gortex2

I think many people coming from the CB world may have different expectations. Better audio quality and reliability of communications, but still with a fairly disorganized group of people looking to chat with others nearby.   It is certainly within the capability of the equipment. But, as you point out, it is not the general nature of the community. 

for the most part GMRS is not about talking to someone you dont know. Most GMRS users use it to talk to family or personal friends. This gets discussed monthly. If your looking to chat on a radio GMRS probably is not the best option. 

for the most part GMRS is not about talking to someone you dont know. Most GMRS users use it to talk to family or personal friends. This gets discussed monthly. If your looking to chat on a radio GMRS probably is not the best option. 

Somewhere, someone's looking at the top 30 ft. of that tower & thinking... yeah, I can re-use that.

So, if I get this right...
You purchased a radio without really looking into its capabilities, features and limitations. Even though those are well discussed in many sources, including Amazon and this forum.   Then, when the radio does not allow you to use it in a manner it was not designed for, you want to return it. And finally, you threaten to give the radio a bad review if the manufacturer will not support your attempt to modify their product in a way that would cause it to operate in a manner for which it was not intended and is not certified. (BTW, this is technically called extortion.)

I’d like to add the following comments, not about GRMS per se, but related to the OP’s suggestion about writing an iOS app when there is already a myGMRS.com Android app out there (which I have, and I use, and I like a lot).
 
I am a member of a few local car clubs, and as a computer programmer by trade (retired now), I wrote and still maintain their websites.  When the need for mobile apps arose, I researched how to do it for them.  The following points are what I discovered, and may be appropriately superimposed on top of the suggestion of writing an iOS version of the myGRMS Android mobile app:
 
1 – Market Share
In my research (at the time, circa spring 2020) I found that market share for Android vs. iOS mobile apps were somewhere around 77-87% Android, to 12-23% iOS, and <5% Windows (the number changes all the time, so it doesn’t seem add up to 100%).  Now in fairness, last I checked, iOS market share was gaining on Android, but it is slow and still had a LONG way to go to be close.
 
2 - Cost
Android Studio (AS) development software is open-source and is free to download for use on a Windows PC. I downloaded it to my existing laptop PC and it runs just fine.  I hooked my smart phone via USB for testing.  So, using AS for free, my existing PC, existing monitors and existing smart phone, I successfully developed two Android mobile apps for almost* no additional cost.
 
For me to have developed my same two apps on iOS, I would have had to research, choose and then purchase an iOS development tool (hundreds of $), purchase a new Mac (thousands of $), probably learn a new programming language (thousands of $ in lost time), and buy a new iPhone (~$700-$1200).  EVERYTHING Apple sells is grossly more expensive than their Windows and Android counterparts.  It's not even close.
 
*In fairness though, I did have to upgrade my Windows PC memory to 4GB (cost about $25) and register as an Android application developer ($25).  So there’s that.
 
3 - Political
As people continue to use Apple products, remember that Apple has always been proprietary (remember when the Feds asked Apple to help them crack terrorist’s cell phone encryption, and Apple said no because it was an intrusion on their privacy?).  (I hesitated including this point, but the political aspects of Apple are hard to ignore now given the culture they and our political leaders have imposed on us against our will, JMHO). 
 
4 – Efficacy
And finally, by writing an Android app first, one would clearly capture most of the need, as I did, and at a much lower cost and time to market.  AND, subsequently one may find that an equivalent iOS app just isn’t needed (who doesn’t… even iPhone owners… now own an Android tablet?)
 
In conclusion, after writing my Android apps, I did get a few people asking about providing an iOS version.  But unless my time constraints diminish and market share and costs change significantly, I just don’t see how to justify it.  I can't speak for anyone but myself, but regarding an iOS version of myGMRS, great, if Rich has the time, money and desire to do it.
 
…

Actually, neither. It’s compiled from input of repeater operators and is only as accurate as they make it. Thus there are gaps and inaccuracies.
 
There are a number of threads here on this exact issue. I encourage you to find them via the search function and read up on the situation.

IF you have a digital volt meter test your power while you key up the radio and make sure your not overloading the power supply. You may not have enough power with the power supply. Also a true watt meter test would help.

If you're going to point out a problem, proper etiquette says you should also provide a solution. My solution is to suggest that you make the app.

My understanding is that there is a MyGMRS app, (I have it on my phone) however it is basic as Rich is the only one working on it, not to mention he is maintaining the site, a linked server, weekly nets, as well as a full time job and his family. Rich is doing a lot and so some projects will take some time.

What are you using as a Power Supply on the mobile radio ? 

So for the 5th wheel I would use a standard base style antenna. I run the Laird omni. Its only 20" tall and I use the provided brackets on my ladder on the back of the MH when i get on site. I have also used it on my fiberglass flagpole but found I didn't gain much range even going up 15'. Its the FG4500 below is one place that stocks them. 
 
https://www.theantennafarm.com/catalog/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=1096&products_id=1057
 
I have a 25' piece of RG213 that is N Male on both ends. I connect it to the antenna and drop it down behind the ladder. I run it to my compartment that has a GR1225 currently. It works really good at campgrounds and the NASCAR tracks I frequent. I used it at JJ2020 but other than me on it I never heard another jeeper. 
 
https://www.theantennafarm.com/catalog/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=342_343_1438_1411&products_id=6843
 
I really want to swap out to the RT97 mainly because I dry camp at the NASCAR tracks and the GR is a power hog. I pull the fan power when I am not on AC but still at 10 watts it uses more power than I want. My hope is to swap to the RT97 also so I can jsut wire it to a switch and power on, vs swapping from power supply to battery every time I use it. 
 
You could probably use the same antenna with a 3' jumper if you can carry it to a high place and strap the antenna to something to keep it up. An old camera tripod may be perfect for that combo. Not sure how much battery you would need. Remember the more you talk the more battery needed.

You had a 6db antenna with 16' of cable then went to a 40' of LMR400. You will have loss in the cable. Granted wont be a ton but will be different than 16' of cable. 
 
As reference I run the Laird antenna on my Motorhome for my repeater and have used it alot. Its a solid antenna. Get it in the air and it will do fine.

GMRS does not allow digital. 

GMRS does not allow digital. 

Define inexpensive.  In all honesty, you should expect to pay a minimum of $500 to get things up and running.  It is not just the radio. You need all of the following:
Repeater (receiver + transmitter and power supply) duplexer duplexer tuning antenna, mast or support, and coax location The Retevis RT97 sells for $400 (plus tax if applicable). But, you'd still need an antenna, coax, etc.  They have a package deal: repeater, coax and antenna, for $475 (plus tax).

Check gorund wire

We motorhome.  I've switched to GMRS from FRS recently and do not regret it at all.  We started using them for backing in to a site or the storage unit and hiking in case we got separated.  Occasionally, one of us will take the dog while the other stays in the motorhome and that's a little peace of mind.  When we fish (poorly), we sometimes separate a ways to try different areas.  In the last few months, I've built a GMRS base here at home, a Micromobile in the TOAD Jeep and soon in the motorhome.  I don't know of any RV groups that exclusively use GMRS but Jeep Jamboree is going that way this year.  

As others said the radio doesn't work well with split tones. I still have them in both my jeeps. There are many repeaters that do not use split toners and other than one location I have not had an issue.

Licenses are based on TX Frequency mostly. If you have a  repeater on 462.700 that's what you would search on. Sometimes location may be Nationwide if its licensed by a big box store. 

Before we completely train wreck this thread maybe start one in technical and we can share some more.

I'm not even going to list my  little junkbox repeater online. There's already a really good one available for public use on a tower anyway. Mines for my family in case there's an emergency - mostly in case something happens to the big boy repeater like power outtage or super heavy traffic during an emergency. Last thing I want is mine to be made unuseable because 100 people are on it when I need it.

This is why many of us with good repeaters tend to no longer list them online.

If your going to use the crank up antenna I used the laird as I do now on my 5th wheel. I mounted it with the brackets that come in the kit but had to add an extension to get around the AM/FM antenna. I followed the same "entry" as the TV antenna but spent way too much time trying to fish it down the wall. In the end it looked nice, let me crank up antenna and was on air, but had to use RG58 and had about 30'. It also knocked out the TV apparently only when the wife was watching    . I had it on the repeater first then ended up moving it to my midland radio as a "base" in the unit.
 
When we got the MH I didn't want to deal with all of the wire stuff which is why i got the FG4500. Mounted on the motorhome with the cable run down the ladder along frame rail to the compartment made it simple and effective. Its about an 1" taller than my vent covers and most of the time have left it in place even while traveling. I did remove it originally thinking it would get hit but so far its been fine. In reality if it gets hit I already hit my vents and other stuff on the roof. But again its a 2 minute job to remove it. Inside the MH I have the Midland 275 on the dash hooked to a NMO mount in the center of the MH. I removed the factory AM/FM antenna and put a thick mount NMO with a 12" stainless disk under it. It works perfect. 99% of the time its just talking to the repeater anyway but when I'm traveling down the highway its nice.
 
Depending on your camper your roof will be rubber coated or fiberglass. Neither will give you any ground plane so you will need to add it. Also its a sandwiched roof inside layer, foam, outside so trying to mount an antenna on it is challenging. You could just screw a piece of steel on over the rubber and use a mag mount but that leads to other issues. Getting a cheap base antenna is probably the best bet without alot of work. IF you have solar the other option may be to use a L style mount on the Solar mounts. I did this on my fathers MH but he only uses it to talk to me when we are traveling. 

The R1225 UHF repeater came in 2 versions. A Low Power model starting with model # M04GRC*****   and a Higher power version model starting with M44GRC*****
 
The lower power version will do 1-10 watts - and do it with nearly a 100% duty cycle. Those units have a smaller heat sink on the back of the transceiver, and rarely had problems with burning up, even with heavy use. Many people used those for on-site use with Portable radios, or for driving a power amplifier to achieve higher wattage power outputs with a higher degree of reliability in high duty cycle applications.
 
The high power versions were rated as being 50% duty cycle at 40 watts, and 100% duty cycle at "mid power" settings of 20-25 watts. Those units commonly burned up - especially if someone tried to run them at 40 watts with anything approaching 5 minute conversation times. The higher power models did have a much more substantial heat sink on them, but you still needed to have good airflow if you wanted to run them at even 25 watts for any period of time. I've seen those units burned up even when run at the lower power levels that were advertised as 100%. Motorola should never have sold the higher power version at any level above 25 watts, and they should have said even then that it was a 50% duty cycle IMHO.
 
I would be VERY careful buying a GR1225 off Ebay if I didn't know the seller or the source of the unit. Make sure it works and transmits with advertised power! Make sure the seller accepts a return if it doesn't. The amplifiers can be repaired, but its done wrong as often as it's done right. The cost to repair a burned up unit at the local radio shop would probably equal or exceed what you paid for it.