jaycee

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.

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?

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

And I'm good to tune this in the final position it will be in. It is more of a question of what is the right method. I don't want to tune it and then find out I cut off too much of something and then it's ruined. Thanks.

Thank you sir. Those are great sites to keep as reference. Yes, the r-ctcs is what is used in this radio compared to others. I have the manual but sometimes those are still hard to figure out.

Ahh, Alex, thanks that makes sense now. Love this learning but pulling some hair out trying to figure it out on my own. Glad you guys are out here. Thx. Jaycee

A newbie to GMRS radios myself. I purchased the BTech GMRS-V1, here is my question. I was trying to listen to a known repeater that has a weekly net. I was able to hear this station on a receiver but on my GMRS-V1 radio, I was not able to hear it unless I was holding down the MONI button. I turned the squelch to Zero but still was unable to hear anyone talking again, unless I held down that button. I reviewed the owners manual but to no help. Is there some setting for this? I don't have PL or CTCSS tones on my other radio and hear fine. Does anyone know what's up?

I have a follow-on question to this string. I know how to tune for SWR and have the right meter, my question is where to tune the antenna? Do you tune it sitting on the ground, on the workbench, on a mast 20 feet up? Is there a method for doing this so you get accurate readings and not grounded unnecessarily? I've done a base antenna one time but it was up on the mast and I took it up and down a few times to get it right. Can this be done laying down on the mast?

Another newbie here GaDalek, new to GMRS that is and have this same radio. I have set up repeaters in my ham radios just fine for years, but this is not working as planned. GaDalek, you mention the above quote. When using CHIRP and I go to enter the Tone and Tone Qsl to be 555.5 (as example), whenever I move out of that column, the Tone disappears, is removed. If I go over to set Cross Mode to Tone-Tone, as soon as I move off of there, it also disappears and then the TSQL I chose earlier for Tone Mode, changes to Cross automatically. The only way I can get the Tone and Tone Sql to remain in, is to keep Cross Mode to Tone-.Tone and to leave the now changed Cross alone. It will not keep TSQL. Is there something else I am getting wrong here in Chirp? Jaycee