Ham UHF vs GMRS

[SteveShannon]

On 10/28/2023 at 11:38 AM, Tiercel said:

Thanks SShannon,  I responded to your message.  I appreciate the offer.

WRUI365 - I don't totally understand what I am looking at but it was interesting to change the time and extent of the tails to see the movement of what must be GPS tracking.



 

APRS is a way of communicating information using packets.  The most common information transmitted using APRS is location, but it can also include weather or text messages.  There is a whole unofficial network of radios called digipeaters (digital repeaters) that share all of that information so it can be seen using the website APRS.fi, but if you have an APRS capable radio you can receive the information locally as well.

People flying large high power rockets or high altitude balloons use tiny little APRS transmitters tucked away in their payloads so they can get them back.

When my ham radio club provides logistical support for a local fundraising bike ride, many of us use handheld radios that allow us to communicate by voice on one frequency while transmitting our location on the APRS frequency.  That allows our “base” to see all the moving pieces on a map on a computer screen.

If you search for AI7KS in APRS.fi you may see traces for AI7KS-7 or AI7KS-8, depending on which one of my APRS radios I am carrying (assuming I remember to turn on APRS.)

[Tiercel]

18 hours ago, gortex2 said:

And on ham you can use DMR, P25, Fusion, IDAS etc..... That you can't use on GMRS

I did learn one thing from this post.  You know a lot more than I do.

I remind everyone that I have had a GMRS radio for a week.  I have not even completed the study for my Ham test.  If your answers wouldn't make any sense to the random guy on the street, then they won't make sense to me.

[marcspaz]

3 hours ago, back4more70 said:

Where can I find these?  They sound great for search and rescue use or event communications.

 

That'd typically what I use mine for. They are available from Ham Radio Outlet, DX Engineering, and companies like them. Common brands are Yaesu, iCom, Anytone, etc.

[Jonolvey]

With a little Google research you should be able to find an amateur radio club in your area most people in these clubs are more than willing to show you there radio's and answer as many questions as they can . And please remember if everybody like the same thing Walmart would constantly be sold out

[Lscott]

On 10/30/2023 at 10:26 AM, Tiercel said:

I remind everyone that I have had a GMRS radio for a week.  I have not even completed the study for my Ham test.  If your answers wouldn't make any sense to the random guy on the street, then they won't make sense to me.

It's like any other hobby specific area. They all have their funny jargon. After you're in it a bit you'll pick it up quick enough. Remember just one thing, DON'T BE AFRAID TO ASK QUESTIONS! That's how you learn.

[Adamdaj]

Comparing services in UHF HAM vs GMRS. Both services have their pros and cons, but each service gets the same job done. True an Amateur Radio Licenses only authorizes the person who passed his or her exam and GMRS licenses authorizes the entire Family. A CB would do just about the same as GMRS on simplex and even about the same with the audio quality, now that FM is legal on 11m Band.   In a real SHTF, the majority of GMRS repeaters, like Ham repeaters will be down or in service for BUCC, with the Local ARES or CERT groups. So, using any repeater, whether Amateur or GMRS will be like trying use a Landline or Cellular. 

 

[WRQC527]

2 hours ago, Adamdaj said:

In a real SHTF, the majority of GMRS repeaters, like Ham repeaters will be down or in service for BUCC, with the Local ARES or CERT groups.

If the S really does HTF, I'll be using my repeater to transmit AC/DC Highway To Hell on an endless loop. Like the guys on Titanic who played while the ship sank. Only edgier.

[WRUL474]

On 12/19/2023 at 5:10 PM, WRQC527 said:

If the S really does HTF, I'll be using my repeater to transmit AC/DC Highway To Hell on an endless loop. Like the guys on Titanic who played while the ship sank. Only edgier.

When all is quiet will you switch it up to Sound of Silence?

[WRYS709]

43 minutes ago, WRUL474 said:

When all is quiet will you switch it up to Sound of Silence?

When you add Garfunkle, it becomes SoundS of Silence. 

[WRUU653]

4 hours ago, WRUL474 said:

When all is quiet will you switch it up to Sound of Silence 

 

Radio Nowhere, Springsteen  

[PugetSounder]

You may already know this but here goes:

A cheap SDR will give you the ability to see what's out there on HF, VHF, UHF, slow scan TV, track satellites, listen to the space station etc. Additionally, you can listen to international shortwave broadcasts, pirate and spy stations. Listening to active NETS is super easy. -There is a lot more but it's TLDR.

You can program in all of the active frequencies within your antennas reach and use a scanner plug-in to monitor traffic.

People get into the radio hobby for different reasons. I personally like to listen mostly.

I humbly advise that if you want to be a HAM, check the radio bands chart and then use the cheap SDR to monitor the allowed bands that you are shooting for. This will give you a realistic idea of what is going on out there and help you decide if you would like to spend time and $$ to get in on it.

[SteveShannon]

54 minutes ago, PugetSounder said:

You may already know this but here goes:

A cheap SDR will give you the ability to see what's out there on HF, VHF, UHF, slow scan TV, track satellites, listen to the space station etc. Additionally, you can listen to international shortwave broadcasts, pirate and spy stations. Listening to active NETS is super easy. -There is a lot more but it's TLDR.

You can program in all of the active frequencies within your antennas reach and use a scanner plug-in to monitor traffic.

People get into the radio hobby for different reasons. I personally like to listen mostly.

I humbly advise that if you want to be a HAM, check the radio bands chart and then use the cheap SDR to monitor the allowed bands that you are shooting for. This will give you a realistic idea of what is going on out there and help you decide if you would like to spend time and $$ to get in on it.

Great advice!

[WSBW539]

On 2/14/2024 at 8:54 PM, Sshannon said:

Great advice!

Thanks makes sense

[kidphc]

Thanks makes sense

Side benefits, which I found useful. I was able to find signals easier, adjust bandwidth (figuring them out), and identify different modulation types via the visual signature.

It also helped when signals were out of frequencies in normal us amateur bands. Due differencent in ITU regions and government band plans.

Sent from my SM-S901U using Tapatalk

[WRDJ205]

On 2/14/2024 at 7:59 PM, PugetSounder said:

 

A cheap SDR will give you the ability to see what's out there on HF, VHF, UHF, slow scan TV, track satellites, listen to the space station etc.

I’m all in!!   Can you give us an example?  

[OffRoaderX]

3 minutes ago, WRDJ205 said:

I’m all in!!   Can you give us an example?  

This link has all the info:   https://gprivate.com/6b4um

[WRDJ205]

9 hours ago, OffRoaderX said:

This link has all the info:   https://gprivate.com/6b4um

Wanted specifics, maybe a model which has worked well or did not.  That’s the reason many people are on this site.  That’s why many people go to your YouTube for valuable information.  That response was not.  

[kidphc]

They all work decently. Even the Rtlsdr off of Amazon, usually to $20-40.

It is usually what I buy for friends (usually with a minimum with rabbit ears. Then tell them to look at the different consoles (software) to find what they like. Each console has a different feel and some are way more technical.

Don't get caught up in to many of the recommendations. Nor the the technical like lna's, bias tees and long wires off the jump.

It has a lot to learn. But first get your hands on a cheaper unit like an rtlsdr. I had a generic one (silver one) and it looks like Amazon is full of the Nolecs now adays.

Sent from my SM-S901U using Tapatalk

[marcspaz]

19 hours ago, OffRoaderX said:

This link has all the info:   https://gprivate.com/6b4um

 

Is it bad if I turned the volume down on my phone before I clicked on the link?

[WRQC527]

1 hour ago, marcspaz said:

 

Is it bad if I turned the volume down on my phone before I clicked on the link?

I thought it might be malware but I clicked anyway. So far nothing bad happened, but sometimes these things unleash later.

[Adamdaj]

Since it seems that no one mobile transceiver will cover both HF and UHF it has me wondering what band of Ham unit I would get.  It seems to me that long-range HF is the fun stuff of Ham radio.  I am having trouble seeing what Ham UHF, has over GMRS.  Oviously GMRS has the advantage of talking with my family on outings, emergencies, and just routinely.  It seems to have similar range in HTs and mobile units.

You're right, you won't see an HF/ UHF only mobile radios.  As far as the 70cm / 440 Band, there's really not much of a difference except power output. 

[SteveShannon]

2 hours ago, Adamdaj said:

Since it seems that no one mobile transceiver will cover both HF and UHF it has me wondering what band of Ham unit I would get.  It seems to me that long-range HF is the fun stuff of Ham radio.  I am having trouble seeing what Ham UHF, has over GMRS.  Oviously GMRS has the advantage of talking with my family on outings, emergencies, and just routinely.  It seems to have similar range in HTs and mobile units.

You're right, you won't see an HF/ UHF only mobile radios.  As far as the 70cm / 440 Band, there's really not much of a difference except power output. 

The Icom IC-7100 is available. It’s HF, VHF, and UHF, a mobile transceiver, and probably can be unlocked for GMRS. 
Of course there’s the IC-705 which is a portable radio that does HF, VHF, and UHF.

If you don’t mind used there are a few really nice older radios like IC-706MkIIG and the Yaesu FT-857D that are mobile and do HF, VHF, and UHF. 
All the radios I listed above except the ic-705 are 100 watts on HF, and about half that on VHF, a little less on UHF. Plus you can do SSB on them. 
A little bigger radio is the FT-991A, which still isn’t huge, but does all modes and all bands. 

[WRUU653]

3 hours ago, Adamdaj said:

I am having trouble seeing what Ham UHF, has over GMRS

Many more repeaters and simplex frequencies would be the biggest difference I can think of. 

[SteveShannon]

10 minutes ago, WRUU653 said:

Many more repeaters and simplex frequencies would be the biggest difference I can think of. 

And digital modes, and no hand wringing over whether repeaters may be linked, and up to 1500 watts of power (not that anyone would) and many times as many users. 

[WRUU653]

17 minutes ago, SteveShannon said:

And digital modes, and no hand wringing over whether repeaters may be linked, and up to 1500 watts of power (not that anyone would) and many times as many users. 

Yeah a built in community for sure. And cross band repeater capabilities…