carrier squelch). You'll hear all signals on the frequency above whatever threshold your squelch is set to, since you effectively have no filter in place. If there's no other traffic on that frequency, no issue, but it can be nice to sell which signals are simplex traffic and which are from the repeater, since the repeater output frequencies are also simplex channel frequencies.
 
(Sorry that turned out longer than intended, hope it helps.)

That's one of the big things that kept me from getting a triband mobile. I have a couple handhelds that do, the wouxun is 5 watts, 2m/1.25m, and the yaesu vx7r does 300mW, iirc (220 was unadvertised for that reason, from what I read...it also has the standard 2m/70cm, and 6m.
I kick myself for not grabbing a uv920p (wouxun) when they were available, as there was a 2m/1.25 variant with 50 watts each. But for the amount of activity, it was hard to justify the cost of that or the Alinco, plus an antenna. 
The less expensive route I went was one of the Btech amps, to kick the power out of the handheld to 30 or so watts.

You're on the right track with repeaters, for the most part. With linking declared "not allowed", you and the other station would both need to be in range of the same repeater. Previously, it was allowed to connect repeaters to each other across the internet; if you were in Maine in range of a repeater that was connected to another repeater in PA, you could talk to someone in range of the PA repeater and vice versa.
On your tones, you'll want to set the tone mode for that repeater to 'tone' rather than 'tone sql'. That way you send the tone on transmit, but the radio isn't expecting to receive one back (opening the squelch).
Think of tones as a filter.  Tone squelch only lets through signals with the right tone, be that hearing your buddy across the field, or that other station over the hill via the repeater. If the sender doesn't use the tone the receiving radio is expecting, it doesn't get past the filter.
In the same vein, even for the reoeaters that do have an output tone, you can choose to run without a receive tone (known as "carrier squelch). You'll hear all signals on the frequency above whatever threshold your squelch is set to, since you effectively have no filter in place. If there's no other traffic on that frequency, no issue, but it can be nice to sell which signals are simplex traffic and which are from the repeater, since the repeater output frequencies are also simplex channel frequencies.
 
(Sorry that turned out longer than intended, hope it helps.)

That's one of the big things that kept me from getting a triband mobile. I have a couple handhelds that do, the wouxun is 5 watts, 2m/1.25m, and the yaesu vx7r does 300mW, iirc (220 was unadvertised for that reason, from what I read...it also has the standard 2m/70cm, and 6m.
I kick myself for not grabbing a uv920p (wouxun) when they were available, as there was a 2m/1.25 variant with 50 watts each. But for the amount of activity, it was hard to justify the cost of that or the Alinco, plus an antenna. 
The less expensive route I went was one of the Btech amps, to kick the power out of the handheld to 30 or so watts.

The problem with most 50 watt tri-band radios is that they will only do 5 watts max on 1.25m. And HT's will be more like 1 watt or 2 watts on 1.25m. That's why I will not buy a tri-band radio. And right now the only two mono band 50 watt 1.25m mobile radios available is the Alinco DR-CS25T or the TYT TH-9000. And there is the 30 watt Bridgecom BCM-220. But none of those three radios get the best reviews, especially on e-ham.
It's a darn if you do and darn if you don't thing with 1.25m mono band radios. The big 3 manufacturers don't make them because there is not much of a demand. And no one wants to use 1.25m in most areas because no one makes a good 1.25m mobile.
I would use a tri band if we could get at least 20 watts on 1.25m or even a mono band radio if a good quality one was available new.

couple years ago my grandson went on a week long fishing trip with us near and around Mammoth Lakes..  I always set up a portable GMRS repeater when we go camping and of course he ended up with one of my spare Baufangs..   Today he is 22 years old and now holds a General and studying for his Extra.  He doesn't even mess with GMRS anymore,, He's into 80,40 & 30 meter stuff..  Occasionally he will ping into my GMRS repeater to say hi..   I'm proud to say, i gave him the bug  😅

I would not recommend that one. I have something similar, but with a BNC connector on the end.  There is no ground plane resulting in a bad SWR match. The crappy coax shield is used as the other half of the dipole.

Generally, it's within a day or two of showing up on ULS that it will hit this site's database to allow registration.  Occasionally there will be a bit of bad data in the "feed" coming from FCC that requires admin intervention, which can take a little longer.

It’s an extract, not a live lookup. You can’t speed it up. It could take anywhere between a day or two to a week.  

Echolink is pretty neat if you have internet data access. I have an old Sonim XP8 that I have dedicated as a ham radio toy and it is my go to echolink device. Has a built in PTT and everything, works great. You can even get a handheld speaker/mic for them. Echolink will let you talk and hear all across the world, but it does have its limitations. The app is sorta sluggish and cumbersome. It does work, though. But the greatest inconvenience is the hang time it has and the repeater has to be completely silent before echolink users will get the "Transmit" button available. It's greyed-out any time there is activity and most RF users can jump right in but echolink users have to wait. Works good on repeaters that are not busy but on a busy repeater you might have a hard time getting in.
Unless they specifically remember to give extra time for echolink ppls

This will be the key ^^^
If it requires being logged in to use the search, drop your callsign in the thread, OP, and one of us can look for you.
Can't remember your callsign either? FCC search to the rescue! https://wireless2.fcc.gov/UlsApp/UlsSearch/searchLicense.jsp
 

This will be the key ^^^
If it requires being logged in to use the search, drop your callsign in the thread, OP, and one of us can look for you.
Can't remember your callsign either? FCC search to the rescue! https://wireless2.fcc.gov/UlsApp/UlsSearch/searchLicense.jsp
 

Go the the main MYGMRS.COM webpage and lookup your callsign. If the callsign has a MYGMRS username associated with it (and it should if you are a registered member) it will be displayed right below the license expiration date.

Sometimes I buy radios on the DL without running it by the spousal unit.. 
 
I do the purchase in PayPal “pay in 4” so the charges don’t stand out as large on the statement and I’m a ninja about grabbing that package off the porch on my way in and having the item in my pocket by the time the back door opens 😢. 
 
Is there a help group for me? 

I wish that I could run my 2x4SR on my Ford Escape. They are definitely good multi band antennas. Mine is mag mounted on the center of an expanded metal rack on my SxS and does very well.
You are correct that the SBB1 needs a good ground plane. Mine is in the center of the roof on my Escape. It does well in that spot. 

I've had good results with the SBB1 as well, on a mag mount. it was short enough to clear the parking structure at work, mag mounted on the roof of my compact truck; it does work best with some ground plane though.  with the new (full size) truck, im using a fender mount which just isn't enough for the SBB1, and it's no longer short enough on the roof,.  that fender mount is carrying a Comet 2x4SR, which is the only thing i found in my box of spares that was happy there.
i've also had good results with the 1/4 wave Signal Stalk from Signal Stuff.  I did not have good results with the 1/2 wave version, and some testing indicates a need for more tuning (which i haven't gotten around to yet)

Another good one that is 16" tall is the Comet SBB1 NMO. That is what I am running on my 2023 Ford Escape.
https://www.dxengineering.com/parts/cma-sbb-1nmo
It's hard to beat the SBB1 or SBB2 when it comes to short dual band antennas.

Filling a niche almost no once else is in? may be good or bad depending if there's a market for mobiles or not.
At least it's based on a decent quality radio and looks to be properly certified and legal, unlike the forklift one:
https://forklifttrainingsystems.com/product/forklift-roger-radio/

It looks to me like both the KG-1000g and the KG-1000m look like the ham KG-UV980P. I don’t know if there are more versions out there or not. 🤷‍♂️