Borage257

Strong signal margin is usually the value I adjust to change coverage plot. It better reflects the environmental factors than changing the more fixed variables. Your area in the summer thru foliage may have a signal margin over 20dB while in the winter it may be in the single digits.

Data sheet says 1” but I wouldn’t do less than 3” or 4” https://timesmicrowave.com/documentation/lmr-400-coax-cables-datasheet/

If the elements are too short, you may be able to repair it by soldering 12 or 14ga wire on to lengthen the shortened sections

See if you can connect with a local ham club or other gmrs users via Facebook or club websites. With out hands on, trouble shooting is difficult. In the mean time, please try saving channel changes via VFO, settin sql to 1 and trying to hit the repeaters from different locations and heights. Do you receive any repeaters better when you hold the monitor button? It is possible some are down due to weather, maintenance etc. or have changed input tones. I usually leave the RX tone off when I program my ht.

I get about 8 miles (to a HT/mobile) from my tram1480 at 30’ in Longview/Tyler area. Run some RadioMobileOnline plots to see a rough idea of you coverage area to HTs and to Base stations

2 pairs of 1/4” sheet metal screws 90 degrees from each other.

My mast is only 30’, made out of 3 sections of chainlink top rail.

Is that 50’ mast guyed, if not how’s it holding up?

He’s probably a figment in of your imagination. Some undigested id.

If you are in a mostly flat area higher gain antennas are pretty good. If you are in a hilly or mountainous area, lower gain antennas may be better.

Generally speaking in flat open terrain, 6 ft of height above ground level (AGL) an antenna will reach out about 1 mile. 30ft AGL antenna height will reach out 8 miles to an antenna at 6ft AGL. I have done 75 miles with a yagi into a 400ft AGL repeater tower from my roof (35ft AGL) with a yagi and my HT. The At-778uv is a pretty good starter mobile.

Antenna height matters the most for extending range on GMRS, followed by antenna gain. Use BNC to SMA connectors for quick change antennas. The BNC mod will allow you to easily change between different whip antennas and "external" antennas like mag mounts, Jpoles and yagis. Smileyantenna has antennas specifically resonant on GMRS. smileyantenna.com/SearchResults.asp?searching=Y&sort=5&search=465&show=8&page=1 ZBM2 does too QP Whip Antenna – ZBM2 Industries Amazon.com: DHT Electronics 2pcs SMA Female to BNC Female Convert Adapter for Two Way Radio BaoFeng UV-5R FD-880 : Electronics Amazon.com: DHT Electronics 2pcs RF coaxial Coax Adapter SMA Male to BNC Female goldplated : Electronics --Think you'll need this one

Move the mic closer to your mouth

92 miles simplex during a tropo ducting event.

Is the RAS system like using the DTMF tones? I suppose DTMF could be used in addition to the DPL and CTCSS tones for repeater control.

Its probably your elevation. Run your location in RadioMobileOnline.

Based on FCC filings, Radioddity is trying to bring the At-5888uv in as the DB50-g. SAIN3 Land Mobile Radio DB50 FCC ID 2AN62-DB50

@Lscott could you post a model of the Murs quarter wave ground plane on GMRS frequencies? I'm curious.

Cut it for MURS (153 MHz) and it will be pretty good on GMRS too!

What height is your antenna at?

The Nautel Tool is just a copy of RadioMobileOnline

Looks like you have a ridge between y’all. A repeater station on the top of the hill or off to the left of the hill would help tremendously.

Height is might provided you have decent feedline. After that will be a good antenna. High gain for flatter areas, lower gain for hilly (usually). Directional (Yagi) for talking in THAT direction, and a little behind and the sides.

First try with and with out the hand mic on the UT-72G

I didn't choose GMRS, it chose me.