SteveShannon

ZIP files can be unzipped within any modern operating system. In windows simply right click on the zip file and drag slightly and then choose expand or expand to folder.

They nearly all do for reception, but they don’t allow you to send your own amplified voice to the speaker.

was the police report submitted to the fcc?

Well, the right thing to do is tell the FCC over and over.

Recently I figured out how both my TYT MD-UV380 and my Alinco MD5 allow me to semi-easily add a talk group on the fly, but it took me a lot of experimenting to figure out how to do it. As I recall it also doesn’t require me to add them to a zone. I haven’t done it for a while but I remember having the eureka moment. Before I figured this out I was always stumped because for most talk groups you have to add the TG to the list of TGs, then create a channel consisting of the name, frequency, timeslot, color code, and TG. Then, you must add the channel to a zone. Finally you navigate to the zone and select the channel.

For our rocket launches I am the LCO (launch control officer) who announces the launch, counts down, and then presses the launch button. The LCO is required to be able to command the attention of the spectators. I’m also the guy who has his mobile GMRS station setup there with a battery so I can talk to the the rocketeers who have walked out on the range to recover their previously launched rockets. It would be great if I could use the GMRS station as a PA.

This^

Anyone can report interference or non-compliance. The FCC seldom (never?) does anything about GMRS. I have no idea if many reports are made about GMRS. I know virtually no actions have been taken against GMRS users. I have no idea why a ham would be disgruntled about GMRS. I participate in amateur radio and we simply don’t often discuss GMRS often. Probably about 20% of us hold both licenses. There certainly are “sad hams” but most hams are not them. In fact many of the people who complain most vehemently about GMRS users breaking the rules aren’t even hams. I’ve seen many more radio professionals complain about noncompliance in GMRS than I have hams.

There are a few different things that might be happening. You might have a bad mount, bad (either damaged or just lossy) coax, and bad antennas. The fact that you get the same SWR reading without the antenna might point to the mount and the cable. With no antenna the SWR should be much higher than 2.5:1, but a lossy cable guarantees a lower SWR reading than actually exists. Are there any frequencies where you see a low SWR or does the SWR never change? Does a multimeter indicate problems with either the mount or cable? There should never be continuity between the shield and the center conductor but both the shield and center conductor should be continuous from end to end. Providing model numbers and cable type could help us understand what you have.

Welcome!

The MOU between the FCC and ARRL only support monitoring of amateur radio operators. https://www.arrl.org/files/file/Volunteer Monitor/2019 ARRL MOU - final 3-12.pdf

SCADA, telemetry, dedicated (but not private) communications. And yes, because the 467 main channels are allowed for Fixed Stations, duplex is easily accomplished. One example would be to use radios for a dedicated communication system between a house and a barn. Lift a handset and use it just like a telephone.

Also, Fixed Stations are allowed to transmit on the 467 MHz main channels which are otherwise reserved for transmitting to a repeater.

Especially if they’re related …

That’s generally correct. From 95.335(b): b) Revoked or withdrawn certification. In the event that the FCC revokes or withdraws a grant of equipment certification for a type of Personal Radio Service transmitter, existing transmitters already in service may continue to be operated unless and until the FCC determines otherwise and gives Public Notice of that decision.

No

I don’t know the answer, so my reply is dumb, but your question was not dumb.

Aluminum is a very good conductor and makes a fine ground plane. It requires additional work beyond a mag mount though. Either attach a piece of ferrous metal for the magnet to hold or drill a hole and installing a permanent NMO mount. That’s the hardest part. Otherwise just put a repeater in one of the cabinets and run coax to the antenna mount. To power the repeater you will probably want a battery which is charged whenever you have shore power or while attached to the tow vehicle. Time to shop!!

Now if you wanted to put a repeater in that trailer we’d line up to engineer the shit out of it!

Click on “Repeaters” in the menu bar of this website and then search the database or the map.

Just key up and talk using normal words. Use your ID once every fifteen minutes if you talk that long and ID at the end of a conversation. That’s it.

You may be desensing one radio with the other. Separate them by 50 feet or so.

The hill is going to do what it does. Where that additional power sometimes can help is if you’re transmitting through vegetation. Vegetation attenuates the signal so more power can make a difference. Hills block the signal and power won’t overcome that. But a high antenna can. In fact the single most effective improvement most people can make is to get their antenna up in the air. The second is to feed it with a cable that doesn’t convert the signal to heat. Power is way down in priority.

Correct; they’re only called out separately when regulations apply to them differently.

Ha! I just wanted my pedantry to be recognized.