Shriekmau

I was hoping for something that could operate in the 134-147 and 350-520 or 400-480. This way I could use the same radio for 2m HAM or 70cm HAM and GMRS.

Its been a while since I posted on here. Been extremely busy with work, the fiddle, and trying to spend time with my wife (I need a vacation). Had to put repeater/base station on hold for a bit. Other things came up (wife's car) that I needed to address. It might be a few more months before I can get the mobile unit like I had originally planned. I also spoke with a local HAM guy (the one with the Celwave duplexer) and I don't think his duplexer will work for my needs. Anything above 10dB will produce too much noise for my system and the repeater will not be as clear as it should be. I will probably hold off on the repeater entirely, just build a base station. Then I will eventually move into HAM and change out my base station antenna with one capable of dual-band so I can run on 2m and 70cm.

Thats great! Cobra seems to put together pretty good hardware.

As a side note, you are used to lower frequencies in the 27MHz range. Thats where CB is and those frequencies can really travel. GMRS is made for more short range, not long range. GMRS is also a bit more expensive than CB or HAM. If you are wanting long range, then you might want to look into getting your HAM license. The difference is you have to take a test to get your HAM. The cost is very low, usually somewhere around $15. The equipment is also a bit more available and might cost less than GMRS. This is just from my own observations on HAM. Others here might be able to provide more insight/clarity.

I have a Wouxun KG-UVD1P and it works very well for me. You can pick one up for around $120.00 on Amazon. There is also the Baofeng UV5R which I hear works pretty good and those can be had for $50-$75. These radios are Chinese builds so the owner's manual is in Engrish. The radios are a big pain to program by hand but can be done with enough patience. I really recommend getting the programming cable (about $15) and downloading the software from the manufacturer's website. The antennas they come with are significantly better than the ones on the Moto units you purchased and they are removable so you can swap out to better antennas. I have an after-market 15" whip for my Wouxun which ran me about $25 and it is at least twice as good as the stock one. I was able to get 2.3 miles in a heavily wooded area with extremely clear reception on both ends. Was able to get 3.5 miles in heavy foliage and down into a holler with mild static, could still be heard and hear clearly. This was out in the country, flat land, minimal houses. Be careful with these units, they are FCC part 90 which means they will work on bands other than GMRS. It is OK to listen in, but transmitting on these bands without the proper license could land you in a bit of trouble if you get caught. With these radios you can hit the MURS (Multi-Use Radio Service) which does not require a license. The frequency is in the 151MHz and 154MHz range, with 5 total channels. Since the frequency is much lower it will travel farther than the 460-470MHz or 70cm band. Operating in those lower channels puts you closer to HAM frequencies and the 2 meter band. In areas like yours they are less likely to see traffic so you could use them to get more distance without needing a license. Ultimately if you want range you are going to need elevation. For example, I have mounted a omnidirectional fiberglass antenna to my house and ran the cable inside to my radio. I am just using my Wouxun connected to it but am able to transmit over 2 miles with only a 5 watt output in a residential area with some elevation changes and pine trees. When I get my mobile unit I will have a 40 watt output and should be able to get somewhere around 10-12 miles. The higher the antenna the better. Mine is only at 25' and the improvement is remarkable even on my little portable.

I don't mean to insinuate that your purchase was a poor one. Those radios are very good for what they were intended: hunting, hiking, car to car on interstate, family use at theme parks, etc. The application you wish to use them for is just a bit beyond their capabilities unless you can get within 0.5 miles of the repeater you wish to use.

Hey and welcome! You live in the south, like me, and are plagued with a radio nuisance called pine trees. Due to the physical shape and water retention properties of the pine needles, they absorb EMR (electro-magnetic radiation or RF). Additionally, due to the nature of the GMRS frequencies (460-470 MHz), your signal will be GREATLY impacted by elevation changes as well as other natural and man-made obstructions. The radios you are using (bubble pack radios) also make use of what is known as a "rubber duck" or "stubbie" antenna. These antennas do not have good reception in heavy foliage or areas with elevation changes. The effective radiated power or ERP of your radios is likely less than the advertised power. This is because the power output at the transceiver (which is where the wattage reported on the packaging is measured) is less than the actual power transmitted from the antenna. Your model radio uses 0.5 watts on FRS channels and 1.0 watts on GMRS channels. Combined with the elevation changes in your area and the heavy foliage, I would estimate your actual transmit distance at an average of 0.6 - 0.75 miles and that is being generous. Keep in mind, the distance estimates on the package are in perfect conditions. Weather, altitude, terrain, foliage, etc. all play into the effective distance of your radio. If you want a decent handheld with some range without paying an arm and a leg, I would suggest looking into the Wouxun or Baofeng line of portables. Others here will definitely be able to provide other suggestions as well.

JohnE is definitely one of the more experienced members with these types of software. I will message him and see if he can provide some insight.

Awesome! Thanks for the resources.

Looks like an awesome resource John. I will dig into this during some free time this evening. Thank you!

Very nice, looks like a fiberglass omni atop a yagi? Using the yagi with a motorized mount?

Absolutely! The mobile unit I am looking at touts a 40 watt output so I should see somewhere around 35 watt actual output plus the antenna gain. So it might be a little better. I should be ordering my mobile in 2-4 weeks, won't be too long.

I took your advice and contacted my insurance agent (mother in-law). She looked it up and spoke directly with the insurance company. If I do not tie into any electrical equipment or build a structure taller than 30' then I am fine if I go ungrounded. If I ground the antenna or put it on a structure where the elevation is 30' or more above ground (requires grounding) then a licensed electrician must come out and inspect it. I already tried the argument that I have an EE degree but that doesn't mean diddly when it comes to state regulations and certifications. Plus a licensed electrician or master electrician probably knows more about the real world applications than I do or is at least more up to date. I have an aluminum 1.25" OD aluminum EMT conduit as my mast. I ended up using a gable mount to get the base of the mast off the ground approximately 13.5 - 14' and extending 4' above the ridge vent. The antenna is mounted with 0.5" of the support pipe above the mast and the bottom mounting bracket is 0.25" from the bottom of the support pipe. Total height is approximately 25' which brings the tip of the antenna to about 202' above sea level. This puts me under the 30' mark where I would need permits and an electrician to come out. I do not have it grounded and the LMR400 is in a mason jar (luckily I have plenty of those). Since I will be running it as a base station for a while before reconfiguration as a repeater this will do for now. I can just disconnect the LMR and put it in the jar when not in use. I will figure out something down the road closer to time for the repeater configuration.

ROFL, you caught on that it was a DNS issue as well huh? I ran several network tests yesterday and found the secondary DNS for the site was down. When I ran ICMP requests to the domain I was getting 60% loss with 40% TTL exceeded indicating the DNS was failing. Unfortunately, I had no way of getting in contact with anyone to let them know. I was aware of the cause of the issue around 8:30AM CDT yesterday. Not that it would have helped but at least the cause of the problem would have been known.

You guys make 2 very good points. On one hand proper grounding is a good idea, while on the other hand ground provides a path of least resistance. If I ground the antenna properly then I would surely be saving radio equipment if a strike were to happen, but at the same time I would be making my antenna a target since the lightning would have least resistance if it hit my antenna versus the tree 40ft away. If the lightning were to strike the antenna when grounded it would almost surely take out the antenna while providing that path of least resistance. The antenna when grounded would also become a veritable lightning rod. If I do not ground the antenna then it would be less likely to get hit, but more likely to damage radio equipment if a strike were to occur. Looks like I need to weigh the pros and cons of this situation. Do I turn my antenna into a lightning rod, safeguarding my equipment but increasing risk of strike and possibly more frequent antenna replacement? Or do I go ungrounded, thereby reducing the risk of a strike but in the event of a strike significantly increasing the chances of equipment being damaged? Depending on what I decide to do I might take you up on that arrestor offer John. If I do not ground the system that arrestor would be a bit of insurance for my equipment. Going back to the days of EE in college this makes sense but this is just from experiments and electrical theory from books, not real world experience. Anyone else have experience/ideas?

That sounds plausible for a base station where you will only connect it when you use it, but eventually my antenna will be used for my repeater. Since I will be leaving the repeater on most of the time (and I live in Florida close to the lightning strike capital of the country) it would not be advisable to use this method. I should go ahead and ground the system properly now so I don't have to go back and do it in a few months anyway. I think I will take the advice to run the 4 gauge wire to the grounding rod. Its going to be difficult to get a grounding rod that distance from the house (and the other grounding rod on this side of the house) without getting it in lawnmower territory. Would hate to forget my grounding rod is there and run over my wire with the mower. Thats something I will have to figure out. Also, the ground wire needs to run directly to the grounding rod without any sharp turns correct? That could cause some issues if trying to run it underground right?

I might add that my antenna will be on the same side of the house as my power company box, so their grounding rod is available to tie into. Would this be advisable? If so, what is the best way to connect my antenna to the grounding rod?

OK, being new to base station and repeater building I have a very important question. What is the best way to ground a fiberglass antenna? To explain my setup: I will be installing a gable antenna mount which has a 6' extender pole on my single story home. The antenna is 3.7ft tall for an overall height of approximately 24.7ft above ground level. My location is 177ft above sea level which puts my antenna 201.7ft above sea level. I am on a hill which is at a higher elevation than a lot of the surrounding area. There are nearby trees which will extend to higher altitudes than my antenna. The antenna itself is grounded with a DC ground, but I need to know how to tie this in and create a proper ground. I do not wish to damage my home or radio equipment because I ignorantly installed my ground. Any and all help/recommendation is appreciated.

Thanks for the heads up! I personally will not be using the channels as I do not have a marine license anyway. I have tried telling the other hunters about this but they have already invested the money in their equipment and do not want to change. I have done my part in trying to educate them. If they choose not to change then they can deal with the consequences should they get caught. Apparently they have been using the marine channels for years. To date they have not been warned or reported. All it takes is one though. They are located in an area where there are no boats and their little marine HTs will not go far enough to hit seafaring vessels. The only people that will know they are doing anything wrong are people like me who know they aren't bothering anyone. Now if they decide to install mobile units that is a different story. I do not know if their marine HTs can hit the MURS channels, but I will check with them and see.

It was, but the wattage is not what I am looking for with the limited antenna altitude I will have. Thanks for the review on the AT-5888UV! I am jonesing for it real bad but I have to wait a paycheck or two.

OK, plan is starting to take shape: Purchased antenna, cable, connectors, and duplexer Will mount antenna to side of house on 6ft mounting pole Run cable inside and have a N-female to SMA-female connecting to my HT (temporary to play with) In a month or two buy the AT-5888UV and connect it to the Astron and antenna (base station is born) Shop around for some inexpensive GM300 Hook GM300 pair to Astron, duplexer, and antenna (repeater completed)I found out the duplexer is already tuned for GMRS. As long as no other base stations or repeaters are using those frequencies then I can just leave the duplexer as is. The GM300 will need to be programmed correctly, but that shouldn't be difficult to get done. Then I can use the AT-5888UV as a mobile base station until I car mount it.

Thanks for the input! The tower may be out but the plan is still developing. Any input is extremely appreciated!

Yeah, thats what I was thinking. We are on the same page.