SteveShannon

It seems obvious that the “Audio Aggregator” combines audio from multiple sources so a person can hear them using a single set of headphones and enables them to route other audio elsewhere, but there’s no telling what the OP’s point is, whether they have a question or are just using the forum as a documentation archive.

Yeah, it sounds like he doesn’t understand how to set up his spam blocker and whitelist notifications from my GMRS.com.

Happy Father’s Day to you as well. First, are you on a repeater channel? You didn’t say what channel you’re on. On all GMRS radios there are the simplex channels 15 - 22 and there are the repeater channels which are numbered 23 - 30 or something like RP15 - RP22. The repeater channels and the simplex channels receive on the same frequencies, which is in the 462 MHz range. So, channel 15 receives on exactly the same frequency as 23 (or RP15), 16 receives on the same frequency as 24 (RP16), etc. The difference is that the repeater channels transmit at a frequency that is usually 5.000 MHz higher than the simplex channel. So channel 15 receives and transmits on 462.550 MHz, channel 23 (RP15) transmits on 467.550 MHz. Because you mentioned that you’re able to receive just fine, it could be that you’re transmitting on the simplex channel, which would never wake up the receiver.

Here’s why it’s important: SWR is calculated based on the relationship between forward power and reflected power. Higher SWR by definition means higher reflected power relative to the forward power. When you measure it at the radio, you’re seeing all of the forward power, but you’re only seeing some of reflected power. So, measured at the radio you always see a lower SWR. One of my RigExpert analyzers has Bluetooth so we connected it directly to ann antenna before raising the antenna. We could see that SWR was 1.6:1. Measuring at the radio end of the cable using the same analyzer the SWR was 1.1:1. That was with 50 feet of M&P UltraFlex 10, which is as good as LMR 400. It was also at 2 meters where the cable performs even better than on GMRS.

Measure SWR right at the antenna instead of at the radio to see what it really is.

A codeplug is simply a dataset that’s built with a computer and uploaded to a radio with settings for channels and other configuration information. As i mentioned before your DC meter tells you almost nothing about an antenna or feedline unless it has an intermittent short or open. It’s like hooking a paperback book to your car’s diagnostic port. Most antennas have impedance at certain frequencies due to inductance and capacitance, but that means nothing at DC.

1.48 watts = 31.7026171539 dbm 4.69 watts = 36.7117284272 dbm The difference is 5.009 db Use an online calculator: https://www.rapidtables.com/convert/power/Watt_to_dBm.html

Ham Radio Outlet has several radios set up for people to try. You might enjoy test driving some radios. The IC-7300 probably has more YouTube videos explaining its features and operation than any other radio. It’s a great beginner radio. The Yaesu FT-710 is a direct competitor of the IC-7300, but more recently released. Pricing for the 710 is better than the 7300. Both have direct conversion front ends. That’s not a bad thing despite what some hams would say. Traditional radios were superheterodyne and analog from the antenna to the speaker. Direct conversion radios go from the antenna to an analog to digital converter and then do everything digitally until converting back to analog and delivering to the speaker. The FTDx10 is a hybrid with the HF handled in the analog domain before being converted to a much lower frequency where it goes through an analog to digital conversion. All signal processing is done in digital before converting back to analog and sent to the speaker.

No.

The only person who can address this is Rich ( @rdunajewski ). If I leave my computer on one of the nets I get occasional traffic audio. As far as I know that’s the only traffic there is.

No, and there really can’t be. There are too many variables. The answer will always be: Try it.

Search for “firmware update H-3”

Two of my friends have the FT-991. I’ve spent some time helping one of them. I have the FTDX10 and an FT-891. For a beginner wanting a single full power radio that does HF, VHF, and UHF, the FT-991 and the Icom IC-7100 are about the only games in town. An IC-705 with an amplifier would be another all band option. Gigaparts recently had an overstock sale selling the IC-7100 without mentioning its name. It was about $300 off. If I were advising someone to get an HF radio on a bit of a budget, I would recommend the Yaesu FT-710. If you put stock in the Sherwood Report It’s got a better receiver than anything from Icom. It definitely has a great display, improved ergonomics compared to the ftdx10 (which I have) and can be had on sale from time to time for about $800. It doesn’t do 2 meters and 70 centimeters like the ft-991, but I would probably prefer a second radio for that anyway for the flexibility. There a many older radios out there, but once you’ve used a newer radio with a nice high resolution display of the nearby spectrum showing where there’s activity you’ll be spoiled. The IC-7300, FT-710, and the FTDx10 have really nice scopes on a touch screen, so when you see a peak you want to explore a quick poke and final tuning and you’re there. The 991 has a spectrum scope too, but it’s much smaller and I don’t believe you can touch it to tune. The IC-7300 also has a built in SWR sweep function that none of the Yaesu radios have. In fact the 7300 has the ability to be switched to emergency mode, which reduces the RF output to about 50 watts, but allows you to use the built in antenna match for a relatively high SWR antenna (much higher than the 3.0:1 SWR which can usually be tuned). Each has its unique advantages.

You can get a vanity call sign while a Technician class, but it’s limited to Class C or D https://www.fcc.gov/wireless/bureau-divisions/mobility-division/amateur-radio-service/amateur-call-sign-systems#:~:text=There are up to three,)______" will be dismissed.

Look on the repeater page for repeaters near you, then request access to those. There isn’t one single repeater for the forum, just a whole bunch of individual repeaters owned by people. Welcome to the forum.

Here’s a link to the manual. This radio has an adjustable offset that you’ll need to correctly set. CTCSS tones are covered: https://www.manualslib.com/manual/890652/Puxing-Px-888.html?page=13#manual

Do you have instructions for it?

That is true, but doesn’t matter. The “effective” radiated power (ERP) is the product of the power input to the antenna, times the gain relative to a half-wave dipole.

They’re certainty still around, but they were designed around serial communications standards, not analog signals. I don’t know if that’s compatible with the microphone and IDer. I’ll see if I can find a source. It used to be Black Box. Edit: I see you found one.

There are DB-9 switch boxes that accept two different cables and allow you to select which one to connect. I’ve used them for serial devices (20 years ago!)

Just talk through the repeater with a handheld while the IDer is connected.

I disagree. In any serious military action, satellite communications would probably be targeted very early like most infrastructure. They’re one of the most vulnerable assets because they can be taken out either physically (an orbital EMP, directed energy weapon, or simply a missile) or virtually by hacking. I suspect the routines to do the latter are loaded and ready to be used. Military satellites would be more protected of course.

Every station is required to ID once every 15 minutes and at the end of the conversation whether you’re on a repeater or simplex. You are not required to identify as different units when the call sign is shared amongst family members, but you might want to. In reality very few people follow the identification rules and nobody has died as a result.

Welcome! and 73 de AI7KS.