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MacJack

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Posts posted by MacJack

  1. Repeater Access

    in General Discussion

    Posted

    A few things may be going on... Mostly I found I had to email them directly by tracking them down... The make a request is weak and they do not respond.  Another issue is the are no longer active and you need to see if you hear traffic without the PL codes.  And lastly they may have offered their repeater to other "in the beginning" and now only keep it for their family and friends and did not remove it for the list of repeaters.  So let us know what you find out... I personally put my own repeater up as a private/family and few friends in neighborhood and did not list it...  

    MacJack

  3. You just got your GMRS license, now you want your own repeater?

    in General Discussion

    Posted

    It is not hard to program... but like you I had a friend help me tune the duplexer in...  

    I did purchase a programing cable from https://www.theantennafarm.com/catalog/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=75_77_1224_1225&products_id=6553 and you will see it plugs into the Mic jack of the radio and USB port of PC...  The tricky thing is picking correct USB comm port and I used an old XP and had no issues...  PM if you need some help.

    MacJack

  10. Use of PTT-ID, DTMF

    in Technical Discussion

    Posted

    1 hour ago, mbrun said:


    I believe it is safe to say that the market is too small for manufacturers to make hardware that is 100% specific to the GMRS. Instead what they do is make hardware that can be used for a variety of different services, but mainly for Public Service, Commercial and Amateur radio. Then they adapter it for GMRS. I think they leave some commercial and amateur radio features in the radios to lure folks into buying them because they have “extra” features, even though said features may have no practical use in the GMRS. Quite honestly some of these radios are unnecessarily complex for what the GMRS user really needs or wants.

    Yes I was referring (in part) to PTT-ID. There is nothing to say that it could not be used in GMRS, just that is currently has limited or no practical use in the GMRS for the masses, whereas in a commercial or public service application it has had lots of practical use according to some folks I have discussed it with.

    If you do have radios that can both transmit a PTT-ID as well as decode and display it, that could potentially be a benefit to you. If you had a family business and perhaps your own repeater that could leverage it in some manner then again it could be beneficial.


    Michael
    WRHS965
    KE8PLM

    Thanks so much for your comments Micheal... I learn so much from you as you spend the time of look things up.  So help me and others who have a Ham ticket as well as a GMRS license and want to have one radio to do both and be legal...   I know you have wrestled with this issue as I'm a Part 95 guy but as a Ham I have Part 90 that allows me to cross the line...  Help me and others with all that you know and what you are using....

    MacJack

  11. Disaster Radio service

    in General Discussion

    Posted

    I think you all have good comments... the way I see it is GMRS is for your family, farm and neighbors who have a license and permission to talk on your repeater.  Ham is more local, regional and national.  Now I do like Zello to talk with others in the USA.  I have made several new friends in remote places.  

    Yes I have my Ham ticket and really only use it to speak to local club members in the club repeater.  You just have to find what you want to do to serve others and go for it.  

    MacJack  

  13. completely lost on using repeaters

    in General Discussion

    Posted

    58 minutes ago, WRJQ927 said:

    Thank you all for the advice and info.  I will try some of this out as soon as I get a chance!

    As a newbie back in Nov 2020, I asked and spoke on the phone with the best repeater in town and he was so nice and walked me through it... Just be humble and ask for help and tell him your confusion and he may have made a typo... who knows my guy did.

    MacJack 

  14. Your First and current GMRS HT

    in General Discussion

    Posted

    1 hour ago, alanplarue said:

    First (only a couple of weeks ago) is a Radioddity GM-30 with the standard rubber duck. Haven't had much success communicating from my house. Radio check shows that I can barely hit a repeater 7.5 miles (as the crow flies) from my house. I've ordered a Radioddity RD-332 high-gain antenna to see if it helps. (It should, I think!)

    Programming with the Radioddity software was a breeze. Since I know successfully hit that repeater, at least I confirmed that I got it right. Also programmed in a few amateur repeaters to listen to.

    Been working from home full-time for 16 months now, but we go back to the office in September. There's a linked repeater 5.8 miles from there, so I'll maybe have some lunch time conversations. (I can actually hear that repeater from home, inside the house, and it's 21.5 miles away.)

    Also thinking I'll get a mobile unit soon.

    Welcome to the group and sharing your experiences.  Glad you figured it out....

  16. National Net on the Last Sunday of Every Month

    in National and Regional GMRS Nets

    Posted

    6 hours ago, wayoverthere said:

    There's a couple options to join the net; first is if there's a linked repeater in your area (check the map), and if so, whether it's linked in for the net.  i CAN vouch that CHIRP absolutely can assist with inputting the codes you need to access a repeater (CHIRP is just programming your radio; you tell it what tone you need, and it generates them as needed in use), but you will need to know the appropriate code for the repeater you want to use (which, if the owner is making it available, will be listed on the map/repeater listing.

    aside from repeaters, it's possible to join the net via the zello app..i know there are 3 or 4 zello nodes that are either repeaters linked in, or a simplex node that's able to access a linked repeater; some of the groups will allow users access via a protected zello channel to join the net (but protected to ensure only licensed users have access to the actual radio hardware.  

    I was thinking of Zello as well, do you know of any that are linked?  Like is mygmrs one?

  18. The never-ending Part 90/95 debate, and my discussion with the FCC

    in FCC Rules Discussion

    Posted

    12 hours ago, tweiss3 said:

    Anything commercial that covers a ham hand can be used for ham. There is 900mhz band that is 100% commercial repurposed equipment, and even some of the commercial VHF low band equipment can be used on 6 and 10m. There is no certificate required on ham, just that you stop operation if and when you find you you are causing some kind of interference.

    Thanks, you put all the little pieces I learned making sense.

  19. The never-ending Part 90/95 debate, and my discussion with the FCC

    in FCC Rules Discussion

    Posted

    2 hours ago, Lscott said:

    If you're interested in the Kenwood VHF models many will cover 136 to 174 MHz natively, no out of range warnings from the software. These are great for Ham 2M band, MURS, NOAA weather and the VHF marine channels. Of course the radios only have Part 90 certifications so user beware. They are also somewhat harder to find and seem to command a higher price used.

    The newer replacement for the TK-3160 is the TK-3360. It has a few extra features plus 5 watts output on UHF compared to the TK-3160's 4 watts. Both are 16 channel radios, but neither are Part 95 certified, just Part 90, however. If that doesn't matter they make great basic GMRS radios that a kid can use without screwing up the settings when programmed right.

     

    Thanks for the detail... So can I use any for Ham use?

  23. The never-ending Part 90/95 debate, and my discussion with the FCC

    in FCC Rules Discussion

    Posted

    I feel the pain as a Ham ticket who likes GMRS for the family...  At least my 12 yo Grand Daughter has her ticket with me as my study buddy...  So one Ham friend gave her a BaoFeng UV-82 Classic which works great for her... I'm more of a purist Part 95 so can only have a 2/70 meter for TX RX and for GMRS only RX...  So I have two HT in my Jeep.

    We do like GMRS in our community and the Ham Club is great bunch of folks who are helpful to 12 yo GD in her track to be in Space Force.

    So all those with there ears on, let me know how you deal with this issue.

    MacJack

  24. If GMRS, Then Why VHF/UHF Amateur?

    in Amateur Radio (Ham)

    Posted

    Happy for you... We all get into Ham for all kinds or reasons.  I was asked by may Ham/GMRS men to think about it.  I too also started with same GMRS radios for the family and did got my Ham Ticket with my 12 yo grand daughter who was my study buddy.  We both passed and enjoy being with the the local Ham club but in our area we have a great GMRS repeater and more private to our family needs.  We also put up our own Family Private Repeater and enjoy it.

    MacJack

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