gortex2

The 4503 is what you want with NMO. With that said manage your expectations. It will work ok on a repeater but is tuned closer to the 460 center channel. Simplex will vary on coverage. I run it on my work truck but only use it when i'm talking to the guy following me or on a trunked radio system. If you have a great repeater it will work better than an HT in the vehicle but again manage what you feel it will do. LAIRD

Your right didn't phrase that right did I ......I would never trust a GMRS system with my life. Its one thing to call in and say hey I'm heading out but if you need help its not reliable. I have a pretty good tower site and cover 50 miles around it but i still wouldn't rely on it for life safety. Same with ham.

Sorry but reliable communications and GMRS should not be in the same sentence. Yes GMRS is reliable however if this is for any emergency type help get a PLB. The cost of them are pretty cheap now and the safety plan is less than a mcdonalds lunch. The Garmin units are pretty rugged and reliable and you can also send a "im ok" text to a list of folks.

As reference the Motorola all band antenna for the APX series actually sweeps really well on 2M ham, 440 and GMRS. It suffers on 7/800 but I was surprised at how well it worked on 2M. I have since went to the Larsen and they work ok in ham bands but not as well as the MSI. PCTel is who makes the antenna - Here is the datasheet.

The 8500 comes in mid power and high power mobiles. The 8000 comes in 4/5 watt versions only. the XTVA with an amplifier will give you more power but only on one band. Most of the ones I see installed have no amp so they can use all bands. Most are on TLMR systems so really have no need for high power.

More like this with a 1/4 wave UHF NMO on it. The midland antenna is not that great.

That link goes to VHF not UHF But as said a 1/2 wave will work ok. To be honest a 1/4 wave on an L-bracket bolted to boat will most likely suffice unless your traying to talk 50 miles. We ran one on our fire boat for years and it was fine.

I personally do not listen to any HF on an SDR. With the limited filtering I can't imagine they are that good.

He quoted the UV-5R.

UV5R is not certified for use in GMRS band. Personally I'd give kids a talkabout for what they need. Unless he needs access to repeaters any out of the box bubble pack will be better than the CCR. All of mine even have WX alert built in.

Yup costs money but its quality. I run 4 in my work truck. 2 are setup as dual deck. Having all bands available in each of the decks is way nicer that swapping decks for different incidents. Still a single band radio in a command post is ideal but for interop its nice.

Have a dozen of them. Monitor multiple P25 trunked systems with mine as well as ADSB Recevier and APRS IGate. I prefer Airspy but the cheap ones on amazon seem to work well for APRS and ADS. I use quality antenna systems on all of them and not the packages stuff that comes. On my APRS I actually run a pass filter to keep the other VHF stuff at home out of the receiver.

I know some of the guys that link repeaters use the Pi for the controller. I jsut see no need. No requirement to ID so simple is best.

APX8500

I just use the internal controller to the repeaters. I guess if your building it out of mobiles you need something but even then I just use the most basic controller possible. Simple is my solution.

I find it normal. Some guys will some wont. Half get added then the user disappears or changes email and its stuck in the system.

Correct. 6021 is the multichannel radio. the 6011 is the 8 channel. SAR - Search and Rescue MDC - As linked above. We switched to MDC signaling for many reasons but mostly so we know who is calling command in poor coverage locations. Most times MDC will make it to the command post even if audio is crap. Most radios have been replaced with the feature (Motorola and some ICOM).

The ICOM 221 is a solid little radio. We used the 121 for SAR stuff prior to MDC and have since switched many out to the newer models. The advantage of the 221 is its built for UHF and UHF only. The receivers are pretty hot and the unit is built like a tank. When I was in the LMR shop work we sold hundreds in VHF and UHF. At the time on state contract you could get them for around $200. I still have a 121 and 221 in a pelican case for SAR stuff. ICOM rarely has any LMR / Ham versions. Back a while ago the T2A and the F3/F4 was basically the same radio. Never had a mobile that mimicked the LMR version. At one point way back when the F320/420 was around (non narrow band) they actually sold some to EFJ and we would get them to our shop as we were an ICOM repair center. Same radio just different logo on it. I actually have been running the EFJ version of the F320 for 15 years on my APRS site. Its a solid unit.

Personally I'm a midland guy for non radio users. Everything else on the market is a CCR rebadged to something and are too complicated for most. As said the new 275 will do wideband for repeaters. IF simplex is the plan any of the midlands are fine. My parents run them in all their vehicles.

I dont have it on any of mine. I see no need but hams do love stuff like that. You wont see it on a commercial system anywhere.

The kit you need is the PMLN5072 Hardware Accessory Pin Kit for the MotorTrbo. You can grab it on Amazon from Wiscomm for $12.00 PMLN5072 Accessory Kit The EVX is a nice RPT but a waste for GMRS because we cant use DMR with it.

3 pages of arguing over a control station, fixed station....yet we help guys use non certified radios for use......im baffled...

Do you have a license ? If so register and we can help more. I would definately get duplexer checked out.

There are many mounts for a JT that will work fine. Many vehicles have been aluminum over the years. Antennas have been mounted on them for years. First think you should do is toss that antenna and mount out and buy a standard lip mount NMO with UHF whip. There are multiple bolts on the JT that touch aluminum so worrying about 2 small tips of a stainless bolt is not worth it. I run a true NMO mount on a bracket on both my JT and JK. You will find performance much better with a 1/4 wave on a NMO. You can use the lip mount @marcspaz used or a standard one from Laird on the top of the hood. Seen many like that so far.

Also remember most antenna cables in a vehicle are mounted and stay in the same location for years. A NMO Mount in the roof or trunk is going to be in the same location and not move around much. Radios are normally mounted with wires tied into harness's in many commercial PS applications. In my 30+ years in the field I have yet to see a broken antenna cable that was properly installed in a vehicle.