SteveShannon

I would agree that it’s probably the cable or connector. I assume you’ve unplugged and replugged the connector several times. Sometimes a bit of lint or dirt can really mung things up. If you have a friend with the same radio try their microphone to see if it helps. You might be able to determine whether it’s the microphone or the radio. Good luck!

It’s not a regulatory limitation. NVIS would work at CB frequencies as well. But, the range of bands available to us hams certainly makes it easier to experiment with things like this. If you try it, Terry, let me know how it goes.

The thing is it takes a lot of transmitted power difference to result in a very audible reception difference. This video really demonstrates that point. The presenter demonstrates the difference in received signals at different power levels starting very low (5 watts) and goes all the way up to 600 watts where the signal is received with full quieting. This is for SSB rather than FM and the distance is heard over a 600 mile distance:

I’m surprised it’s that high. Does there seem to be a clear difference between which are unlockable? For example I would expect purpose designed GMRS radios like Midland, Garmin, and Wouxun to be unable to easily be unlocked. I would also have guessed that the Baofeng radios are nearly all easily unlocked.

You’d be amazed how quickly deer will become complacent to a new structure. Shiny barb wire fences, busy highways, farm equipment - within a few days they completely tune them out.

I did and I put power poles on the plug end as well so I can still use the cigarette lighter power.

Jeep is owned by Stellantis, a Dutch corporation. So it’s literally a Dutch car company building Jeeps in Toledo, Ohio from 70% US parts and 30% foreign parts.

Apparently your radio always thinks that B is the sub-channel. Perhaps when dual watch is disabled that’s how it works?

Thanks! I will.

Just look at reliability figures for the 4Runner versus any Jeep.

Dual watch simply means both tuners are being monitored (watched). On my radios if I turn off dual watch only one tuner is shown and heard.

As long as it’s a 4Runner (or Sequoia or Land Cruiser).

That’s right; that’s what it does. You have two VFOs, A and B. Either can be the “main band.” The other is the “Sub Band.” If you don’t want to be interrupted by the Sub Band, you turn on Sub Band muting using one of the three options. If you choose RX/TX while in one band the other band will always say “Mute.”

Except ours has locked up twice in the winter in two years, requiring us to wait until the snow melts to power fail it.

Did you find it in the database and ask permission? They usually provide you with the tones if they approve your request. Actually it’s an open system and the tones are published right on the repeater information page: https://mygmrs.com/repeater/6174

And if you mess with the meteorological satellites how would the guvmint control the weather and send hurricanes at their foes?? (Joking!)

Not necessary. There’s no DC in your coax. In fact most people use a magnetic mount and the only “connection” to the metal roof is via capacitive coupling to allow the roof to be the ground plane. If you have a non-ground plane antenna you don’t need to worry about ground.

Welcome! Grounding an antenna is not the same as providing a ground plane. In order to provide a ground plane you need a metal plate, such as a metal roof or hood. In your case I would suggest buying an antenna that doesn’t require a ground plane. I doubt that you need any kind of a ground strap.

Welcome! Enjoy the perusal!

Start by clearing out all of the receiver tones on the repeaters you don’t hear. That way you’ll hear anything transmitted on those frequencies. If you still don’t hear the repeaters, you’re out of range or one the wrong frequency or the repeater are down. Then work on your transmitter configuration only. Get closer if you have to and ask others to listen for your transmission. Carrying two radios and hoping to hear yourself on one while transmitting on the other often fails because your strong transmitter deafens the receiver of the other handheld. That’s called desense. That may easily be why you hear the courtesy tones and squelch tails after you release the PTT. Others may be hearing your transmission. Ask them to respond.

If after doing this you are disappointed, there are also mounts for ground plane antennas that mount them to the fender. Although it’s not perfect, it does provide a ground plane and a lot of people get by with fender mounts just fine.

Dale, As others have commented you are transmitting on a frequency that isn’t a GMRS channel with a non-GMRS certified transmitter. Your license only grants you permission to transmit on the official GMRS channels and only when using GMRS certified transmitter. So, technically you’re violating the regulations and by publishing your question in a public forum you have increased your risk of being fined. The good news is that the FCC typically doesn’t do anything unless someone files a complaint and even then they send you a stern letter first demanding that you cease and desist and confirm in writing to them how you intend to avoid doing such a terrible thing ever again. Just delete that channel and use the established channels at the permitted power levels and go in peace.

No. I think you just make stuff up. It’s more likely to affect your eyes and your testes. RF is non-ionizing radiation, and although excessive RF exposure can have harmful effects the calculation is more complicated than just some arbitrary power level. It involves frequency, distance, cumulative time of exposure, antenna gain, and power output. ARRL makes a free calculator. https://www.arrl.org/rf-exposure-calculator

Nobody can answer that but you. There are always trade offs, such as definitely shortened battery life, probable shortened electronics’ life, slight possibility of battery rupturing and catching fire in a spectacular way, possibility of generating interference, and/or spurious emissions. Do you have test equipment to see what happens to the signal? Why didn’t the manufacturer do it?