MichaelLAX

I found the manual and it looks like Paragraph 6.3 is CTCSS scanning and Paragraph 6.4 is DCS scanning (digital tones). Listen in when you hear a conversation on a repeater channel and try it and see if they can hear you once you select the proper tone. Let us know if it works!

WELCOME to GMRS! If it were me, I would go up on the repeater and ask permission there and if they are testy, tell them you wrote and no reply. Since there are only 8 GMRS repeater pairs, I like to SCAN and if I hear obvious repeater communications on those channel, I take notes. Can your rig "scan" CTCSS tones, that is, tell you what tone is being used by the repeater users when they transmit. This is a very handy feature and I may buy another HT just to get that feature! My "ham radio" Yaesu FT-857d can do that feature for me now, but it cannot transmit on the GMRS channels; only receive. It is necessary to know the repeater tone for your transmissions to be "heard" by the repeater. Using tones for your reception is optional; they help eliminate interference to you from other repeaters on the same frequency. Since I am an explorer, I never use reception tones, so I can always hear what other activity is present and then do some tone and location research about the others I hear. You have, of course, looked at the San Diego area of the map here on MyGMRS? UPDATE: the previous poster, OffRoaderX, has a terrific series of YouTube instructional videos about GMRS and other topics: Search NotARubicon on YouTube and Subscribe and Thumbs Up him, if you like his videos!

I drove 180 miles to get free fast charging from the Calif Department of Transportation in Kettleman City for my EV (and some BBQ at Bravo Farms)! Hahaha ?

Can I mod my Kenwood TH-22at’s to work on MURS? My TH-79d to work on MURS and GRMS?

Two impulse buys: The Baofeng BF-888 for less than $15 including sales tax and free shipping from Amazon and the Baofeng BF-T1 for less than $21 including sales tax and free shipping from eBay. I will probably just program them with my default "Chirp" file, connect them (one at a time) to my rooftop Comet and see how it compares in performance to hitting my favorite repeaters... And then they will go into the pile of UV-5Rs that I already own! hahaha That 6 meter Wouxun dual-bander HT looks interesting, though... My teenage years were spent on 6 meters AM enjoying the unpredictable skip!

It cost every one of us 2 cents per day to buy our GRMS license from the FCC; how long should you wait for it to cost 1 cent per day?!?

Is 6 meters making a comeback?

You don’t, but if you give me your email, I will send you the CP I wrote for the PAPA System. You can send me a PM

I told you I had code plugs but it is a good educational exercise to do them yourself.

Your Retevis Ra-25 can do GMRS and MURS and 2 meters and 70 cm.

Yes, code plugs are available. Radioddity's v2.02 CPS software already includes those channels; see screenshot below (and yes, Radioddity seems to have the Channel Spacing and TX Power settings set incorrectly for some of those channels): These are tips for the "similar" Anytone AT-799UV a/k/a Radioddity DB-20G: ---------------------------------------------------------------- Open up the Ham 2 meter and 70 cm bands to transmit on the USA version: 1) Turn off the power. 2) While holding down the V/M button, turn on the power. Use the Up and Down arrow keys to change from the GMRS setting on the display to 136-174 MHz; 400-470 MHz and now power down. 3) When you power back up licensed operators can now transmit on the GMRS channels and the 2 meter and 70 cm Ham bands. ---------------------------------------------------------------- Giving a Channel an alphanumeric name without using a computer: 1) Go to the appropriate Channel 2) Push the FUN button and using the V/M and MAIN buttons to go through the Menu items until you reach Function 29: DSPCHANNEL and using the Up and Down arrow buttons, select NAME. Push the FUN button to exit the Function menu. 3) Push the FUN button and using the V/M and MAIN buttons to go through the Menu items until you reach Function 12: CHANNEL NAME. Using the Up and Down Arrow buttons, scroll through the list of 1-0, A-Z and a-z to find the first letter. When you do find it, push the MON button to confirm that character and move to the 2nd position. Repeat as necessary until up to 8 characters are entered. 4) When finished push the FUN button to exit the Function Mode. ---------------------------------------------------------------- Programming a repeater channel without using a computer: 1) Switch to VFO mode (from Channel Mode) using the V/M key 2) Using the number keys on the mic, enter the repeater's output frequency 3) On the mic, push FUN then 9 repeatedly until the proper split (+ or - or blank for Off) appears above the frequency. 4) Press the FUN key on the Radio and use the V/M and Main keys as an up/down to get to function 10:Offset. Use the Up and Down arrow keys to set your offset split, such as 5.00000MHz or 0.60000MHz (you can hold down the Up or Down key to have it continuously change). Once you get to the proper offset, push the FUN key again. 5) Press the FUN key on the Radio and go to Function 01:T-CDC and use the Up and Down keys to find the proper transmit PL Tone. Use the same method to optionally set the proper receive PL Tone, if necessary, on Function 02:R-CDC (or Function 03: RT-CDC if both tones are the same) 6) You can rotate through High, Medium and Low transmit power using FUN and 0 (zero) on the mic. 7) Save to the first open channel by pushing Fun and UP on the microphone (or then use the UP and DN keys on the mic to scroll through the available channels, with empty ones saying NULL ? Save to this channel holding down the "MON-*" key on the mic and you are done! ---------------------------------------------------------------- Use DCS Digital Tones: Go to desired channel Press FUN on mic Press 1 on mic Go to menu 1 using V/M or Main key on mic Press number 1 on mic to cycle to 000 N display for menu 1 Use up and down on mic to scroll to code corresponding to desired DCS code. List is in the instructions. Use V/M or Main to go to menu item 2. Repeat selection process Press DIL on mic to exit. _________________________________________________________________ New Radioddity DB20-G CPS software V2.02 1. Change the default bandwidth from Narrow to Wide. 2. Address the bug that "when repeater TX frequency change, RX frequency automatically match" ----------------------------------------------------------------

Great tip; thank you! I want to get away from those radios that are GMRS Repeater capable but "not Part 95 certified" for friends and family that might be made nervous by that issue, so the Radioddity version provides that "sleep at night" capability. But it is good to see other, more powerful wattage options available. I am due to receive on Tuesday an HT for less than $15 (including sales tax) that should be GMRS repeater capable (but no Part 95 certification) for my further experimentation.

You are correct! Exactly what I was looking for: “Cheap” Bubble-Pack Part 95 certified HTs that have GMRS Repeater capability!

Looks like Radioddity saw the need and supplied the radio: FRS unlicensed radios that include GMRS repeater channels: Radioddity GM-N1 FRS/GMRS HTs 2 watts; permanently fixed antenna, 0.5 watts and Narrow Band on Channels 8-14 (from programming software), listed under "LICENSE-FREE SERIES" on Radioddity's Download page (for software and manual). Bubble-Pack HTs that include GMRS repeater capability!

Also get an easy mount/dismount: I got the cupholder mount from Amazon and easily bring it up to my shack for connection to my rooftop Comet tri-bander! Great operational results!

Now if my $99 Anytone AT-779UV a/k/a Radioddity DB-20G could only transmit MURS in addition to GMRS, 2 meters and 70 cms! Thanks for the tip! And the cite to the Free Radio Forum!

I think you both will be very happy with the Radioddity DB-20G and Retevis Ra25! Let me know if you need any help with the codeplug.

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They were SO ahead of their time; I hate to sell mine for peanuts: So everything is in one box! You have the hand speaker mic with volume control; mine does not have the control, but I use mine with my Baofeng UV-5x3 Tri-band (144, 220, 440) in the shack. I do not recognize the 12v charger; mine had a 120v AC wall wort that would charge the attached battery, but I also had the desktop dual charger/fast charger. The expendable battery pack should only be used with alkaline 1.5v AAs and not 1.2v rechargeables. I see an extra telescoping antenna, but not sure if it is dual-band. I always loved my telescoping 5/8 wave for 2 meters (1/4 wave when not telescoped) but it was a long doozy! Would really increase the range. These radios could "clone" each other over the air, so that all channels would be duplicated. I believe RT sells software for this model, but I never purchased it; just inputted everything by hand then cloned my other TH-22a from the other one. The battery packs were originally Nickel Cadmium, but I had mine rebuilt into Nickel Metal Hydride. Then a Lithium-Ion pack became available so I purchased one of these (with its own charger wort), too. There are other battery packs that will give you either longer time or higher power (PB33 and PB34). I also have the headset for VOX use when I bicycle-mobiled in the 1990s. Depending upon the condition of the battery pack, this will do you well for when you just need analog simplex/repeater for 144/440 use and the price is right! Check eBay for: newly manufactured battery packs and 12v battery replacement (that will actually run the unit while in the car), but they will easily cost more than the whole kit and kobuttle! hahaha

I am surprised that no one recommended the Jerry Ziliak Morse Code method: After years of hitting a wall at 15 wpm, I used it back in 1995 to get me to 20 wpm for the Amateur Extra exam. Here is the information from Amazon for the $20 mp3 CD of his original cassette tapes set: Link to Amazon

The recently released Anytone AT-779UV a/k/a Radioddity DB-20G a/k/a Retevis Ra25 (retail $99 - $129) has the following benefits for your needs, Jas: • GMRS, 2 meters and 70 cms • 18 watts • cigarette lighter plug for power ª scannable • repeater capable • small form (fits in the palm of your hand) Could be an inexpensive way to achieve all of your needs in all of your vehicles.

I have two TH-79A's but one of them is dead (as well as two TH-22s). Did you buy two 79s at the swap meet or connect it to something else?

Did you know that you can also transmit on 2 meters and 70 cm on your Radioddity DB-20G, using the software supplied by Radioddity (or power down, hold down V/M button, power up and change Frequency Menu from US GMRS to 136-174 MHz; 400-470 MHz ; power down and power back up again)!

I program all my Windows CPS software on my Mac using Windows in an emulator program called Parallels. I've been using Windows on my Mac since the late 1990s.

Reach out to OffroaderX here on this Forum, he built such a repeater https://forums.mygmrs.com/topic/2964-beginner-here/?do=findComment&comment=27933&_rid=5516 and posted this YouTube video: