AdmiralCochrane

The Retevis RT76 is everything I hoped it would be, and no more.  This pleases me greatly.  What I wanted was a dumb-as-bricks radio I could hand to "limited users" (hereafter, "lusers") with little they could screw up but changing the channel unintentionally and turning the volume too low.  As a result, I am very fond of this radio.  It is … nearly perfect.  Side-button 1 is limited to "alarm" and there's no scan mode I can bind instead; disabling the ability to start transmitting an alarm tone (AKA "jamming signal") with an unintended button press is possible, but it doesn't let you bind a function you want in its place -- and indeed, there is no scan function.  This is the only thing separating this thing from perfection.
 
The Retevis RT76P is… Not so pleasing.  The menu doesn't function as the manual describes, the menu won't let you change wide-narrow in spite of letting you select it; hitting the "confirm" button causes the radio to say "Canceled".  It has a scan function!  But you still can't reprogram SK1 to scan.  Until this thing gets a firmware update, it's hot garbage.  Feels like a Baofeng missing a few buttons, and with worse translation in the menus.  It looks like it had potential, but the potential was squandered.  Still don't regret purchasing it, though; I have a spare charger and battery for my RT76 which I love.  This one… I don't.  Avoid.
 
Edit:  Just tried the programming software.  Instead of flashing the codeplug I just created (not compatible with RT76 codeplugs, natch; this thing has nothing internally in common with the RT76, I'm sure) it unlocked the 2M amateur band and changed the CTCSS on channel 1 to 2100 Hz.  This thing is in dire need of some day-1 DLC.  
 
Edit:  As of February 2024, the most recent firmware for the RT76P (released quite a while ago, actually) is genuinely functional.  It works with the CPS, it works with CHIRP, and the menu on the front panel works as intended.  This has gone from a hard pass to a recommend for me.  The one remaining pain point is that the top side-key is not programmable, and is hard locked to setting the S-code and sending an alarm tone.  If anyone needs a cheap GMRS jammer, this thing here will do the deed…  S-code is like some kind of poor man's trunking system.  It'd be suitable for large worksites with a limited number of frequencies, but GMRS licensing is incompatible with those use-cases, so … this "feature" is still essentially useless.  
 
What I'd like to see in the next firmware revision is the option to drop both functions from SK1.  This will open up SK2 for a monitor function, while still allowing you to activate both broadcast FM and weather radio modes, which are far more useful than the proprietary PTTID function.  In addition, if you want a PTTID function, Retevis, may I suggest something that uses either audible or modulated-CTCSS tones to broadcast the user's callsign in fast Morse?  

Look at the data sheet on the Meanwell. It specifically states radio as a use so it has all the filtering needed. Pay attention to the maximum ripple and the stated output over temperature and input power range. You won't find a better one anywhere near that price range. (If some other supply has specs that match or come close, you can bet its a repackaged one.)

After my wife figured out I had the com cable driver and Midland software on different ports, I got my MXT400 programed as I want it.   Confirmed you can program the blank channels to something new and that the radio recieves 70cm HAM just fine if you program it to receive it.  I have 8-14 programed to monitor nearby 70cm repeaters as a convenience. 
 
When I first turned my radio on after programming and went thru the channels with the dial or hit scan, it only went up to 22, but when I pressed the up button on the mic, it went all the way thru all 30 channels and now always sees the repeater channels. May have needed to be cycled on and off again or something like that.
 
Still waiting on 65 ft of LMR 400 to do my permenant antenna mount above my roof line. 

After my wife figured out I had the com cable driver and Midland software on different ports, I got my MXT400 programed as I want it.   Confirmed you can program the blank channels to something new and that the radio recieves 70cm HAM just fine if you program it to receive it.  I have 8-14 programed to monitor nearby 70cm repeaters as a convenience. 
 
When I first turned my radio on after programming and went thru the channels with the dial or hit scan, it only went up to 22, but when I pressed the up button on the mic, it went all the way thru all 30 channels and now always sees the repeater channels. May have needed to be cycled on and off again or something like that.
 
Still waiting on 65 ft of LMR 400 to do my permenant antenna mount above my roof line. 

After my wife figured out I had the com cable driver and Midland software on different ports, I got my MXT400 programed as I want it.   Confirmed you can program the blank channels to something new and that the radio recieves 70cm HAM just fine if you program it to receive it.  I have 8-14 programed to monitor nearby 70cm repeaters as a convenience. 
 
When I first turned my radio on after programming and went thru the channels with the dial or hit scan, it only went up to 22, but when I pressed the up button on the mic, it went all the way thru all 30 channels and now always sees the repeater channels. May have needed to be cycled on and off again or something like that.
 
Still waiting on 65 ft of LMR 400 to do my permenant antenna mount above my roof line. 

I must have missed the "largest" part of the question.  LOL
 
Why do you want the largest antenna?  Wouldn't you want to best performing antenna for your needs, regardless of the size?

i was wondering that too...i'd been kind of monitoring the post, "best performing" within cost (and maybe size) contraints" would have been my first thought too, but i thought i might be missing something. 
 
if height (for performance) is the goal, couldn't that be handled more economically with more mast, rather than trying to get a bigger antenna?

If a receiver requires a tone it is to wake the receiver. The receiver will ignore any signals that do not include the tone. You don't necessarily need to put a tone on your receiver as a receiver with no tone specified will unlock for any signal.

Perhaps.
 
Given the recent rule changes GMRS repeaters have to tolerate possible interference on the adjacent interstitial frequencies between the main repeater input frequencies, if not on the frequencies used. There have been a few comments on the forum about this. If the offending person or business is not willing to change the repeater owner may have little choice.
 
In my case a repeater, about the only one around in the area, has one or more local families sitting on the repeater output frequency. Fat chance getting them to move given the little kids are always screwing with the radios don't understand what is going on and the parents don't care. Several other channels are used by local businesses including, I suspect, by a nearby Chrysler assembly plant based on what I hear being discussed.   

Looking through the FCC rules there doesn't seem to be any requirements that repeater offsets must be 5MHz.
 
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§95.1763   GMRS channels.

The GMRS is allotted 30 channels—16 main channels and 14 interstitial channels. GMRS stations may transmit on any of the channels as indicated below.

(a) 462 MHz main channels. Only mobile, hand-held portable, repeater, base and fixed stations may transmit on these 8 channels. The channel center frequencies are: 462.5500, 462.5750, 462.6000, 462.6250, 462.6500, 462.6750, 462.7000, and 462.7250 MHz.

( 462 MHz interstitial channels. Only mobile, hand-held portable and base stations may transmit on these 7 channels. The channel center frequencies are: 462.5625, 462.5875, 462.6125, 462.6375, 462.6625, 462.6875, and 462.7125 MHz.

© 467 MHz main channels. Only mobile, hand-held portable, control and fixed stations may transmit on these 8 channels. Mobile, hand-held portable and control stations may transmit on these channels only when communicating through a repeater station or making brief test transmissions in accordance with §95.319©. The channel center frequencies are: 467.5500, 467.5750, 467.6000, 467.6250, 467.6500, 467.6750, 467.7000, and 467.7250 MHz.

(d) 467 MHz interstitial channels. Only hand-held portable units may transmit on these 7 channels. The channel center frequencies are: 467.5675, 467.5875, 467.6125, 467.6375, 467.6625, 467.6875, and 467.7125 MHz.
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I see a lot of newbie questions about repeaters where the "typical" reply states the repeater input frequency is 5MHz higher than the output frequency. However the rules don't require that. Read sections §95.1763 A and C. No mention about a required offset when going through a repeater. It seems so long as the repeater output frequency is one of the 462MHz main channels and the input frequency is one of the 467MHz main channels the FCC is fine with that.
 
Why does that matter?
 
Many people are buying GMRS specific radios that have the repeater frequencies per-programmed into them, with the "common" 5MHz offset assumed by the manufacture and hard coded by the firmware. However if a repeater owner sets up his system to use an input frequency and output frequency that is NOT a 5MHz offset anyone unfortunate enough to own a radio with the repeater frequencies hard coded by the firmware is out of luck. There is noway to make it work short of changing the frequencies.
 
For somebody who wants to keep his repeater "private" with reduced chances of being abused by non authorized users could employ a nonstandard frequency offset. Of course anyone who wishes to use the repeater must have a radio that allows the "non-standard" 5MHz offset to be programmed into it. That leaves for the most part old commercial radios.
 
For a really flexible GMRS specific radio a manufacture should provide a repeater memory channel where the input and output frequencies are selected from a list along with the access tone(s) required.
 
I see enough comments about the Midland radios concerning the tone and bandwidth issues, but nothing about the repeater offsets. If the radios are targeted to be "fully" GMRS rule compliant, sooner or later, the above issue should be addressed as well. This likely also applies to the other GMRS specific radios I see mentioned on the forum.  

See page 18 of the owner's manual.  Press the TS/DCS button on the front panel.  It will toggle between CTCSS, DCS, and OFF modes.

Downloaded from the Dropbox and it worked like a champ! Joined the regional NET last night and it worked great. Just purchased a usb connector off amazon. No issues at all.
 
 
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just search for: USB-29A Interface Cable: USB to 3.5MM. 
 
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