CentralFloridaGMRS

Remembering the days that you could call out to truckers on Channel 19 CB Radio and they answered. That was fun. Our trips from Maine to Boston

So my new Antenna improved my reception even more (Ed Fong)Getting three repeaters now. The 700 is a solid 6 to 8 unlike before. Also Simplex is stronger as well. I added ferrite beads because I used them on the last Antenna but I wonder if I should remove them. Not sure if it changes it either way. SWR is good but wondering if I actually need to use the Ferrite Beads

I have the UT-72G. It replaced the UHF VHF version of the same make and made a big big difference. Some online videos compare it to the Midland.

An update on how this all happened. I have a private channel just for our house to our mobile units. Asked my wife to call me on the Orlando 700 and she didn't move the band up. She transmitted on the Simplex Channel. So I stand by and wait for the repeater and hear nothing. That's when I asked her to talk again and was surprised to be getting her from that distance. Friday I will be trying for more distance with another Antenna. Thanks for all the feedback everyone.

I just talked to someone in Clermont today on the Orlando700. Clermont is way out of reach of the Orlando700 so that's not normal for sure but I get it all the time on Kirkman Road for over a year now. And I put my home Antenna up a bit higher and now can talk to my home unit no problem from Route 50 11.9 miles north on Simplex. And I tried it going south and picked it up on 192 in Kissimmee. Also get my base at the Orlando Airport east and west near Disney World but it's spotty at Disney location. The path north from my home to that location has parking garages, trees, Universal etc. I'm very impressed with that coverage. On the Simplex coverage west I can also hear chatter coming from the Fort Wilderness Disney Campground on Simplex that is about 6.8 miles west with trees all around the campground area. The J-Pole Antenna I have is great but appears to be a bit directional. Over the weekend I will be trying another Antenna and checking the results. My wife just wanted to talk to me going back and forth to work. And that is no problem at all.

Going to be testing another Antenna over the weekend if I find time. It's a highly rated Antenna

Update. I went down to Route 50 and at one point I was getting two bars from the base unit but they couldn't hear me. I'm still working on my Antenna setup and I know it's not as well tuned as the home unit. However, I counted the miles now as the crow flies. 11.9 miles. That was the point when I heard the home unit but couldn't be heard from the home unit

So I have my Wouxun Handheld with me and I'm receiving from my home at the same distance.

Both the home and car radio are Wouxun KG-XS20G Plus radios. In the past I lost him near I-4 about five miles out.

Testing my base unit with my son. He was talking to me on the repeater no problem of course. But he called out to me on the Simplex Channel accidentality that we use in our neighborhood and I could hear him 8.5 miles away. I was on my mobile. Orlando has many things in the way and on average I get about 5 miles from the base to handhelds of course but that was amazing. Weather related? Home base is just south of Sea World. I was on Kirkman near Colonial drive. My base antenna is about 30 feet up and I was on ground level

I grew up in Maine and back in the 1970s we all used CB Radio. Today I'm very impressed at the amount of repeaters in Maine. We have a Camp near Machias and they will sure come in handy when we travel up in that area again. Does anyone know if the Camden Repeater can get all the way to places like Vinalhaven?

I gave up on these radios after trying out another brand. The UV-9G picked up so much noise from my vehicle and didn't have the power that another brand had. I don't mind paying a little more for better quality

Finally tested the Antenna with the SWR Meter. Outstanding readings. All below 1.25

Some said to loop it several times while others have said use a ferrite. The LMR-400 is not easy to loop. I have one loop at the bottom going into the house making it a drip line So using Snap-on Ferrite Beads 11mm would be the solution?

Yes. I will be adding them. I used the good stuff for cable . Photo was taken before Cable was added. I moved the Antenna just 90 degrees and now get the Orlando 700. Today my meter arrives so I will be checking the SWR on it. I used LMR-400. Do I need to add Tomorrow I will be checking the SWR. Used LMR-400 CABLE. As for the Choke how do I do this?

I will be trying the turning first and also relocation if that doesn't do the trick. Big thanks to you all

Thank You. I will try that

Installed a UHF 440-470 MHz Slim Jim Antenna. It's on the roof. Now I can pick up more GMRS Traffic compared to the N9TAX Slim Jim. But now I can't get the Orlando 700 Repeater. I did a signal Simplex Test and the UHF 440-470 picks up more signal by far including a new repeater but anyone know why the Orlando 700 is not being picked up? Also note I did have the N9TAX facing east but was at least 6 feet lower. It picked up the 700 repeater no problem. Could this be weather related?

How about Messi & Paoloni Cable? Getting ready to install my roof Antenna soon

Thanks. I was worried about it not putting enough power. Can't find your model. Also when I ran the meter on this it showed transmit output to be about 24 watts on Channel 16. Any advantage to running it via Cigarette ports in home and in car over wiring it?

Yes. This is it. This is be used only for the Radio and what ever is best. Cigarette Lighter right now

Pyramid Universal Compact Bench Power Supply - 7 Amp Regulated Home Lab Benchtop AC-Dc Converter Power. It turns on and I can transmit but is this enough power? Enough Amps? It's for a Wouxun KG-XS20G Plus

Just purchased two of these. Both put out the advertised power plus a bit more. Great radios.

So I tried just about all of the radios. I would pick the Wouxun KG-XS20G over everything else including Midland. It's built better. It also puts out more power. Just my two cents.