tcp2525

I suspect the radome material should not affect velocity factor as it's determined by the dielectric material in the coax if you're building a collinier. When I rebuild StationMasters I always tape it to the outside of the radome at intervals that keep it straight as possible. Antenna is mounted vertical on my test mast before measuring. If I have to make adjustments, I have to unmount it from the mast. As for the PVC getting discolored from UV, it depends. I have some Carlon PVC fittings that have been exposed to weather for 20+ years and haven't been affected. Compare that to some of the fittings I got from Home Depot that look like crap. It seems all PVC isn't created equal. One day I will have to try some schedule 80 CPVC.

I'm using schedule 80 PVC (gray) for a 70cm and a 1296 coax collinear that have been on the tower for over 5 years without issue or discoloration. I didn't notice any changes in resonance when I put the antenna inside the PVC. When I make an antenna I secure it to the outside of the radome and tune.

Use an antenna with a spring. My Midland MXTA26 for GMRS has one built in and the Larsen 2/70B has the optional spring. Going in low clearance parking garages is no longer an issue other than the noise of them scraping the concrete ceiling. This is on an F150. As for ghost antennas, if you have an insatiable craving to endure poor performance and generate heat, definitely use one. As he old hotrod saying goes, there's no replacement for displacement. Same with using the proper antenna compared to a compromised one.

I have to agree with you on this. Of course we would all love to have MIL spec radios that can withstand a .50 cal hit or an EMP burst from a nuclear strike, but we gotta be realistic and use what we can afford or given. Admittedly, I must say that these cheap Chinese radios will fill the bill for the volunteer to complete their task without difficulty. As for putting this person on the ignore list, I don't feel the need to block anyone I disagree with as it's not the adult thing to do when dealing with "difficult" people. I have always wondered how these people cope in the real world when they have to deal with people they disagree with. And really, if I put everyone on the ignore list in this forum that piled on a newbie there would be zero traffic. Just be helpful, don't jump to conclusions, and enjoy.

Here's some resources on YouTube that will get you started and have a better understanding. https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=retevis+ra87+programming

Kudos to you for deploying a repeater. It's always nice to see a new one on the air even though I'm to far away to use it. Good luck on getting it finalized the way you want it.

Can you do it?

I can get into a repeater full quieting 25 miles away with just 100 milliwatts. Does that count?

Best to just try a few different brands, they are all about the same performance +/- a few unscientific perceived gain in performance and try them yourself as they are cheap enough. The one I'm using might be working great for me, but fail miserably in your circumstances. Just remember, all recommendations are subjective.

He definitely can. I seriously was thinking of doing the same for 1296, but a nice hunk of 1-1/4" Heliax put that to rest.

I can't believe that you guys aren't debating "ground loops" How did we forget that?

Come on guys, you know it's been proven both scientificly and from an engineering perspective that dealing with OEM NITs and aftermarket NITs 0.00001 ohm difference can mean the difference between life and death when it comes to the fine art of picking NITs. Just hook the ground up to whatever place gives you that warm and fuzzy feeling. Now I am going to use my time constructively and split a beer atom.

You might want to try running the power tune tool from scratch on that radio as there might be a slight out of tolerance component that isn't in the first radio. When in doubt, start fresh.

Are you using an external speaker? If so, unplug it and see if there's any change. It's just a long shot.

Great choice as you can't go wrong with RT Systems software. I have it for all my amateur radio equipment and never had any issues.

Forget about those radios and buy the most beloved and best sub $100 radio on the market, the Radioddity DB20G. A radio that the set the GMRS world on its backside by delivering high performance and reliability in a tiny package.

Never believe anyone that has a vested interest in selling you something without checking from a reputable source first.

If I understand this correctly, you are bringing the repeater up, but they can't hear you? If this is correct, you have an audio issue, not RF.

It's not worth the aggravation for a 50' tower when a good piece of, let me say it without laughing, Andrews Heliax will do the trick. If you are going to be doing this on a 500'+ tower it would make one think about it, but the maintenance logistics are terrible. Again, let me laugh while I say it again, Andrews Heliax. Proper tools and equipment trump fly-by-night installs..

Good information but, the DB20 has excellent RF final protection by cutting back output power the hotter it gets. Trust me, I put my DB20 through living hell and it got so hot that it will burn you. Mine put out 17w when cold and down to 9w when really hot. That said, you would be hard pressed to find a DB20 that has a burnt PA. If only Yaesu could design a dual band radio that is as robust as the DB20 I would be happy.

You did a very nice job and did it right by going with the NMO mount. A permanent install is much more preferred over magnet or trunk lip mounts. I'm glad that you paid extreme attention to details when it comes to airbags and other safety accessories. While it generally and rarely isn't an issue, running your coax close to the airbag isn't a good idea. Fortunately, most four door cars use airbag curtains above the doorjamb and in the roof so fishing the wire through the pillar is an easy and safe route. Again, nice install and enjoy.

Welcome to the forum and enjoy. Great post about the usefulness and benefits of radio communications. My feeling is radio is radio no matter it be GMRS, Ham Radio, or CB and they are all useful and are intertwined. Make the best of all radio platforms and enjoy the forum.

Very true! I used to make the harness back in the day, but I find power dividers more practical and easier to make. Here's one after being tested on the spectrum analyzer, still has the 50 ohm terminations on it. 432 MHz Power Divider totally sealed and water tight. Modified 3/4" Copper TEE on type "M" copper pipe. 11mm Brass Tubing

Damn, I think that I'm selling my LDF4-50a spool ends too cheaply at $1.00 a foot! I must have been board, so I played with a crushed end of Heliax and was able to clean it up with the prep tool. Just experimenting and this piece won't be used and tost in the trash.

I don't remember the size but they are definitely metric.