gortex2

This has been a topic on many forums both radio and SAR for a few months. Some say Wyoming picked 307 because of the area code "307". For SAR in NY we don't recommend a channel. If we know what channel they are on we will monitor but other than FRS radios very few have a GMRS license. in 20 years I think only one guy had a FRS radio with him. Most have cell phones that dont realize when they get in the woods dont work or their battery dies.

You can cut the ends off and solder RED-RED and BLK-BLK if you prefer. I would just use some heat shrink butt splices for a temporary install as this. Remember though you may be pushing the limits of the 12V power port in the vehicle and the fuse shipped with the adapter.

Is the antenna planned to be used while driving or parked ? If parked the FG4500 is idea for the ladder mount. I run the FG4500 on my 38' MH on my repeater. I just get on site and mount (cable stays on the ladder). Its about 26" tall. The clamp kit that comes with it is ideal for the ladder on the MH. I'll admit I have left it on a few times after leaving the race track as I forgot. Its about 6" higher than the AC units on the roof. If mobile as said maybe Mag mount on a metal plate ? I did this on my fathers last Class C (Winnabego). Screwed a 12x12 piece of steel plate to the roof, dircor around edges and dropped his mag mount with a 1/4 wave on it. Used it for 3 years and it worked great.

Guess someone should call all these states and tell them to by CCR's. There is no reason for trunking systems with multiple sites...Not sure why AZ and CA have so many tower sites for radio systems.

My point was a CCR isn't going to talk 80 miles to a repeater. Unfortunately internet experts claim this is possible over and over and people believe I can go buy a POS CCR and an Ed Fong antenna and talk around the world. With quality equipment you can have great results. With cheap gear its not going to work. Manage expectations. If your gear cost less than dinner out thats what your going to get.

Your never going to talk to a repeater 80 miles away on an HT....

I would find a better antenna personally. While I prefer professional LMR antennas for hobby use many have ok luck with TRAM- https://smile.amazon.com/Tram-1486-Land-Mobile-Antenna/dp/B0043310UE/ref=sr_1_15?crid=2LPYYEER358ZK&keywords=UHF+base+station+antenna+450-470&qid=1643383873&sprefix=uhf+base+station+antenna+450-470%2Caps%2C40&sr=8-15 You can get a 90' SMA to N(F) jumper cable -12" long - https://smile.amazon.com/DHT-Electronics-coaxial-assembly-bulkhead/dp/B00COXZ2RM/ref=sr_1_8?crid=3OQOSYUSLFXJB&keywords=SMA+right+angle+to+N+(F)+jumper+cable&qid=1643383690&sprefix=sma+right+angle+to+n+f+jumper+cable%2Caps%2C44&sr=8-8

Asstated GMRS is in the middle of the business band. Most any UHF 450-470 antenna will perform fine.

Its basically a ham thing that folks forced on GMRS. This is why I disconnected all of my repeaters from the internet. Really no need for it.

They make drill bits. NMO mount in the roof is the best mount you can have.

There are many ground studs in vehicles. Just because there is nothing on it from factory doesn't make it a bad ground. Remember all vehicles use the same body with various options. As said before I have the 275 in both the JT and JK. Have no issues with interference. I run a standard NMO on the JT on a back rack and a fender style NMO on the JK. I had tried the cooltech and rugged radio NMO mount on the JK and neither showed continuity to ground after installed so I would guess that could be part of your issues. I also use the inside B+ from the JT for my radios.

If I remember right you also have to select OST on the actual channel. I know MSI gear requires that.

To be honest that's been in the works for about 3 years. Our SAR team was working to get on a FS tower and thats when this all started. In the end its business. The Forest Service hired a company to mange sites. They want revenue so going after everyone.

Depends on car wash, but I take both my JK and JT thru many car washes with the antennas on the NMO mount. If its one with the spinning brushes I'll unscrew the NMO and put it inside.

If your house is 40' from the "radio shack" you can just ground the antenna at the radio shack. There is no need to run to the house. With that said remember that your "ground" wire from the repeater will be going back to the house via some sort of 110v power source unless your having a drop from the power company. If thats the case you definitely want surge protection on the 110 volt leads also going into the radio shack. The issue with cable is not all the transmit power. The more critical issue in any repeater is RX sensitivity. If your loosing 5 db in the receive line your almost killing portable use to the repeater. This is what many dont think about.

If this for a repeater you will never get your expectations with LMR 400 at that distance. As said a mount on your house would work better on the repeater. Setting up a repeater with inferior equipment will not help expectations. If you just use 3db thats half your power. If your already at 25 watts after the duplexer your even worse than what I had given you before. I think you need to rethink what your trying to do. At this point youd be better off buying the RT97, mounting it on top of the pole with the antenna and run power up the 150'.

Alot of cheap LED;s will cause issues with RF. First set of headlights i got for the JK were horrible and took the entire 2 meter band out. Switched to a quality set and it all went away.

Not sure its worth the work if your using LMR400. 150' of LMR is going to be close to 5 db of loss with connectors (maybe more depending on who assembles) and lighting arrestors. You'd have better luck with it on the roof of the house and 20' of cable. With a 50 watt radio you almost going to maybe have 15 watts at the antenna. RX will be just as bad. With the amount of work your putting into this I would highly recommend a better cable. I run 7/8" at a minimum anytime its over 100' on a tower.

Midland has also been making radios for 30+ years. My first GMRS radio was a 4 channel crystal radio from Midland. You ordered it with the channel you got licensed on. The other advantage is Midland makes a GMRS radio only. Its not a modified ham radio or other CCR based chip radio. While its not top of the line its built for GMRS and GMRS only. I think that goes along way in the simplicity and use of the radio. For many users that's what hey want. They don't want programming and other complicated items. They want to install it turn it on and use it. Midland has sold many GMRS radios since they started selling them and will continue to sell regardless what you or I want added.

The ghost antenna is nothing more than a rubber duck in a little plastic case. they are very specific in frequency range. They are used in LMR world for TLMR systems normally. They are not that good for GMRS unless your talking to folks nearby. Is that the antenna you specified as 2.4 db ? I thought the MTX500 shipped with the 1/4 wave which is not a gain antenna.

The laird is not what I call a repeater antenna. I wouldn't install it on a tower. Those are used primarily in the LMR world for control stations and similar uses. I guess if thats all you have thats what I would use over the HAM antenna.

I have yet to find a reason to upgrade my MTX275. I have never not been able to communicate with other Jeeps on the trail nor not able to hit a repeater that I should be able to. As said your not going to gain a ton by going up in power. Antenna is most critical point of any radio. I guess in the end what is the reason you think you need to upgrade ?

Thats not certified for GMRS use. Buy a GMRS radio.

Personally I'd use neither. If you want a repeater I'd order a commercial LMR UHF antenna. the DB404 is a solid performer on GMRS.

Many LMR radios offer MPL (Multiple PL). I use that on all my APX gear toselect different PL/DPL codes on the fly.