[Antenna mount type and position]

On 4/20/2024 at 7:23 PM, WRZT411 said:

Also, can't wait to see what a 50 watt mobile will do!

A bit louder and clearer, but you probably won't get a lot more distance.  Height is might.   Obstructions can't be overcome with power (unless you are lucky with refraction). 

[Anyone here play around with Quansheng UVK5s?]

2 of them.  Also got a little package from a fellow ham on the island of Malta 

[APRS software for GMRS]

Next you are going to tell us the emperor has no clothes 

[I don’t think Midland radios are very good.]

Shame on you Randy, you got Marc hooked on 4 wheeling.  His kids will starve now. 

[Found this image online, thought it was interesting.]

I have that antenna. There is nothing high-capacity about it.   IDK why he is worried about hydration, DE is so flat the water won't roll off of it. 

[GMRS Yagi 7 element beam]

Completely different frequencies and propagation effects, but GMRSers might be suprised to learn on HF (short wave) some hams get lucky and bounce signals all the way around the world with 10 to 20 watts.  Back to relevant bands and frequecies, you can communicate with the ISS with a regular 50 watt VHF or UHF transceiver.  Using a Baofeng HT I have listened in on hams using the ISS repeater to make contacts with other hams.  Knowing the antenna polarization and sweeping thru the frequencies made it better as did waiting for a high overhead pass. 

It is about the antenna and knowing what to do with it 

[Counterpoise]

I have confirmed that it does give a minimal amount of help at the fringes.  I also confirm that it does matter which way it faces.  Apparently adds a little bit of antenna polarization. 

A location where I routinely activated a repeater from 18 or 20 miles away from the top of a 14 story building I could also work the repeater from ground level with the tiger tail oriented toward or away from the repeater but not perpendicular to the repeater. It did not make my signal understandable.  From the roof with the tiger tail my signal report was no detectible difference hanging down but the same + at 0° and 180° and some decrease at 90° and 270°.  Without the tiger tail I could make a difference by moving to different spots on the roof.  I knew exactly where to stand to get the best propagation. 

If you are using a rubber duck, factory original garbage or counterfeit Nagoya a tiger tail isn't going to help as much as a buying genuine Nagoya. 

[ERP or actual transmitter power?]

Yes, the permit would actually be for breaking the ground and installing a permanent structure.  The antenna nor tower is actually the permanent structure that a dugout and poured base would be. 

[Do I need my own repeater?]

Height equals might.  Put up a tower first.  A repeater without a tower doesn't do much of anything.  An antenna mounted on a tower may be all you really need. 

[Budget friendly SWR meter]

102 works for me too, but I try to tune them ahead of time with a NVA 

[Antenna mount type and position]

Only 100% symetrical ground planes don't cause propagation distortion. Don't worry that much about it.   In my experience using field strength meters, mounting an antenna on a corner of a vehicle does cause the signal to be stronger across the vehicle to the opposite corner and 180° diagonally behind the vehicle.   Dead center front or back sends the strongest signal in those directions, but it's only a few db.  Any advantage or disadvantage would only come while the vehicle was stopped and you are making fringe contacts. 

Ability to mount the antenna higher will be more helpful than where on the vehicle. 

[GMRS Mobile 50 watt Question (Purchasing)]

1.4 SWR means all the incorrectly tuned antenna comments are waste of inconvenienced electrons.  Not to be rude, but did you guys not read that in the original comment or do you not know what it means? 

[2m vs 70cm]

Our club has 2m, 70cm and 1.25m repeaters.  The 70cm has its uses, but there are more 2m radios out there and fewer 1.25m.  I monitor all three daily.  

[Nagoya 771 issues]

On 3/26/2024 at 10:54 AM, JBRPong said:

I had this issue with one of my 771s,  I just put a rubber o ring in between and it does screw in all the way and it's working normally.

I had to do that when I did a minor mod to add a "tiger tale" 

[Repeaters]

There is probably a Notarubicon Youtube video on it

[Latest Chirp Download...Unsafe?]

Chirp almost always gets bonked as a virus.  So do a lot of the good programming cable drivers. 

[Vanity]

Write it on a piece of tape on the radio or mic until you have it memorized. 

[GMRS Type Accepted Radio List]

Wouldn't an SDR receiver capable of receiving in the appropriate band be the easiest test method?  You can even set most of them to show a waterfall wide enough to see ALL the harmonics. 

[Can you reduce syllables in your call sign ("Ten" instead of "One-Zee-Roh")?]

Not following rules because "I don't have to because I don't feel like it" is the reason CB is now useless.   Espousing the same for GMRS hastens its similar demise as a useful band. 

[Vanity]

Someone once tried and it was denied, so it is proven. 

[Yaesu FT-65r channel question?]

You can explain it to him, but you can't understand it for him. 

[Can you reduce syllables in your call sign ("Ten" instead of "One-Zee-Roh")?]

On 3/14/2024 at 11:39 AM, WSAA635 said:

GMRS is NOT H.A.M. so all those H.A.M. rules don't apply. Many folks don't even bother with their call sign or those that do don't follow the 15 minute rule. 

WSAA six three five OUT. 

FCC rules still apply.  Call sign is required on GMRS. 

[Yaesu FT-65r channel question?]

This is why there are Part 95 certified radios. 

[Ham radio mounted in 2021 Jeep Wrangler Sport 4 door]

No problems whatsoever, but knowing the TYT 9800's reputation, I waited until they were on sale and bought an extended warranty.  

 

If you noticed the mic has more buttons than the normal TYT DTMF mic you are correct.  I did a lot of research before I bought the 9800 and the mic upgrade was one of the things I read about multiple places, so I went ahead and did it.  The mic was very inexpensive and required a minor rewire, I think it was around $20.  In freezing weather the chip in the mic won't engage the transmitter until it has warmed up.  If I am anxious to talk right away I have to hold it on the heat outlet for a couple of minutes the first time I transmit.  After that it stays warmed up.  

[Tram 1486 for GMRS use and tuning of it]

I've built a few for less than $20 at times.  It's possible to make a functional vertical antenna for even less.