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dwmitchell61

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Posts posted by dwmitchell61

  1. That is an interesting report. Unfortunately, I am not really sure what it is you are describing.  I am guessing when you say make it split, you mean use different PL tones on transmit and receive. But, I am unclear about open up the band.  If this were to allow reception from frequencies outside of GMRS, that would make sense. However, if it means allow transmitting on frequencies outside of GMRS, that would certainly nullify the Part95 certification, one of the major benefits of the radio.

     

    So, more information would be much appreciated.

     

    Thanks

    He is saying you can set the bandwidth to the legal Part 95 20kHz from the 12.5 that Midland ships the rig set to using the software. 

  2. What I find really interesting is that every amateur radio I have ever owned (which is several dozen +), that works on UHV (440MHz-470MHz), also worked on FRS and GMRS frequencies.  Like... all of them.  I am assuming there is some type of exemption in the laws/regulatory code that permits it, otherwise every major amateur radio equipment manufacturer would be in violation of the law. 

    I believe the FCC addressed this in:

    §95.1761   GMRS transmitter certification.

    © ... No GMRS transmitter will be certified for use in the GMRS if it is equipped with the capabilities to operate in services that do not require equipment certification, such as the Amateur Radio Service.

     

    Huh... Doesn't seem to get any plainer that that, I guess.... LoL

  3. I know this has been said before, but why pay twice as much for a Type Approved/Certified radio, just to reprogram it, nullifying the certification, making the radio non-compliant/illegal?  I don't endorse it, but if you're going to run an illegal radio, there are way better and more affordable radios out there.

    Are the Part 90 radios TRULY legal to use under Part 95, not being certified FOR Part 95, but being programmed to Part 95 specifications? Seems everyone finds THAT acceptable to all here, but altering the settings in a Part 95 certified radio and still being within the Part 95 specifications is NOT acceptable?

     

    The FCC says this:

    §95.335   Operation of non-certified transmitters prohibited.

    Except as provided in paragraph (a) of this section, no person shall operate a transmitter in any Personal Radio Service unless it is a certified transmitter; that is, a transmitter of a type which has obtained a grant of equipment certification for that service, pursuant to part 2, subpart J of this chapter. Use of a transmitter that is not FCC-certified voids the user's authority to operate that station. See sections 302(a), ( B), and (e) of the Communications Act (47 U.S.C. 302(a), ( B), and (e)).

     

    §95.1773   GMRS authorized bandwidths.

    Each GMRS transmitter type must be designed such that the occupied bandwidth does not exceed the authorized bandwidth for the channels used. Operation of GMRS stations must also be in compliance with these requirements.

     

    §95.1773   GMRS authorized bandwidths.

    (a) Main chanThe authorized bandwidth is 20 kHz for GMRS transmitters operating on any of the 462 MHz main channels (see §95.1763(a)) or any of the 467 MHz main channels.  (see §95.1763©).

    ( B) Interstitial channels. The authorized bandwidth is 20 kHz for GMRS transmitters operating on any of the 462 MHz interstitial channels (see §95.1763( B)) and is 12.5 kHz for GMRS transmitters operating on any of the 467 MHz interstitial channels (see §95.1763(d)).

     

    I thought I had read in the FCC rules that using a radio NOT certified in that part is unacceptable, and I didn't find ANY reference to Part 90 being acceptable, reprogrammed, for operation under Part 95.

     

    It just sounds like a double standard to me... Advocating using a reprogrammed Part 90 certified radio under Part 95, but telling someone it is illegal to use a Part 95 radio, reprogrammed to operate under the Part 95 allotted bandwidth of 20kHz.

     

    Maybe someone can clear it up so I am not confused about the legalities?

    $10,000 in fines and a yanked license seems a tad more expensive than a $250 price tag on a radio.

     

    Confused in Vancooterviile...

  4. I have found that my KG-805G HT transmits a DTMF sequence when once activates the "Alarm/PF2" button and the siren sounds.

    I had inadvertently bumped the button, the siren sounded and my scanner picked up the transmission the channel I had selected At the time.

    I downloaded a installed a DTMF app on my cell phone in an attempt to determine what the DTMF message being sent was. All it came up with was a "101010" pattern.

    So, be forewarned that a distress message in DTMF IS being transmitted on the current frequency when the alarm is activated.

  5. Ok... I'm going to off these two radios that suck and start using my 2m Icon handy talkie, since the FCC doesn't enforce anything anyways... Sounds good. I won't need that Tevhnician license. LMAO... I just didn't realize it was such a joke and everything has become CB now...

  6. My cucumbers better than your zucchini...

    The Motorola T800 (let's be comparing apples with apples) is most likely a CCR made across the street from the "Wouhon"...

     

    I'd rather have a 1964 Chevy Nova than any,of the foreign produced 2020 Chevies of today, too.

     

    Looks like everyone is discussing the obvious here.

     

    Question is, how are we as customers going to convince the corporations to move production back to the states, when they have cheap Chinese labor?

     

    The argument here is nothing more than stating the sad current state of affairs the US has got itself into...

  7. https://www.fcc.gov/general-mobile-radio-service-gmrs says:  In 2017, the FCC expanded GMRS to also allow short data messaging applications including text messaging and GPS location information.

    https://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?SID=a8ff8601ce1729c24a12cf2f3ec179f6&mc=true&node=pt47.5.95&rgn=div5#sp47.5.95.e

     

    Title 47: Telecommunication PART 95—PERSONAL RADIO SERVICES

    Subpart E—General Mobile Radio Service
    Subpart E—General Mobile Radio Service

    §95.1731   Permissible GMRS uses.

    (d) Digital data. GMRS hand-held portable units may transmit digital data containing location information, or requesting location information from one or more other GMRS or FRS units, or containing a brief text message to another specific GMRS or FRS unit.

     

    §95.1751   GMRS station identification.

         ...The call sign must be transmitted using voice in the English language or international Morse code telegraphy using an audible tone...

     

     

    This is all I could find on the topic

  8. Thank you all for the information. I haven't heard of the Golay code/algorithm.... I will have to look that up. LoL.... I am acquainted with Gray code, BCD code, and binary coded octal.... Used to work with come navigation equipment that was nearly as ancient as I. The telemetry monitoring unit we used during preflights had nixie tube displays. We used thumbwheels to dial in hexadecimal addresses to display. Some outputs were in octal and we had to convert the octal numbers to decimal forms of radians and then convert the radians to degrees.... Good ole days...

  9. 636c77a19db3ffaec95e6faa747ce8d5.jpg

     

    The above cable I bought from “Rick” at BTWR. I use it on a Win10 machine. It works fine with the KG-805G units I have purchased.

     

     

    Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

    Update: I managed to get mine to work... Had to push real hard to get it to make connection in the jacks. Not sure whether the radio's jacks are the issue or the PC interface cable plugs are the issue...

  10. I thought the DCS (digital) would be less susceptible to noise than the CTCSS (analog tones). I know why they are used, just curious as to why the two different standards came about, and if there was an advantage of one over the other. Or is it a case of engineers demonstrating their cerebellar prowess?

  11. Sub-audible tones (CTCSS) or digital (DCS)?

     

    Which do you use and why? Is one better than the other? is the digital coding more reliable than the sub-audible tones? I see that the repeater operators seem to always use CTCSS.

     

    I am hoping this isn't one of those "Which engine oil is best?" topics?

     

    I am trying to determine what channel and method of squelch to use between my base and the HT.

     

    Thank you in advance...

  12. Power supply. The key thing to avoid is crap. But, you also do not need some lab quality power supply either. I'd look for something on Amazon that had the capacity @BoxCar noted and generally good reviews. If you want a little meter or digital display, that's fine, but you don't need things like that, especially if you have your own meter available to check the output if there are problems.

     

    Antenna.  Are you actually going to have the antenna inside your apartment, like near a window?  If that is the case, I would buy the cheapest 1/4 wave antenna I could find and then mount it on a ground plane. You could then mount it on a baking pan or similar as long as it was at least 13" x 13" or buy something like this.  OTOH  the internet is full of plans to build your own 1/4 wave dipole for close to nothing.  I would not worry about buying an antenna now that you can later move to a house.  Once you get the house, you may well find your needs are different.

     

    Also, if you do have the antenna indoors, you should probably keep your transmit power as low as possible. Best would be under 5 watts.

    Midland says stay more than 23" away from the antenna when transmitting on the MXT400, and it is a 40W radio.

  13. Just got one so I need some useage to make an informed opinion. The programming software was easy to use and I was able to add about 10 repeater pairs into memory. It has 128 memory slots so it should be enough for most users. 

    There are TWO PC interface cables for programming it. Watch the video on programming. I bought the cable "Rick" did not recommend, because the website DID infer it was the one to buy (PCO-001). All I get is "Failed connection." message when I try to read from or write to the radio. I have to call Monday and see if they can get it to work for me. The cable says it is for WIN 10, I installed the driver. WIN 10 says it is working properly (Silicon Labs UART) in device manager on COM4. It appears in the Devices listing with no errors, but won't communicate with the radio. I changed the software to use COM4 (it defaults to COM1), then tried setting the device to COM1 in the driver settings. I am a retired IT guy and can't find the issue. Trust me, buy the OTHER cable, the one Rick mentions in the video...

  14. Midland still has the MSRP at $249.99, but all the common sales locations bumped them to $299.99

     

    I got mine for $229.00 from Northern Tools, because I had a $20 off coupon 

     

    Lowes no longer shows the kit, only the 400 alone at MSRP 

    I may have gotten Lowe's last MXT400VP3, it went zero balance when I looked it up the next day. 

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