WRHS218

Klaberte, Do you already have some GRMS radios? Or are you looking to get something just for this trip? I have not used my GMRS handhelds skiing but have used them on foot and in vehicles in the mountains. If you already have them give it a try. I have been on the side of a mountain and talked to others up to a mile away without being in line of site. We were using 5w radios. I can talk to my daughter's family using the same handhelds house to house. I am at 3300 feet and they are 3.7 miles away at 2600 feet with a ridge between us blocking line of sight by about 80 feet. Sounds like a fun trip, enjoy! Sean

I don't have the 1000G but have the 905G and the 935G. I purchased the 9G Pro for my son-in-law and did some programming on it. The main reason I prefer the 935G and 905G is the can share batteries. I purchased one spare and it can be used on both handhelds. All are good radios though, IMO.

The way I read that is that he is setting the TX tone to "off". On my 935 there is no way to turn off the TX function. The firmware will do it for you if you program in a frequency out of band (GMRS). I really enjoy using the KG-935G, it is a fun and fairly simple radio.

I have shared this before, but, we had an unexpected power outage in our area. Normally when that happens (last year it was frequently) we call or text family that lives 3.7 miles from us. That day the cell phone system was either over loaded or down. We were able to contact our family via GMRS radios we had purchased for them. The power was only out for 3 or 4 hours IIRC and lives were not threatened, this time, but it was a real world experience. Having a plan, the tools, and the ability to use them builds confidence for those times when there is an emergency. Sean

I have been using the RAM-HOL-BC1U mount for years. It will hold just about any handheld radio with a belt clip. When I am off road I added a velcro strap. I have a Ram ball mounted on my dash area and it works very well. MyPilotStore dot com has them. Sean

I was driving a vehicle that doesn't have a mobile radio. I have a HAM and GMRS mobile in my truck. I have never been a "rag chewer" on the amateur side or GMRS. I have always used radios as a tool as I did in my professions. The post was just about what I heard along the way.

Interesting information. I live in an area that has only one repeater and it can only be reached occasionally by standing on one foot while facing North and holding your mouth just right. This is one reason I don't frequent the HAM repeaters anymore. Radio for me is no longer a NEED as it was in my job. I didn't realize that type of attitude had moved to GMRS. Although I shouldn't be surprised. I wonder if DD and KB have Amateur licenses as well...

Thanks for the testing and data. I don't have an SWR/PWR meter but I do have the 935G. I have found it to be a great radio for my use. Again, thanks for sharing this info.

That hurt, Randy. That hurt.

I live in a smallish mountain community not far from the South Gate of Yosemite. Several months ago I showed my son-in-law my KG-905G and after discussing GMRS for a while he ordered one and got his license. We have tested our radios and we can talk to each other from our houses. He and my daughter live 3.7 miles away with top of a ridge between us. I have lived here more than four years now and have become accustomed to power outages. Last week we lost power around 0730 on a weekday. When this happens to one of us we normally text each other to see if the other is in the dark as well. This time I couldn't text. My phone also couldn't get online. The Verizon tower is a little over 1 mile away with a direct line of site. I tried calling but didn't get an answer. My son-in-law called me a minute later and I was able to receive the call. We coordinated channels and were able to communicate easily with our GMRS handhelds. My phone was pretty much useless. When the power came back on three hours later my phone returned to normal. We are working on a communication plan for future outages and emergencies. This is the first time my cell coverage has been affected by loss of power. So this was a good reminder that cell phones don't always work during power outages and it is good to have GMRS as a back up if your geography allows.

According to the BuyTwoWayRadios website the KG-UV8H is a 2m/70cm HAM radio. I only see the TX frequencies listed and they are definitely 2m and 70cm. One of the pictures of the radio shows the dual display with GMRS 16 on it along with what looks a vanity HAM call sign on the other half. With 999 memory channels I'm guessing it can RX outside of the Amateur bands but TX only 2m/70cm. That is just a guess though. Email them, they have always been pretty quick to answer. Sean

For both radios to operate through the repeater they will both need to be on the same repeater channel and have the correct tones for RX/TX as per the repeater set up. Sean

I have a Tram 1126B 1/4 wave UHF antenna (410-490MHz) on my vehicle and I receive the NOAA weather channels just fine. 162.400 is the only one I can get on any radio in my location, however when I travel I can receive multiple NOAA channels with this antenna, YMMV.

Did you ever figure this out? What model radio do you have? Does it indicate you are transmitting, signal strength meter, LED TX indicator light? Does it receive? More information would be helpful. Sean

I have my 905G scanning most of the time. I have local (sort of) repeaters programmed into the radio and I scan those along with the standard no tone repeater channels. I hear a lot of travelers in my area every now and then I hear a repeater that I shouldn't be able to hit. I have several radios so when I head into town I get my wife to listen for me just to see how far I reach and from where. Just scan for a while and see what/who you hear. You can always pick a channel and ask for a radio check and see if anyone answers. Keep it scanning when you are driving just for giggles and grins. You could do a search and see if there is a GMRS radio club near you. Good luck, Sean

When I search for Sacramento on this sites repeater directory I found three Open repeaters. The RECALL NEWSOME repeater shows it has been updated in Sept. 2021 (this month) so it is probably active. You would have to put it in your radio and see if you can hit it. The coverage map may or may not be accurate. The BARN-7 repeater was updated a year ago but the system status shows off line. The SACRAMENTO METRO repeater hasn't been updated in over ten years. You can try using the contact function for the repeater owner and see if you can get an answer. When you get your radio plug those repeaters in and try to hit them. That is usually the best way. Sean

There is no test for the GMRS license. You buy it online at the FCC website.

I have the KG-935G ordered (backordered). I had sent an email asking a question about the radio and before I got an answer some YouTube Hobo put out a video about it. I went ahead and ordered it before watching said video but I assume it was too late to get any they had in stock. I don't always carry a HT with me but I normally have one in my vehicle just in case. I carry the 905G because of it's functions and mainly because of the IP rating. The 935G is going to be a good emergency radio. I can program all of the local LEO and Fire frequencies as well as county road and public works and HAM repeaters. During multiple week wild fire events (been through a few in the last four years) and in the winter I can get road conditions and other info I need. A big plus with the 935G for me is it takes the same battery as the 905G. If I am headed into the back country with other people I will use the 905G. For travelling the 935G will be a good choice. I still have a 2m HT in my bag but my extended family aren't interested in HAM, and frankly, I don't enjoy chatting about weather and antennas over the air (been a HAM for 25 years).

I can hit repeaters from way out too, although there aren't any close to me. I was just pleasantly surprised that I could make the 3.7+ miles simplex contact with a hunk of mountain in the way. Simplex in the mountains can be a bit more troublesome especially when driving.

My son-in-law just got a GMRS license assigned today. He ordered a KG-905G which is what I have. I live at around 3300 foot elevation and he lives around 2600 feet elevation 3.72 miles away. There is a ridge between us that tops at around 3220 ft. Where the ridge is, it puts about 80 feet of land/rock/trees in the way of being direct line of sight. We are able to talk to each other on high power (5w) at full quieting. He has a FRS/GMRS bubble pack radio that I think is 2w and I could hear him with static while he could hear the 5w with no static. He was outside while I was on my couch. A certain YouTube hobo has shown the couch makes the difference. When my son-in-law went inside there was a little static but we were both easily understandable. I am thinking he doesn't have a GMRS couch. There is a place in the high country at around 7500 feet elevation that is a little over 12 miles from my house and is clearly visible with no obstructions. Next time I am up there I will give it a test, although I am sure 5w will cover that easily. Sean

I like the idea and think it would be a usable app. I have used the Repeaterbook app and have found it useful. Long before the app I purchased the book every year. I would probably only use an app like this for "Open" listings. Determining activity, like mbrun mentioned, would be a great help. I have found, at least in my area, there are repeaters listed that don't exist now. No fault of MyGMRS. When I first started in GMRS earlier this year I tried to contact a lot of the repeater owners in my area. Only received replies from a couple of people. One allowed me access and the other told me his repeater was no longer in service. On a recent road trip I had programmed dozens of "Open" repeaters into my radios. I didn't keep a list like you did but I couldn't reach or hear a lot of them and had no idea if they were still active. Thank you for ytechie for sharing your work. Sean

That is pretty amazing. I made a 2m simplex contact at about 77 miles several years ago. There was a scout troop on top of a 9,000+ft mountain peak. I was across the valley at 750ft and we had direct LOS. They gave me their GPS coordinates which showed 77 miles. You definitely win Ytechie! The 905G is a nice HT.

I have made the same point in some of my other posts. I use the radio as a tool, to get a message from point A to point B in the shortest, most comprehensible method. Started doing that on a sound powered phone aboard an aircraft carrier, continued in private industry and as an LEO. I never have been a chatty radio person on the HAM side or GMRS. The purpose of the post was the anecdotal result of my curiosity, a new radio, and a long trip.

This may be a stupid question as I don't have a GM-30 but I do have several Wouxun radios: Have you tried simplex with no codes on all of the radios?

From what I can tell from the manual the TM-321A transmits and receives only on the 220 MHz range (Amateur 1.25m frequencies). If that is accurate it will not receive or transmit on the GMRS frequencies (462-467 MHz). Sean