SteveShannon

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.

No, they do not need to live in the same household. You are authorized to allow your adult children and their children to operate using your license.

Nanovna Saver is a software program that makes the nVNA much easier to use and visualize antenna characteristics.

The GMRS antenna might be slightly shorter.

Record the Morse code ID and post it here. Someone will decode it.

I would agree that it sounds like it’s something to do with either the feed line or the antenna. It could be that the antenna has a high SWR on the repeater frequency but it could also be that the cable or the mount are damaged or that the antenna itself is broken. I had a capacitor fail in an antenna once and it made the antenna go high SWR. Do you have access to a different roof mount antenna you can try? I use an MXTA26 antenna on a Midland NMO mount. My roof rack doesn’t seem to bother it in any detectable way. A few other random thoughts. An SWR meter shows the SWR of the antenna and feedline combination. It doesn’t show where the antenna is resonant. It’s very commonly thought that resonance is where the SWR is lowest, but it’s not true. A reasonably low SWR (usually described as 2.0:1 or better) is helpful. Cell phone antennas frequently have SWRs around the 4 or 5 to 1 and they do fine, but I have tried to use a GMRS antenna (the MXTA26) on 2 meters, a frequency that wasn’t even considered when designing the antenna and couldn’t be heard 6 blocks away with 20 watts.

That’s correct. Not only that, but you are expected to control their operations.

It won’t help with where you have it mounted. A shorted or open feedline will result in a very high SWR.

Try an external antenna before jumping ship on the Midland. There are many antenna threads on the forum. Search for “base antenna.” Don’t expect 200 miles. I don’t know the terrain around @WRXP381, but I don’t get 200 miles. I think he has something unusual going on.

Glad to see that “Advertising Law School“ is making a difference.

95.1751 GMRS station identification. Each GMRS station must be identified by transmission of its FCC-assigned call sign at the end of transmissions and at periodic intervals during transmissions except as provided in paragraph (c) of this section. A unit number may be included after the call sign in the identification. (a) The GMRS station call sign must be transmitted: (1) Following a single transmission or a series of transmissions; and, (2) After 15 minutes and at least once every 15 minutes thereafter during a series of transmissions lasting more than 15 minutes. So if you used a timer and spoke for 35 minutes you would ID when you finish the first 15 minutes, again at 30 minutes, and then when you stop talking at 35 minutes. But nobody does that. Just throw it out there when you think about it and when you’re done with your conversation.

And the landscaping crew was only there because the station owners heard there was an imminent inspection. Everyone loves an “unexplainable myster “ but the truth is usually far less complicated.

It’s an individual choice. If you choose to violate the regulations that’s your choice. You’re correct in anticipating that nobody can discern by listening whether someone is truly your relative. But many people like to fully understand what the regulations actually say. That’s not “going too far into the weeds.” If you’re not interested, just ignore the conversation.

That’s the frequency you set for TX CTCSS. Leave receive empty, at least until you know the repeater can hear you. That way you can hear everything.