MichaelLAX
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Posts posted by MichaelLAX
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55 minutes ago, pcradio said:
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Requirements:
- Transmit on 144-154Mhz, 420-470Mhz (2m,70cm,GMRS,MURS)
- Dual Watch (monitor two frequencies)
- Onboard GPS
- Water resistant (waterproof not required)
- Analog (digital not required)
I’m looking at the Yaesu FT3DR because it looks amazing. However, I'm open to any brand if it meets the requirements. Anyone else have my same need? What did you do? Anyone found the perfect hiking radio?
I am not aware of any HT that will meet 100% of your requirements*, but until one pops up, for $30 (and free shipping) here is what I recently purchased and is now my favorite HT!
If you purchase a TYT-UV88 from Lets Get Ready, Bob Yuan, its owner, can provide you with an easy to use code sequence to open up the full transmitting capabilities of this Ham Radio clone of the Radioddity GM-30.
This radio satisfies Requirements 1, 2 and 5: it is only missing GPS and I am not sure how water resistant it is (it uses the K-1 style jack for earphone/mics and USB cable, so I suspect it does not meet any water resistant specifications).
It can be programmed with CHIRP. I used CHIRP to move my library of 93 channels easily to it and then read the contents into the TYT software (on Windows XP) and continue to use the manufacturers software. There was a couple of "glitches:"
It has 3 bandwidth choices: Wide, Midd and Low and my choices of High from my Library converted over to Midd; so I had to manually changes all of these to High. Low did convert over to Low.
The other glitches were minor, but obvious and can easily be cleaned up in reviewing your channels.
*UPDATE: While I was typing this @BoxCarposted his suggestions and maybe they satisfy your needs 100%. And YES: this HT has dual watch.
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Looks like this repeater is 462.650 at 100.0 tone
what operating system is your computer: Windows, Mac, etc
did a USB cable come with your radio? A mini-CD with software on it too?
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I suspect that they will be happy you pointed it out to them!
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I've heard this form of commentary elsewhere in differing forms, and I will repeat it here for due consideration:
There is a difference in substance when one violates FCC rules that causes harm (for example interference) to others, such as transmitting in excess of the power requirements on the various GMRS channels.
But the FCC has neither the time nor the resources to track down a user of a Part 95 certified GMRS radio that has been modified to allow transmissions on frequencies other than GMRS (such as the ham radio bands by duly licensed Hams and MURS), in such a way that all the technical specifications required for transmission on GMRS remain unchanged (such as wide vs. narrowband, power limits, etc.)
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I corrected my typo from "channel 6" to "channel 5"
Comes from trying to think BEFORE coffee!! hahahaha
I hear great things about that HT!
What area are you in?
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19 minutes ago, htims05 said:
Additionally the radio shows that it'll transmit on 462.650 but the repeater lists that as the output freq...
I think I'm confusing myself with the radio's transmit freq vs that being the same as the output freq shown on the repeater (seems like that should be the input??)....
Be careful:
Some radios will have a "Channel 19" or perhaps a "GMRS Channel 5" that transmits and receives on both 462.650.
But you want a "repeater channel 5" that will receive on 462.650, but transmit on 467.650.
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13 minutes ago, htims05 said:
...on my radio is the TX-CTSS or the RX-CTSS the one without a tone set?
The RX-CTSS is the one without the tone.
What model radio do you have?
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2 minutes ago, Radioguy7268 said:
If your primary transmit function is GMRS - then skip the dual band stuff and go for straight up UHF GMRS that's focused on 450-470 MHz.
Oooops: There goes those experiments with some MURS equipment!
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On 4/13/2020 at 11:01 AM, sifert said:
See my post here because I had the same issue not knowing which antenna is best. I have no hard data on the results, but I got a 5/8 wave and a 1/4 wave antenna (I don't even know what that really means) from SmileyAntenna and they put every other antenna I've tried to shame in every terrain I've used them in.
I couldn't resist reviving this thread because I saw that no one answered your query:
A wavelength is the actual length (measured in meters) for which a radio wave makes one full cycle (now called a Hertz).
A rough mathematical formula tells us that Wavelength = 300/Frequency
So the 10 meter Ham Radio band (28.0 - 29.9 MHz) is close to 30 MHz; while the Citizens Band, down at 27 MHz is 11 meters.
The 2 meter Ham Radio Band is close to 150 MHz (144 - 148 MHz) and the 70 cm Ham Band is from 420 to 450 MHz.
For reasons too complicated to go into here (and I am not sure I ever learned them, but if I did, I sure forgot them!
), certain lengths propogate radio frequencies better than others; which brings us to lengths that are 1/4 and 5/8 of the wavelength involved.
For my use of my old Kenwood TH-22a 2 meter HTs back in the 90s and 2000s, I had two replacement antennas to improve my range from the stock rubber-duck antenna that came with it:
1) A telescoping 1/4 wave antenna that was bearable to use when fully extended; and
2) A telescoping 5/8 wave antenna that was very difficult to use when fully extended. Then why did I use it?
It was easy to carry in my accessories case when fully collapsed and gave me that extra punch when fully extended that I might need in the Bob Marshall Wilderness of Montana, when it allowed me to hit a repeater than connected me with a Canadian Ham (my then wife NEVER forgave me - hahahaha).
I wonder which Ham Radio license exam requires this knowledge today: Technician, General or Extra?
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3 hours ago, Citizen said:
By chance I stumbled on a legal opinion...
That's not even a legal opinion; it is supposed to be an accurate word for word retelling of the statute involved (47 CFR § 95.1763 - albeit unofficial)!
You should write them and tell them of their typo!
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Which raises a question in my mind:
Limited to only 1/2 watt; why would any GMRS operator want to use Channels 8-15; other than to talk to their kids on FRS, and even there have the kids switch to Channels 1-7, where they can use 2 watts?
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As of today's date, no reply for my request for a manual, a non-purchaser...
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1 hour ago, WyoJoe said:
What's the point of that? If I wanted the radio for the ham bands, I'd just use a UV-5R instead...
Perhaps the most important reason is that when one wants a SHTF radio for an emergency situation, there will be many hams available on the airwaves who are skilled in handling traffic during emergencies.
Every responsible GMRS user who wants SHTF capabilities, should have a radio that will communicate with Hams, sad or otherwise!
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11 minutes ago, WyoJoe said:
I've often used the "because I can" excuse, and that's pretty similar to the original "hacker" tradition you mention, but, just because I can do something, it doesn't mean I should do it...
Oh, dear: Should I have not helped jlwilkers find the updated software to "hack" his UV-5X to allow those changes?!?
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6 hours ago, jlwilkers said:
No.... No it is not. Just the manual and the programming software.
On 3/22/2021 at 5:49 PM, Paesano said:The firmware download is on the Baofeng store page: https://www.baofengradio.com/products/uv-5x
Just for giggles, and in the true "hacker" tradition, I went to that link and downloaded the "programming software" for the UV-5X (setup.exe) even though I do not own the UV-5X:
It installs as PRG-P51UV-FCC-V1.0 and when you run it, it allows you to make those changes that the so-called "firmware upgrade" fixed, such as Wide vs Narrow, change CTCSS tones, etc.
Try it; I think you will like it!
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11 minutes ago, WyoJoe said:
What's the point of that? If I wanted the radio for the ham bands, I'd just use a UV-5R instead...
Michael, these questions aren't targeted at you. I just don't understand the reasoning behind this effort.
Yes, the question should be targeted to Ham Radio Dude on his YouTube Channel video Comments Section, if you really want his thinking.
I do not own a UV-5X, but I do have legacy UV-5R's that I still use periodically, but less so now that I have Part 95 units in my car, home and HTs, too!
My understanding is that Baofeng no longer manufacturers UV-5R's that are open to transmit on all frequencies, so that in time, this could be one way to still get full transmitting capability when the supply of legacy UV-5R's runs out.
Sometimes it is just because it is a challenge in the original "hacker" tradition, before hacker became a dirty word!
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Sample CHIRP (since I do not have the 50x1; ignore that this is for my HT)
It is always a good idea that when you use CHIRP for the first time, do a DOWNLOAD FROM RADIO and save it as "original" or "default" so that you have the original settings that came with your rig. Also, this "primes" your CHIRP file with the other settings that came with your rig, such as backlight, beep, etc.
Then do a SAVE AS and give it another name (I like to use "50x1 202109282045" so that I can always tell from the date and time which is the most current as I resave to a new name when I make changes) and then make your additions to the file, such as 725 repeater in Channel 30 and then do a SAVE again.
Then do a UPLOAD TO RADIO to put these settings into your rig.
- phottomatt and 1977Hahn
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2 hours ago, crose01 said:
...It works but still after two weeks need to have a contact so I can check my output signal.
Where are you located?
What are the details of the repeater 100 miles away?
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You can hear the 650 repeater clearly, but your transmissions are just received as static.
In addition to all of these concerns, you should consider a BTECH 40 watt amplifier to give you the boost to be able to make it into that repeater (and maybe more?).
Or put the DB-20G in your truck and buy a 50 watt rig for your house?!
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51 minutes ago, OffRoaderX said:
I hope these new rules "take effect" better than the new rules on lower GMRS license fees did.......
It all depends upon whose ox is being gored:
The FCC delayed the implementation of the $35 reduced GMRS fee to coincide with the implementation of charging Hams fees for services that were previously FREE!
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According to a reviewer on Amazon (whom I have no idea if he really knows what he is talking about):
"Another interesting feature is the Hopping RX function of the GM-30. This does not actually hop frequencies, instead it secretly assigns a CTCSS/DCS tone but won’t display it in the settings...
"As a side note, it’s actually a good thing it doesn’t hop frequencies. Since GMRS radios have a very limited list of TX frequencies, you wouldn’t get too far, and it wouldn’t be that secure. Not to mention it would be generally poor radio etiquette since you would more than likely end up transmitting over other stations as you’re hopping around. So as far as creating the idea of it, it’s pretty neat. But to reiterate, I’m not too sure how practical it will be."
So getting back to my original reason for posting this thread; it was not to debate whether or not it is allowed given the FCC rules, it was:
QuoteDoes anyone have any experience with this feature on GMRS?
UPDATE: Lscott and I posted at the same time, but I think my comments in this post render our previous discussions moot. But thank you, as always you raise intellectually challenging information!
This is an introduction to the KG-935G more IMHO positioning within my radios inventory.
in Equipment Reviews
Posted
For a cost of 80% less than the cost of the RFinder B1 (Less than $200 and for which I have no experience with), check out this Network Radio:
Inrico T320 4g Internet Mobile Radio WiFi Bluetooth Radio Unlocked GSM Compatible with Zello Real PTT Android 7.0 Network Radio
I learned about it listening to the Thursday Night Net on the 700 repeater of @OffRoaderXlast night (through Zello). Actually the Net was cancelled due to the Moderator's vacation (really?!? What kind of dedication is that! hahahaha
) and those of us frustrated listeners created our own Rogue Net in its place.
He mentioned it routinely takes his T-Mobile SIMM card to allow full cell service use, as well.