Help with home base gmrs

[Jeepandy]

Hello, as I am new to obtaining gmrs license, I have a question about home gmrs radio. Currently I only have a Btech v1 handheld. I would like to setup something for my house. Here’s the main question. I live in an apartment and can’t “attach” an antenna to the roof. I do live on second story with balcony. Any recommendations please?? And a good cheaper starter radio???

[mbrun]

Good day, and welcome to GMRS.

 

Last question first. No, I can’t recommend a cheaper starter radio than what you have. So on the Antenna issue.

 

In GMRS, antenna height is absolutely the most import ingredient in achieving radio range. Height is important for two reasons. First, the higher the antenna the further the signal can travel before it is blocked by the horizon of the earth. Second, because every obstacle (tree, pole, building, hill, etc...) that is between your antenna and other person’s antenna degrades usable range, and typically quite dramatically at that.

 

I have and have regularly used the Ed Fong rollup J-Pole antenna, designed mostly for portable use. He also makes one for permanent installation. They are simple and very flexible antennas. The latter could be a good one to mount on the railing of your apartment. If you could give it some height, you would even be better off. If you have repeaters that you can access with your HT right now from your balcony, these antennas will definitely represent a marked improvement for you.

 

Just about any antenna made for portable use could be adapted as well for your application. A mobile mag-mount antenna sitting on a pizza pan or other flat metal service outside (or inside). The pizza pan in this examples satisfies the need for a ground plane that many/most mobile antennas require to perform per manufacture specs. Some folks, even just put a mobile antenna on top of their refrigerator. There are even some after market ground plan kits available for use with NMO mobile antennas which may open up mounting options for you.

 

Knowing what I know, and if I were in your shoes, I would choose one of the Ed-Fong antenna due to their simplicity, ability to make them inconspicuous and ease at which they could be further elevated on a pole on your balcony, perhaps without drawing unnecessary attention.

 

One thing is for absolute sure. Any working external antenna you add to your radio is going to be an improvement over the stock rubber duck antenna that came with your radio.

 

So there you have it. One man’s opinion to get you started.

 

Again, Welcome.

 

 

Michael

WRHS965

KE8PLM

[berkinet]

.... Here’s the main question. I live in an apartment and can’t “attach” an antenna to the roof. I do live on second story with balcony. Any recommendations please?? And a good cheaper starter radio???

 

Personally, I would start simple and learn. To start with, if you cannot get the antenna above the roofline, you are going to have a limited signal pattern.Like between 180º and 270º depending on whether your deck in on a corner of the building.

 

So, you can buy an NMO antenna mount with attached cable for around $15 to $18 (plenty on Amazon).  Then mount that on a pie tin or small baking pan (at least 8" diameter) and finally attach the pie tin to your deck railing. A couple of holes in the pan and some zip ties should work.  Then buy a 1/4 wave dipole antenna for around $15.  Finally, get an adapter from the coax to your radio. Probably SO-239 to something.   Now you are on the air. See how well it works. If you can place the antenna in different places, try moving it around.  You can even try mounting it on top of a pole. Once you settle on the best location, see what you can hit.  If you find some stations/repeaters that are workable, but marginal, then, you might consider a better antenna. But, chances are good that you will just end up sticking with the 1/4 wave.

 

As for the radio. You can have cheap, or you can have good. But, unless you are willing to start looking at used equipment, and consider part-90 gear, you are not likely to find cheap & good.

[Jeepandy]

I really appreciate all of the advice. I think I might try setting up a retractable antenna. I live on the back side of the complex so I’m thinking I won’t bring too much attention. I can barely pickup the repeater with the handheld but it is better than my stock antenna. Any recommendations on a home base radio setup? Or good place for some research? Thanks everyone for their feedback!!!

[berkinet]

I really appreciate all of the advice. I think I might try setting up a retractable antenna.....

 

I would counsel against a retractable antenna unless you really did your research first. But, why even bother with anything major until you have seen what you can do with the basic 1/4 wave?  And, at < 7 inches long, it is essentially invisible.  Keep it simple, at least at the start. If the hole drilling required to place an NMO mount in the pie tin is a challenge, try, as others have suggested, a mag mount on a pizza pan.

 

As for a home "base" radio?  There are really no such things for GMRS.  Most people simply use a mobile with a 13.8 vdc power supply.  There are a lot of choices. First things you need to decide are: your budget; new or used; Part-95 certified.  Personally, I'd go with a Part-90 (I.e. not GMRS certified) used radio. YMMV.

[mbrun]

JeepAndy.

 

The first ‘external’ antenna I purchased was for my vehicle. I purchased the mag-mount NMO style and I use it constantly with the HT while mobile. BUT, when I first received it, I experimented with it in and around the home. Once on just a metal trash can lid, an another on the bottom of a metal trash, another on a cookie sheet. And yes, experimenting even included putting them up on my roof. Good thing my home is set way back from the road.

 

Why do I mention this? In my case I purchased something I know I needed for one purpose, then leveraged that purchase for educational purposes which helped me learn and decide what I really wanted to do on the home. Learning is a wonderful thing.

 

 

Michael

WRHS965

KE8PLM

[MozartMan]

Personally, I'd go with a Part-90 (I.e. not GMRS certified) used radio.

 

Would you be so kind to list some of those, please?

[berkinet]

Would you be so kind to list some of those, please?

Just look search for “Part-90” or scan through the Equipment Reviews and the General and Technical discussion forums. There are literally hundreds of posts on this topic.  

[MozartMan]

Just look search for “Part-90” or scan through the Equipment Reviews and the General and Technical discussion forums. There are literally hundreds of posts on this topic.  

Thanks for the guidance.

[berkinet]

.... Learning is a wonderful thing. ....

A sage comment. Every time I answer a question, give advice, or post a comment on the my GMRS forum I am sharing the fruit of literally hundreds of hours of trial, error, and full out failure.  Those who seek the short path are unwittingly denying themselves the benefits of learning, knowledge, and even, with luck, understanding.

[Jeepandy]

I absolutely love learning everyday. It’s also a pleasure hearing and trying some of others experiences. I have a lot to look forward. It does come at a cost between work and “wife” haha. I do appreciate all the help. This is a truly fun hobby. And have a great repeater to reach far areas just a short drive to connect. I’ve been able to hit 60+ miles with it possibly even more with some cities

[Blackmar401]

JeepAndy.

 

The first ‘external’ antenna I purchased was for my vehicle. I purchased the mag-mount NMO style and I use it constantly with the HT while mobile. BUT, when I first received it, I experimented with it in and around the home. Once on just a metal trash can lid, an another on the bottom of a metal trash, another on a cookie sheet. And yes, experimenting even included putting them up on my roof. Good thing my home is set way back from the road.

 

Why do I mention this? In my case I purchased something I know I needed for one purpose, then leveraged that purchase for educational purposes which helped me learn and decide what I really wanted to do on the home. Learning is a wonderful thing.

 

 

Michael

WRHS965

KE8PLM

 

 

I live in the suburbs and my neighbors already dont like me because of my big dogs, wood stoves, wood piles and chainsaw season. For a week i had the midland ghost mounted to a cookie sheet hanging from my roof with dangling cables. Definitely stick out around here. Had my wolf hybrid pulling my kids on a sled up and down the road today, they usually pull the wood kart in spring. I dont have the luxury of being out of sight, im on like a half acre with neighbors on 3 sides.