trying to get the most out of my tera tr-505

[rlyons3]

Hi everyone, before I go on I have spend hours on this forums and a few others trying to answer my questions. But I'm try to figure out how to get the most out of my handheld radios. I live in southern NH and from what I can gather a repeater doesn't exist around me. I bought external antennas from powerwerx and I can get about a mile out of them. Im looking to get 5 miles if I can get more than that's great! I have been looking at the midland mxt400 and setting it up in my truck as a repeater. is this a possible route for me or am I missing something? I don't have the programming cable for these radios yet. looking to get some feed back before I start ordering things. 

 thanks for your time!!!

 

rich lyons 

  wrbu240 

[Logan5]

I assume you already have a ground plane UHF antenna on your truck? Do you have any kind of home antenna deployed? Before you buy a repeater or any more radios. work with what you have first. a simple SMA to BNC adapter will allow you to use external antennas, You could have a Home ridge line antenna install and easily connect to it when you get home. That Tera radio is a nice set up. get some feedline and a yagi antenna for your home base, maybe a rotor if you have local friends or family you wish to communicate with. Consider learning to build your own base antenna. there are a lot of options if you are hesitant to spend a lot of money,. check your metal piles, I keep lot's of stuff that could be used to build antennas.

[rlyons3]

I assume you already have a ground plane UHF antenna on your truck? Do you have any kind of home antenna deployed? Before you buy a repeater or any more radios. work with what you have first. a simple SMA to BNC adapter will allow you to use external antennas, You could have a Home ridge line antenna install and easily connect to it when you get home. That Tera radio is a nice set up. get some feedline and a yagi antenna for your home base, maybe a rotor if you have local friends or family you wish to communicate with. Consider learning to build your own base antenna. there are a lot of options if you are hesitant to spend a lot of money,. check your metal piles, I keep lot's of stuff that could be used to build antennas.

 

I do have a UHF for my truck and no I have nothing for my home.  so I should mess around with an antenna before anything else? only issue with an outdoor antenna is I live in a condo... would an attic antenna be worth it?

[Logan5]

almost everything depends on the relationship you have with the other owners and BOD. You have some FCC protections for access to the airwaves, generally TV and satellite antennas. Yes an attic antenna can improve your access to the airwaves although less than ideal. If you have access to the attic, look for a PVC roof vent pipe, cut said pipe and add an inline "T" coupling, You could deploy a classic whip antenna in a push up out of the end of the pipe format. Like "Hogans Hero's" LOL  Just make sure the water path is maintained or mitigated. there are many options.

[Soladaddy]

 If you have access to the attic, look for a PVC roof vent pipe, cut said pipe and add an inline "T" coupling, You could deploy a classic whip antenna in a push up out of the end of the pipe format. Like "Hogans Hero's" LOL  Just make sure the water path is maintained or mitigated. there are many options.

that's a good idea.

 

Agree with Logan, work on your antennas first. More power will allow you to transmit further, but better antennas with low loss coax will allow you to transmit further AND hear better.

[wayoverthere]

Noticed it in one of the other threads. Depending on how tight the BOD/HOA is, a ventenna might be a viable option to stay under the radar (saw this in another thread, haven't tried them)...the size for gmrs ranges is only 16"

 

https://www.ventenna.com/Commercial-Pricing.html

[rlyons3]

ok,cool. thanks!