PACNWComms

This was brought up in a previous thread about "standards".....I was the one to mention that the Wyoming idea was based upon the area code, I used to live in Cheyenne. Now in the Pacific Northwest, there was a push for FRS channel 1, in use by the Coast Guard and search and rescue in some coastal areas. Then, someone else said to use the 3-3-3 method, which is based on three per-centers and use of the third channel on a radio. There has actually been a lot of discussion on which channels, tones, and when to monitor what in these threads. You will find a lot of discussion on this subject, and differences around the country. Glad people are discussing this, and have some method, although some seem more prevalent and easier to recall when needed. For some light reading, here are two of the previous threads below.

+1 on this. And why many law enforcement squad cars still have some sort of scanner in their console, along with their comms. Plenty of people still use analog VHF and UHF in the commission of crimes. Whatever is cheap and abundant. Go to an auction of seized items and there will be groupings of CB, FRS/GMRS radios and beat up handheld scanners taken off of perps. If they were smart, they would find a lucrative job, or way to make more money.

The DTR series is the same, only four digits. What I did have happen once though, was a group that set many channels to different hopsets, and they were smart enough to change channels often. However, we are still talking about a 1 watt radio. As for the government backdoors, I do not know about that, if they have them or not. VSELP and FHSS would take some test equipment, but should not be outside the capability of a three letter agency or even SPAWAR or whatever they go by now. What I experience in my area, is a lot of users of DTR and DPL radios leaving them defaulted, so my DTR on a default hopset hears all of them talking....usually tugboats. This area is saturated by UHF (FRS/GMRS) radios, so they must have wanted something else, in the unlicensed ISM band. Motorola must have sold every barge, crane and construction crew in the region DTR and DPL radios, they are all over the place. So, they also end up in crimes, probably with default settings.

They are not even worth the shipping costs, and then I would have to dig for them, somewhere in the garage buried in a box somewhere. eXRS radios were that bad.

I'll have to look into that model as a second unit. Currently, I have been using my SW-102 for handhelds by attaching the metal plate for a ground plane and removing the thumb stud, butit is a bit tedious. It does work though.

Frequency Hopping Spread Spectrum ISM band radios like the Motorola DTR and similar series, with a custom hopset loaded......oh wait, legal, yes, legal....lol.

Received the legit Motorola brochure and documents sent to my work email account, but still no pricing. I foresee buying as many XPR7550e radios as possible to keep consistent radios in use a while longer, until APX transition takes place. With the current supply chain issues with receiving product from Motorola, unless these are very cheap and available (made in USA or possibly Mexico if they can get them over the border fast enough), these won't hit the streets for a while. Not holding my breathe.

My first GMRS radio was some version of Motorola TalkAbout, I think it was some 62xx series, and I still have them buried somewhere. Getting back into it again recently, I dug out a Motorola CDM1550LS+and mounted it to a power supply, and connected a Laird NMO antenna. (The one in my icon picture). Then, I programmed an older Motorola XPR6550 radio for GMRS use. It was only recently that I added a Radiodity GM-30 handheld (which I put away somewhere and need to firmware upgrade) and a mobile VHF/UHF DB20-G which works great mobile. However, I now wish I had room in my current car for a Motorola mobile.....may have to search for a good HHCH (Hand Held Control Head) mobile to save space up front. They just work better.

In my area, this is still done with Yeasu VX-7R/8R versions, and it was not just law enforcement. The Coast Guard has been noticed doing this as well. I live on the coast, so there are lots of people trying to transit local waterways. Some may be carrying people and cargo. My own VX-7R is one of my more useful radios, I used to use it to radio check almost everything in the radio room/rack of many of the local vessels that respond to oil spills. We also have many Auxilliary Communications Services (ACS) in the area, that have replaced Emergency Communications groups, with the ACS staffed by retired/former law enforcement and federal agents that also enjoy amateur radio. Much more effective than the emcomm crowd in this area. Having someone that has time to monitor, and still has the authority to arrest as needed. Great point on the use of amateur radio by law enforcement.

This thread just made my week. You see, I, like OP here have done the exact same thing to a few radios over the years. Then, to make it even more interesting, I paused the movie I was watching, and took this picture. I watch this movie at times, as I began my professional career working on ICBM's and now have worked in radio for a long time. Just an interesting coincidence, but made me laugh. Easy solution for the other/better half, buy her another radio, now you have two that are freebanded, enjoy.

This is true in my area as well. When FRS/GMRS (pre-2017) radios were becoming more common and available in blister packs at big box stores, local law enforcement often found criminals using them. This led to some even carrying FRS/GMRS radios in scan mode themselves, and the programming of squad car scanners (often Uniden Bearcat models) with a bank just to monitor this frequency band. Just like pagers and cell phones, any communications method that may assist in legitimate use, will also benefit criminal enterprise.

Noise that changes due to engine RPM is a common issue in other types of radio installation as well. Noise suppressors can help, and it was common to use them with AM Citizen's Band radio, think "Convoy" days. This applies now as well, even with FM radio. Here is a link for Crutchfield, the seller of car stereo equipment, which discusses how to mitigate this problem. https://www.crutchfield.com/S-YvooC7Rfvdw/learn/learningcenter/car/noise_suppressors_installation_guide.html

Yes, people are responsible for their own actions. Now, where do they get the idea to do certain things.....often times other people. Take what someone else says for what it is worth, an opinion. That applies on these forums, on YouTube videos, and everywhere else in life. This is yet another example of the "ham radio mindset" just in this forum instead of YouTube in this case.

Great advice given for different types of splice connectors. My only input is to buy a tool that will give you a better crimp than a standard pair of pliers. The cheap version, available at Home Depot (where you can also get the butt style and male/female splices in the electrical section) is at this link https://www.homedepot.com/p/Commercial-Electric-9-3-4-in-Crimping-Tool-and-Cutter-CE180409/300715141 However, if you think you will be doing more of this, connecting a new car stereo, adding more GMRS gear to your shack, I would recommend the Klein Tools version of the tool, often copied but usually not to the same quality standards at this link https://www.homedepot.com/p/Klein-Tools-Crimping-and-Cutting-Tool-for-Connectors-1005SEN/100352095

For newer/better made radios, this is true.....you can get away with transmitting without a load......as he shows in the video. However, it is bad practice as he is stressing that protection function. This could result in damage if the user takes this practice to a radio or other RF type of device (test equipment, and setting combiners or du/multiplexers) that does not have this protection function. This is also why many radios still have a default or "as shipped" setting for a transmit "Timeout Timer" that is usually set for 60 seconds. This also prevents hot mic conditions as well. While the advice in the video is correct in this case.....he may be responsible for many people who may try this with older equipment, rendering it useless, or adjusting their gear with less precision and accuracy as a result. There is a reason that many radio related test procedures start with connecting a 50 Ohm dummy load, or using a specific amount of attenuation. My professional radio related experience began with heavy transportable military (Raytheon) satellite communications terminals. These terminals requires 50 Ohm dummy loads, a specific (lowest necessary) transmit power and frequency, and adjustments to be made while transmitting, with a note to transmit for as short a time as it was necessary to get a good reading or adjustment. Then double check after letting the gear cool down at bit. After twenty years, the shift is now to transmit at max power (off satellite of course) and adjust attenuation to bring power output down. This is contrary to how it was done in the past, but not wrong for current equipment. As for heat, well I have used thermal images to identify antennas on board large vessels, by having someone key up the radio and looking at which antenna gets warm. Many of the ships I worked on had up to fifty antennas spread across them, and with that antenna farm, looking at the heat signature was the best way to map out which radio was in use.

This is huge in my part of the Pacific Northwest....along with "pine" needles (pine being used for all conifer frees). I have had many people think that the range mentioned on many GMRS radios sold in pairs is realistic. UHF comms are always impacted in conifer forests and wet environments, yet it is also somewhat cheaper than 800 MHz when you have to buy spectrum and hope to get a license. With the telco's and public safety using that spectrum, many commercial enterprises, hobbyists, and others have to resort to UHF, or even VHF in this area once again, as it was pre-1980's. Then they find that going down to 450-470 MHz is not working in the forest or during rain, unless the systems can compensate automatically (P25 digital GTR based system), or going down further to VHF. Back to GMRS, the combination of marketing and environmental impact to signal propagation causes a lot of issues for those that try to us GMRS for their businesses, hiking in the wilderness (mostly conifer forests), and others in a similar frequency band. This is where power comes into play, and optimizing installation practices. It is common to find coax connectors corroded, or heliax filled with water if connections are not protected properly. Great point on attenuation at UHF frequencies, this is something many people do not even realize or prepare for.

When I recently got back into GMRS......have been doing commercial radio for decades, but have carried many pre-2017 FRS/GMRS radios for years, I also bought that Amazon combo package. I have yet to dig out the GM-30 handheld, as it was not the easiest to program, driver issues with the programming cable. But, the DB20-G has been a great radio, as it fits a dash cubby in my daily driver car, still puts out a realistic 20 watts, and is easy to program. This is a great radio, as others have said, and you will find it useful and convenient. Enjoy.

Glad that is working out for you. For other possibilities: For most of my use cases with GMRS, I am running some sort of Motorola radio. So I end up using lip mounts with a NMO (New Motorola) base, and a Laird 1/4 wave 6" long antenna. they are fairly discrete, yet still get out well when mobile. Shown in my picture is a magnet mount Laird GB8UM with mini-UHF connector (for mobile Motorola radios), and a Laird QW450 (to 470MHz) antenna that works very well with GMRS in the 462-467 MHz spectrum.

Courtesy of the FCC. More info on the Motorola R7 radio. https://fccid.io/AZ489FT7143 https://fccid.io/AZ489FT7143/External-Photos/External-Photos-5510180 https://fccid.io/AZ489FT7143/Internal-Photos/Internal-Photos-5510186 https://fccid.io/AZ489FT7143/Users-Manual/Manual-5510184

History in a way is repeating itself. I recall being sold a demo model of the Harris Multiband XG-100P Unity radio, VHF, UHF1/2, 7/800 MHz and GPS, several years before the Motorola APX series came out with the option of picking up to three Rf modules. Then working for the military and moving into the private sector (emergency response for the oil industry), the idea was this radio would replace the dual band IS rated Vertex Duo/FTH-2070. Well, that did not work well at all, the Harris radio was way too expensive, and the software was not developed enough for many of the features to be useful. Only federal agents, with taxpayer money behind them could purchase them. The one radio I bought required my computer MAC address, and hard drive to affiliate with Harris servers, and Radio Program Manager could only be placed onto this one computer. Then the hard drive crashed, and it was a verification of paperwork with Harris, essentially doing the same process as setting up a new computer with software, registering it with Harris, then connecting to the Internet to verify all over again. Nothing like Motorola CPS where I can download it and load it to every programming computer I have. Fast forward a dozen years and the Harris Unity is discontinued, along with the Thales Liberty, a similar attempt. The APX7000 is ending its production life....and the APX8000 is taking over. Then they bring out the APX Next and Trbo Ion.....which is too expensive, going down the path of subscription as a service (wish I had a copy of that email where my Motorola rep said "since we are all enjoying software as a service".....said nobody in my org ever), and ending product lines earlier than they stated only months prior. I did notice that the APX NEXT and Trbo Ion has not been pitched too hard, I think they realize these models are chip intensive, and they can't even get APX4000's delivered on time, stressing the APX line over Trbo for higher profit margins (I have many XPR7550e's on order since March of 2021 that have yet to deliver). This will be an interesting few years, but the decline of Motorola has been in effect for a while now. Think tech support and production in Mexico, Malaysia, Israel and Chicago, in descending order. Schaumburg is not what it used to be. This may not end well. Although, I may now have to scramble for more XPR7550e radios to tide some sites over until the APX transition.

Posting this here about the XPR7550e replacement, the R7. I was also posting some items in the RR forums, as there was discussion there as well (many thought it was the Ion series, others posted a DP400 Australian DMR radio from 2014). The picture in the gallery is accurate. This came from my Motorola sales rep in two emails, when I asked for current XPR7550e pricing lists for several sites that currently use the XPR7550/7550e. "Wanted to make you aware that next week we will be introducing the new XPR7000 radio replacement, called the R7. It will be available in VHF/UHF initially and then 800/900MHZ at the end of the year. They may want to consider the new R7 radio as the current XPR7000 version will probably be phased out by middle of 2023, replaced by the R7 version. I will get you info and costs on the R7 as well once we have it officially launched on Jan 31st for your guys consideration. We are calling it R7 from what I was told. High level features are : 2x Display Size of current XPR7000 Hide speaker under keypad Dual Mic Adaptive Noise supression - really good 2.4/5Ghz WiFi for OTAR only R7 Accessories same as ION accessories Much better audio is biggest improvement No LTE/ No Android in device IMPRES 1 3rd gen battery so will work with XPR7000 chargers with software upgrade Great Noise Suppression Audio the biggest Improvement Single Global Naming convention RM for Programming Connect to internet out of box to phone home and regionalize the device More to come once official announcement is made next week." There are several "deal breakers" for me and my current employer. RM for Programming, uses Ion accessories, and connect to internet to regionalize device. There will no longer be a XPR7550e for the American's and an XiR8668 for Asia (same radio) for example, all will be named R7. But, when the alternative is the Trbo Ion series radio, we already prepared for going directly to APX. But, this is a hard sell (for my employer) at times, as a typical Trbo based site costs $588k, while the same equivalent Astro site is $1.2m. Then you buy the subscriber units, with that cost difference.

I still use a handful of Garmin Rino (530's and one 120, pre-micro SD card versions) when me and my family go out into the wilderness. Having the ability to "see" location on a map is beneficial....they are good little units. Although, I will not spend $500-700 on a newer Garmin Rino. I think they have gone a bit too far on features for the price on the newer series. I used the Garmin to augment the Motorola XPR7550e when in Billings, during an oil spill a few years back. UHF got out a bit on that side of the state, and almost as far when in Stevensville in the west.

I have a corporate site in San Antonio that still uses the Kenwood TK-3173, 450-490 MHz. They were purchased as they would work for licensed corporate use, and for the company Emergency Operations Center use in the GMRS band, having that Part95A certification as well. Part 90 is mostly being locked down to computer programming instead of front panel programming (most of the time, there are always exceptions), and this worked for that site. Soon, this site will be transitioning to Motorola Trbo XPR7550e radios, and Motorola just announced they may end production of that model next year, replacing it with a to be released model R7 radio, so there may be several hundred TK-3173's on the used market in that area in six months or so. The list you mentioned are great radios for analog use, but I also used to work as an engineer for the JVC/Kenwood Group/Zetron (still prefer Motorola), so am a little biased in this at times. I will now only spend money on older Kenwood, or current Part 97 radios from Kenwood.

I had a similar problem, having a silver car, but put a black lip NMO (new Motorola) type mount, and had a bit of contrast that I was not sure if I would like on this car. I already had the antenna and lip mount in black, and would have had to buy the chrome/silver version if I wanted it to blend better. However, the car has black trim anyway, and the exposed coax is minimal, and secured to the inside trunk brackets well. As for excess coax routing, I almost always go down to the floor, and run the coax under the inside of the rocker panels (or sometimes under the console in the center), there are always trim strips in plastic that come up easily at the sides of the vehicle, often containing factory wiring and are nowhere near airbags or their associated sensors. I am more of a function over aesthetics person, but also wanted to not have an antenna and coax so visible that it would be noticed. However, in this configuration most people think it is factory AM/FM, only one amateur radio type noticed and said it looked "nice". Good luck on your install and routing of cables.