SteveShannon

In Windows, you can either do the three key chord shift-window-s keys to bring up the snipping tool or you can use alt-prtscr or ctrl-keys.

Now you’re off on a bit of a tangent, but I agree that a 10 dB increase is very significant.

Referring back to what you said earlier: You talked about how a 5 watt radio with a 6 dB gain antenna puts out 20 watts ERP and a 10 watt radio with that same 6 dB antenna puts out 40 watts ERP. You talked about how that gain compounded. You’re exactly right, but just as the difference between a 5 watt radio and a 10 watt radio is only 1/2 S-unit, the difference between 20 watts ERP and 40 watts ERP is still only a half S-meter unit. But adding the antenna made a full S-unit difference for both radios, if you’re in the direction of the 6dB gain. That’s an audible difference. Half of an S-unit may or may not be subjectively distinguishable to a human ear. One S-unit is audibly different, even though it’s four times the power. But I wouldn’t consider it very significant. Two S-units would be very significant, in my personal scale of significance. S-units provide us something that is objectively quantifiable, but whether something is significant or very significant is subjective. You may feel that one S-unit is very significant.

What makes you think that your VFO is more accurate than theirs? Maybe you’re off by 257 Hertz. I think all upper end HF receivers have a “Clarifier” adjustment to adjust for the many radios that don’t exactly match their frequency. I tune to an integer kHz and then adjust the clarifier, with the assumption that my VFO is perfect. Transmissions from satellites require a Doppler shift that varies based on orbital velocity and whether they’re approaching or moving away. Are FM transmissions modulated symmetrically about a center frequency, or do they modulate in one direction from the carrier? I don’t know.

I’m sorry you’re confused. I don’t think my statement (quoted above) is confusing, but maybe I made it too terse. Doubling power, with no other changes, results in a difference of 1/2 S unit. That’s by definition - one S-unit represents a difference of 6 dB, which is 4 times the power. That’s substantial but when you’re sitting in front of a radio it’s sometimes difficult to quantify. Making other changes (such as antennas) are more likely to result in changes as measured by the S-meter.

Broadcast radio stations are also stereo. They can’t be directly compared to a monaural FM GMRS signal.

Go ahead and use it for awhile. The difference between your radio and the 935g will be in little features that might make things more enjoyable. Otherwise they’ll probably talk just as far as each other. I would recommend going to a radio club somewhere so you can get your hands on some different models. You might find that the things that irritate you grow on you.

Great advice!

How can you tell? TSQL on 26 and no tones on 18?

I have and in a very short period of time. But mostly with antennas that get moved around from one vehicle to another Over time they pick up pieces of magnetic grit or even steel shavings and grind them into the clear coat and eventually the underlying paint. It’s very important to make sure the protective boot and the car roof are completely clean before attaching the antenna and a layer of clear protective film is really helpful.

What were the SWR values and did you measure at both the 462 and 467 MHz frequencies?

I’m interested in hearing how you like it.

Technically, you should pronounce each character, but realistically, for GMRS nobody cares. The fact that you even attempt to ID is better than most people do.

See if this helps: https://www.air802.com/files/CN2NMOLP-TM.pdf

Yes

If you get a certified GMRS radio you won’t have the ability anyway. FCC won’t certify a radio for GMRS that’s capable of being easily tuned to transmit on other bands.

Here’s a snippet of the spectrum chart. Unfortunately it doesn’t really help much: Here’s the chart in full:

No, GMRS users may only use the 22/30 channels assigned to GMRS. Those other frequencies are used all kinds of other things, including business bands. I’ll see if I can find a spectrum chart (or maybe someone else will).

Welcome! 1. Listen for traffic. Depending on where you are you might hear a little or a lot. 2. I would program all of them. The repeater channels (15R - 22R, or 23 - 30 on some radios) receive on exactly the same frequencies as the simplex channels 15 - 22. 3. The 462 MHz frequencies are where your radio receives from a repeater. You transmit to the repeater on the 467 MHz frequencies. You transmit to the repeater’s receiver. The repeater transmits to your receiver. You encode a tone to open the repeater. You can either use a decode tone to hear the repeater or you can leave the decode tone empty and hear everything on that frequency.

Exactly right. programming a radio with a computer enables a person to get the most out of it, but for those times when a computer isn’t available, the ability to program and use your radio without one is a necessity. I don’t want to have to carry a computer with me every time I travel.

Thanks! That helps. Of course they probably don’t use reed switches anymore anyway so matching a mechanical vibration isn’t necessary.

How did they get the timing right?

Welcome to the forums, Dave!

CW is not permitted. Morse code is allowed when identifying, but it’s just tones on FM. Transmissions are only allowed on the channels established by the FCC in part 95e. Therefore they are not authorized between the channels. Neither of the frequencies you mentioned are approved for GMRS. Also, users must observe the rules regarding bandwidth and power output. I’ll paste the section that establishes the individual channels by frequency, but for the other limitations you should really visit the regulations. https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-47/chapter-I/subchapter-D/part-95/subpart-E § 95.1763 GMRS channels. The GMRS is allotted 30 channels—16 main channels and 14 interstitial channels. GMRS stations may transmit on any of the channels as indicated below. (a) 462 MHz main channels. Only mobile, hand-held portable, repeater, base and fixed stations may transmit on these 8 channels. The channel center frequencies are: 462.5500, 462.5750, 462.6000, 462.6250, 462.6500, 462.6750, 462.7000, and 462.7250 MHz. (b) 462 MHz interstitial channels. Only mobile, hand-held portable and base stations may transmit on these 7 channels. The channel center frequencies are: 462.5625, 462.5875, 462.6125, 462.6375, 462.6625, 462.6875, and 462.7125 MHz. (c) 467 MHz main channels. Only mobile, hand-held portable, control and fixed stations may transmit on these 8 channels. Mobile, hand-held portable and control stations may transmit on these channels only when communicating through a repeater station or making brief test transmissions in accordance with § 95.319(c). The channel center frequencies are: 467.5500, 467.5750, 467.6000, 467.6250, 467.6500, 467.6750, 467.7000, and 467.7250 MHz. (d) 467 MHz interstitial channels. Only hand-held portable units may transmit on these 7 channels. The channel center frequencies are: 467.5625, 467.5875, 467.6125, 467.6375, 467.6625, 467.6875, and 467.7125 MHz.

Not the entire range. The FCC has identified four sets of specific channels. 30 in all on frequencies in the 462 MHz range and the 467 MHz range. 463-466 MHz are not GMRS. We stay to those channels and we don’t get to twist our VFO knob and pick a clear frequency wherever we want. Channels 15-22 are used for simplex communications, where people transmit directly to each other, taking turn transmitting and receiving on a single frequency. If you add exactly 5 MHz to each of the 15-22 channels, you get the frequencies used for channels 23-30. So, 462.550 MHz becomes 467.550 MHz. Channels 23-30 are used to transmit to a repeater. Generally speaking that’s almost the only traffic on these channels: to the repeater. Then, the repeater generally transmits on the corresponding channel in the 15-22 range. So, channels 15-22 are shared between simplex communications and transmissions from repeaters. The fact that these are shared and limited to these eight channels is one of the shortcomings of GMRS.