SkylinesSuck

Very cool! Thanks. I've been playing around with it for the past hour or so. I think it's a little optimistic and have turned the power down from 50w to 30w to make it better reflect my real world experience, but still very useful! Gives me an idea of how more power/gain/height might affect things.

Besides, everybody knows Linux is best anyways

Where do people create these coverage maps? I'm super curious to play with whatever tool is used.

People need radios when they wheel because cell service is usually non-existent. Not sure that would be a real viable option off road. Might be good in other situations though.

Really looking forward to your repeater build btw.

Hey! We got a celebrity in here!!

I've been listening to local fire and sheriff's dispatch in addition to air traffic control in my area as well. My kids get a kick out of hearing me at work on it. Has anybody tried the Wouxan Bluetooth mic? I'm also looking for a good external speaker for it but I can't find what impedance the radio wants. It's just not loud enough in my noisy Jeep for me.

Thanks guys! Gonna hunt up some black plastidip. I didn't see any options for colors when I was ordering that antenna or I would have definitely ordered a black one. I was more focused on finding a 1/2 wave that was higher gain. Thanks for the input!

I recently upgraded the antenna on my Jeep to a Larsen NMO450CHW. It's shiny silver looking and I don't like the look. Would painting it black hurt anything?

It doesn't list all of them. I found that out.

Well, I could be completely wrong then. I'm at a loss. Hopefully I get that kind of range some day!

I do but think VHF and UHF equate. I'm not saying it's impossible to get a skip or something similar in GMRS, I'm just saying it's highly unlikely and almost certainly not the reason OP keyed up a repeater 100+ miles away.

Sorry, but I can about guarantee it's just a repeater not listed wherever you are looking. I had this happen when I first got my HT. Programmed a repeater in MD about 80 miles from here just for the hell of it and got it loud and clear. Come to find out there was another repeater on top of a mountain about 10 miles from here not listed in mygmrs with the same freqs and tones. OP--did you actually speak with someone who confirmed what repeater it was or are you assuming because you keyed it up with the correct freqs and tones?

I think you just gave the exact reason most people aren't interested. They are not building antennas and are only interested in setting up their antenna on their new radio. Turn it on and go style. I get that it's much more capable and feature rich for about the same price. Like I said though, for my needs anyways, I don't want to mess with that, regardless of the price. I'm sure it works great for your needs though. Sounds like you really like it.

It's not possible. I don't think you are opening up the repeater you think you are.

The nano vna looks like something I don't want to mess with, regardless of price. I have a feeling OP was looking more towards the simpler end of the spectrum as well.

https://forums.mygmrs.com/topic/2426-decent-cheap-swr-meter/

Ahhh, APCO is the law enforcement kind. Always thought that one sounded dumb. I meant the old WW2 one that goes something like "Able, Baker, Charlie, Dog, Easy" etc. And yes, foreign pilots often have only the bare minimum English skill level. It's fine when everything is normal, but when STHF, it's a hot mess (Air China I'm looking at you). Those phonetic letters are the only thing that save the day unless your speak their native language.

I have this one: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B075H8FDDR/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_glt_fabc_094Z4EYM185PWC0QPRFA But maybe wish I would have bought this one: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01D86IKIQ/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_glt_fabc_K51F3F82X8Y5HDAQEA7H?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1 There are many many other examples. There's a thread on this board somewhere where people are trying to figure out the best reasonably priced one. I'm still watching that waiting for a consensus.

He was adding you might be able to use your CB SWR meter for some HF ham radio equipment, and that the principal of how they all work is the same. My answer stands though. You cannot use your current CB SWR meter for GMRS.

I think that spills over into the "prepper" community sometimes which also tends to lean in certain political directions. I've heard some "interesting" conversations ranging from deep state theories to mind control vaccines later in the evenings lol.

I think they are, yes. I was referring to APCO which wayoverthere referenced.

Is that the really old style phonetic alphabet? I always get a kick out of some old timer pilot using that, getting corrected with the ICAO version, then saying "Affirmative!" then reading it back again the other way. I hope I'm gonna be old and snarky just like that

You cannot use one from your CB. I'm still waiting to hear what the best UHF meter is.

I got in to it equally for Jeep stuff and to be able to reach out and touch my kids better on their FRS radios. This has blossomed in to their little friends in the area getting FRS radios and chatting about Pokemon and crap from their KG1000 in the treehouse (overkill yes I know). I'm trying to get them in to range of their best friend's house about 12 miles away on simplex so they can keep in touch, but no dice so far, and the repeater isn't appropriate for them yet. The family at the other end is unlicensed and just borrowing one of my CCR's while we test, but that will change if we can ever reach each other.