SteveShannon

Yes, click on their name, go to their profile, then click on the envelope below their name:

That should be right, but you can always get rid of the R-CTCSS and see if the repeater hears you. That way you’ll hear the repeater response regardless of the tone. The other thing is don’t try to talk from one radio to the repeater to the other radio that’s just a few feet away. The second radio might be overwhelmed by the power of the first radio (called desense).

It’s the input tone to the repeater, so it’s the output (TX) tone from your radio.

Is that 30 watts measured at the radio or at the antenna? What are you using for cable? How long? What antenna are you using? How high is it mounted? What’s the surrounding terrain like? Are you in the middle of vegetation, like a forest? How are you doing the range check?

I’ll send you his address.

Start by listening without a DPL code on the receive side. Understand that not all repeaters have a squelch tail and many will not have people listening at all times. By listening without a code or tone you’ll hear everything. Once you are sure you’re hearing the repeater work on transmitting to the repeater. You must have the right DPL code on your transmitter or the repeater will disregard your transmission. Once you know you are able to transmit to the repeater, then go back and add a tone or code to your receiver to limit what you receive to the repeater.

But easy to do a denial of service.

Every one of those is a repeater. Nets are usually held on repeaters.

Are you asking about that Charlotte 575? Yes, that’s a repeater. See how it has a frequency of 462.575 MHz. That’s where you receive it. Right next to that it says “Input Frequency 467.575 MHz”. That is the frequency that you must transmit to the repeater on. That’s how full duplex repeaters work, they receive on one frequency and simultaneously transmit on another. Receiving and transmitting simultaneously is called “full duplex.” There’s also simplex which means transmitting and receiving at different times on the same frequency. Your handheld radio, if it’s a designed to be a GMRS radio, has a group of repeater channels. Sometimes they’re numbered 23-30, sometimes they’re labeled rp15-rp22 or something like that. They automatically transmit on the repeater input frequency and receive on the repeater output frequency. Tones are used to limit access. They reduce interruptions from people on the same frequency but they don’t offer any security.

Maybe this will help: Or his earlier video about the 805:

Although it’s not the least expensive handheld radio the Wouxun kg805 is a handheld that is both easy to use and performs very well, has an SMA connector antenna, which is standard for most GMRS radios and which allows easy connection to an external antenna. It’s not plagued by a too-busy user interface (in fact some people might want more display). It’s nearly perfect to hand to someone who’s just learning.

You can also fix your typo by clicking on the three dots I. The upper left corner of your post and choosing “Edit”. Small earthquakes maybe, but large ones can be just as devastating as tornadoes or hurricanes. Fortunately it has been a while since we have had one of those here in Montana.

The effect of using the "wrong" antenna can be a big unknown. It's physically impossible to make an antenna that is perfectly tuned for all bands. A GMRS radio will typically have an antenna that's optimized for GMRS frequencies, but works acceptably for other bands. The step size issue will take a radio off frequency though. Often I have had to reduce them less than 25 khz.

A little more about AM versus FM. The ability to hear multiple transmission sources simultaneously on AM carries over to natural noise, such as static and lightning. There's always something to hear on AM, even if it's nothing you want.

There's no such thing as a free gun show.

I disagreed with you even before you wrote that. Here's a link to a post from yesterday:

Still pissed that these young whippersnappers don’t have to visit the local FCC field office and build a spark gap transmitter like you did?

I hope you don’t move on. I mentioned that I was a VE simply because I wanted you to know my background, not to imply that you should get your license also. It’s strictly your decision whether to get a ham license. I enjoy it and I wish I had done it earlier in my life, but that’s the story I have written for myself. I’m the guy who goofed off in college but continued being enrolled, even went through the graduation line even though incompletes in a few courses stood between me and my degree. I didn’t return to college until I truly wanted to and when I did it was right for me. I hope you find whatever makes you happy.

Nearly all of the questions about that are asked here involve radios that are new and still under warranty. People suspect they’re doing something incorrectly so they reach out to what should be a friendly group of peers.

I’m genuinely interested in why or how the “peer group method of qualifying for a license” bothers you. FYI, I’m a Volunteer Examiner, and I would be happy to help explain how the process has no character judging and no political influence.

Not “state”, “stale”, like old bread. The repeater isn’t actually stale, the data in the database is stale, meaning it has sat for too long without being touched. It doesn’t mean it’s wrong, just that the person who placed the data there hasn’t been seen for a while.

No, it simply says that your id may be voice or Morse code. I’ve heard some that are pretty quick.

Mine too. Part of it is the fact that most (by far) of the people I know who use GMRS don’t bother getting a license. I think the people who eventually get a license have an interest in doing things right which is an attitude many people interested in ham radio have.

No problem, Adam. You’re a good guy and sometimes the regulations are difficult to understand.

You’re right that a mag mount has a much greater surface area, which does allow better (and more predictable) capacitive coupling. Metal to metal contact will also remove capacitive reactance, resulting in a different SWR (might be better depending on the inductance of the antenna).