wrci350

My preferred vendor is The Antenna Farm (theantennafarm.com). They will sell you standard lengths or you can custom-order the exact length you need.

@WRWH734An easier (I won't say better) option might be a Wouxun KG-805G. I am saying "might" only because I have a KG-805M (MURS version) but not the GMRS version. In the programming software it is possible to delete all but one channel. You can also disable the menu and reset as well as enable auto key lock. Even if you unlock the radio it's fixed to that one frequency. (Spin the dial and ... nothing.) I tested this with my KG-805M and it works the way you want. I was also able to create a codeplug in the KG-805G software with just one repeater channel but of course I cannot test it. Maybe someone else has one and can give it a try. I know many would call this a "CCR" but $100 isn't cheap in my book. You'd also need a programming cable if you don't have one. That would seem to be a cousin-proof configuration. ? I'm sure the several other suggestions are better radios, but if it were *me*, I would just go on the website and order one and have it in a couple days rather than mess with trying to find a used radio on the Internet (that might or might not work). But that's just me.

The FCC also has a zoomable map here: https://www.fcc.gov/reports-research/maps/frequency-coordination-canada/

https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-47/chapter-I/subchapter-D/part-95/subpart-E/section-95.1705 Any individual who holds an individual license may allow his or her immediate family members to operate his or her GMRS station or stations. Immediate family members are the licensee's spouse, children, grandchildren, stepchildren, parents, grandparents, stepparents, brothers, sisters, aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, and in-laws. There is nothing in Part 95 E about where these folks live.

Everyone does it so it's OK, right? I *do* hear worksites on the "GMRS" frequencies. They are almost certainly using bubble-pack FRS radios, and they definitely are NOT using a repeater. Business use on FRS is fine.

Hmm. Nothing "technically" about it, eh?

Sounds like commercial use of GMRS to me.

Apparently The Antenna Farm is going by cable diameter. In any event, they list LMR-400UF under RG8. Right or wrong; that's where it is.

LMR-400UF is one variety of RG8, as are LMR-400 and Belden 9913 and others. It's like "All beagles are dogs, but not all dogs are beagles". ?

Sorry I should have said LMR-400UF. Very easy to work with. I think there is slightly more loss, but that's a fair trade-off for the flexibility. There are a number of good sources for coax but I prefer The Antenna Farm. They have pre-made cables in several lengths or you can custom order the exact length you need. https://theantennafarm.com/shop-by-categories/coaxial-cable/coaxial-cable/prefabricated-coax-cable-assemblies Select "RG8" then the connectors you need and LMR-400UF is under there.

Not so far (knock on wood), and we've had some pretty good wind storms including one with gusts up near 70.

I installed a gable mount about 2 1/2 years ago with a six foot top rail as a mast. Originally it had a Diamond X50NA dual-band ham antenna on it (about 5.5') and now I have a Comet CX-333 tri-band ham antenna on it, which is about 10' long. This is the one I used: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00UVMDT6E/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

https://www.qsl.net/co8tw/Coax_Calculator.htm Handy if you don't already have one bookmarked. If it were me, I would get 40 or 50 feet of LMR400 and put the antenna on the end of the house. Getting your antenna outside and up higher will more than likely offset any loss of power due to the longer coax run. But get *good* coax.

No need to be defensive ... many posters don't understand that "privacy" codes give you no privacy. Obviously you understand that. As far as 10 codes go, as others have said, think of those as verbal shorthand. The idea is that everyone on the channel understands what they mean. "10-4" is a great example.

https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-47/section-95.1733 In addition to the prohibited uses outlined in § 95.333 of this chapter, GMRS stations must not communicate: Coded messages or messages with hidden meanings (“10 codes” are permissible); I'm not sure if tones work the way you think they do. You're not "drowning out" anyone. If your radio is set with a receive tone and someone transmits with a different tone (or no tone) you won't hear them, but if you happen to transmit at the same time there will be interference. Tones also don't keep anyone from hearing you ... if a radio is set with no recieve tone, all traffic on that frequency will be heard.

I understand your reluctance ... but here's another suggestion. Try *reading* from the radio using each cable. If you can read from it, then chances are pretty good you can write to it as well. Even if the BTECH cable doesn't work, the chances of you hurting your radio are slight (and pretty much zero if you just try reading from it). You'll just get an error message in the programming software.

Where do you get that from? If it meant "control and mobile stations" it would say that. It doesn't. It says "stations". Repeaters are stations. I know that's what you THINK the rules say, or what you think they SHOULD say. That's not what they say.

Well, the cables may *look* the same, but they use different USB-to-serial chips. That may or may not matter ... I have run into programming software that will only work with a particular brand of chip, but most don't seem to care. I'm guessing you have a Wouxun radio but not a 9356? Have you tried programming it with the other cable?

Yes, but you felt the need to post, which implies that you think I am. ? I will be the first to agree that the FCC regulations can be difficult to read and understand. They are obviously written by (or at least edited by) a legion of lawyers. That does not mean they cannot be comprehended, nor does it mean they are full of inconsistencies, although there are certainly some. The fact that there is constant "discussion" of this particular requirement just highlights why I have a new favorite saying. There is nothing self-contradictory in 95.1751. The opening paragraph is: Each GMRS station must be identified by transmission of its FCC-assigned call sign at the end of transmissions and at periodic intervals during transmissions except as provided in paragraph (c) of this section. A unit number may be included after the call sign in the identification. Repeaters are GMRS stations. Therefor they must identify ... except for one case, which is spelled out in paragraph (c). If it is a private repeater (only used by people covered under the repeater owner's license) and the individuals identify correctly themselves, then the repeater doesn't have to ID. If a repeater does not meet the condtions in (c), then it needs to identify.

I agree it doesn't look like a "full redesigned radio board" but I see a lot more changes than that. On the front side of the board, there are a couple areas with multiple new surface-mount components to the right of and below the "2226" on the new board. I'm not too impressed with the big solder "blob" to the left of "2226" though! On the back, it is interesting that the original board is missing the RF shield (but maybe it was removed for the photo). There is also an IC on the old board that has been removed on the new one. Actually the third photo shows another IC that has been removed.

Perhaps I should have added another sentence. "It's called cross-band repeat ... because it's a repeater." So yes, that's fine between 2m and 70cm. But as @Sshannon notes, it's NOT fine between GMRS and MURS.

There are a number of amateur radios that do what you are suggesting but using 2m and 70cm frequencies. Guess what that feature is called? "Cross-band repeat".

OK three things: 1) "Ham" is not an acronym (unlike GMRS), so it's ham, not HAM. ? 2) Part 95 is a set of FCC *rules*, not laws. There is a difference. 3) Your statement about repeaters is incorrect. Why would 95.1751 spell out an exception for when a repeater didn't have to identify, if *no* repeater needs to identify? https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-47/section-95.1751 But that's OK, because I can use my new favorite saying. "There's what the FCC rules say, then there's what people THINK the FCC rules say, and finally there's what people think the FCC rules SHOULD say." ?

I do not have either of those radios so no experience with the RT Systems software for them, but I *do* have their software for pretty much every radio I own (including a Wouxun KG-UV7D), and I highly recommend their programming software. The answer to the second question is easy ... yes, you can buy one package that includes the cable and just buy the software (which can be downloaded) for the second. I think they make about seven or eight cables but they are used for multiple different radios each, so once you have that particular cable you don't have to buy it again. The USB-K4Y cable is used to program any radio with the typical K-type connector.

Ah. So not really "Line A" per se, but "4 out of 6 are in use" (rather than 4 out of 8). Now I get it!