quarterwave

Hmmm, now there's an idea... I also "heard" of a mess like that, only maybe worse...guy has about 3-4 GMRS repeaters, has them linked with ITINERANT CHANNEL (part 90) LOW BAND vhf radios....and uses UHF mobile with cross band to VHF for mobile extender, and the VHF is, you guessed it, High Band Intinerant. Oh good golly...can't wait to see the fines levied on that one.

For what it is worth on the multiple PL question. I run an MTR2000 and a Zetron panel. I have remote programming via DTMF. I have the DPL that we have used for family and friends for years turned on. I also have a PL turned on, which allows me to keep a separate "group" active so I can test, or use when I don't really need to bug the others, as they keep in PL mode all the time. This is the old Community Repeater concept, where many user groups could share the repeater and paid for it per radio (some paid per air time, etc), but it was one frequency and they each had a separate PL/DPL. You had to monitor and wait your turn when it was "busy". I used to turn users on and off when I worked for a M shop. Went to the sites and plugged in PL/DPL modules/codeplugs on Micor and MSR style repeaters. At the time, our shop had a repeater we owned, (versus most of them M owned) and ours had a dial up remote access via a Zetron panel, which was handy as it was 45 minutes from the shop. So, yes it can be done with the right equipment, and as long as the others are not "monitoring" the channel (are in PL mode) your conversation will not come through their radio, but it is on the same freq and is no "private".

I used to have one. If you use an "output" freq (462) for it, it seems to be within the rules, or should I say, it doesn't seem to break any. (You could use 467 in and 462 out like a regular repeater, so I mean just don't use 467 out, as simplex on an "input" freq is not allowed.) Using 462 in and out bring up some interesting idea's with PL and such, and being able to use the same freq with or without it for testing, etc. Which is what I primarily did. I had a Motorola mobile doing 50 watts setup with a 3dB antenna about 50 feet on my tower, below my regular repeater antenna (a 10dB stick), and I used a dedicated (old) Dell computer with Echo Station to run it. They become clunky to really use, you tend to get impatient always waiting for your traffic to repeat, then their reply, etc. But, I found it handy for range testing, and experimentation.

I was wondering how that model (888) did real world. I have looked at them a few times. Do yours have the scramble feature, and have you used it? I have Motorola equipment (a lot of it) but I want to add something cheap and versatile to the fleet in case I need it, something I would not be devastated about if someone lost or destroyed one. I would also like to have scramble option on my Part 90 Itinerant frequencies if I need it. Update...never mind about the scrambler...I think it was a different model I was looking at. The 888 looks nice for a cheapy though.

"No station in a GMRS system may be interconnected to the public switched telephone network "except" as and in accordance with the requirements and restrictions applied to a "wireline control link" (see §95.127)." Exactly - I have been trying to get people to understand that for a long time. A leased pair from your phone company for the purpose of remote use of a radio is NOT the same as connection to the PSTN. Connection to the PSTN would refer to an "interconnect" or the device commonly used in Ham and used to be more common on commercial systems to facilitate a radio to telephone call. (also in the ancient instance of using a telephone ((initiated)) connection to talk over the base radio) PSTN means it goes through the phone switch....dial tone...termination, etc. Using a pair of copper that you own, or lease from anyone else....has nothing to do with prohibiting linking.

http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=24190856 This one costs a bit more, but does have an aux out, alarm out and ext antenna connections. Reading the guide, it did say that in voice alert mode, it opens up for 10 minutes. That's a bit long for most messages. Usually 1-2 minutes is enough from what I hear on air. I think I am still going to try playing with the Midland WR120 when I have a chance. If I use Echo Station for it, I think I can control it via DTMF too, so if I need to shut it down.

Yeah, I don't know the particulars, but I know a hospital that got into some serious hoo-hah with the Government over complaints of patient info, both health and ID stuff going out over FRS. I think the important thing is putting out that kind of info carelessly....regardless of any laws, it's just good sense not to. I'm sure those medical employees wouldn't want me to give their name, address, SSN, DOB, etc over open air....

I reviewed that link a while back, it's ok, but dated. Midland says their WR120 operates with EOM now. I'm going to get into this on the bench after Christmas.

I have advised a few that they were on a GMRS channel that requires a license, and if they did not have one they needed to move to an FRS channel. Usually that just draws a "HUH?"....not smart enough to read the manual anyway. I chased a doctors office off a GMRS channel by setting up a 15 minute interval CW ID beacon on the channel and PL they were on. They got the point and are now on a FRS channel with their little Walmart "headsets" they somehow think are business radios....never mind the fact they are violating HIPPA laws by transmitting patient info....lol. There is a rental yard in our city on 650 with some Kenwoods....just a lazy dealer put them on a channel so they would not have to get licensed. I don't hear them much, but I am not worried about it. I only got onto the doctors office as I wanted them to realize what they were doing.

I haven't given any more attention to this. I would still like to find the right radio that will reset itself after the alert broadcast, although from the link up above, they appear to be made. I am thinking I want to put this on the control station where I could setup EchoStation and it through that with Vox. I have used that for radio testing before and the vox worked fine, I would have more controls over timing, etc with it too. Just another project I need to get into this winter.

Yep...these cheap and easy radios are cool toys, until someone interferes with a frequency they have no business on. The invisible barrier is no longer a barrier. Back in the day, you had to work hard to get a radio you could somehow program (or it took crystals!) to get a specific frequency into...and that usually meant getting a radio tech to do it after the shop closed. Fewer people have appreciation for the "sacred" rules of radio. You don't put the local cops frequency in your radio, unless you are a cop. Kids know computers, like many of us knew radios at that age, these radios are just a software addressable devices. Kids will play.

There is always good and bad with this type of thing. Back in the day, every radio had to be programmed or crystalled. You really couldn't buy a cheap radio and play on your own (in part 90/95). But now these cheap radios that anyone can program, by keypad or free s/w are out there, and I have an UV5R too, I tinker with it. The issue is any ya-hoo can get one...and get on frequencies he is not allowed on. There is a have a guy locally running around asking for radio checks on the Sheriff's UHF, the VHF Fire, and a local company's wide area VHF....so I guess it's the good with the bad.

I have one of the Celwave mobile type, I run it with a 10-15 watt repeater, they don't tend to work well approaching 40+ watts. I run 3 cans of an old Motorola unit, forget who made them for M, but they were gray with the big black knobs....just about every motorola UHF repeater from the 80's on had one. I have used it for 20+ years...works great. I run 2 receive cans and 1 transmit. It's on my MTR2000 now, 50 watts. Used to use it with 2 M120's. I would use the bigger one, over the smaller one...under 25 watts the small ones are ok, but that's about it. They are called "mobile" duplexers.

I built an interface to a Maxtrac and used it with a PC and EchoStation for a while a few years ago. It would do voice ID, etc. Easy to use and customize on the PC. I don't use it now, but I still have the stuff to. It seems you have to really be into it to use it with someone else....it's very hard for someone not as versed in radio to understand and pace a conversation, get used to hearing them selves. However, it makes a handy range tester, I would have mine shoot the output of my repeater back to me on another freq so I could judge the signal quality when I was testing it by myself. When some bubble packers camp out on a GMRS freq....its a good way to discourage them...(voice ID's and canned messages every 15 minutes about GMRS requiring a license)....although that's probably a rule violation too I usually just had it ID if keyed, and setup a test message on demand. Beyond that...I didn't use it for practical communications. I have 2 real repeaters, so that's all I need.

I keep a set of Uniden FRS units around, and so do my inlaws. I have a repeater and real radios, but we keep these FRS radios that run on AAA batteries so that we can take them on vacation. We use them car to car while travelling and at the beach every summer. Everything has its place.

Iv'e seen these too, so I am thinking a programming cable is available. Without it, only a new user sticking to a contained group will find them useful. You need to be able to setup your own programming. PL's , Etc.

Those are decent light duty repeater. The programming is done via Motorola RSS...so it's not just a DOS thing. Unless some RSS falls off the coconut tree, you will need a dealer to program it, but if they will, you might get it done fairly cheap if you let them tune up the duplexer too.

"Fact is I have found little difference in how well commercial grade and the evil bubble pack radios transmit and receive in most circumstances." I have to disagree. I have a Baofeng UV5R, and while somewhat "versatile" it is quirky, and certainly not built tough enough for any commercial duty I have ever seen radios in. As a ham rig, a scanner, a light duty GMRS radio...it's ok, but not great...but I didn't expect much for $42. There is not way any of these cheap chinese knock offs hold a candle to a Motorola or other real radio. There is a WORLD of difference in quality, all around operation, etc in this stuff and Motorola portable, of which I have several. The UV5R is very prone to noise, and other "trash" that degrades it's receive. The TX is rated at 4 watts, and I find it does 1.5 to 2 in hi power mode. I also have some Audiovox GMRS/FRS radios I have kept around for a number of years. They are supposed to do 3 watts in high power mode and I beleive they are close. I use them on vacation for car - to - car comms, and if I lose one, I am not out much. The UV5R I consider an intermediate "toy", and normally keep it at home just to listen on, but I only expect so much out of it. When the real work is done, I carry a Motorola. Everyone is entitled to their opinion, this is mine. I guess in summary.....just because a 1/2 Ton V6 Pickup can hitch to a big trailer, that doesn't mean you can pull it and don't need a 3/4 Ton Diesel! (Above mention of Motorola is in reference to Commercial/Professional Motorola radios - If I didn't make that clear).

Yeah the interfacing is no big deal, I can make that happen, for me it's just finding a not too expensive wx radio with a relay out and a auto-reset timer to shut it up after the alert has gone out.

It's probably a lazy radio shop/guy doing an easy sale...that's probably how they ended up on GMRS anyway...it happens from time to time.

Part 95 gets easier over time...I have been around it for a long time, and I am used to Part 90, so it was easier for me. I used to deal with some squirrly stuff in 90, and I handle my employers wide area VHF system and tower sites....Part 90 licensing will make your hair fall out.

I know there are a few GMRS repeaters around the country with a WX receiver tied in for severe weather alerts. I have not located any owners specifically to ask what equipment they used. I can make it happen on mine, but I am having trouble locating a weather radio (non super expensive) that will auto-reset after the broadcast. From what I can find most of them stay open until they are manually reset. Anyone know of one that re-closes after the alert goes out? Anyone know of any repeaters having these tied in. (I am aware of the "legal" debate...not what I am interested in here. If life or property is at risk, I don't think the FCC will mind a WX went out on GMRS and saved a life...that is after someone actually complained about it, and the FCC took the time and money 4 years later to chase it down....just saying).

Make sure you are on a different PL and go for it. I would, however, if at all possible, contact the other operator to let him know you are going on the air too. Licensees must share the air, so hopefully there is cooperation. If you are close, but not super close, you might consider a reciprocal agreement to share repeaters for coverage enhancement.

Commercial is every 15 minutes of use, and public safety is every hour of use. Most run the ID without PL, so the users don't hear it. My Zetron is set to do that, I don't really need to ID it (can do it in voice when I use it, and usually do anyway out of habit), but it was an option so I set it up. I have my hang timer at 5 seconds. We do some family farm stuff, and I find the comms to be smoother if the repeater stays on in between users in conversation. I used to run 2 seconds on my old setup, but with the MTR2000...at 50 watts, it don't even know you did anything....they way these are made you could dead key it for 3 days and it would be no big deal. The industry default from my experience is 2 seconds.

Yeah, first time I ever got that lucky....they paid close to 10k to have it installed new. Best thing is, if I ever need to go commercial with it, I can reprogram for narrow and she's ready to go.