MichaelLAX

That's not @OldRadioGuy's point: He noted that sensitivity is the only spec that the test determined was less than specs. I would bet dollars to donuts that no one buys a UV-5R based upon its sensitivity spec: they just see if it receives the stations that are important to them. Then they can always gain some experience cheaply and then upgrade as needed!

@LscottWhat is so sad about my observation to @OldRadioGuy's comment about perceived lack of sensitivity of UV-5Rs? We double-posted: see my response below.

Perhaps his Wouxun KG-905G is his “elsewhere” radio?! ? Take a look at the $109 Radioddity DB20-G as an alternative "portable" radio (a/k/a Anytone AT-779UV and Retevis Ra-25) https://www.radioddity.com/products/radioddity-db20g

Sensitivity is the ability to receive weaker signals. For $25 you either can hear what you want to hear and if not, buy a better radio!

Great news! It did not occur to me to look on the map to the northeast and above the Delta. That opens up some East Bay repeater possibilities too!

No Feel free to join this forum: some users ignore "Guest" comments by licensed GMRS users.

I believe the FCC rules limit Channels 8-14 to only HTs and hence any mobile unit, regardless of power is not able (per the rules) to transmit on these channels. There seems to be some confusion that these are only FRS channels, with FRS limitations, such as a fixed antenna on the HT. But it appears clear that GMRS HTs can include these channels within GMRS rules limitations. The point of these channels is narrow-band limited coverage usages, such as within one building or close proximity etc. and the focus for usage for a broader coverage range should be on the other channels.

I can't seem to find this repeater on the myGMRS map in your locale. The one referencing "trees are listening" says it is not operational yet. Are you able to decode the Morse Code identifier? Is that how you found it?

A good rule of thumb is: If you can "see" line of sight to whomever you are trying to communicate with, you should be able to talk to them. By "see," even if it requires binoculars to see them. The point is what obstructions are in the way and how high and unobstructed is your antenna? Given you are using a Handheld, when inside, remember there are walls in the way, too. If there are five repeaters in your area, you may want to invest in a rooftop antenna, to maximize your reach. That should help the fact that you are at sea level. The hills are a negative factor, unless someone or a repeater is on top of those hills. Do you hear any activity on the 725 Repeater now? I would not use any Tone for your receiving for now; keep it open so you can maximize your reception. Of course you will need the proper tone to trigger the repeater's repeating your received signal through its transmitter. Some "administrators" just don't actively review their email. One example of this is just yesterday I received permission from a repeater administrator who apologized for his late reply. I requested it on July 27th! So my attitude is that if their listing on myGMRS does NOT say permission is required and I have actively attempted to obtain permission with no reply, that I can use the repeater until I am told otherwise not to. Of course I am courteous and follow the normal custom and practice. That being said, here in Los Angeles there are many repeaters to choose from, so I rarely use the out of the way repeaters without a reason to do so. One reason I do so, is a "radio friend" I have made here from GMRS lives 25 miles north of me with some hills in the way. We are actually able to communicate simplex using higher power (18 watts in my case and 25 watts in his) on the high power simplex channels. But I did discover one of the repeaters that is not that active and that I do not normally use, is within his reach. So I educated him as to this repeater to double his reach to the only one repeater he could hit before.

Hard to figure out the next step without knowing what city and zip code you live in and what model radio you use.

Your future is 2 meters and 70 cms, so get the antenna optimized for Ham bands!

Get the X50G! ?

FM was invented by Major Robert Armstrong, who committed suicide in 1954 during protracted patent litigation with RCA. FM was not a "thing" in Amateur Radio when the Citizens Band was carved out from the 10 Meter Ham Band back in the late 1950's growing in popularity in the 60s. The technological advance that migrated to CB in those times was Single Sideband (SSB), a variant of AM.

Were you the one who said: Were you also anti-Bootcamp during the Intel Era?

Looks like the YouTube reviewers started to react to the Bridgecom Echo one week ago. I won’t bother watching them at this time unless Randy @OffRoaderXcovers it.

I googled Anytone Echo and it came up with a model 6666 for 10 meters?!? i gave my 10 year old grandson my Pofung P15UV to replace his bubble wrap HT

Don't dispair; virtual software is available on your Mac to run Windows for the programming software (both for free and not for free). Plus so far every programming software that requires Windows has worked in Windows XP for me, which is easy to obtain for the least cost. Although you CAN install Windows 10 and Microsoft will let you run it for free with a few annoying requests to pay for it. Which Mac OS do you use? Which Mac do you have? Go Apple Menu to About This Mac and both questions answers are there:

Which model Anytone are you criticizing? It sounds like you want a HT that can do both GMRS and Ham Does it matter to you if it starts out being Part 95 then you get it to transmit on the Ham bands or just any radio that can transmit on both? If Part 95 is important to you then get the Baofeng UV-5X(G). If it is not important to you get the TYT-UV88 Both are HTs in tje $30-$40 range and are good starters. For a mobile style radio that fits in the palm of your hand, has a cigarette lighter plug for power, is Part 95, can transmit up to 18 watts and opens up to 2 meters, 70 cms and even MURS, look at the Anytone AT-779UV (a/k/a Radioddity DB20-G) for about $100.

Years ago when I was bicycling mobile on two meters with my Kenwood TH-22a strapped to my handlebars, I had a Kenwood headset under my bicycle helmet and by turning on VOX I did not have to use the push to talk button It transmted automatically every time I spoke.

What version firmware are you using? i have the clone Profung P15UV but upgraded with Radioddity firmware i gave it to my grandson but I can borrow it back and try it on mine as well

Try using the programming software to turn it off.

So of course your beef here is long-talking on a repeater all day long without ever ID'ing with a callsign irrespective of the language spoken. The Pig-Latin repeater has that same problem: 527.264! ?

If you do an initial READ of your new radio and save this as its default file, then CHIRP knows what radio you are using, from that point on.

Yes, while some codeplug software has separate entries for the transmit and receive frequencies, CHIRP uses the receive frequency and the you input the OFFSET: usually 0.600 MHz on 2 Meters and 5.000 MHz on both 70 cms and GMRS. Then you tell the radio which direction to go with the transmit frequency: On GMRS it is always + so that it receives on 462.abc and transmits on 467.abc; On 2 meters and 70 cms you must look at the information about the repeater as published to determine if the OFFSET is + or - I think CHIRP has a "how to" guide somewhere... GOOD LUCK!

Yes, it appears that Matt has been programming in Public Safety channels, some above 500 MHz) and not Ham repeaters. The Second example shows some 2 meter and 70 cm Ham repeaters used here in Los Angeles and I will email it back to you to try out in your Baofeng and see if it remembers the frequency shifts for repeaters: