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PACNWComms

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Everything posted by PACNWComms

  1. PACNWComms
    That looks a lot like the many "cellular" style antennas, that often work well around 806-896MHz, or a harmonic of that 403-448MHz....however, measure that antenna and do the math, and use a wattmeter to check SWR before transmitting too long with it, you do not want to damage a radio by guessing and being off too much with high SWR. I have a box of those that came with many different emblems molded into the bottom, but none with that particular branding. Larsen and Laird look the closest though, you might be able to browse Tessco's website and find a match. They were a combination of UHF (450MHz) and cellular (800MHz) antennas or use with Wilson cellular amplifiers around 2005, before the regulations changed on cell phone amplifier usage. Be sure to update us if you find out for sure what that is.
  2. PACNWComms
    I continue to use older Garmin Rino 120 and 530 radio/GPS's, as they work great for my needs. As for repeater support, my older versions (pre-2017 FCC change for FRS and GMRS) allow for tones to be set manually. The software was updated at least once on mine, as I also experienced Garmin locking down the number of hardware devices that could be updated on one $100 software license, while a few of us managed to update hundreds of Rino's and Nuvi's until that software change was made. While I only use the location function on occasion, it is nice to have. Many people say the radios are lacking in the Rino series, but I work in radio, and understand the limits of FRS/GMRS and terrain issues. As you mentioned the series is still being produced and sold, albeit at a much higher cost now. My Rino 120 cost about $265 when it came out in 2003, and many were issued to me and others in the military at the time, for use in Afghanistan, as a second check on Rockwell AN/PSN-11 GPS devices. That was a lot to spend on a small radio and GPS combo. But, considering the 120 and 530 still works today in 2021, I will continue to use them until they fail, to include the data transmission feature. Then, I may spend some money on the newer versions with camera, SD cards, and more memory. The topo maps might make me buy a newer version at some point as well. I am glad to see that the 755t has an antenna that appears to be molded around the case, the 530's had a huge problem with cracked antennas, or they would pull out from the casing. Mine has been repaired with black sealant and heat shrink tubing a few times now. Thank you for the response on the 755t, may have a look at one.
  3. PACNWComms
    Just like any radio I own, it seems like the "go to" ones have the keypad on their face or in the mic. Menu's become a mess after a few levels in, and I get tired of remembering programming trees for so many different devices, to include actual radios. For my entire professional career, dealing with radio equipment, I tend to prefer those that have keypads over those that do not. For front panel re-programming, on the move programming, and quickly changing channels, frequencies or memories a keypad helps a lot. I also tend to prefer actual buttons over touchscreens, as they just show fingerprints, and tend to have more layers of menu's to them. Whichever way you go, enjoy your radios.
  4. PACNWComms
    GP-7/SSB Receiver and Garmin Rino 530 GPS/FRS/GMRS Radio

    From the album: PACNWComms - Misc Photos

    My "listening post" for my recent trip to the forest. Went into the Olympic National Forest to get away from it all, to include cell phone and radio station signals. But, I still took some gear to hear what was available. One weather channel was noted on the Garmin Rino 530 when scanning weather channels. Channel 4 FRS was also noticed, in use by what sounded like a family unloading luggage at one of the nearby lake resorts. This is the original Garmin Rino 530, that does not have mini SD card capability, and I bought after being issued and using a Garmin Rino 120 while on military deployments to Afghanistan. The 530 has a color display, which does not work too well with image intensifying night vision, where the monochrome 120 does much better. As radios, they work as well as low power UHF can be expected, and being able to send location was helpful at times. The Rino 120 was issued to many military personnel as a sort of intra-team radio that also had a basemap, something the military issued AN/PSM-11 Rockwell units lacked (the newer GPS now has a map display). The Rino 120's acted as a backup measure for areas where accurate maps were often only found in old National Geographic magazines, while the radio worked well for short range (intra-team) comms. (Most of us were also issued Harris AN/PRC-117F portable radios and Thales AN/PRC-148 MBITR's as well). I still use my Rino 120 and 530 as they still work, and are very helpful running around the woods. The GP-7/SSB receiver picked up about a dozen FM and six AM frequencies but none were local. While driving around, there was a piece of cardboard near a house with what looked like an amateur antenna, and a frequency listed. It turned out to be low power radio sending music around the nearby area, about three miles or so away.

    © WROL355

  5. PACNWComms
    While I sometimes still use magnet mounted antennas, yes, that rubber boot is acting as an insulator. But if it works, don't worry too much about it. As mentioned above, check SWR.....this can be done with the boot and without, but it most likely works better touching the metal, with les distance between the antenna and the metal of the car. A true ground plane would have metal to metal contact, as in grinding off the paint and finish to get that contact, but then also not using a magnet mount antenna. For casual use magnet mounts work "well enough"or "not at all" depending on the quality and frequency band/radio in use. Expect to have some impact to effectiveness just by using a magnet mount, ground plane will help, but it is still a compromise between effectiveness and convenience. For GMRS, I use a trunk lip mount, using it to keep my antenna in the middle of the front edge of the trunk on my car, this means the most metal around it as possible, but still no NMO hole that may leak at some point in the future.
  6. PACNWComms
    I still have an Amiga 2000 that looks a lot like and old Apple Macintosh desktop screen wise. Too bad it does not program radio, or I would use it more often. Nothing I own my self requires Windows 10 to program, (only at work) so I have topped out at Windows 7 for radio programming computers. XP works great with older software to log what is scanned by my old Uniden BCT15, and BCTools.
  7. PACNWComms
    I used to run a Comet CA-712EFC 460-470MHz antenna, mounted to the edge of my roof for GMRS/commercial UHF. However, last summer I had my roof replaced, so right now, I am using a Laird NMO magnetic base mounted B4505CN half wave antenna (about 32 inches long) on top of a six foot wooden fence. I mounted a metal bracket to the fence to have my VHF, UHF, and 800 MHz antennas mounted somewhere besides the roof or to brackets mounted to the roof. Even with the lower height, lower gain antenna, and shorter cable run.....I only lost a few miles range in UHF. This is most likely due to the wet weather and the numerous pine trees/needles that wreck havoc on UHF anyways. Seeing that most of my local repeaters are still in range, and VHF and 800 MHz is still usable, I may leave my old mast/brackets off, as this setup is a lot more discrete. Glad the Comet antenna is working for you, SWR of 1.25 and hitting what you need to is a good thing, and what works for you is what matters.
  8. PACNWComms
    Yes, mostly Motorola....but some Icom, they still make great HF/VHF Marine and Aviation radios. However, the two Icom IC-M602's shown do not work well together, they lack internal shielding. This of course was found out after a dozen technicians placed a pair on each vessel in a fleet dedicated for oil spill cleanup. Luckily the metal cased Motorola Triton/Triton II/Triton II+ radios had not been thrown out. They were one of the best marine VHF radios around, but lacked Digital Selective Calling (DSC). We ended up having each ship with one Icom IC-M602 and one Motorola. Put two Icom's together and they desense each other if used at the same time.
  9. PACNWComms
    Get good and knowledgeable with the Midland radios first. Then move on to the repeater if you still want to. There is a great thread already on here that talks about that. For a house antenna, +1 from me for Tram/Browning and Ed Fong. Dr. Fong has sold antennas for a very long time, having his students cut them to length for specific frequencies, and were a mainstay for emergency management use in a former life. They ship with: wire, connector and two PVC pipe end caps, you then supply the PVC tube and brackets. Get a quality antenna, as it will make even a mediocre radio work better than the reverse. Many people spend a lot on the radio and then wonder why it does not work well. Stay below a 100 foot coax run and LMR-400 and RG-58 will work, but the RG-58 will have more loss. Online reviews of antennas and coax can be useful. Good luck with your radios and installation.
  10. PACNWComms
    While I would never use Wikipedia for anything scholarly, this link describes FRS/GMRS after changes made in 2017. Long story short, you are not breaking any regulation, just working within them. There are shared FRS/GMRS frequencies, with power and bandwidth changes for FRS versus GMRS. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/General_Mobile_Radio_Service
  11. PACNWComms
    20211109_132317.jpg
    I drive 'em until they are destroyed, but am also a bit envious at that room. Nothing I own now has room for stacked control heads, to include similar scanner and radio (BCT15 and MCS2000 model 1). I had to buy a cheap Radioditty DB20-G that fit a storage hole in the dash for my current daily driver. Having a dedicated scanner mobile is something I miss now, and handhelds just lack the tactile "form factor" that I like.
  12. PACNWComms

    650

    PACNWComms commented on JohnE's gallery image in Members Albums Category

    650
    Also have a few of these running in Texas. Good radio repeaters, but full disclosure, I also used to work at Zetron, when they were part of the JVC/Kenwood Group (along with Viking/EFJohnson), engineering comm solutions and 911PSAP equipment. So,in that role, everything was Kenwood/Zetron/EFJ....etc.
  13. PACNWComms

    Turbo's

    PACNWComms commented on JohnE's gallery image in Members Albums Category

    Turbo's
    Still run some of these myself for shore support of a fleet of oil spill response vessels spread across the country. Although, some newer sites now use SLR5700's now. XPR8300/8400's replaced aging Vertex VX-7000's.
  14. PACNWComms
    Thank you for the warning on the DB25-G, I also like to have channels pre-programmed for my area. For many years this meant a Vertex VX-3200, as I had 128 channels and also used many of these for work on board a fleet of vessels for oil spill and emergency response efforts. With a smaller car now, I did buy a Radioddity DB20-G (the Wouxun would not have fit), as it actually fit a cubby hole in the dash perfectly. But, ruggedness is not the same as the Vertex. However, it can be made to work in most of the VHF/UHF band, which is useful to me now.
  15. PACNWComms
    Welcome to the site and forums. My only recommendation is to do a search first, as many questions have been answered before, as some sites also do not like old threads to be brought back to life months later. I only recently joined this site, but have been in radio professionally for almost thirty years now, and there is still more to learn, so do not be afraid to ask too.
  16. PACNWComms
    Recently I have mentioned to a few people that have gone down the GMRS license path, and recommended UHF GR1225 and GR300 Motorola desktop repeaters. Add in a decent antenna and an old GR series repeater can do very well, especially if you swap the old radio (M120 mobiles in my GR300) for something newer, like an XPR4550 Trbo radio stack. However, one person I made this recommendation to, ended up attaching a Cobra magnet mount antenna (as in 27 Mhz CB), can you say, convoy......
  17. PACNWComms
    Thank you for the info on their auction site seller name. May have to buy a few more items from them with that additional cost saving. My current employer is also looking for ways to save a bit, and this could help even more. Just did a little price comparison, and XPR7550 UHF radios at $385 is better than new XPR7550e at $1010, with a few options that we do not even use. I also have yet to receive a handheld that really looked used/abused out of about a hundred now. Running some XPR6550's for several years that they re-cased, and the only part that showed wear was the vent element on the chassis. I did once receive a CDM1250 where the front panel had been damaged in shipment, as it was turned outward in the box, and shipped with seven others. They replaced the control head quickly and at no charge. A co-worker said 4-5 years ago they received a damaged XTS2500 that was replaced quickly as well. Great company to deal with.
  18. PACNWComms

    RoIP Rack

    PACNWComms posted a gallery image in Members Albums Category

    RoIP Rack

    From the album: PACNWComms - Misc Photos

    RoIP rack with VHF commercial, VHF Marine, and UHF commercial radio frequency programming, for use with Telex/Bosch Communications IP-223 IP interface devices. This allowed computers running Telex C-Soft software to remote control the radios via an Internet connection. This rack ended up in an emergency communications package, installed within a conex box, which was then sent to hurricane/oil spill/and exercise response efforts. The UHF equipment was capable of being programmed for GMRS and interoperable comms with local auxiliary communications services spread around the country to assist first responders. However, all of this is analog, and was used near waterways, hence the marine radios. All of this has been replaced with newer gear, or decommissioned as smaller palletized systems took over.

    © WROL355

  19. PACNWComms
    I have had good luck with Used-Radios.com for commercial grade single band radios that are in near new condition, sometimes even being new old stock. What is not new is also often refurbished, all is checked as serviceable and within manufacturer specifications. Although, my last batch of CDM1250's sometimes showed engraving of police and fire departments across the country. Currently, they do not show any VHF mobiles (CDM1250's) in stock, but UHF is between $145-155 each right now. Get good at scrounging, and higher quality gear is often given away by municipalities, sold for pennies on the dollar or even donated. Obviously, the more connected your organization is to the local community, and the value it brings, will help in funding and donations. Good luck.
  20. PACNWComms
    This is a common issue with many of the Tram-Browning series antennas. Many users of the three foot long antennas have ended up cutting them too short for UHF use, as well as 800 MHz in my own use cases. Then, it comes down to the skill of the person running the test equipment to check for function and SWR. I have a team member that is notorious for stating that a 5 watt CB radio puts out 35 watts, instead of 3.5 watts, using a Bird 43 wattmeter. (In that case it was NMO-27 base and whips that could be cut down to size per frequency.) It was so bad that there is now a large wood yard stick, marked with the cutting points for different frequencies in use. Sadly, I have seen many of the ones that are too short on the secondary surplus market as my employer sells its scrap, which often ends up in local auctions and later for sale at the yearly amateur radio show/convention/yard sale. These antennas are also often paired with magnet mounts where the base has corroded and the center conductor has broken. Good luck with your antenna. Measure twice and cut once.
  21. PACNWComms
    Stacked Icoms

    From the album: PACNWComms - Misc Photos

    Stacked Icom mobiles, IC F-1020 on top and IC F-2020 on bottom.

    © WROL355

  22. PACNWComms
    RDF display on dash

    From the album: PACNWComms - Misc Photos

    Audio Intelligence Devices of Florida, radio direction finder. Unit shown tracking a signal source at bearing 339 degrees from my car.

    © WROL355

  23. PACNWComms
    Mot mobile stack

    From the album: PACNWComms - Misc Photos

    Stacked Motorola mobile radios. UHF XPR4550 on top and older CDM1250 VHF on the bottom.

    © WROL355

  24. PACNWComms
    Have seven here, DTR410's when they first came out. If you bought six, you had the choice of getting either a seventh radio, or a six bank charger. In 2021, I realize many users of the DTR/DPL series radios leave them defaulted. If some LARPer group were to make their own "TalkGroup" with a custom hopset set, then things get interesting. I only wish Motorola came out with a higher power version of this. (Knowing that the 410's were already limited by their fixed antenna.) I'll stick with Motorola when my life is on the line, and as you and others mentioned, CCR as a gateway to something better. As I mentioned in another thread, it was a little scary seeing a state emergency department with Bridgecom repeaters, Radioddity DB25-D mobiles, and other cheap radios alongside Yaesu, Kenwood, and Motorola. But in that case, at least they are cheap.....as they will need to stack spares deep when they are needed. I live in a state that has lots of tax revenue, but has no clue how to spend that money. At least the protesters have Baofeng's, which are very easy to listen in to with a twenty plus year old scanner.
  25. PACNWComms
    I always get a kick out of those that buy Baofeng radios, then tune them to some TV station frequency, thinking they are outsmarting well funded government agencies that are most likely using an Oscar Green/Blue spectrum analyzers, or some other signal detecting hardware. The groups I would worry about, would be carrying something more like the Motorola DTR series frequency hoppers, and keep them hidden inside a pocket, using remote PTT earpieces or speaker mics. Baofeng has received some interesting street cred with them prominently displayed by many LARPers, even if they are getting built to better specs now. Interesting thread for sure.
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