tweiss3

I've just been reading between the top 3 IC5100A, D710GA and FTM400XDR and have limited my requirements to dual band, native APRS and cross band repeat. The icom is eliminated, which is a shame, the menu looks the nicest. I just remember you were using APRSDroid and thought you would have more information. I have found you can get a Mobalink to work with the 400 and do winlink and packet. It's not a requirement for me, but is a plus. The APRS on the 400 looks like it will work for me. I have been just reading the messages on my D74, and that's all im looking for while driving.

Do you have more information on this? So technically you can do packet radio with this BT connection? I've actually just become interested in this radio for various reasons, but i'm trying to understand its uses completely.

Garmin already has something like this, its Tread ($800) plus Group Ride Radio ($350) https://buy.garmin.com/en-US/US/p/702373#specs https://buy.garmin.com/en-US/US/p/705043 It's based on MURS, where this is already allowed. You wouldn't be able to get the antenna to work in its current location with UHF and additional power if without exceeding RF exposure limits or making problems with the electronics.

What you have to remember, the published power is really a target power in the programming, and there is almost always a curve or linear relationship to actual power output across the frequencies covered. Usually, the power is within 10% of the published number. The transmitter report showed 42W output for the "full power" version, assuming full power is 45W, that means it was 93% of the published output. This was at 400MHz, and could be better/worse along the UHF band. Take your 5W target and you get 4.65, then take 95% of that for SWR loss and you get 4.4W, not too far off of the meter 4.3W output. Do the same for your CH20, 93% of 25W is 23.25W, then take 89% of that gives you 20W output, close to your meter output. Could there be a minor calibration that is off, or the meter is 10% off? Sure. What I would take away from it is what is your "normal" and see when things change.

You can already do that, buy all Kenwood, use a LTR system and turn on FleetSync, and buy a dispatch console. $$$"

I wear a fenix 6X, and while hiking, the map is ok for trail purposes, but wouldn't be acceptable for APRS with 12 people around you. Also, I wouldn't be willing to spend the upcharge to add $700 watch technology to the radio. Heck, the IC-705 is a hard pill to swallow, and it does way beyond what a little screen on a GMRS radio will do.

I think people don't understand what APRS is and what it's supposed to be used for, which is going to cause more problems. It's intent was to transmit beacons to alert others of repeaters, breaking news, or even just what frequency the user is on that you can reach them. The data doesn't mean crap to 99% of those without a tablet/computer/map to locate the information for them. Hell, only a few radios have good presentation of the information from the APRS packet (distance, bearing, hops, last hop). If it was part of the audio packet in a digital mode (D-Star, DMR, etc) then it wouldn't interfere, but that's not what's being discussed. I still don't see how this will help the average user, hiking families or vehicle convoys. Text messaging maybe, but that's not really beneficial if sending it analog packet. And the battery life that suffers from it. Look at the Kenwood D74, I still think is the best HT available (until it was discontinued), but you have to carry 3 batteries with you.

For what it's worth, I just did a trip and I tossed CB19 in the scanner queue (SDS200 with a NMO150/450/758 drilled in the roof) and I did hear quite a bit of CB traffic between the public safety stuff.

Based on this FCC ID, its is narrow band only 10kHz, and not approved (or can't do) 20kHz wideband.

I'll throw a +1 to the CS800D. They are the primary mobiles in my vehicles. It was 100% compatible with the NCPRN network (a Moto Trbo hardware based network) which most of the Anytones and other CCR's don't work with. If you really want to play digital all the time, look at a hotspot, I recommend a duplex version, and you can do all of the modes on your own hardware.

Well now this is a very interesting proposition. I can't find the emissions designator for analog LTR trunked systems, but it might align with the code. LTR, along with other trunked systems use multiple repeaters per site, so you could in theory use a 4 repeater system, say 19, 20, 21 & 22 repeater pairs and LTR trunked will automatically re-route to the open pair for your specific talkgroup. My understanding of LTR is that there isn't a control channel, the control data is a burst included in the voice channel, and you stay on the frequency you are on, unless the data burst indicates a change. Now that being said, you would tie up more than 1 repeater pair, but if you were do an area wide linked system to cover an entire county or region, and worked with other users, who cares? My TK-8150 does LTR, but I have no use for it, unless its in this specific instance, which might be useful, but expensive to put out the backbone (multi-antenna, multi-repeater on really large tower), just to "stay within rules of GMRS". I don't have a for sure answer if this is within the rules because I don't have the time to research, but it seems the closest to be within the rules as written. Again, trunked systems are designed so multiple groups of users can better co-use the frequencies. In my area it wouldn't make sense, but some place with high usage it might. DMR almost makes more sense (or P25P2), since it TDMA and has 2 voice channels per frequency pair, but that's another argument. You poise a very interesting question. I will have to research more later.

Well that sucks. If I ever went with a huge whip while driving, it would have to be a screwdriver and would need a massive mount. Too many people I know lost hamsticks or other large whips that way.

Anything commercial that covers a ham hand can be used for ham. There is 900mhz band that is 100% commercial repurposed equipment, and even some of the commercial VHF low band equipment can be used on 6 and 10m. There is no certificate required on ham, just that you stop operation if and when you find you you are causing some kind of interference.

yes, all the kenwoods will.

All of this is correct, however, P25 Phase 1 and Phase 2 both only let known UID's affiliate with the system, so buying a P25 radio isn't going to let you listen to the system. There is also now LLA (now mandated by Ohio MARCS-IP) which is Link Layer Authentication, or a secondary authentication key. This is like the 2-layer authentication and keeps pirates from spoofing UIDs. We had a large lawsuit from some idiot spoofing an ID and causing interference. If you want to listen to public safety P25, either get an Airspy R2 SDR and run SDRTrunk, or you are looking at a SDS100/200 scanner.

I just looked, I have exactly 2 P25 capable repeaters (multimode PiStar based) that I would be able to use, Then there are zero for 2 hours each direction. I however see zero P25 usage on them in the logs. http://www.pistar.uk/p25_reflectors.php This is the list of TGs for P25. I guess there could be private groups, but this is basically the brandmeister of P25. P25 and DMR are very similar in programming and use.

Well, this is a question that has quite a few variables. 1) What radios do you have, or have you ordered? Hand held (HT) or mobile radio in your car/home. 2) Exactly where and what elevation you are at make a huge difference on performance and ability to reach repeaters. As for recommendations, a proper install with the best antenna you can afford at the highest elevation you can get will result in the best performance.

To everyone. There are always steps to building your shack, step 1 being get on the darn air to step final being the ultimate buildout. I want an IC9700 into a GP98 at 50' AGL for FT8, some light satellite, and the ability to remotely get on my home radio anywhere I have internet connection. Its why the I bought the 2m/70cm/23cm triplexer instead of a simple UHF/VHF diplexer to connect my radios to my vertical on the roof.

I seem to get a new "badge" or "rank" every few days, but what are they, and what is required for each level. Also, it appears it didn't take into account any posts from before the software upgrade.

Another question is what is your "ultimate build out scenario" for your shack? I keep DMR in the car because I like the removable head, and I do get pretty good roaming across the entire state to different DMR repeaters. I also will be traveling south, and there is a huge DMR wide area network I want to use while driving. My home shack, the ultimate buildout includes a IC9700, which puts me into D-Star.

I haven't tested it, but KPG-79D will let it go below 380 and above 520. I'm above line A, so I can't use 420-430.

TK-8150, Part 95 cert, does 70cm ham without issues.

Two of my haul, this massive coffee mug, and a folding travel table for grilling and other uses.

There was at one time they basically gave away their DR1 repeaters. And now, if you can find one that still has the original firmware, not the update, they are super easily converted to digital/multimode with a RPi and PiStar. We have one sitting on the shelf that we need to get our repeater committee formed so we can go digital. You have tons of P25 support locally. Both P25 and DMR use the AMBE decoder, but it has become the standard for public safety. DMR you can talk worldwide. NXDN i have no idea. YSF you can talk world wide. D-Star you can talk world wide P25 you won't talk world wide, but only local linked repeater systems (not a bad thing). Your other task will be equipment. DMR has a ton of choices. NXDN & P25 is going to be commercial public safety equipment only. YSF will be Yaesu only and D-Star is Kenwood & Icom choices. I enjoy my CS-800D's in the cars, but if I had to do it again, and money wasn't an issue, I would go dual deck remote head Kenwood NX-5700/5800 with a handful of options. Will do analog, P25, DMR & NXDN in one unit, but the couple thousand price tag is steep.

This answer all depends entirely on the infrastructure in your area. In my area, our digital repeaters are largely multi-mode based off the PiStar control software, which allows NXDN, DMR, D-Star & P25 (P25 is turned off). The downfall of those is that NXDN and D-Star need to make sure to disconnect or it will stay connected to that mode/room/TG. Fortunately DMR disconnects after 15 minutes no activity. North of me there is also a DMR system that is not Brandmeister, and DMR only. DX Engineering is also D-Star only. Now, I do have a simplex DMR hotspot, a duplex D-Star hotspot, and an AllStar simplex node (analog hotspot), which does help around the house and outside of the shack. DMR seems to be hugely dominant for widespread, with multiple different networks. Your location has 2 Fusion and 2 P25 systems, 1 DMR and no D-Star. Looks like fusion might be your best choice without Hotspots.