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jaycee

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  1. I have the BTech GMRS-50x1. In CHIRP, I first downloaded the initial load, then after I was done making the repeater tone settings, I used the Upload to Radio method. Did that do a reset of some sort than obvious? The repeaters on all the channel slots are working right now. It is when I want to add another one with the same frequency, not sure where to put that. And like I said earlier, perhaps you just can't do that. I get the 8 channels and that's it. If I wanted a different repeater using the same frequency but different tone, then i would have to go in and change the tones all the time. Seems counter-productive but maybe that's the way it is built.
  2. Hey. I was trying to save two repeaters in my radio the other day and it didn't work so well. I have all 8 repeater channels in memory with freuqncies and tones saved. When I tried to add a second repeater output which was already taken up by one of the other repeater channels, I tried to create a new frequency line using CHIRP, and it saved like all the other did, however, when I go to transmit, the radio doesn't work there. I just get a dead key. I assume because on a GMRS dedicated radio, we only get channels 15 to 22 to use. So what do you do if you need more channels? Do I end up having to delete one and enter the other just to use that one? Is there no way to save the same repeater multiple times when the channels are all used up? If that's the answer, that we can't, well OK. I am curious if anyone else has run into this and what you do?
  3. Guess you had to be in my brain.. It means that after trying to tune the antenna it still did not work. Tried my best to tune it so yea, it was tuned in a sense, perhaps not what you are used to hearing! And it ended up garbage for my use.
  4. I don't know all. It seems to be working fine for me. It's what I have up right now and SWR is good so it is staying for a while. Maybe some point down the road I'll invest in something else but if it works for some then it's like anything else in radio, use what works for you. Sometimes you need to experiment and learn. I've gotten some good antennas in the past 15 years and some of those that were supposed to be good. After install and tuning, they ended up being garbage too. I think how one antenna works for one person may be different for another's set up.
  5. I have bought Ed Fong's antennas. For GMRS I purchased the DBJ UHF antenna. It is only 3.5 feet inside the pvc tube. Before this I was using a copper j-pole tuned for UHF and it did ok. The mast was up at 15 feet. With the j-pole I could get out 3-5 miles tops. Simplex. When I got Ed's antenna kit in, I got it together and pushed up the mast more. It sits at 28 feet now. My simplex test was out 10 miles to the North where the most buildings and trees are at. The repeaters went from 2 S-bar readings and now getting full S-bars on the radio. All but one of the repeaters is quieting. I hear everyone most clearly. So far, and it's only been a week up now, I have been surprised and happy with it. The SWR is spot on at 1:02 and at the other end, 1:07. I also have and tried to use as a base antenna, the Nagoya NMO-200C. As much as I would tune this antenna, with the ground plane kit, I could not get it to work. I put it on my car and it works fantastic though. That's why I got Ed's antenna.
  6. I got the Nagoya 200-C as well to put up as a base antenna using a ground plane kit. I could not ever get a good signal out or an SWR below 2.0 using the ground plane attached to a pole. I grounded the kit to the pole and the antenna to an arrestor. Still would not come down. When tonight, I put it back onto the NMO mag mount and stuck it on a piece of metal outdoor metal canopy, it starting chatting up a storm and the SWR was 1.01 and in middle of band 1.14. Anyone know how to get this to work up on a mast? I got it to work on a secondary location on my property. I might just get a 3x3 sheet of metal and mount up and use it that way. Not what I want to do but seems to be working that way.
  7. Hey, thanks for all the info guys. Here was my plan for today. I set up both our radios so that my spouse could take a drive to see our daughter where two repeaters intersect by the maps. I was hoping that at least, I could talk with her on the first repeater closest to us and where it shows we are within 15 miles of the center point. It shows a 30 mile radiation to it. We tried sitting in the driveway and me in the shack, did not work. Hitting the repeater was fine just no audio. I had her go out to the freeway for a more straight shot and still no audio. Then about 3 miles down the freeway it goes up a steep grade to be even with the repeater so should have been a straight shot. Still no audio. We gave up at this point. Plus she got too far out by then. If I have the radio set up correctly, and if by kerchunking the repeater is a good sign, then I believe my issue is going to be with the antenna height that I have. I have a GMRS j-pole made by a reputable Ham/GMRS person I found, and have that at 17 feet up. Looking from the street in front of our house, I really need to have that up 25 if not 30 feet to do any real business. The s-readings on the radios was only hitting 3 bars so I am sure our voices may just not be getting over the noise. Now I have to figure out how to make up a mast to be high enough for that. I'll have 14 feet if I tie it off to the eave of the garage which then would give me plenty of strength I believe, to add the additional height and perhaps not have to guy it. But I can do that if need be. Anyone have good ideas on how to do a homebrew antenna mast!
  8. At first I was but then moved out as I thought that could be happening. It didn't change it any.
  9. jaycee

    Antenna tuning

    Yes, that is where I am at now. I've trimmed the last I want to unless there is something else I am forgetting to do. Since I was trying this with a ground plane for a base antenna, I want to place it on the mag mount and see what difference there may be on the car.
  10. jaycee

    Antenna tuning

    Interesting trick, I hadn't done that before but will give it a try to see what it does at least. Thanks.
  11. jaycee

    Antenna tuning

    Great info. So after cutting a few times, mid-range to the SWR is at 2.0 now. 1.7 at the lowest GMRS channel and 2.6 at the top of the repeater channel. It was much worse when I started but doesn't seem to be going down any further than this. If this was pre-tuned at the manufacturer, then I think they missed the mark. The other two antennas I got I had to do no cutting and they are fine. Maybe this is just a bad one.
  12. ha ha it's me again. Different issue. I have both my radios (Midland MXT-115 and BTech 50X1) set ok and i can key up the repeaters. When I talk into the mic of either radio, the repeater will stay connected until let go. But no voice is coming across on either radio. The Midland radio has no mic gain as I checked to see if it was closed off, nope. I have double checked the tones and they are correct. Putting them into monitor mode doesn't make a difference. Is there some other reason voice is not being sent or heard? I only have the tone on the output side of the repeater freq.
  13. Got it, thanks for further clarifying!
  14. I don't know if this is right or what, but what is working for me in CHIRP right now, is I can set the Tone Mode to 'tone' and have a tone code or set to TSQL and a ToneSql code, but not both. If I do want both though, then I have to set the 'cross mode' to Tone->Tone and must use 'cross' in the Tone Mode. Now both of those will work, but what is actually letting me into the local repeater is setting to 'tone' in the Tone Mode and a tone code only. That seems to be working. That doesn't follow what others have said so I am not sure what to say about that. I can key up the repeaters ad I hear it open but I have yet to have a conversation on it. I'm going to try that tomorrow.
  15. I have a Gen Ham ticket already but been out of the practice for several years. I'm a bit rusty on the repeater lingo and just wasn't sure how the GMRS repeaters worked, or if the same. Thanks.
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