tweiss3

Yes, I used a NanoVNA H3 to tune duplexers. I did bypass the internal screen and use my computer with the NanoVNA-APP and increased the number of data points (and took my time). Afterwards, I took the whole repeater over to a friend who had real equipment, and ended up not changing a thing. The real challenge is to go slow, take your time and move in small increments. Also, make sure you have the correct jumpers, adapters and dummy loads before starting.

Legally? You can't anymore, Motorola won't sell it anymore, the radio is EOL. The software you are looking for is called Astro 25 Mobile.

Name of area. Like mentioned above, GMRS call signs are basically useless to me. Ham stuff is sorted by county or group of counties with call and city.

From my friend: The RF room shielding of an MRI is between 90 and 100 db. For a MRI scanner any RF in the 400 Mhz range the field strength would be in the 10 Tesla range this is way above the frequencys MRI uses 21 to160 Mhz .5 to 4 Tesla (41 Mhz per Tesla). Don't think it's a MRI Scanner.

Emailed, I'll let you know what he says. Hopefully he responds quickly. If not, I'll nudge him on my way home. I wonder if there could be an issue with the transformer feeding the machine.

No. I know a gentlemen that did the construction of the MRI rooms and the maximum outside RF levels that were allowed inside the room is extremely low. FRS shouldn't be able to be heard through the shell.

Many of the commercial radios have a jumper you can change to filter the bottom end out or not which may be needed for data. An example, Vertex Standard VX2500, out of the DB9 connector on the back: Normal is to filter everything 300 Hz and below out, but for packet, you need to open it up.

No, I have not. There is supposedly a pigtail for the portables, still waiting on part number and cost. I may start playing with this.

Truth. You can spend an entire cars value on a side by side without blinking.

I have the same option for NXDN. Have to assign a key. Nothing automatic. Not available for P25 or DMR on these either. When I saw this feature in NXDN, I asked a few guys on the commercial side. Most of the time, all traffic goes through a repeater, which takes care of the ID. The rules say, even for itinerant licenses, without repeater infrastructure, have to ID regularly. It is permitted that a mobile or base can do this ID for the entire fleet. I did ask how those running 50 HTs, or running analog, handled this requirement, as I never saw a CW ID feature in any other radio. The response was a shrug. I assume everyone ignores it and doesn't comply. But it does bring up the question, in amateur radio, even if the repeater IDs, your digital signal doesn't ID (except with aliases) without being decoded, so how are we considered compliant by using voice identification over a digital mode? It is the button right next to write. I've used it once, but not sure if there are other hangups. I believe this is pure analog audio out the back. The box between the two is just isolation transformers and a solenoid to turn the connection on and off. The NX-5k comes with a "Mobile Relay Station" built in, that does not require a DB25 cable, but you have to pick the zone/channel in the programming and it can't be changed without a reflash. This is an alternative option, and it works for other radios as well: https://albertaradiosupply.com/collections/kern/products/linking-cable-for-kenwood-tk7180-nx700-nx5000-radios-crossband-operation I don't want to tally it up, and you don't want to know. Just the entitlements the way I wanted it is more than my GMRS repeater. But for a radio system that should last near forever, and the level of interoperability I have in a small simple package, its probably worth it in the end.

You can use the clone button, instead of write to send the codeplug to the other radios. On an interesting note, my Alberta Radio Supply linking cable came in. Now I can do crossband repeat from any channel to any channel in the radio with the push of a button on the front panel. It even works UHF P25 to VHF NXDN, and sounds identical to analog to analog. Nice and simple setup, just connect it to the DB25 on the back of each radio, and set the pin programming.

Stainless steel zip ties or coax hangers.

Kenwood's D1N allows you to copy from the zone and paste into excel, and back into the software. Also, apparently Mototrbo CPS 2.0 just added export/import features.

@LscottI have not played with data over digital. I have sent messages, but that's simple. I was toying with the idea getting a RSM cable and building a TNC interface. You may have just pushed me to move that way quicker. My winlink node uses SoundModem by UZ7HO. I also have used Drats before, but I didn't get very far. I will have to look into that again. I need to go send an email now.

The way I see it, DMR in amateur radio isn't going away, and it isn't going to be unified, so I do what I can to make the best of it. When I travel south, I use the NCPRN system, which is not internet linked, has a fixed set of talkgroups, and works wonderfully (all the backbone is Motorola only). For repeaters around here, I did spend a day looking up each in the state and seeing which talkgroups are on it. I only put the Local, the few Ohio Statewide and Echo in my radios. I do keep North America and WorldWide for the few local repeaters. I typically don't like dealing with those insane groups, but I have used it at 2:30 am when I had to make an emergency run to the pharmacy, and it helped keep me awake and alert. We do have one Megalink that is used locally that cross links YSF, DMR and D-Star. I talk on that some too, but usually only DMR into it, though I have used YSF and D-Star to connect.

There is a point in the software it is stuck with narrowband. There was another piece of software called Wideband Recovery Tool that you can use to "reset" the repeater, but you then have to roll back to an older version of the software that allows wideband.

Yes, I have. There are a handful of repeaters that do Analog/P25 or Analog/NXDN. For these radios, I put 2 versions in the radio, both are dual mode RX, but the first is strapped Digital transmit, the second is strapped analog transmit (then only 1 is included in the zone scan).

Ok, got it. Yes, in the amateur market, Kenwood went with Icom for D-Star, Yaesu made their own YSF, and some of the CCRs tried to copy DMR. I'm still not convinced they meet the DMR standard, or use the correct AMBE+2 codec. On the commercial side, in terms of use on amateur radio, P25 is compatible with P25 across the board, NXDN is compatible with NXDN across the board as is DMR.

This statement is confusing and possibly incorrect. For ham use, all the manufacturers that offer DMR conventional (not trunking) are compatible with each other. Ham takes many things out of the picture that are not necessarily compatible (encryption, RAS, etc.). But for conventional DMR in the clear, Motorola, Hytera, Kenwood, etc. are all directly compatible. As for the CCRs, I would say they are the ones that are truly incompatible. The don't offer some of the beneficial features DMR offers. I have even asked many of them if they could/would implement conventional roaming (offered by any public safety manufacturer) and was told it's not a thing, and no, they won't even look into it. Is there something I am missing in your statement above?

I use Kenwood TK-8150 for mobiles in the car and in the shack. Great radio, and sounds wonderful. As a plus, I have the remote head kits.

I thought about this thread last night. I'm guessing (only a guess), that he isn't missing anything. I think what he is seeing on the radio is the CW ID broadcasting with no tone, and therefore he won't hear it with the receive tone programmed. This is how my repeater is programmed. He isn't missing someone coming back to him, or other chatter. The reason I think this, he hears the tone squelch when he contacts the repeater.

The CW ID to identify the repeater? Yes, mine has it, it is built in, and set to 15 minute interval, but I doesn't broadcast if there is no traffic.

Usually the roger beep is overdeviated and can nearly blow your eardrum out if you are using a bluetooth earpiece. I've had that a few times where I ripped that thing off my ear cause it hurt. MDC & FleetSync tones are much more subdued, as are courtesy tones, usually at 80% deviation or less, and much easier on the ears.

They have only been available for about a month. I also haven't seen a good review of the microphone that wasn't directly by the reseller. I'm interested to see how well it works, and the battery life observed. It's been advertised as "coming soon" for over 2 years. I have my doubts that is because it was perfected. I agree with you, HHCH should be an option for more radios. I thought about it for a while, but finding one is harder than deciding to spend the money on one, which is hard enough considering how expensive they are.

It depends on a lot of things. A mobile duplexer, or the little duplexer that comes in the RT97, yes, you will need the isolation. The notch is pretty big and may not be specific enough to provide isolation between repeaters. On sites that have multiple same band repeaters, some have combiners, some have duplexers & combiners to get enough isolation.