What radio do you have for your car / truck?

[BoxCar]

Here ya go...

 

LMR = Land Mobile Radio. Also known as business radio. Commercial two way business radio systems.

 

LMR covers all terrestrial modes of radio configurations not in a fixed location. FRS, GMRS, Amateur, Business and public safety are just variations of Land Mobile Radio.

[Hans]

Sure. They show a VHF radio but the programming should be the same.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q_PEwRpmYRE

Thanks!

[axorlov]

LMR covers all terrestrial modes of radio configurations not in a fixed location. FRS, GMRS, Amateur, Business and public safety are just variations of Land Mobile Radio.

Semantics, of course....

 

but FCC separates Private Land Mobile Service (than includes "Fixed Relay Station", Part 90.7 Definitions)  and Personal Radio Services (that also include "Fixed Station", Part 95.303 Definitions) in it's all-famous CFR 47. https://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?c=ecfr&tpl=/ecfrbrowse/Title47/47cfrv5_02.tpl

 

However, I'm not a lawyer, and I do not even sleep with one on a regular basis.

[Hans]

I do not even sleep with one on a regular basis.

I've never been able to resist their briefs.

[gortex2]

Sorry for asking a dumb question as I'm still learning but what is the meaning of CCR, SAR, LMR and APX?

 

Sorry. Days I forget not everyone knows all the ways some of us talk...

 

 

 

Edit ...Should have read all the posts as i see another has already filled you in.....

[Extreme]

Found during a week of hunting that the Wouxun 805 battery lasts considerably longer than the Kenwood 3170.  And the Kenwood AA battery pack causes the radio to malfunction with odd display.. dang.

[axorlov]

Found during a week of hunting that the Wouxun 805 battery lasts considerably longer than the Kenwood 3170.  And the Kenwood AA battery pack causes the radio to malfunction with odd display.. dang.

That would be an advantage of a radio-on-a-chip and any modern radio over an old brick 3170. They are much more power-efficient when receiving. What helps is a new Li-Ion battery off ebay. My 3170 is usually good for the whole day (12-14 hours) with moderate talking.

I did not know the AA pack exists, even if it does it is not really an option. The current when transmit is significant, that alkaline batteries cannot sustain for long. That probably is a reason for strange display effects and malfunction.

[H8SPVMT]

As a newbie my Midland MXT400 has gotten me no where.  So far I can listen to conversations but have had no communications with anyone.  Not even a signal strengh/radio check.  Attempted to get onto two different local repeaters and failed that drill as well.  One was on a different frequency than listed (found out later)  and I failed to place the correct tone squelch on for the other repeater.  The magnetic 6db antenna did bubble the paint on my like new hood.  So I made a platform for it and got it off the vehicle paint.....

I would like to report that Midland did respond to an email and are looking into this issue.  Sent them pictures today.

[kevinarburn]

Yikes!! I put a mag-mount from Midland on the SUV.  I'd better check it out!!   My experience with my Midland MTX 275 has been similar.  I listen and pick up things in scan mode:  mostly family radio and businesses using the GMRS frequencies.  I think the local Wal-Mart is the most active.    One day I did pick up a conversation on channel 17 between two newer GMRS users that sounded very similar to my situation.  I waited until they finished then did a CQ with my call sign.....nothing.

 

Yesterday I went through all the hi power channels looking for anyone to respond.  Nothing.  I'm wondering if this is due to taking the tall 6db Midland antenna off the mount and replacing it with the 3db Ghost antenna.  I kept knocking the taller antenna when doing through drive-through places.  3db less gain must really make a difference.  I never did try the tiny mag antenna that came with the radio itself.  

 

GMRS is pretty dead in the Kansas City Area....at least for me.   

[Extreme]

That would be an advantage of a radio-on-a-chip and any modern radio over an old brick 3170. They are much more power-efficient when receiving. What helps is a new Li-Ion battery off ebay. My 3170 is usually good for the whole day (12-14 hours) with moderate talking.

I did not know the AA pack exists, even if it does it is not really an option. The current when transmit is significant, that alkaline batteries cannot sustain for long. That probably is a reason for strange display effects and malfunction.

My 3170 has new Li-ion.. Wouxun still lasts longer..  Not a big deal.  Interesting info on the AA.  Neither AA packs work with Kenwood or Wouxun but they still offer them.. hmm.

[daschnoz]

I just put an AnyTone AT-778UV in my truck about 2 weeks ago. This radio is also sold as a Midland DBR2500 and Retevis RT95. The programming software looks the same for all 3 radios, only the picture on the program splash screen is different. The software is also clunky as all hell, but until CHIRP fully supports this radio, that's the tool that I have to use.

 

No complaints about the radio itself thus far.

[1URFE57]

I have an iCOM F621TR for Base and Mobile I also have iCOM F221s as a spare Base planning to add Motorola and Kenwood on the mix. 73!

[H8SPVMT]

Yikes!! I put a mag-mount from Midland on the SUV.  I'd better check it out!!   My experience with my Midland MTX 275 has been similar.  I listen and pick up things in scan mode:  mostly family radio and businesses using the GMRS frequencies.  I think the local Wal-Mart is the most active.    One day I did pick up a conversation on channel 17 between two newer GMRS users that sounded very similar to my situation.  I waited until they finished then did a CQ with my call sign.....nothing.

 

Yesterday I went through all the hi power channels looking for anyone to respond.  Nothing.  I'm wondering if this is due to taking the tall 6db Midland antenna off the mount and replacing it with the 3db Ghost antenna.  I kept knocking the taller antenna when doing through drive-through places.  3db less gain must really make a difference.  I never did try the tiny mag antenna that came with the radio itself.  

 

GMRS is pretty dead in the Kansas City Area....at least for me.   

 

Well I can give a better understanding on the Midland now.

Drove to Kentucky for a JJAMUSA event with a buddy and we had great comms with our radios.  My MXT 400 and his GPX 1000 never missed a beep (pun)!  He ran one hand held radio all day every day and never got off but one bar/cell of power.  Five days of chit-chat and we always had comms.

 

Before I left for the trip I found a repeater between us.  I learned how to activate the repeater and while he could hear me, he could not activate it (not close enough).  So the morning of our departure I discovered I could get 34 miles on the repeater and he could hear it whith me talking.  Effectively reaching 50 miles.

 

Now, we used CB radio's on the off-roading for the primary comms for the 17 Jeeps and it worked well too.  But we used the FRS between us.

[daschnoz]

If that repeater uses an input offset, that would explain why your buddy couldn't get into it. Those handheld FRS radios don't do offsets.

[Citizen]

I just put an AnyTone AT-778UV in my truck about 2 weeks ago. This radio is also sold as a Midland DBR2500 and Retevis RT95. The programming software looks the same for all 3 radios, only the picture on the program splash screen is different. The software is also clunky as all hell, but until CHIRP fully supports this radio, that's the tool that I have to use.

 

No complaints about the radio itself thus far.

 

What antenna/cable are you using?

 

I have an AnyTone AT-588 UHF.  Although the radio seems fine for short distance/simplex, I have trouble reaching fairly close repeaters.  Wondering if my problem is my antenna or cable.

 

Thanks.

[daschnoz]

What antenna/cable are you using?

 

I have an AnyTone AT-588 UHF. Although the radio seems fine for short distance/simplex, I have trouble reaching fairly close repeaters. Wondering if my problem is my antenna or cable.

 

Thanks.

I'm using a Nagoya 72 on a Midland NMO mag mount. The mount came with RG-58C cable. The mount and cable aren't great, but they work for now. Cable and mount upgrades are planned for spring 2021.