WyoJoe

WyoJoe, thanks for the reply and providing additional insights [which echo mine] regarding the NotaRubicon channel.

On the GM-30 and TD-H5, Menu 30 scans CTCSS codes, and Menu 31 scans DCS codes.

The P15-UV and GM-30, as well as the Tidradio TD-H5, are essentially the same radio. As you noted, the Baofeng radio has a different keyboard layout, but from what I've heard, it doesn't match the programming menu of the radio. The keyboards on the other two models do match the programming menu, which I believe is the same across all three radios. I've read that you can use the same software to program all three radios, though my experience is only with the GM-30 and TD-H5 models, and can confirm that to be the case with these two radio models.

I know it's slightly different tuning, but I grabbed a 701c (before they came out with the -g versions), and didnt really notice a difference vs the stock antenna (other than its flexibility).

Many, but certainly not all, antennas are tunable. If you can find a 70cm antenna that is tunable, you can trim a little off the length to retune it for GMRS. As you mentioned, the wavelength for GMRS is shorter than it is for the 70cm ham band, so this is a relatively easy thing to do. Using a 70cm antenna without retuning will cause some of your power to be reflected back to the radio due to an SWR mismatch. How much so will very much depend on the specific antenna. This also may or may not be problematic depending on the specific situation.
With that said, when I'm shopping for GMRS antennas, I try to find either GMRS specific or UHF business band antennas that are designed for the 450 to 470 MHz spectrum. They are out there and not too hard to find, but because they are less common, you may have to look in other places than where you'd look for a ham radio antenna. Buytwowayradios.com is one place I've found them, and theantennafarm.com is another.

Many, but certainly not all, antennas are tunable. If you can find a 70cm antenna that is tunable, you can trim a little off the length to retune it for GMRS. As you mentioned, the wavelength for GMRS is shorter than it is for the 70cm ham band, so this is a relatively easy thing to do. Using a 70cm antenna without retuning will cause some of your power to be reflected back to the radio due to an SWR mismatch. How much so will very much depend on the specific antenna. This also may or may not be problematic depending on the specific situation.
With that said, when I'm shopping for GMRS antennas, I try to find either GMRS specific or UHF business band antennas that are designed for the 450 to 470 MHz spectrum. They are out there and not too hard to find, but because they are less common, you may have to look in other places than where you'd look for a ham radio antenna. Buytwowayradios.com is one place I've found them, and theantennafarm.com is another.

I just wanted to add to the conversation a little nugget.

We talk about the need for type certified radios and what that means for manufacturers. Some figure that if a manufacturer allows, through official software or other means, a radio to do something outside its certification then that’s ok. What is not talked about is one’s obligation, per the rules, as a GMRS licensee. This obligation is to operate fully within the rules.

Much like an amateur license where the burden is placed on the amateur to make user they operate with power and frequency limits, so too does the GMRS licensee assume a similar burden. If the FCC were to get pissy, and decided to make an example of someone, they could not only go after a manufacturer for some form of non-compliance, but also licensee for knowingly using hardware in a manner inconsistent with the rules. Even something as simple as operating at more then 1/2w ERP on the 467 interstitials, operating simplex on 467 main channels, or using a non-certified radio in GMRS.

While some might argue “the manufacturer’s product allowed me to do it” so it must be ok. But ultimately responsibility exists on both sides. The licensee agreed to the rules when then they applied for and where granted their license.

Just like the FCC appears to be unwilling and powerless to go after the manufacturers for skirting the rules, so too are they not likely to come down on the user. My point being, licensee responsibility is equally as important as manufacturer responsibility.

Worth mentioning.


Michael
WRHS965
KE8PLM

I received a pair of Tidradio TD-H5 radios today that I ordered a few days ago. They are very similar, but not identical, to the GM-30 model from Radioddity. Basically, the speaker grille on the body of the radio is a little different. That and the TidRadio logo are the only differences I could see on these radios. All the menu/keypad choices appear to be the same. I was also able to successfully program both radios with the Radioddity version of the software. Since I already had this installed on my computer, I gave it a try and it worked as expected. To download the software from TidRadio, I believe you have to create an account on their site in order to access the downloadable file. I did not need to do this since the Radioddity software works as is.
Overall, I think the two-pack of these radios (available on Amazon last I checked) is a great value. For just under $80, I received four batteries and two speaker mics for my existing radios, a programming cable, and a few other accessories. If the batteries were $13 each, the speaker mics $10 each, and the programming cable was $10, those things alone would exceed the cost of the package I ordered. Even without the radios, the package would be a decent value, but the package I received even contained a couple of "spare" radios (if there really is such a thing).
The one thing that is not included is a charging base. Like with the GM-30, the included batteries can be charged with a USB-C cable, which was included. I like charging my radios on a charging base, so I use the TYT UV-88 charging base. The UV-88 uses the same basic case design, so the charging base is compatible with these radios, too. I have also used a Baofeng UV-5R charging base with these radios. While the fit isn't perfect, the batteries will charge properly as long as the radio is making good contact. The LED on the charger will indicate charging status.
As was mentioned earlier in this thread, the radio's antennas are "fixed" and cannot be removed. Not unless you loosen the set screw, that is. When you do that and unscrew the antenna, you'll find the jack on the radio is an SMA female, and requires an SMA male antenna. This means that your typical UV-5R type of antenna won't work, because they are SMA female
If I have anything negative to say about these radios, it's that the belt clip seems a little flimsy. The same is true for the GM-30 and the UV-88, as they all use identical belt clips. There were also only two belt clips included, but since they attach to the batteries, there aren't enough of them for all the included batteries. I prefer the GT-3 type of belt clip, which is a direct replacement for the standard belt clip, so I ordered a 10 pack of the GT-3 belt clips to replace those on all my batteries. The UV-5R belt clips will also work.
In summary, if you need or want a pair of decent GMRS handheld radios, I would recommend the Tidradio TD-H5. They come as a two-pack for about the same price as two of the Radioddity GM-30 radios. The TD-H5 package also includes two extra batteries and two speaker-mics that you do not get when you order two of the GM-30 radios. You can find better handheld radios, but they generally cost at least twice as much as the TD-H5.

The antenna farm cable is a USB to serial cable and is not a two-part cable. It connects the computer's USB port to the Mic jack on the VXR-7000. As for the software, I run it on my Linux computer using Wine with the Windows XP profile, and once the proper COM port was configured, it worked well for me.
I purchased a used VXR-7000 and added a duplexer to it, installed in a similar manner to the "official" Vertex model, then programmed it using the cable and software from Antenna Farm. I'm about to turn it on to test it out, so hopefully it will all work as planned.

I have also experienced the same issue. It seems that the firmware is programmed in such a way as to only allow Tx on channels 1-30, rather than defining an allowable Tx frequency range. I could not add any channels to mine that I could use to transmit - the added channels are all Rx only.
I also have the GM-30 from Radioddity, and it was the same situation initially, however, a firmware update made it possible to add channels which could be used for both Tx and Rx. Perhaps we can hope for the same thing for the UV-5X GMRS.
For those wondering about using Chrip for these radios, support has recently been added in the form of the UV-5G model. Apparently, UV-5G is the new name for the UV-5X GMRS radio according to Baofeng's submissions to the FCC. The UV-5X designation brought confusion to the situation because there was an earlier UV-5X that was a ham radio, not a GMRS radio, then when the GMRS model came along, they used the same name as the ham model.
The bottom line is that to program the UV-5X GMRS radio using Chirp, you need to use the latest version of Chirp (as of July 2021) and the Radioddity UV-5G profile (not the Baofeng UV-5X profile).

I have nothing bad to say about the KG-1000G. It is a great radio from my own experience with it and from what I've heard and read. I would say it is the best dedicated GMRS mobile radio available presently.
For many mobile applications, though, I believe the Anytone AT-779UV would suffice, especially considering that it's about one third of the price of the 1000G.
The 779UV only puts out a nominal 20 watts vs. 50 for the 1000G, and the 779UV doesn't have a remote-mountable front panel like the 1000G does. It is also not easily paired with another radio to make a simple repeater, but unless those things matter to you, it's a pretty good little mobile rig.
I offer this suggestion primarily for those that want to advance from an HT to a mobile rig, but perhaps are not yet ready to take the plunge or spend the money for the 1000G.

I have also experienced the same issue. It seems that the firmware is programmed in such a way as to only allow Tx on channels 1-30, rather than defining an allowable Tx frequency range. I could not add any channels to mine that I could use to transmit - the added channels are all Rx only.
I also have the GM-30 from Radioddity, and it was the same situation initially, however, a firmware update made it possible to add channels which could be used for both Tx and Rx. Perhaps we can hope for the same thing for the UV-5X GMRS.
For those wondering about using Chrip for these radios, support has recently been added in the form of the UV-5G model. Apparently, UV-5G is the new name for the UV-5X GMRS radio according to Baofeng's submissions to the FCC. The UV-5X designation brought confusion to the situation because there was an earlier UV-5X that was a ham radio, not a GMRS radio, then when the GMRS model came along, they used the same name as the ham model.
The bottom line is that to program the UV-5X GMRS radio using Chirp, you need to use the latest version of Chirp (as of July 2021) and the Radioddity UV-5G profile (not the Baofeng UV-5X profile).

If you subscribe to RFinder, it will allow you to select a route and will provide a list of repeaters along that route using the parameters you set. While not perfect, I find it to be quite helpful for trip planning. This is for amateur radios only, though, so unfortunately does not work with GMRS repeaters (as of now, at least).

Ditto what JG said... Welcome!

This goes to show that usable antennas do not need to be complicated. I see an antenna like this one being quite useful when attached to a handheld transceiver. You could even place it on a very simple mast by using 3/4" PVC, running the coax through it, and placing the antenna on top (with the connector sitting just inside the top of the conduit).

This goes to show that usable antennas do not need to be complicated. I see an antenna like this one being quite useful when attached to a handheld transceiver. You could even place it on a very simple mast by using 3/4" PVC, running the coax through it, and placing the antenna on top (with the connector sitting just inside the top of the conduit).

You can search using the map instead of the repeater listing. Just click on the map tab on the MyGMRS home page. That should help you find what's close to you.
Keep in mind though, that to use any of the listed repeaters (or any that aren't listed) for transmitting still requires permission from the repeater owner. If you click on one of the repeaters on the map, it will give you the details of that repeater.

I don't believe this matter will truly be resolved until resolved by a recognized authority on this subject. The information posted above on the Radio Reference page is as close to a recognized authority as any other that I've seen, so rather than try to reinvent the wheel, I'll generally follow their recommendation of using channel 20 for traveling.
I would place a sign in my back window for "GMRS Ch. 20" if I wanted to let other travelers know how to contact me. That's what a lot of CBers did back in the day to let others know what channel they were using, and what I've seen a few hams do also.
If traveling off-highway with other vehicles, I do like the idea of using channel 16, since it is the product of 4x4. Years ago, we used CB channel 4 most of the time, since we were "4" wheeling. Whatever channel to use would be something that could be decided within the group, however, and could change due to other radio traffic, or if some users only had FRS radios.

You probably need to access the repeater from a different channel than Channel 14. Channel 14 is one of the interstitial channels and not a repeater channel. On most of the repeater capable radios I'm familiar with, the repeater channels are usually set up for channels 23-30, inclusive. I suspect you would want to use channel 29 (on my radios that is the default channel for a "700" repeater (467.700 input, 462.700 output), with the appropriate tones for the repeater programmed into that channel.
I have a UV-82 which is very similar to your V-1 radio. The CTCSS xmit tone can be changed using menu option 13 on my UV-82. It may be the same on your model, but I don't know for sure. You may need to enter a CTCSS tone on transmit to open the squelch on the repeater. The repeater information should provide the necessary tone frequency if you need one.
 

Often there are tones in use, but they are not listed so you have to contact the repeater owner to get them. This is normally done in conjunction with getting permission to use the repeater. On some repeaters, they may use so-called "travel tones" which basically means CTCSS 141.3. These repeaters are usually open and available to people traveling through the area, hence the term "travel tone."

You probably need to access the repeater from a different channel than Channel 14. Channel 14 is one of the interstitial channels and not a repeater channel. On most of the repeater capable radios I'm familiar with, the repeater channels are usually set up for channels 23-30, inclusive. I suspect you would want to use channel 29 (on my radios that is the default channel for a "700" repeater (467.700 input, 462.700 output), with the appropriate tones for the repeater programmed into that channel.
I have a UV-82 which is very similar to your V-1 radio. The CTCSS xmit tone can be changed using menu option 13 on my UV-82. It may be the same on your model, but I don't know for sure. You may need to enter a CTCSS tone on transmit to open the squelch on the repeater. The repeater information should provide the necessary tone frequency if you need one.
 

For those that would like to know how to calculate the wavelength, a simple way find it is to divide 300 by the frequency (in MHz) being used. The result is the wavelength in meters.
For example, what is commonly called the "2 meter" ham band can be determined by dividing 300 by 146 (the middle of the band), with the result of 2.05 meters, which is pretty close to 2 meters, hence the name. Another example is for the "70 cm" ham band, 300 divided by 430 (MHz) is .697, which rounds nicely to .7 meters, or 70 cm. A quarter wavelength at this frequency would be 70 cm / 4, which equals 17.5 cm, or approximately 7 inches.
At the GMRS frequency of ~465 MHz. (roughly the mid-point of the band when accounting for repeater use) the wavelength is .645 meters. A quarter wavelength at this frequency would be just over 16 cm, or about 6 3/8 inches.
If you know the wavelength, you can also calculate the frequency in a similar manner. Simply divide 300 by the wavelength (in meters) to find the approximate frequency. For example, for the 20 meter ham band this would be 300 / 20, or approximately 15 MHz. The actual band is in the 14 MHz range, but this formula will get you close.
The other way to think about it is that the frequency in MHz, multiplied by the wavelength in meters, should equal something close to 300.

Here is a website where you can enter two points to see the path between them. It also allows you to make adjustments for elevation of the antenna.
https://www.scadacore.com/tools/rf-path/rf-line-of-sight/
In my experience, the RF path for GMRS isn't purely line of sight. I have generally been able to get over or around small hills successfully, but not bigger hills.
Your success in reaching the other side of town will largely depend upon how big the "dip" is on the other side of the high spot. If it dips down to 350 feet, you'll probably be fine, but if it dips back to 130 feet as it does on your side, probably not.

Here is a website where you can enter two points to see the path between them. It also allows you to make adjustments for elevation of the antenna.
https://www.scadacore.com/tools/rf-path/rf-line-of-sight/
In my experience, the RF path for GMRS isn't purely line of sight. I have generally been able to get over or around small hills successfully, but not bigger hills.
Your success in reaching the other side of town will largely depend upon how big the "dip" is on the other side of the high spot. If it dips down to 350 feet, you'll probably be fine, but if it dips back to 130 feet as it does on your side, probably not.

Howdy Rob, and welcome aboard. I think you'll find, as I have, that there's a lot of knowledge on this forum, and you'll learn a lot. Again, welcome to the forum.