WRQI583

It isn't so much which is the best quality, although you do want a good quality in the end. It is more "What kind of terrain do you live in?" Not all antennas are designed for the same purpose. If you live in a hilly terrain, you don't want an antenna that does better in a flat terrain. I am not familiar with GMRS antennas, but in Ham Radio, Comet makes two antennas. The GP6 and the GP9. Both great antennas, however, one is made for those who live in a flat terrain and one is made for those in a hilly terrain. It all has to do with the take off angle of radiation. Some antennas direct your signal a bit higher (for those in a hilly terrain) and others go off straight away from the antenna (for those in a flat terrain). The same goes for vehicle use also. Usually you can research an antenna and it will give you that information.

I am not naming the entity, but I know of one that uses marine radios in their plow trucks. I don't know the reasoning behind it, if they even have a clue? if anyone else has a clue? if they all do or some do and they don't care? But it happens more than you think.

To try to transmit on 350 MHz is like trying to transmit on the 800 MHz band in between all of your public safety. That whole 300 MHz portion is all military aircraft. The FCC is not going to issue a pass for license free communication in between aircraft frequencies. It leaves too much room open for interference to those big large tin cans flying around in the sky. It is hard enough trying to get 220MHz equipment to legally transmit on, and even, no one is there. I don't know of any radios out there that transmit in the 350 MHz area. Not even your cheapest Baofengs. You have the MURS frequencies, FRS/GMRS frequencies (unlicensed) and you have CB radio if you want to talk to non-licensed operators. Or you can do like I do with my Ham friends - communicate strictly over cell phones.

It makes me wonder if they pushed really hard, back when we had the full 220 spectrum, to make radios, would more people use it? There are a bunch of those bands that I always wanted to use but very few people use them/are interested in them. Now, I live in a place where none of those bands work and many have literally zero activity on them. I run the Yaesu 991a. The VHF/UHF side is disconnected. I cant use it where I am plus I am not a big fan of Fusion due to the way the repeaters are setup. I bought it because I have recently owned Yaesu products and had good luck, plus I wanted an all in one radio with 160m-70cm. I have had very good luck on HF with it. I shoot people all over the place very strong signals. I used to own Icom equipment. The reason I stay away from Icom now is because of the construction of their equipment and reviews from other Hams. From the radio's I have owned, they put out strong solid signals, have wonderful features, but I cannot tell you how many physical parts have broke on the radios. Knobs, connectors, wires, you name it, the physical end of their radios are junk from my experience (up until 2006). Otherwise, I probably would have gone with an Icom for HF. But I hear many Hams say what you say when it comes to the two brands. They like Icom over Yaesu.

Congrats. Not sure if you do it yet, but if you have time in the afternoon, check out the HF activity group. They start at 17:30 UTC on 17 meters at 18.1575. It is basically doing signal reports. Everyone checks in and as each person is called, they give their callsign two times and asks "who hears me". Then you wait for everyone to come back to you. It's a lot of fun if that is your thing. I like studying propagation so it is good for that. The website is HFQSO.com.

I have the same thing in my state. DMR is used but not by many. I think, last I checked, there is a small group in the southern end of the state that uses it. Three of the repeaters have been taken offline. A linked fusion system was placed across the state and you see a little more activity on that. The reason I have heard Hams complain about when it comes to why they don't do DMR is 1. It is too hard to program, 2. there just isn't enough activity on it. Well, when people find it too hard to program, then of course there won't be a lot of people on it. It really irritates me personally because DMR makes better use of the frequency and there are things you can do with it that you can't do with other digital voice modes, one of them is being able to use the repeater on a local talkgroup without bothering the rest of the network talkgroups. I still would not recommend it on GMRS unless they could expand the GMRS channels for digital use only.

I understand the urge to explore this. It is not a bad question. I love DMR because of the capability it has and how it makes good use of the frequency. I love the ability to network with it but also have a local channel for each repeater if you don't want to tie up the networked end of the system. Simply put, digital voice, in my opinion, has divided Ham Radio and it will do the same thing to GMRS if implemented. Thankfully, Ham Radio has enough spectrum, so while it is divisive, there is still room for analog. When it comes to GMRS, you only have 8 pairs (6 in some places) of frequencies to play with. You can divide and multiply and reconfigure the frequencies anyway that you want, but the reality is, digital wont work on GMRS unless ALL, and I mean 100%, of every radio goes digital. Having DMR on GMRS is a great idea. Even I would love to use DMR on GMRS, but there is just not enough room for digital and analog. Being a Ham and seeing what has happened with digital, I would vote against it. The big issue is just like Ham you will have a group that goes for digital because they like it. Then you will have the other side who stays with analog because they prefer analog or cant afford to go digital or cant program digital. Certain repeater owners will turn their repeaters digital which will kick the analog users out unless they convert. More than likely, if the analog guys don't convert, they will sell their radios and stop using GMRS because they can't use it and because digital is annoying to listen to on an analog radio. Eventually, even the DMR guys might abandon using it. Then there goes your GMRS. I am not saying that is exactly how it will all play out. You may get no one getting on board with digital, you may get some, and then you may get all of them. Either way, digital cannot mix with analog, therefore creating the divide. I think the best thing is to allow more power to be used on MURS or some frequencies nearby and allow DMR on there, OR, take a set of UHF business band low power frequencies and add them to GMRS and allow them for digital use only to set up repeaters or use as simplex (keep the same rules as GMRS). There are many UHF business frequencies that are low power that do not get used. I believe their are 30 low power channels in addition to many others that are strictly used for business with higher power. MURS was originally low power business at one time. They took 5 of the busiest channels and made them license free. I think that if they did it this way, you could have a mix of the two and everyone would be happy.

From what I have noticed, Neither! Go to your local EMA/EOC/EMC or whatever they call it in your area, and get a job there. In my area, when we have disasters such as widespread road closures, power outages and flooding from storms, it is not Ham Radio or GMRS that saves the day nor is it what is used to communicate. It is the guys at the local EMA who operate EMA radios who do the coordinating between the 911 RCC and the power companies and shelters. I don't know if there are areas of the country where Ham or GMRS is still used, but the norm where I am is public safety and their counterparts. Make sure you check into this before investing in a ton of EMCOMM radio stuff. You may not need to bother with the licenses. I am sure that it will help if you do have them and by all means go for both, but if you are only looking for EMCOMM stuff, you may be able to get away with just joining the local emergency agency for your state or county.

That was my first radio. It's a decent radio to get started with. If you decide to upgrade eventually to a better DMR radio, watch YouTube videos, do your research. There are several good radios that, in my opinion, are equal in quality. They all have a slightly different features that will apply better to your situation.

I cant remember where I saw it, but do a little research. There was something about Hytera equipment only where there was an issue.

Lol, Try doing that where I live. You "might" catch a local depending on where you are, but more often than not, you will hear crickets. I know there is a lot you can do with Ham, thats why I like it, but some things take a lot of time to learn and many areas of this country do not have anyone on the receiving end. Band conditions aren't always good. This is much of the reason I rarely use the radio. Believe me, it pains me but I can't force people to like what I like, or to actually get on the radio and do something useful and I especially cannot control the sun. If you happen to be in an area where you get activity, then kudo's to you. I am glad it works. All I am saying is that radio is not uniform in all areas of this country. There are many dead zones in Ham Radio and GMRS where radio works, the operators don't.

I heard something about that. I had a few Ham friends try to get me to buy one of them and I said no way. Good choice lol.

Depends on if the OP has a general license or not, AND if they get into contesting. Personally I cant stand contesting. These days, it seems like Ham Radio is either contesting or Emergency Management. Not much going on in other areas, of course, depending on the area you live in. Going mobile works. I have had to do it before and still do in order to use 2 meters and 70cm. In order to join in with the groups in my state that use 2m simplex, I have to drive a good distance from my house and sit on a hill top. But who wants to have to keep driving out to a hill top and sitting somewhere just to use Ham Radio? I definitely don't care for it. My evening is for relaxing. I think if anyone wants to call something "not real Ham Radio", you can call Hamshack hotline "not real radio". At least with DMR, you are still using a portable radio in most cases. Most of the networks are on repeaters anyhow. With Hamshack hotline, you literally use a device that links to an internet network, thats it. I know people like it, but I think that is where I draw the line.

Oh I have a DMR hotspot that I just put together from spare parts from other pi's and DMR hotspots. I haven't used it in awhile but it works well if you live in a place like I do. I know many other Hams who use them because they are apartment/HOA bound and cant put up outdoor antennas. I use the WPSD software on mine. Many Hams will say it isn't real radio, but what are ya gonna do? Sit there with a Ham License and do nothing? Some of us are lucky to have a place to put our HF antennas and other sticks in the air, some are not.

That is straight off of my license. I have ability to use all 8 channels because I live below line A, however, I don't have to drive too far north or east of me and I am north of line A. When I go shopping in Bangor, I am well over the north of line A. What I do find interesting that may put some truth to this is that if I download my GMRS license now, the Waiver says NONE.

While a good idea, linking only creates more problems if not done correctly. If you are looking at linking a couple repeaters or a few repeaters to make a large area to cover, that isn't bad. But when does the linking stop? and because you linked these repeaters together, now two guys sitting on one repeater talking will tie up the whole system. Unless of course you own the system and make it closed. In that case it would work. Another thing to think about also is that GMRS repeaters have to be installed on commercial towers in many cases to work reliably. If the public safety and cell phones get knocked out in a "disaster", so isn't GMRS and Ham. Disasters don't pick and choose what towers and systems they put offline. When one crashes, they all crash. The networks behind them may determine what gets knocked out first, but Ham and GMRS are both vulnerable to disasters when it comes to the repeaters. The other idea that many Hams will give you is to get your Ham license and get on HF. Totally not viable, unless you want every single individual person in your family to study for two different tests, learn all this radio theory that means absolutely nothing at the end of the day if you just need long distance communications to pick up a mic and talk. And then you have to spend a fortune on radio equipment. No, QRP radios are not viable because the HF bands are too unpredictable. Sometimes you get away with 5 watts and then the next thing you know you need a lot of power just to get over bad band conditions, and even then it is not guaranteed. I know because I have been living this joke of HF going long distance all year and a good chunk of last year. Anything above 30MHz is not worth my time, leaving HF. The HF bands have been plagued by solar flares knocking them dead unless you run a kilowatt or more so it is hit or miss. But remember, we are talking about reliable communications, not QRP contesting. Reliable as in cell phone reliable. So, at the end of the day, either all of you get your own individual Ham licenses, hope that Trump cares enough to force the FCC, that he tried to rearrange, to allow linking, or do what I do, rely on cell phone communications. I have GMRS, and a general class Ham license and do not rely on either for reliable communications because they simply are not reliable. I just use radio for the pure fun of it, "when" it works. If cell phones crashed, radio may be the only communications, but it still wont be reliable. It will be hit or miss depending on band, power output, and location.

I run regular NMO mounts on my mini-van and they hold up perfectly fine. One thing to note however is that with some car washes, the sensors that control the rollers may see your antenna regardless of whether or not it is hard mounted or mag mount and will lift that roller right up over the vehicle as if something is blocking it. I run 2 1/4wave VHF antennas (about 18-19in) and the roller wont even wash the top or back of the vehicle because of it. Other than that, they definitely can take a beating. I have had 49" antennas with no spring on my vehicle before (NMO mounted) and would whack certain trees at a job I worked and they would still be intact and working fine.

Don't forget the barn door effect. If a conversation is going on on one repeater and someone keys up on the other repeater, it is highly likely that they will be close enough to hit both repeaters, and what will happen is that they will come across the other repeater as long as someone is talking which would cause the receive to be open. It would make it sound like someone was keying over the person talking. PL tones only keep the receive from opening up unless someone with the proper tone keys up. Once that person with the proper tone keys up, it opens the receive allowing everything in, hence the "barn door effect, however, in normal circumstances, just the person using that repeater should be heard. I have a repeater right down the road that is local. There is another repeater 35 miles from me that, when you are on the hill tops around here, you can get into it and definitely hear it well. I know there have probably been many times where I probably clobbered a person talking on the other repeater when I put my callsign out on the local repeater near me. The two repeaters? Same deal as what you are asking about. Same frequency, different tones.

The bands have been dead in my area except for night time where 160-20 come alive. 6m is always dead quiet every time I have gotten on there.

I had to laugh..................... give these frequencies to the Hams? They will use them? Hams wont even use 6m unless the band opens up and sends their signal halfway across the country. I say, make a long range GMRS band. Regular citizens will put them to better use. I have sat here for quite awhile trying to find digital activity on 6m since voice is always dead. No repeaters, no simplex, nothing. I did manage to make one contact on FT8. The first and only contact since 1996. Since then, I haven't noticed even a fart of activity on 6m. So what makes anyone think Hams will make use of the 46/49 MHz band?

I have been scratching my head over this for a long time now. I understand being cautious about the security of your home, but do you all (those that have this issue with the address on the FCC database) live in an extremely high crime neighborhood? Are you all filthy rich, prominent, and in the newspapers front and center? I have had a Ham license starting off in 1996 with several different addresses over the years and now have GMRS and Ham with my address on there. I know hundreds of Hams out there that have their address on their license and don't know of anyone who has been harmed or robbed. Could it happen? Absolutely. But ask the many radio operators out there. How many have had their house broken into and been robbed or half beaten to death? I think the key thing is to NOT display your equipment online in either a list or pictures. Even then, who is coming to steal it? Probably only another radio operator. I remember when I got one of my licenses recently, someone sent me a message warning me that my address was online. Yep, it was, just like it had always been. And if people did further searching, you would find that a hundred other sites had my address and probably every address I ever lived at, including every phone number I have ever had. The FCC website is the least of your worries. Try fast people search, been verified, and hundreds of other data mining sites that collect every bit of information on you, place it in a blender, and whip up a mess of info on you that can sometimes make you look really sketchy. Unless you paid a lot of money to the right people to have all of your information scrubbed from the internet, something about you or related to your address is going to pop up. To want to give up on having a radio because you think that someone is going to break into your house just because the FCC has your address up for all to see, is crazy. Best bet is to get a P.O. Box so that your address wont pop up. The issue is that other websites will still have your address. If you own your own home and I find your name on the FCC website, I can then take that name and then enter into the tax assessors database for your town and find your address that way. Too much is public knowledge these days. It is almost impossible to hide. My thought is that criminals looking to steal to make a quick buck are going to break into your house just because. I highly doubt they will get sophisticated enough to monitor radio traffic to see when you are not around. The best thing is to maybe get cameras installed on your house. Put up signs stating that the property is monitored by camera surveillance.

When Hams "sell Ham Radio" to non Hams, they tend to do more talking about communicating around the world rather than what you can do locally. Out of the guys I have talked to, that is the only thing they were ever really told about Ham. I actually tried to change their mind and show them the benefits of the 2m/70cm bands, but they were against it. There is a lot you can do with the local bands. It's too bad they don't get used to their full potential. If I had endless amounts of money to blow, I would be setting up repeater systems, linked networks with all sorts of added goodies and I would utilize the bands up as high as I could go. Sadly, I don't have the money or even the time. When it comes to the test, that tech test is really easy. It almost seems easier than when I took it back in the 90's. If you encounter any math, it is really simple. Memorizing will help. I really had to do it when taking my general. I passed, but just like the tech, I didn't really learn a lot, until I started talking with other Hams, experimenting, and applying what I learned. I always believe that the true learning part comes after you pass the test and really get into Ham Radio and meet others and start experimenting. I am with you on hoping these interested ones reconsider. The ones I have met were very knowledgeable. They weren't the run of the mill CB'er that just sits and chats. These guys had the basic tech knowledge.

I had to laugh when I saw this. It is very true. I get it though. If you look at what Hams had to go through to just get to a General license back in the day, it wasn't easy like it is today. You had CW requirements etc. To get your General license now is actually simple. I have studied all three tests and the Tech is easy. The General takes the Tech and gets a little more in depth but is still pretty easy. The Extra is the one that is hard. I got to General and I am good for now. Eventually the older crowd will die off and the newer crowd will take full control. I think we have been seeing that already. They are making Ham more inviting and looking less like a brotherhood that you join. Ham is supposed to be fun. It isn't for everyone though, but for those who like it, it can be fun. You have people who just want to key a mic and talk to their friends, and then you have those that are electronics geeks and really get into the meat and potatoes of radio. Neither is bad, they just get into two different things.

I have heard the same. However, I don't make up what I have been told to my face or what I have heard come through my speakers. The way I see it, if these "Hams" don't like it being exposed like that, they should encourage those few Hams out there that have a hatred for other radio services to stop it. I have come across a handful of Hams who think getting people into GMRS is wonderful way to get into radio and then transition into Ham if they want. I know quite a few who have. However, Ham isn't for everyone and I respect that. It doesn't mean a person can't pass the test though. Out of the people I have talked to that are interested in radio but don't have their ham license, almost all of them don't want anything to do with Ham because of contesting/DXing and talking worldwide. That has been the main reason I have heard because these guys just want to talk local the way people do on CB. Other reasons are the "having to pass a test" just to do the act of talking on the radio to their buddy is dumb. I have only met a couple of people in my life that straight up told me they were not smart enough to pass the test. I know, "some people" will believe what they want, so to each their own. Whatever floats their boat.

There are a quite a few Hams in my area that do have GMRS licenses and are not afraid to talk on either or mention GMRS on Ham, but I dont live in the areas where they talk on radio. I actually live in a very quiet area when it comes to people talking on radio. It isn't an "in thing" to do.