gortex2

As said many of times its all what you expect to get for your hard earned dollars. If you want a quality well performing radio you buy a LMR/Part 90 radio that was designed for the band in the first place. If this is new to you and you just want to dabble as a user and want something a bit better than FRS then you get the CCR such as above. Yes some CCR are better than other but some are worse. Over the last 3 months I have noticed the increase of membership and new members wanting to know why folks aren't hearing them on repeaters and why there UV5R doesn't talk 30 miles to the repeater. If you want to play with the good stuff you need to spend money. GMRS isn't about chatting with folks on the repeater you don't know. The radio in the original post appears to be a decent GMRS radio but everyone will give there opinion on them. I personally use only part 90 radios in all my vehicles and house, and repeaters. However my parents have the MTX in all there vehicles as do I in my off road Jeep. Why because it serves the purpose needed only. I looked at a few GMRs mobiles for my parents and none were simple, turn on and talk on the channel I tell them. The Midland was. So for their purpose this fit the bill perfectly. back to normal programming.....

The ICOM is a solid performer. We still use many in VHF band for SAR work. As long as you don't need more than 16 channels its a great little radio. Most get crazy and think you need 100 channels in your GMRS radio. If you have a few specific repeaters you use and some simplex they are great. Simple is always my method. As or Motorola comment, agree no clue where that came from. I can assure you my APX8000 is about the best radio I have ever owned. There are many quality MSI products used and new.

I plan to order the same repeater for my motorhome this spring. I run a GR1225 now but the power draw when im dry camping is more than this one so my plan is to swap. I already have my GR1225 turned down to 10 watts so think it will be a nice plug/play swap. It should be an ideal little repeater for small coverage locations in a campground or from your vehicle.

Maybe reach out to commscope who makes the antenna now ? https://www.commscope.com/product-type/antennas/base-station-antennas-equipment/base-station-antennas/itemdb404-b/ In the past I tried to replace one on a VHF version and the cost of the harness was close to a new antenna. If the antenna has been up long enough for the cables to deteriorate it may be worth the new antenna. The antenna is less than $400 online. I guess if one was really in a bind you could try to rebuild the harness but normally need decent test equipment to do this.

What is your repeater ? While they are close a distant radio should not open up both repeaters on the PL. I would look at both repeaters and do a full check with a monitor on them.

They have had gmrs stuff there in the past. None of it was ever accurate. The list on this site is hit or miss. As with any database its up to volunteers to maintain.

Correct. I have actually a few for my friends as they were not sure where or what to do. I just got there CC info and submitted for them.

They still make tone remotes for your application. You could in theory get a ethernet to 4W converter to use something like that. There are also expensive units that are completely controlled over ethernet but not sure your budget. Your talking a few thousand for an MCD, RGU and intercace cables

Midland actually has a good link to step by step info. https://midlandusa.com/why-do-i-need-a-gmrs-license-how-do-i-get-it/

There are no type accepted radios that can talk on GMRS, FRS and HAM. You could pick up a Part 90 radio and program what is needed.

Is anyone doing NXDN on Ham ?

Professional Series CPS runs fine with W10. Yes subscriptions cost money, but the CDM is a real radio and not a CCR in a box. You want good results you pay to play.

Software is still available from MSI. Any quick google search can get you the latest PN and valid subscribtion price. I use the standard MSI part number RKN4081C. It is a serial cable woth built in RIB. I also use the IOGear USB adapter. This is what MSI recommended back in the shop days. I tried some cheap usb cables and never was able to get reliable communications.

You really need to pursue a part 90 FCC license in the LMR band if this is your plan. There are itinerant based frequencies that can be licensed nationwide. There is a chance someone else may be using a channel but there is also a chance a GMRS user is also using a channel. Unless yours going to get licenses for all users on GMRS thats your only route.

Just went thru this.... https://forums.mygmrs.com/topic/2267-good-swr-needle-meter/?do=findComment&comment=21105

There are no certified part 95 radio that have murs also. As stated above there are some part 90 radios that will allow programming of both.

You cant run digital on GMRS so it really doesn't matter with you get. The ICOM is a solid unit as is the Kenwood. I run the 5061 (VHF Model) for SAR Stuff with a remote head. Its a great radio.

They dabbled with this last year and I know there are a few threads on JJ and GMRS. On my last JJ in October very few were using GMRS. There was also a huge loss in reality as most of the guides I spoke to said that JJ was licensed and they did not need one. I tried to educate each guide I had but I don't see many getting the license regardless of the cost. Most don't see a need and when they open the box and install it just works. That's part of the issue. Hopefully someone at JJ realizes what is needed and educates at least their guides. As for actual usage both days i had one guide that had a GMRS radio. It wasn't used at all but I did scan the whole weekend and some groups were using GMRS. Most of my groups were new riders and were on CB.

Not everyone lists there repeaters. I have multiple that are not listed and know of others out there. Its a volunteer thing to go in and ujpdate and many don't care.

berknet I understand that fully. I guess I understood the question of radios coming out of the box ready to talk on GMRS. No ham transceiver does. Most offer simple modifications to open up the band to allow this. Its really no different than commercial part 90 radios being able to be used on the GMRS bands. My APX8500 mobile can do it but was not certified to do it. Maybe the op could clarify his question for us.

I have 3 of the MTX275 and have yet to have an issue with needing more power than it has built in. Not sure the need for one with more unless your trying to use it for simplex over large areas. On all my repeaters it works much better than a handheld in the vehicle and on my jeep rides I still talk to folks miles away on simplex.

The perception that narrow band are not compatible with ALL GMRS repeaters is false. I know of many, including my own repeaters that run narrowband. I know the normal is wideband but they are out there and more than folks think.

I dont know of a ham radio that is certified to talk on GMRS. This comes up every few months. I dont understand the desire or misunderstanding in the ham world about being able to do what they want. If a non ham wanted to talk on the ham stuff with there GMRS license the hams would be all in there face.

If you want simple and easy to use Id go with the midland. If you plan to use alot of repeaters and into it more it may not be right but for simplex its a solid basic unit.

Agree. $150-200 on the used market plus another $50-75 for a slug if its not in it already, but its really no different than a radio. You get what you pay for. I guess if your buying a $250.00 midland or baofeng a $75.00 meter is expensive but my APX8500 cost way to much to not use a quality meter...