SteveShannon

Actual measurements of signal strength performed by swapping between the OEM antenna on my UHF radio and a clone of the Nagoya (Tid Radio 771) dispute that. Sitting at my kitchen table I transmitted to a DMR repeater 16 miles away. I watched the signal reports using a Brandmeister connected dashboard. When I transmitted using the factory rubber duck the signal strength was reported as s6. Then I removed the factory antenna and replaced it with the clone 771 antenna. The signal varied between s7 and s8. Going back to the original antenna the signal strength went back down. Those are reproducible data. Since then I have replaced the original antennas on two of my best radios with Diamond 771 antennas. I consistently get good signal reports from other hams on both 2 meters and 70 cm when using these antennas. As an aside, I don’t know what the number 771 indicates.

Every time I read posts like some of the ones on the previous page I am very thankful that my experience has been diametrically opposed. By an overwhelming majority the hams I have met have been generous and helpful. Although I don’t have the experience some of them have they have adopted me and others like me, encouraging us to learn, showing us how they have built their ham shacks, how they have constructed their antennas, and telling us about their own histories. I’m truly sorry for the people who have not had such a good experience. I feel even sorrier for those who have become embittered.

And hope that they transmit using the same tone as they filter inputs to the repeater.

I was really hoping that the separate menu choices to change the repeater shift for 10 meters and 6 meters would help, but I see your point that whatever is set there affects all the 10 meter (or 6 meter) shifts.

First, make sure you are transmitting on a repeater channel. They’ll be labeled either 23-30 or RP15-RP-22. If you’re on one of the Simplex channels (15-22) you will be able to hear the repeater but the repeater will never hear you. Second, make sure you’re transmitting using the correct access tone, whether CTCSS or DCS. Otherwise the repeater will filter out your transmission. Finally, it’s entirely possible that you can’t transmit that far from inside your house on a 5 watt handheld.

Welcome, Nighthawk01, If you look in the repeater database, at the map, you should be able to spot the repeater on that frequency.

I don’t have mine here to test, but repeater operation is covered in the Advanced manual on page 26:

There’s nothing special about the cable; it’s just a USB A to USB B cable. The software alone sells for $25.

I programmed one of mine (which I use for ham radio) using the software, but I don’t remember for certain whether power output can be configured on a per channel basis. I’m thinking it must be in order to accommodate the different power outputs for different frequencies in GMRS. That would definitely be a good idea. MURS is limited to low power anyway. You don’t want to get on there at 20 watts.

Most modern transceivers are capable of reducing their power if they detect that they are transmitting into a high SWR load, so an accidental brief PTT probably wouldn’t damage your radio. I have the same radio and I definitely have transmitted into a high SWR antenna. Once I realized my mistake I repaired the antenna and there doesn’t seem to be any damage. Steve

Sheldon, On the Receive side, if you leave the CTCSS or DTCSS tone empty, or set the radio tone mode to Tone instead of TSQL, you will receive everything transmitted on that frequency 462.650 MHz. I recommend that you do that at first. Once you are certain that you are able to hear transmissions from the repeater, and if there is other traffic on that same frequency that you would like to filter out, then you can always put the receive tone back in or switch to TSQL (which is the same thing). As far as output versus input tone, the convention is that the Repeater INPUT tone is the OUTPUT tone of your radio, which is the way you have it. But it’s not really common for a repeater to leave it’s input tone empty AND have an output tone. That implies that it will re-transmit everything on that 462.650 MHz frequency. It’s more common for a repeater to filter access with an input tone. It’s possible that the person who put the repeater into the database made a simple mistake and put the input tone into the output tone field of the database. If that’s the case,and you’re not sending a tone when you transmit, the repeater would ignore your transmissions. Finally, don’t be afraid to get closer to the repeater. If it claims a 10 mile range and you’re at 30 miles you could very easily be completely out of range. So, here’s what I would do: Make sure your radio is set to a repeater channel, not a simplex channel. Otherwise the repeater will never hear you. Get to within a few miles of the repeater. Clear out the receiver CTCSS tone. Double check with the repeater owner to see if it truly expects a tone on the repeater input. If it does, use it. Listen. Try transmitting your call sign and ask if anyone can hear you.

Not all repeaters are configured to send any kind of acknowledgement or squelch tail. Some places there’s just nobody comment on a transmission.

@ADVBikerRadioGirl, Welcome! Thank you for doing that volunteer work.

To further emphasize what Randy said, there are no 466 MHz frequencies in GMRS.

A fifty watt radio might draw about 12 amps while transmitting and maybe 1 or 2 amps while receiving. If you truly mean you’ll transmit 50% of the time that’s 288 amp hours for transmitting and 48 amp hours for receiving or 336 amp hours for for 48 hours. (Double check my math - I’m half asleep and doing it in my head) I’ll leave the recommendations for batteries to others but I suspect you want LiFePo, rather than LiPo. My experience is with SLA, only because I have a lot of them.

205 DPL is the same as DN 205 343 DPL is the same as DN 343. The ones marked DI invert the bits of the digital pattern. DPL is also referred to as DTCSS.

No. I carry mine when I’m with my friends on a rocket range. When people go to recover their rockets they can call for help.

Control station. A station at a fixed location that communicates with mobile stations and other control stations through repeater stations, and may also be used to control the operation of repeater stations. Fixed station. A station at a fixed location that directly communicates with other fixed stations only.

Not on the repeater: 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. 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.

Yup, that’s a GMRS repeater, but the call sign isn’t. First, make sure you are using a repeater channel on your radio. The repeater channels automatically incorporate the 5 MHz offset. Because the repeater transmits on 462.725 MHz, you must transmit to it on 467.725 MHz. Selecting the repeater channel will do that automatically. Next, just put the tone in for transmitting, not receiving. That way you’ll hear everything on 462.725 MHz. Get closer to the repeater if necessary. Also, don’t count on hearing something after you transmit. That’s optional and not all repeater owners turn it on.

Without more details it’s hard to know. Is the radio you’re using capable of transmitting on a ham radio frequency? WN2FXO is not a GMRS call sign, so it might be a ham radio repeater. What radio are you using? What frequency is the repeater? Are you on a repeater channel or do you have automatic frequency offsets enabled? Are you able to receive the repeater? I always recommend leaving the receive tone out so you hear all traffic.

No reason exists to try to make them play well together. Ham radio promotes the ability to try many things, just for the sake of trying. But what’s learned there might affect decisions elsewhere.

That’s pretty common. Some repeaters use phased antennas that direct the pattern downward.

I’m sure that settles it once and for all. It’s fair game to discuss. Eventually I suspect GMRS will go digital; I plan to resist until there’s a clear path.

I spent a couple years programming real time systems using LynxOS, and I have no problem using Linux systems, but I still prefer Windows.