PastorGary

Anyone here have experience with the Motorola RDM2080D series MURS dedicated radios recently? Looks a little pricey as compared to some...

Logan5 - Any additional updates on the situation that you mentioned?

Thanks William - on our next trip through the area we'll have less antenna on that vehicle, but we'll give it a try anyway. I might be able to change things at my end by then - it's still a few months off.... I'll see what I can come up with for mobile gain.

In the past few weeks, members and staff alike have researched the controversy regarding type acceptance or certification of radio equipment. We have found absolutely NO evidence that the agency is issuing citations to licensed GMRS operators for using Part 90 equipment in Part 95 service. We have anectdotal evidence that agency inspectors randomly allow Part 90 equipment in Part 95 service as long as all Part 95 technical standards are met. Therefore, it is the decision of the staff at MyGMRS Forum to once again allow posting of "Equipment Reviews" regarding ALL types of equipment whether Part 90, Part 95 or Part 97. We feel that it is the responsibility of each member to screen the information that is provided by others and to make an educated decision on whether or not to use any equipment of any kind in your own personal setting. Reviews of Part 97 equipment are acceptable due to the number of Amateur Operators here, however, we do not wish to see any reference to Amateur Radio Part 97 equipment being 'suggested' that it works on GMRS frequencies. Thank you all for your patience in this matter and thank you for your understanding. The forum is once again open for "Equipment Reviews" and similar postings under these guidelines listed above. The MyGMRS Staff

William - Is your coverage on I-65 south of Cullman better now than last year?

In the past few weeks, members and staff alike have researched the controversy regarding type acceptance or certification of radio equipment. We have found absolutely NO evidence that the agency is issuing citations to licensed GMRS operators for using Part 90 equipment in Part 95 service. We have anectdotal evidence that agency inspectors randomly allow Part 90 equipment in Part 95 service as long as all Part 95 technical standards are met. Therefore, it is the decision of the staff at MyGMRS Forum to once again allow posting of "Equipment Reviews" regarding ALL types of equipment whether Part 90, Part 95 or Part 97. We feel that it is the responsibility of each member to screen the information that is provided by others and to make an educated decision on whether or not to use any equipment of any kind in your own personal setting. Reviews of Part 97 equipment are acceptable due to the number of Amateur Operators here, however, we do not wish to see any reference to Amateur Radio Part 97 equipment being 'suggested' that it works on GMRS frequencies. Thank you all for your patience in this matter and thank you for your understanding. The forum is once again open for "Equipment Reviews" and similar postings under these guidelines listed above. The MyGMRS Staff

Thanks, Jerry - Sounds as if that system might have more usable range than the local Sheriff's system... but, that is common with many GMRS systems.

` ` ` We are adding additional info links to this thread as we find them. In the following link, scroll down to "Access Permission" sub section for an eye opening statement from a large regional organization: http://www.northgeorgiagmrs.com/membership/memorandum-of-understanding/ We are currently evaluating all policies here at MyGMRS for possible modification - (if and when we find that the strictest interpretation of commission rules is not so strict after all, and using Part 90 only equipment is not netting licensed GMRS users citations or fines, then we may possibly allow Part 90 equipment discussions again. However, we are not at that point as yet.) ` ` `

Special Message on May 17 - Armed Forces Day in the US Today, I am sending out this special message on Armed Forces Day. Since 1950, the 3rd Saturday in May has been officially set aside as a tribute day to honor those brave men and women who have chosen to defend our nation and to defend the Constitution, while wearing the uniform of the United States Military. Please take a moment to reflect on the courage and strength that our military men and women have shown in the face of aggression throughout the world and if you happen to see a member of any of the military services as you go about your daily travels, please thank them for their service. We ask that you do this to show your support for our military personnel and their families who sacrifice much in their dedication to make this nation safe for all citizens. Unlike the current administration in Washington, DC, that shuns and turns their back on US military personnel, YOU CAN make a difference in the life of a military member by thanking them for what they do for us as a nation. Thank you.

Once in awhile in August, I can light up a GMRS repeater at the far southern end of our state from my seasonal residence in the northeast part - roughly 193 miles straight line. It usually starts around 5 AM and goes until 'sun plasma' noise kills it around 9 AM

Thanks, Jerry - It's in the family radio museum, now. I haven't had a CB fired up for quite some time.

This link below is for reference reading and the link adds to the discussion that many persons have had over the years regarding Part 90 ONLY certified equipment being used in Part 95 service. This link was provided by one of our members (thank you) and it details a long back and forth discussion at "Popular Wireless" from 2004. The official rules in Part 95 have not changed since this 2004 discussion took place, therefore it is still applicable to today's operations. It contains statements from an official agency source that should be looked at very carefully and please read the entire discussion top to bottom. This is for reference reading as you have time >>> http://www.popularwireless.com/ubb/Forum6/HTML/001002.html We are also asking this ongoing question again - "Can any member here at the forum DOCUMENT that ANY licensed GMRS operator has ever been cited by the agency for using Part 90 ONLY equipment in Part 95 service?" We are looking for official documentation, not hearsay, opinions or conjecture... just verifyable citation facts, if they exist, from legal case history. Please reference any citation documents in this thread. Thank you. MyGMRS Mod Staff

Something that I have tried in the past is the Larsen NMO150/450/800 which is a tri-band antenna that has commonly been used by scanner enthusiasts. However, I have used this with great success with Part 90 and Part 95 type accepted Kenwood equipment operating on one band at a time. The antenna has comparable performance to a single band antenna and it has a very compact design. I have seen no difference in distance-to-repeater with this Larsen verses testing with a PCTel MaxRad mobile antenna. Link >>> http://www.tessco.com/products/displayProductInfo.do?sku=427126

ADD ON May 12, 2014 We have also been concerned for the safety and well being of our member Jeremy M... Jeremy lives northwestern Florida - in an area close to where 22.7 inches of rain fell in 26 hours (Pensacola area). We finally got in touch with Jeremy this morning and he is fine... just extremely busy in the aftermath of the storms. He'll be back here as time permits.

John, Thanks for the updates.... really interesting project and several members are intently following your progress.

The weather front that was moving into your area from the west created the situation. Occasionally when atmospheric conditions are just right, "tropospheric ducting" is formed. This is a temperature inversion effect created by a stable-high pressure system over oceans or very large lakes where a warm, moist air mass is sandwiched between two cool air masses. VHF and some UHF signals can be ducted through this conductive tunnel by bouncing off the dense air within the system to propagate waves for hundreds of miles. Think of it as mother nature's coaxial cable or waveguide. This effect is usually seen only during the warm weather months. UHF is defined as the range from 300 Mhz. to 3 Ghz., and along the shorlines of the Atlantic and Great Lakes, it is common to have this effect present several times each year where single repeaters and trunked 400, 700 and 800 Mhz. Public Safety, business and other radio systems in the frequency range hundreds of miles apart interfere with each other so severely that communications are all but impossible - lasting for minutes to several hours. This can be a very serious situation when a trunked system with the same control channel properties affects another system a couple hundred miles away. That is why it is essential to have a simplex backup plan in place during such events.

You're welcome, John... I figured you wanted them all together in one place. It's easier to follow this way... Best of luck on your project.

Thanks, Jerry - No problem and thanks for the info. Persons must make educated choices on equipment purchases because the Rules are less than complete regarding GMRS.

06 May 14: Topic was merged with original and moved to 'General" for continuity. (NO, not THAT kind of 'continuity'... you don't need a multi-meter to read this thread...

They designed the area surrounding the SMA radio mounted connector so there isn't any room for anything larger. I know some techs who actually hard wire a Kenwood output cable and connector to Motorola radios for the sake of reliability. Good luck on your project.

Many Radio Tech's will tell you that the mini UHF SMA connectors are a disaster waiting to happen. The compact thread design is prone to stripping out when connectors are being tightened and may even snap off laterally under certain circumstances. Motorola started using these SMA connectors for proprietary reasons so other brands of equipment could not directly be used to replace Motorola equipment without additional labor costs. You may wish to look at these adaptors for SMA to N applications: http://www.amazon.com/Male-Plug-Female-Jack-Adapter/dp/B00D6HG8B4 However, when ANY SMA connector strips out it's threads, (and many will), a quick fix is to cut down some RG8U copper braid about 1/2 inch long and remove a few strands. Use the strands across the stripped SMA threads while you are reattaching the connector so the connector has something to grab on to. Use caution to not allow strands to lap over the end of the connector and get anywhere near the center conductor. This may possibly salvage a much bigger job and provide a positive connection... until the next time that the connection has to be removed... and then you start all over again. Thank you, Motorola....