Antennas

[Lifegood]

Hello all, I have dilemma. I have a DB20-G GMRS Radio, which I like. ( I had the DB25-G ) could not program it so I sent it back.

This DB20-G is dual band UHF/VHF 136-174/400-490MHz ,which antenna is best for this radio. Also can this radio receive only 

Frequencies. 

Thanks in advance.

 WROA534

[wayoverthere]

7 minutes ago, Lifegood said:

Hello all, I have dilemma. I have a DB20-G GMRS Radio, which I like. ( I had the DB25-G ) could not program it so I sent it back.

This DB20-G is dual band UHF/VHF 136-174/400-490MHz ,which antenna is best for this radio. Also can this radio receive only 

Frequencies. 

Thanks in advance.

 WROA534

The biggest consideration will be matching your antenna to the transmit range. Something tuned for gmrs, 460-470, or a dual band commercial (150 or so on vhf, and 450-480 or in uhf) would be good matches, generally in that order. For receiving, you have a lot more leeway on what will work, if not necessarily 100% ideal.

As shipped, they will only transmit on gmrs, as that's a fairly strict requirement for part 95e approval; the rest will be receive only. The db20-g's twin, the anytone 779uv, is able to be unlocked for ham usage (@michaelLAX is a fan of this one...not sure if the db20-g can also.

[MichaelLAX]

22 minutes ago, wayoverthere said:

 The db20-g's twin, the anytone 779uv, is able to be unlocked for ham usage (@michaelLAX is a fan of this one...not sure if the db20-g can also.

They are exactly the same: although the Radioddity is up to version 2.33 of firmware, while the Anytone is still at 2.30. I do not feel any differences yet. 

Do you have a Ham license? If so, you can easily open it up to transmit and should look at dual-band antennas  

Mine works especially well with my triband Comet CX-333 on the roof and a $20 dual band mag-mount on my car

it actually performs on 2 meters and 70 cms better than my Yaesu FT-857d and I have a tremendous range for GMRS simplex and repeaters

I have a couple of receive-only public service frequencies programmed in, but I am not a big scanner buff. 
 

Let me know if you need help with the CPS codeplug software. 

[Lifegood]

3 hours ago, MichaelLAX said:

They are exactly the same: although the Radioddity is up to version 2.33 of firmware, while the Anytone is still at 2.30. I do not feel any differences yet. 

Do you have a Ham license? If so, you can easily open it up to transmit and should look at dual-band antennas  

Mine works especially well with my triband Comet CX-333 on the roof and a $20 dual band mag-mount on my car

it actually performs on 2 meters and 70 cms better than my Yaesu FT-857d and I have a tremendous range for GMRS simplex and repeaters

I have a couple of receive-only public service frequencies programmed in, but I am not a big scanner buff. 
 

Let me know if you need help with the CPS codeplug software. 

Hello MichaelLAX, I'm not a ham operator and I'm very new to the GMRS system. 

I don't know what a codeplug is sorry.

[BoxCar]

Codeplug is the frequencies stored in the radio. For multiple radios you normally program one radio and the using computer software copy that programming so it can be "plugged" into the other radios.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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[MichaelLAX]

In addition to Boxcar's comment, using your computer to program and install a codeplug saves you from the tedium of hand installing channel by channel. But you can start out by manually adding a few new channels that meet your specific needs.

Here are some "tips" on using your radio:

Quote

Some Operational Tips:

Open up the Ham 2 meter and 70 cm bands to transmit on the USA version:

1) Turn off the power.  

2) While holding down the V/M button, turn on the power.  Use the Up and Down arrow keys to change from the GMRS setting on the display to 136-174 MHz; 400-470 MHz and now power down.  

3) When you power back up licensed operators can now transmit on the GMRS channels and the 2 meter and 70 cm Ham bands. 

NOTE: This can easily be accomplished with the provided software too.
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Giving a Channel an alphanumeric name without using a computer:

1) Go to the appropriate Channel

2) Push the FUN button and using the V/M and MAIN buttons to go through the Menu items until you reach Function 29: DSPCHANNEL and using the Up and Down arrow buttons, select NAME. Push the FUN button to exit the Function menu.

3) Push the FUN button and using the V/M and MAIN buttons to go through the Menu items until you reach Function 12: CHANNEL NAME.  Using the Up and Down Arrow buttons, scroll through the list of 1-0, A-Z and a-z to find the first letter.  When you do find it, push the MON button to confirm that character and move to the 2nd position.  Repeat as necessary until up to 8 characters are entered.

4) When finished push the FUN button to exit the Function Mode.
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Programming a repeater channel without using a computer:

1) Switch to VFO mode (from Channel Mode) using the V/M key

2) Using the number keys on the mic, enter the repeater's output frequency

3) On the mic, push FUN then 9 repeatedly until the proper split (+ or - or blank for Off) appears above the frequency.

4) Press the FUN key on the Radio and use the V/M and Main keys as an up/down to get to function 10:Offset.  

Use the Up and Down arrow keys to set your offset split, such as 5.00000MHz or 0.60000MHz (you can hold down the Up or Down key to have it continuously change). 

Once you get to the proper offset, push the FUN key again.

5) Press the FUN key on the Radio and go to Function 01:T-CDC and use the Up and Down keys to find the proper transmit PL Tone.  

Use the same method to optionally set the proper receive PL Tone, if necessary, on Function 02:R-CDC (or Function 03: RT-CDC if both tones are the same)

6) You can rotate through High, Medium and Low transmit power using FUN and 0 (zero) on the mic.

7) Save to the first open channel by pushing Fun and UP on the microphone (or then use the UP and DN keys on the mic to scroll through the available channels, with empty ones saying NULL

Save to this channel holding down the "MON-*" key on the mic and you are done!
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Use DCS Digital Tones:

Go to desired channel
Press FUN on mic
Press 1 on mic
Go to menu 1 using V/M or Main key on mic
Press number 1 on mic to cycle to 000 N display for menu 1
Use up and down on mic to scroll to code corresponding to desired DCS code. 
List is in the instructions.
Use V/M or Main to go to menu item 2. Repeat selection process
Press DIL on mic to exit.
_________________________________________________________________

New Radioddity DB20-G CPS software V2.02
1. Change the default bandwidth from Narrow to Wide.
2. Address the bug that "when repeater TX frequency change, RX frequency automatically match"
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[MichaelLAX]

Check out this local "open" repeater:

PAHRUMP-1

You can contact me by email if you want some step-by-step instructions: My Screenname @ AOL dot COM