Get your cable from Bluemax49ers off Ebay, search Ebay in the evening for motorola CPS someone selling them during night time and take them of during daytime.
Exactly! but to be fair it will be expensive for people to spend some extra $$$$ for a quality meter if they only use it setting up GMRS comm. To be honest I just recently bought a Daiwa SWR/Power meter just for GMRS use since I spent more time on HF I don't even have a antenna analyzer I just slap my newly built antenna into my AT2K.
By the sound of the voice announcement it look like it was base on the Baofeng radios so I assumed that front panel will be the same minus the VHF band.
What I like about the 8300's is the built-in CWID and easy to program and tune but of course you need equipment to do the tuning side I also has the EVX-R70 8400 in a cheap suit identical in nature but less the CWID both are good repeater and just fit in with my low traffic family comm application.
In my previous QTH I use Logbook for CW and SSB contacts now I use Winlog32 for FT8 contact but I still prefer a Logbook I will start logging contacts again since I'm back with CW.
I have two GP300 that I usually use I might add the XPR handies in my collection but I'm on the market for new HF radio so they have to wait. I also has TYT MD380 for DMR but I don't use it anymore I got iCOM F621TR in the truck very cheap since they're not as popular as the F221s and the F500s and of course the famous Baofengs... ...That's the thing with old school stuff they need old school hardware too some uses DOSBox but I prefer a real serial port.
R70 running ok but its back in the box as a spare I miss the CWiD in the XPR and the GM300's are just fun to setup, iCOM F221/221-S are good for rpt setup as well but interface cable are not as cheap as the motos.
Just to share my latest project on testing stage, GM300 repeater putting out 20 watts on dual antenna setup. https://hosting.photobucket.com/images/d49/alincastre1223/RPT_3.jpeg
I have no problem with mobile antenna that has 136-174 range I encountered a few with 136-174 range that have been center tuned at 145.000 manufacturers do this for SWR purposes.
I'm still puzzled it might be grounded that's why it burnt out your paint? About posting pictures have an account on photobucket.com upload your images and copy and paste the links.
Get your self a Daiwa VHF/UHF cross needle SWR/Power meter. https://static.dxengineering.com/global/images/prod/xlarge/dwa-cn-501vn_wu_xl.jpg?rep=False dxengineering.com
I have the same antenna on a midland nmo mag mount the last time I check not a pep on SWR with 45w full power output maybe because its in the middle of the roof.