MichaelLAX

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! ?

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: 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! ?

I have read the two links you provided: I believe my HT utilizes F3E for sure, with the possibility that the Frequency Hopping feature might use some or none of the features of F1D and F2D; all of which are approved by the FCC for GMRS. Again, I do not believe that Spread Spectrum is implemented in this $30 HT.

Unless it is based upon a frequency hopping algorithm that is matched by both HTs, and just utilizes the FM modulation permitted by the FCC for GMRS, which I believe is the case with these HTs. Further, I believe they are not using Spread Spectrum, as I indicated before. Spread Spectrum in a $30 HT?!? I think not...

that's possible, but I am not at my computer right now and it is much too difficult to read these rules on my iPhone. But thank you for pointing that out, except I never said: "it doesn't say it's not allowed." My point was in response to Lscott's comment: I have never said that the feature on my Pofung P15UV utilizes "spread spectrum," and perhaps he was confusing the two features. But no point in debating before I read the rules he has linked.

I’ll read the link later, but I think you are confusing the simple Frequency Hopping feature of these HTs with the much more complicated: FHSS this is no different than changing channels after each transmission, an example of which I gave above.

Thank you for those two articles, but I do not read anything in there that would indicate that Frequency Hopping is prohibited for GMRS. I would suggest that I could have a pre-arranged chart of random GMRS channels with another user and at the end of each transmission, just before I identified, I would say: "Channel X" where "X" is the channel listed on our pre-arranged sheet, but coded for any other listeners. And then we would move to that next channel. It seems that the Frequency Hopping feature just implements that scheme automatically. Just a guess on my part, since I do not have a 2nd HT to try it out.

Amazing how technology has progressed in 75 years!

I said I would ID on EVERY transmission; I do not believe it hops during transmission.

Thank you for your thoughtful questions: I wouldn't consider a $30 radio "fancy," but your mileage may differ. The technology checks to be sure the frequency is clear before transmitting on it and yes, I plan to "ID" at the end of every transmission. It is a small price to pay to be able to use this feature! How does it know? That is the essence of the patent granted to Hedy Lamar (now expired) for her WWII invention! As to your statement: I don't believe I ever affirmatively said that the FCC rules do allow that use. I asked Lscott why he assumed otherwise.

I just LOVE this comment on another thread: ?

The Radioddity GM-30 and Pofung P15UV are clearly not digital voice, so your concern is misplaced on that issue. Acknowledging your second concern, I think you mistakenly left off the repeater output channels, which are clearly available for simplex operations, too. Fifteen channels to use for frequency hopping is more than enough. As to your first concern, do you have any information that it is not allowed under the FCC Rules? Why would you assume otherwise?

Without getting into too long of a background explanation, I chose to experiment with DMR by purchasing the Radioddity RD-5R some years ago, as it was a clone of the Baofeng UV-5R case and I can easily use my existing accessories, primarily my extra-capacity batteries (it came with its own different style USB cable, that does not include a chip) and was only $70. It is apparently based upon the Radioddity GD-77. I can hit three DMR repeaters from my rooftop antenna being a member of the PAPA System. I have enjoyed using it since that time, although it has two features missing from the GD-77 (probably to keep the market for the GD-77 active): I cannot program a new TalkGroup from the keyboard; I must use the CPS software; and It's memory is limited so I cannot store the complete Digital ID library and be able to see Ham callsigns instead of the Digital ID number. There is an interesting side project online that has "hacked" the firmware and apparently opens up quite a bit of utility on this HT. I have yet to try it out. I have had simplex communications on 446.0 MHz here in Los Angeles.

Does anyone have any experience with this feature on GMRS? I notice that on Randy's YouTube review of the Radioddity GM-30, he said he could not get that feature (Menu Item 39) to turn on, and a friend I have met on this website, also confirms he cannot turn on this feature on his GM-30. I have the clone Pofung P15UV and I can indeed turn it on, Hopping RX (Menu Item 39), but so far I have no one to test it with. Both the Radioddity and the Pofung Manual describes this function briefly (although the Pofung Manual incorrectly claims it is Menu Item 40):

Nope: I am done with 935 and this thread. I only "chimed in" again because I felt that your quote of my statement needed to be clarified. Hopefully no one else will find it important enough to drag me back in here. thank you and good luck!

I'd appreciate it if you would quote me in context. As noted below, I was asking what is wrong with a Repeater owner using odd codes/settings for the repeater so that only those users that pay a subscription fee gain access. This is a common device used by many non-profit repeater groups. There was no discussion previous to my question that the repeater was being operated for a profit. That being said, thank you for the citation to the FCC rules prohibiting for-profit repeaters.

[deleted by poster]

Thank you for clarifying that for us.

Every SHTF radio in SoCal should also have 450.7 MHz programmed into it (on a "scan-off" setting), so that when, for example, an earthquake hits, you can get immediate access to KNX-AM (1070 Hz), which is a great source for emergency information.

To bring this particular discussion back to focus: NOAA was an anecdotal example on my part why it is better to purchase a dual-band antenna.

After having to use Windows to manually program my codeplugs for my Pofung P15UV the GREAT news is that this TYT TH-UV88 works with CHIRP!! So, I just download the default settings from the TYT into CHIRP; save it as "original," save it again as today's date, make my settings changes and then copy and paste from my CHIRP default set of channels, save and UPLOAD and I am ready to hit the road SCANNING (F-1) all of my favorite simplex frequencies and repeaters on GMRS, 2 meters, 70 cms and MURS! AND it comes with its own USB to K-1 programming cable.

Stewart Armstrong Copeland was born in Alexandria, Virginia, on July 16, 1952,[7][8] the youngest of four children of Scottish archaeologist Lorraine Adie and Alabama-born CIA officer Miles Copeland Jr. According to his 1989 biography[9] and files released by the CIA in 2008,[10] his father was a founding member of the OSS and the CIA. The family moved to Cairo a few months after Copeland's birth. When he was five years old, the family moved to Beirut,[11] where he attended the American Community School. He started taking drum lessons at age 12 and was playing drums for school dances within a year. He later moved to England, attending Millfield boarding school in Somerset from 1967 to 1969.[11] He went to college in California, enrolling at Alliant International University and the University of California, Berkeley. His eldest brother, Miles Copeland III, founded I.R.S. Records and became the manager of the Police. He has also overseen Copeland's interests in other music projects. His other brother, the late Ian Copeland, was a pioneering booking agent who represented the Police and many others.

It just arrived!!! I am charging up the battery and will program it tonight!

Really?!? There is SO much to deconstruct here: Firstly you quote me out of context, then you give a whole fact pattern to "pay to play" that was never previously discussed in this thread, and then quote me again to imply that I agreed with this fraudulent enterprise! But more disturbing is your Ad Hominem trolling attack on my Metadata on this forum: Have you ever driven 40 miles north to help a Newbie find a repeater in his area? Basics for a Beginner... Have you ever driven 120 miles to the south to help a Newbie find a repeater in his area? Repeater Question Have you ever donated a box of low-cost Baofeng HTs to a non-profit group that assists the homeless in Atlantic City with its own GMRS repeater? Non-Profit Help Please These and other of my activities here take up messaging on this forum and there is no relevance to my number of posts compared to yours... The fact of the matter is that I couldn't care less what you do with GMRS and your posts on this Forum. It was my mistake to ask you a couple of questions (and YES: the last question was NOT even addressed to YOU; it was addressed to tweiss3!) So in the future, I will go out of my way to not bump into you here, and I would appreciate your courtesy, Sir, to do likewise!!

Thanks for the battery tip. Why did you buy a TYT since you already have the GM-30? Every since Stockjock told me about the Pofung P15UV, which he received to review for Amazon, I have been so happy I purchased one for $28; primarily because it has the ability to scan CTCSS and DCS tones to aid in my repeater hunting. I have been a bit frustrated in that the P15UV seems pretty well "locked" into only transmitting on GMRS and I really enjoy the full experience of transmitting on GMRS, 2 meters and 70 cm that my Anytone AT-779UV allows, but it is not an HT. I went to drive up to Chatsworth Peak yesterday to do a little repeater hunting and brought my P15UV as well as a UV-5HP (for 2 meter and 70 cm transmissions) and of course the Anytone already in my car. I went beyond the antenna farm up higher, off the paved road until I reached the top: it was a little challenging as my "Jeep" is really a low center of gravity 2 wheel drive Chevy Bolt EV! hahahaha I did some scanning up there and after bringing up the Jet Propulsion Lab (CalTech) Repeater chart for SoCal, worked my way into a few repeaters and met some new friends! I know I can already hit the PVARC Ham repeater up there from my home shack, and hopefully today I will be able to hit the new ones too. I tried to reach PapaTree simplex, but it was just not in the cards from there. The reason I ordered the TYT is that I have learned it is easily "opened" so that it will transmit on GMRS, too! It will be great to have that capability again on a solid 5 watt HT and for only $30, free shipping: Let Get Ready