KAF6045

How nice... A meter that requires one to already have a meter in order to set the correction factors (apparently high and low power adjustments in %, if I interpreted the fine print in the manual). Not sure how one would adjust it based upon a NanoVNA as that is flea power for testing antenna/transmission lines, and probably won't even show up on the Surecom if one puts it between the VNA and an antenna)

Or the related article https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rician_fading Rayleigh seem more dependent upon a very crowded environment (they studied Manhattan, but maybe like my house? I can walk around with a radio tuned to a local low-power FM broadcast and find dead spots every couple of feet -- and even NOAA weather channel shows 6ft radius circular reception spots in my driveway)

Do you have transmitters with higher output power... like 50W, to test that meter. The sensitivity for the reflected power side may be similar the forward power side, and just incapable of reading the minuscule power being reflected by a 5W HT. MFJ-847 ( https://mfjenterprises.com/products/mfj-847 or https://www.hamradio.com/detail.cfm?pid=H0-014171 ) at least seem to handle HT power levels (though on the BTech GMRS-V2 [early version, highly under the 5W/0.5W spec] it can't measure reflected on the low power setting -- same for Wouxun KG935 -- though it also doesn't seem to like that unit... at high power its shows nearly 100% reflected! Looks like it's time to order a new antenna [the Nagoya 771G from the BTech on this shows reasonable values]) BTech low power BTech high power Wouxun low power stock antenna Wouxun high power stock antenna (it looks like it's reading MORE reflected power than forward power -- but that may just be camera catching the LCD refresh cycle) Wouxun high power NA-771G antenna

More likely it was the radio telling you to only unplug the cable when the power is off. ??

Unless the UV5R is unusual, the only "nut" I can visualize is the thin plate that holds the SMA connector in place on the body of the radio. Those tend (at least in my mind) to have teeth cut in the rim for a "special" tool to unscrew them, as normal nuts are too thick and don't leave room for a socket. https://mgs4u.com/product/nut-for-sma-female-bulkheads-thru-walls-and-feed-throughs-7815-s-nut/ https://www.data-alliance.net/bulkhead-nut-washer-for-rp-sma-sma-mount-connector-on-enclosure-or-pcb/ Didn't see any of the flat plate style.

Units in the 10-20W range tend to be supported by "lighter outlets" (and if the unit has bare lead ends, one could probably fit a lighter plug to it -- just pick a suitable fuse for the plug itself). Most such are rated for 10A (my deceased* Cherokee had a 10A lighter and 20A power outlet), and a 20W radio should only draw 40-60W (it is common that the output transistors may lose half the power drawn). That comes to 60W / 13.8V => 4.35A (I wouldn't want to run 10A through a lighter socket for long periods -- that's 138W) 40-50W needs much higher power capability and are best wired directly to the battery (using 150W draw 150W / 13.8v => 10.87A). I went 20 years with a (near) no-hole installation of a 100W Yaesu FT-100 (HF-6m/2m/70cm). Clamp-on screwdriver antenna (ATAS-100) on edge of tailgate, double-face carpet tape holding main unit and diplexer (to combine the 2m/70cm output with the HF-6m for feeding a single antenna) under passenger seat, all wiring tucked under the plastic trim and door sills (except for the wires crossing from left to right under the flip-up rear seat). Control head mounted (more carpet tape) essentially under parking brake lever, but just off to the side enough to reach controls. Power lead went along door sill and up kick panel, then around door frame (over gasket) and snaked inside the fender, coming out at the battery. Current rust bucket I found a rubber plug covering a 2-3" diameter hole high up the firewall. Popped it out, cut an X-slit in the middle, and ran the power leads through the plug (obviously putting the plug back in place -- the hole itself would have had sharp edges that could fray the power leads) to the battery. * roll-over, a year ago. 22 years old and only 75K miles, AND a factory order TWO-DOOR.

Most mobile antennas have a PL259 plug. That's a bit of a mass to connect to an SMA connector. If the radio and the coax are snugly held it may not be a problem, but you don't want to have motion of one of the set -- that could add a lot of torque to the SMA. Also, be advised that the specifications for SMA are just 500 connect/disconnect cycles. Many of the smaller (10-20W) GMRS mobiles (Midland MXT115, though that is NFM-only and has no ability to add customized "channels" for repeaters; Radioddity DB20G, though mine is showing lower power on repeater channels than the lower-power MXT115) are equipped with a cigarette light plug for power. With a large enough "phone/tablet" clamping holder in a cup-hole and a mag-mount antenna would allow mobile use without making a permanent mount. Or something like https://midlandusa.com/products/micromobile®-mxtarm1-tough-wedge-radio-mount-for-mxt115-and-mxt275 or https://midlandusa.com/products/micromobile®-mxtarm3-tough-claw-radio-mount-for-mxt115-and-mxt275 NOTE: I don't know if the mounting plate is compatible with slots in other radio brackets, could maybe track down the actual maker (RAM https://rammount.com/ ) though strangely their site doesn't show any radio mount models. ADDENDUM: If you can get them to stick, 3M Command Strip Picture Hanger (the strips that have paired velcro for removal/adjustment of the bottom of the picture frame) might be an option (my rust bucket has an oily plastic and nothing sticks except dirt -- even after cleaning with alcohol swabs, Clorox wipes, Kleenex glass cleaner). You'd have to put the strips on the top of the mobile as most have bottom-firing speakers -- possible mount locations: driver side of central console, knee well of lower dash.

Most likely, but a literal reading of the regulations doesn't allow "base stations" to transmit on repeater frequencies ("base station" is listed for 462MHz main frequencies, but is excluded from the 467MHz frequencies) {I also have a strict view on "control station" -- I do not consider PTT activation of a repeater a "control" function; the repeater is listening for a signal, and when it receives one the controller software activates the transmitter -- control, to me, means an ability to turn the repeater on/off, change tones, etc.; capabilities restricted to a designated control operator}

Strangely, the "KJD" variant shows the display as on the DB20-G -- but they also bill the unit as a 25W radio. The "AnyTone Store" entry doesn't know what they are selling... EMPHASIS MINE The specifications make it a 2m/70cm Amateur unit. They list it as 18W UHF and 20W VHF The "HESENATE Store" entry doesn't mention GMRS anywhere, and basically duplicates the specifications from the AnyTone entry -- 2m/70cm. The Retevis RA25 https://www.amazon.com/Retevis-Transceiver-Display-Integrated-Microphone/dp/B08NWMDMST/ref=psdc_2230642011_t1_B094MND77Y has the normal display. They don't list power on the page, and keep referring to "8 base station channels" -- What are those supposed to be? (The DB20-G default is for 30 default channels and 9 custom GMRS channels locked to repeater-only configuration, with the rest of the 500 channels Rx only).

Are you running a sideband CB? Or a 10m Amateur unit? Doppler from an oscillating antenna would be at the rate the antenna is waving, and I doubt you could keep up with a "clarifier"/"delta tune"/RIT knob. If it is a different "clarifier" setting depending upon who you are hearing it might be doppler (though I wouldn't expect much from two vehicles moving towards or away from each other)... Skip/ionosphere effects maybe... (I have an unused Cobra 29 still in box somewhere -- too big for mobile mounting these days, unlike the days when one could fit a Kenwood TS-5xx in the gap under the dash and the transmission hump; forget if the 29 is labeled clarifier or delta tune, delta tune was more meaningful on AM rigs)

I have other radios where the programming software supports other modes BUT it will fail to write that mode to the radio if the radio itself hadn't been first changed to the mode using mystic operations (for example, the Anytone 878UVII-Plus does not have the power-on button sequence supported by older 878 variants -- and I've not seen any confirmation that the third-party "breaker" software is compatible). Hence, I did not try setting model information and then writing to the radio... Compared to the MXT115, I'd say it is "simpler" -- running the MXT115 menu system using two button on the front-panel, AND the up/down buttons of the microphone often ends up with the menu timing out before I can make a change. With most all functions on the DB20-G microphone it is much easier to change configuration. I've encountered one reviewer on Amazon reporting low power though without details. None the less, it should be the same for any given frequency. In that situation, the 15W MXT115 display a half-watt more power on 467MHZ than the 18W DB20-G (with two samples of the DB20-G). Others have reported 20W range in VHF. I never did see a response to my submittal on the Radioddity web site.

Photo would definitely help. I presume the dish itself is long gone? If all you have is the mounting post (without the dish alignment junk on top), I suspect most moderate mast poles would be usable (if you can find a U-bolt bracket that will fit around the post, and still fit the mast). The dish would have been a big wind target so the post is likely fairly well seated in concrete.

It might require tweaking the dimensions some to return to the desired band tuning.

Might be difficult to detect, given that FM itself is sort of "doppler" -- the frequency is deviating around the center (tuned) frequency to carry the voice signal. Now... AM (old CB with a 10ft 1/4wave whip bumper mounted) I could see doppler, as the carrier frequency is moving around (along with the side bands) it would show as a tuning error. SSB it would show as a change in voice pitch (as the offset from tuned frequency determines pitch, and if the sideband is moving en-bloc, the pitch will move with it)

"Frequencies at will" isn't quite what I'd call it. ? At least, not for GMRS usage. Scanner usage on other bands/services may be somewhat "at will" but will still be from FCC listed frequencies (except for Amateur, and maybe the AM Aircraft bands, all services use FCC defined frequencies -- Amateur is granted a frequency range, and may use any ad-hoc frequency within that range -- channelization is by Amateur convention in the VHF/UHF bands and even that is not constant [some regions use 25kHz spacing on 2m, others use 20kHz spacing to fit in more "channels"]) Basically -- don't bother changing frequencies for the factory pre-set channels. For radios that permit adding "channels" basically copy the nearest matching pre-set and then modify tones/power level/name as needed. For the Portland repeater, that would be copy the .550 repeater channel (#23 in most linear schemes) to an empty slot, change the name, set Tx/Rx CTCSS tones to 100.0, ensure wide FM, give it a default power level (High, most likely). Done! For general scanning (Weather if not built-in, for example), the critical items are the Rx frequency and bandwidth (25/20/12.5kHz), though setting Tx to match Rx may reduce confusion. Tones should be NONE, power should be irrelevant as the unit should not be trying to transmit on these (if there is a Tx Inhibit option, for safety, select it on the channel). Most Land Mobile is on 12.5kHz these days; Amateur (and Weather) are still 25kHz I believe. MURS 1-3 are 12.5kHz, 4&5 are nominally 20kHz [25kHz is safe] but 12.5kHz is allowed.

Responding to this... Using this as the trigger... It is not certified by the FCC for operation on those bands -- at least, not under that particular model name. It is quite possible that the same circuit board is used in radios with different names, and sold for Part 90 Land Mobile Radio uses (though normally, those would be locked against front panel programming beyond maybe changing power and CTCSS tones). It is also sold in other countries (one of the "unlock" bands is Australian UHF CB 476-477MHz 5W -- GMRS only exists in the US [Canada's GMRS specification is closer to our FRS -- 2W power max, NO repeaters], another band is European PMR 446.0-446.2MHz [since it is listed as "version" the real PMR model may support digital voice capability] which falls into a US Amateur band). Note that the unlock option is NOT documented in the manual -- and I've only seen two (maybe three) web-sites that reveal what is needed to access the other modes. The FCC doesn't "certify" Amateur radios. As I recall, it merely "type accepts" radios sold for Amateur usage (which may include testing to ensure it does not operate outside the Amateur bands -- less a MARS/CAP modification -- and doesn't have excessive spurious emissions as sold; Amateurs are free to open the case and tweak stuff, add/change components, etc.) and assumes the licensed operator ensures the radio meets the "technical standards" of https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-47/part-97/subpart-D (note that power amplifiers ARE certified -- basically to ensure that they can NOT be used on 11m CB). Amateurs are permitted to operate using scratch-built equipment without submitting it to FCC testing. In essence, any certified equipment, if it can be modified to operate on Amateur frequencies, if available to Amateurs. Note that FCC regulations for GMRS are such that supposedly anything that can be operated on Amateur frequencies is NOT going to be certified. So... it is possible to obtain an LMR/GMRS (or marine/GMRS) dual certification -- as long as the LMR (part 90/marine part 80) aspect does not allow Amateur usage. The unlock sequence is NOT publicized by the maker, so -- as shipped, the firmware controls the "frequency determining circuitry..." to only allow transmission on GMRS channels. I suspect the testing lab was not informed of the "back door" unlock sequence.

You might start with configuring for the local repeater https://mygmrs.com/repeater/2515 though SE may be borderline for coverage .550 is, in current numbering scheme, either channel #23 or #15 with a marker for repeater mode (15rp, rptr-15, etc.).

Unless using a repeater, or on very open terrain, your range may be much less than 5 miles. UHF is considered a "line-of-sight" service -- for a radio held 5 feet (I'm presuming a "typical" person, if you are all basketball stars running 6.5' or more the numbers will change some) the horizon distance is 2.7 miles. Call it 2.5 just to clear the actual horizon and have the signal pass on... Open fields would then be you 5 mile range (person A to 2.5 closest approach to earth then another 2.5 miles to get to person B). Woods and buildings will rapidly reduce the range (though UHF can get /into/ buildings slightly better than VHF -- the wavelength at UHF is smaller then many window frames; metal frames at VHF tend to act as a shield). Frequencies? GMRS is (in current FCC regulations*) split into four channel groups. 462MHz GMRS Main (simplex) channels (in the current consolidated numbering scheme: #15-#22), allowed up to 50W output power, (wide) FM. Note that these are also the output frequencies for repeaters, so you may hear repeater traffic on these channels 467MHz GMRS Main (repeater) channels (#23-#30 on some units, or #15-#22 with an R/RP/RPTR notation on the display). Again up to 50W, (w) FM. These are transmit only frequencies, for 467.xxx you listen on 462.xxx 462MHz interstitial channels (#1-#7). These were channels created in the 90s I believe -- they are centered between the main channels and partly overlap the main channels. Limited to 5W ERP (not transmitter output, but effective power in the main beam of the antenna -- using a high-gain antenna with a 5W transmitter can exceed the 5W ERP!). (w) FM. 467MHz interstitial channels (#8-#14). Until the 2017 FCC reorganization, these were FRS-only channels. They split the Repeater input channels. To avoid repeater interference, these channels are restricted to 0.5W ERP and Narrow FM; use of any gain antenna will definitely exceed the ERP limit for practically any GMRS radio on low power (mobile radios do not have these as they typically have 5W as the low power AND have gain antennas). Unless you are working through a local repeater, you probably won't use ANY channel with 467MHz. Without a repeater no one will hear you if you are transmitting on 467MHz repeater frequencies; the 467MHz interstitials are too low in power to get through any vegetation at the distances you are considering (at close range -- say within a camping site -- 0.5W could be usable). If everyone is running 5W HTs, the 462MHz interstitials would be candidates (if there are repeaters in the vicinity, you won't come into conflict). If mobiles are in play (or there are too many kiddies with FRS radios sending calling tones on the channels and you need to find a clear frequency), you might use the 462MHz main simplex channels -- a the mobile could use more than 5W power. CTCSS/DCS tones (many manuals may refer to these as "privacy" codes) may not be desired for your use. The tones do NOT make your transmissions "private" -- anyone with a radio configured for "no tone" can hear you. What the tones do is /block/ transmissions from others that are not using the same tones. You'll probably be keeping the channels in High power (5W vs 0.5W low) -- unless, as mentioned above, you are in a close range situation where 0.5W is sufficient. High/Low BAND refers to UHF/VHF frequencies, and likely applies mainly to setting up channels for receive-only/scanning use. Valid frequencies are listed in FCC Part 95 E. Simplex frequencies will have the same frequency for Tx and Rx; repeater channels will have 467.xxx for Tx and 462.xxx for Rx (note that main channels have 3 digit .xxx [or end with a 0 as in .xxx0; interstitials are .xxx5]). * If you haven't, I recommend perusing FCC Part 95 E https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-47/chapter-I/subchapter-D/part-95/subpart-E [use the Print/PDF item to get a local copy]

Use of a GAIN antenna means your transmission (and receive) pattern is narrower in the horizontal plane. A 1/4 Wave over a ground plane (or 1/2 wave dipole mounted high enough to avoid ground interference) is essentially a balloon pattern -- less strength directly to the horizon, but more signal at higher angles. It may receive signals leaking /over/ obstacles when the gain antenna is blocked by the obstacle.

Presuming Win10 AND that the download is a ZIP format, try <right-click>Extract All... If it is a RAR file, you may need to download a more general purpose compression program (eg: 7-Zip) -- Windows native compressor is, I believe, only ZIP compatible. As for Adobe -- it sounds like some Adobe product you installed has hijacked whatever extension the file has. (Installing the mentioned 7-Zip might give you a chance to reset the association to /it/).

Personally -- I'd want the antenna to be /above/ metal, not alongside it (at best that metal is acting as a reflector and most of your signal is going out to the left side). As for hearing traffic on the repeater -- just don't set a CTCSS (or DCS) tone in the receive slot for the frequency. With no Rx tone specified, you've told the radio to accept ANY signal (repeater or simplex) on the frequency. {Need to figure out why DB20-G* won't scan enabled channels} With the MXT115 I had installed (need to strip out power lead and create a new power lead with disconnect for new radio) scanning only hit on one repeater, and that one is owned by the city of Grand Rapids (grandfathered business license) seemingly managing parking lots in downtown (gates stuck up, payment machines not accepting cash/cards, etc. is most traffic) -- it is not open to public; Lots of shrieking kiddies on old bubble-pack GMRS/FRS units ("LET GO OF THAT CALL BUTTON! No one can answer you while you keep ringing") * Replacing MXT115 in order to get additional slots for repeater configuration [though nine slots is still limited] and real (wide) FM on GMRS channels -- the only channels that are NFM in the regulations are the 467MHz interstitials (#8-#14 in consolidated scheme), but as those are also 0.5W ERP and no mobile rig goes that low (or lower as a gain antenna will violate the ERP spec). Midland MXT series were all NFM (on the argument that most users are matching up with FRS radios -- FRS is NFM even on GMRS main channels). However, not happy with DB20-G power output -- I returned the first one due to low power, but the replacement matches it. It is sold as 20W, manual says it is 18W, and my meter is showing only 11.8W on 467MHz (repeater) channels -- the 15W MXT115 shows 12.6 across both Simplex and Repeater channels so the Midland is closer to truthful.

I have no plans to use it on anything else; I unlocked the frequency range because that also unlocks the number of memories that can be programmed for GMRS use. In factory trim, it only provides NINE additional GMRS channel slots beyond the preset 30 channels (out of 500 memory slots). Unlocked allowed me to load 29 repeater configs (granted, 16 of those are just the options on an RT97 mini-repeater) -- 20 more than the stock set-up. But for something being sold as a 20W GMRS radio, why should two samples exhibit their WORST power output on GMRS frequencies (and by the same amount!), showing twice the power on the VHF band. Based upon the programmer (and the radio), it /is/ designed for operation in those other bands -- but has only been certified for GMRS in the US (cut-off of the image are entries for European PMR, though that may be a distinct firmware version as it reads "European version PMR", and Australian UHF CB) I'll accept that there may be some component due to meter inaccuracy, but with the same configuration of meter&dummy load, the 15W Midland shows higher power on repeater frequencies, and almost the same power on simplex frequencies. If both radios are putting out their rated power (which is listed as 18W in the manual for the DB20-G), I'd expect to see the DB20-G showing 20% higher power than the MXT115 on any given channel (18/15 => 1.2) -- or ~15W.

If you had the antenna adjacent to metal (which I'd expect would kill the SWR) it may have acted as a director -- turning the omni into a directional antenna by reflecting some of the signal from the pole out the other side. Or, being lower to real ground (whether the antenna is a ground-plane or not, you will have interactions with real ground) the take-off angle has been shifted upwards such that it now intersects the repeaters (but will have worse simplex operations as the beam "goes over" the heads of simplex users).

It may not be, but it does indicate that the two devices, in the overlap region, do agree on power readings -- if one showed 85W (for a 100W 2m) and the other showed 95W (or 75W) I'd be more concerned. But both showed in the 85-87W range. If the TS-2000 was putting out the rated 100W it would indicate a 15% error. A 15% error on the 15W MXT would match its readings if the MXT is putting out the rated 15W, but if one then assumes the DB20-G is under the same 15% error in the meter, it is still about 20% below rated output on repeater frequencies -- and WAY over on VHF (26W real would show 22W after 15% error, and is 8W over manual rating).

I'd put it no lower than the top of the pole. The main purpose for the lower metal section is, I believe, to withstand the strain of the mounting brackets -- clamping directly to fiberglass is likely to crush the fiberglass (and if it doesn't, a strong side wind might; metal at the top is likely to prevent cracking of the fiberglass, and seal the internals from weather).