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Shadow471

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Posts posted by Shadow471

  1. i have the Midland 6db whip and the Midland Mag mount NMO. Mag mount is center on my roof and I kept clipping the antenna on local overhangs. I now have the Browning BR-176-S 3db, 14" tall mini-whip. I'll switch back to teh Midland for highway/travel or camp/local/simplex.

    Both have had great SWR out of the package, no need to trim. But remember that your SWR is based on your install and ground plane. every one with have a different SWR.

    The Midland 3bd can antenna had really bad SWR and I returned it.

     

    Anyone serious about the hobby should get a good SWR meter, you have trouble shoot soo many things with one.

    loose connectors, pinched wires, mis-tuned radios. I found that I had typo'ed the TX on a memory using my metter.

    I have several meters, but my go to is the Surecom SW-102S

     

     

    WRJT952

    Larry

    73

  2. If your following the FCC rules by the letter!

    If you using any Channel/Freq at the higher power levels, your using GMRS.

    This does REQUIRE your callsigns, not just repeater use. at the start, after 15 minutes and at the end of your communications.

     

    That's the difference between FRS and GMRS, the higher power levels on the shared Channel/Freqs.

    Unit number are to be used after your Call Sign, if calling / talking to someone in your family, using your GMRS license.

     

     

    Now if it’s for an official emergency use, usually the main coordinator, will assign you a unit number and record document your name and call sign.
    In my case, working with the state, county and regional. We then switch to unit ID and Last name.
    Some on GMRS and some on their digital band.
  3. As stated above your need to be able to reach a repeater that is linked into the net.

    First the Mid-West net and then its linked to the national on the Tech and national nets talks.

     

    The closest repeater to you on the net is a bit out of your range.

    WARSAW 650 Warsaw, MN

    Contact the owner for permission and to see if they are allowing zello.

     

     

    73

  4. The easiest and quickest improvement would be a better HT antenna, look at the 771G from buytwowayradio.com.

    https://www.buytwowayradios.com/nagoya-na-771g.html

    Its tuned for GMRS and its almost twice as long as the stock antenna.

    I tried it on the 805G and a 82HP.

     

    the next step up would be looking at an external antenna.

    I use a mag mount on a metal desk indoors, some use a pizza pan as a ground plain.

    I'm also the trying out the Ed Fong GMRS tuned 3ft PVC pipe antenna.

    I also also have his roll-up dual band.

     

     

    good luck and 73

  5. Two possible issues.

    I just checked my split tone setup on my ICOM CS-F33G for my IC-F43GTs.

     

    1. Under "Scambler" set that to OFF, its set to inh/Inhibit in your image.

     

    2.  if the repeater is using the same tone, you would have the <-- under the TX.

         If the repeater is using split tones, TX would have one tone and RX would have a different tone.

         i.e. TX is 100.0 and RX is 203.5.

         If your using DTCS, select DTCS from the tone list and then enter your tone, i.e. 031, the N should already be the for DTCS.

         if it shows an I, its an inverted tone.

     

    But be sure that your repeater is not using split tones, one for TX and one for RX.

    Also how far away are you from your repeater?

    I'm 40 flat miles from my local repeater and can reach it and talk on a HT.

    But I can hear talk out to over 50 miles, and can no longer reach it.

     

     

    Good luck

    73

  6. Wondering if the UoM is not around, as classes might be remote.

    I believe they have 5 different repeaters, but only one on GMRS.

    Request permission through the mygmrs and then try calling out as instructed.

    then just wait for traffic to try and talk to.

     

    Warsaw 650 is about 50 miles South, so that's a bit far of a reach, depending on where you live.

    The other GMRS repeaters in your area, are mostly County or ESU.

  7.  

     

     

    Yea, I'm not hearing that. So, apparently didn't get it setup correctly. I'm trying to connect to the "Metro 4" repeater.

     

    Output: 462.650 MHz   141.3 Hz

    Input: 467.650 MHz   141.3 Hz

     

    I understand this to be RPT19. I have my T-CTC = 141.3, and my R-CTC = 141.3

     

    But, if I key it I don't hear the "kerchunk" :( Not sure what I'm doing wrong.

     

    On your radio the TX/Output should be 467

    The RX/Input should be 462.

    Check the stock repeater memories.

     

    If these are the setting from the repeater's point of view. the repeater is accessing your TX as the input 467.

    Then the repeater will broadcast the signal output it on 462.

     

    All Duplex traffic from a radio is on 467 and listen/receive on 462.

    Hope that makes sense.

     

     

    73

  8. Welcome, I'm up there every few months, NW burbs. But honestly, haven't played with the radio while up there. been too busy.

    The only MW-net site up that way is WARSAW 650/462.650. but its a bit south.

     

    You should request access to any and all repeaters, even if they are listed as open.

    Also some sites have instructions to gain permission and the tones in the site notes.

     

    Truly the first thing is to read your manual, that will explain the repeater setup and entering tones.

    There are several YouTube videos about that radio. 8-)

    Without the channel setup with the correct tones, you will never be heard, as the repeater is not accessing your TX.

     

    All other channels 1-22 are simplex and direct radio to radio, but even then the conversations you are hearing might also be using tones / privacy codes and they will not hear your TX.

     

    If your looking for a bit better antenna, look at the 771G from buytwowayradio.com

    They designed the 805G 1000G radios and the 701G and 771G antennas.

    The 771G is about 16in long. so that and being tuned to GMRS should give you the best HT RX/TX.

     

    Magnet mount antennas works with a  ground plan, that is usually your car roof/body.

    You should mount it to some sore of metal base.

    I have one in the house, off of my metal desk at the closest point to the window.

    I am going to try an Ed Fong GMRS tuned PVC tube antenna in doors soon, having issues building mine.

    I will say that I returned my UT-72, its a dual-band and not that great at the GMRS range.

    Using a Midland NMO Mag mount and 6db whip on the car, and NMO Mag on my metal desk with a Browning BR-450 UHF Land Mobile Base Antenna, timmed to 465.

     

    As for range, it all depends on your terrain and were/height of the repeater.

    With a good HT with upgraded antenna in my house, middle unit of a 2-story townhouse, I can hit my local Grundy 700 repeater about 40 miles due West.

     

     

    My .02 and good luck

    73

  9. BUYTWOWAY Radio has a Nagoya NA 771G  Says it's tuned For GMRS But they are sold out of course and I cannot Find them anywhere else.   I did notice they sell them with a Bundled set of GMRS radios.  Anyone ever use that Antenna?  I think they come in 1/4 nd 1/2 wave.  Can't find them and No businesses actually use a phone now. Just internet.  OUT OF STOCK.   

     

    They sale out as ppl buy them. I got a 771G about a month ago.

    BTWR is in a partnership for the design/tuning of the 701G and 771G, so they are the only place to buy one.

     

    The next closest antenna is the 701C, tuned to commercial range UHF (450-470MHz).

    https://www.amazon.com/Nagoya-NA-701C-Commercial-SMA-Female-BTECH/dp/B01AX3AYOK/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=701c&qid=1612466961&sr=8-1

    I have been using the 701C and wanted a bit more range with the longer 771G.

     

     

    73

  10. Back on topic.

     

    The AT-779UV or AT-779GMRS can NOT be programed with CHIRP.

     

    The AT-779GMRS is channel locked, so only memory channels 1-30 can RX.

    Those memories can be modified to work with repeaters.

    With the CPS is can do split tones, not sure if that can be done on the radio itself.

     

    There is a way to unlock the radio, contact your vendor for the info.

    Boot button press method. 8-)

    But it does wipe the the memory setup.

     

     

    73

  11. To the OP.

    What BTECH HT do you currently have?

     

    Sticking to HTs, the next step up would be a Part 90 programable radio.

    Even the current GMRS part95e radios are mid-level.

    Then a full commercial radio (Motorola, ICOM, Kenwood and others) , but the radios and CPS are higher costs, but the quality is much better.

     

    All depends of your goal and budget.

    Just my .02, only been into GMRS for a year, but been through about a dozen radios.

    8-)

  12. Have you tested GMRS channel 15-22 simplex, non-repeater?

    The Repeater channels will only work with a Repeater, unless you have a fully programable radio where you can invert the TX/467.xxx and RX/462.xxx, so you can hear your radio's TX.

     

    Also if you have a meter, SW-102, that shows the Freq, verify that your actually TXing on the correct Freq.

     

    Has the radio ever worked with the Repeater channels, even with a full reset?

    So to clarify, a repeater channel TXs on 437.xxx and RX on 462.xxx, duplex.

    The repeater more that likely is using tones.

    Then depending on the repeater is might be doing split tones, which your radio does not support.

    Were the TX is one tone and the RX is a different tone.

     

    When I was testing my MXT275, I had no issues hitting my local linked repeater about 35-40 miles away the time.

    It uses duplex with a single tone.

     

     

    good luck.

  13. Don't get too upset.  A friend just picked up an MXT275 and we were driving around seeing what kind of distance we could get with clear communication.  I was in my Jeep with the 40w MXT400.  Several times, I could hear him clearly when he couldn't hear me at all.  His antenna placement was high in the center of his SUV with a Midland magnetic antenna mount and 6db antenna.  Mine was on a fender mount, a bit lower than his, also with a Midland 6db antenna.  I really don't feel like I had any advantage in trasmission range under the given conditions.   So I'm not sure how much more the 40w really gives you in the real world.  Also, of all the Midland GMRS radios, including the 90 series, MXT115, 275, and 400, the 275 easily has the most consistency in high quality transmission.  I can tell when any of my friends are on a 275 as opposed to any of the others with the exception of the Midland handhelds.  

     

    I think the 275 may still be the cream of the Midland crop.  If I continue to feel that way, I'll yank the 400 and put a 275 in that Jeep.  I have a 275 in my other Jeep and others tell me the transmissions are crystal clear, too.  Maybe it is the mic? I don't know, but it is a great radio.  

     

    You might want to check the setting of your 400 with the CPS and if its set to Wide or Narrow band.

    Also check to see if there is a Mic gain setting. 

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