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Does a HAM and GMRS antenna exist?


WSDV406

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I'm new to the radio world. I'm a GMRS license holder (WSDV406). My interest in radio is mostly for emergencies and SHTF scenarios. My question is: With the arrival of radios like, but not limited to, the TIDRADIO H3 -- which are capable of tx and rx on HAM and GMRS frequencies -- is there a single antenna for HT's that works well for both bands? Or would you need to have one for each band and swap them continually.

Please don't get overly legal. I'm not talking about regular transmission.....I'm talking about emergency and SHTF scenarios. Also, if you can help it, please don't get too overly technical. I'm willing to learn (and am learning a LOT), but i'm looking for the simplest answer.......if one is possible.

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4 minutes ago, WRXR255 said:

What can be, unburdened by what has been, cannot unite HAM and GMRS. We can however, burden ourselves with resolve, to burden the unburdened.

"Today is today and yesterday was today yesterday. Tomorrow will be today tomorrow. So, live today so the future today will be as the past today, as it is tomorrow."

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22 hours ago, WSDV406 said:

I don't give a SHIT about FCC rules or guidelines. I paid my $35 for.....let's call it  "other reasons". I actually got ousted from a local GMRS club within 48 hours. Hey. Whatever. Fuck em. I'm not about arbitrary rule following drones that support censorship and the infringement on inalienable rights.

So now you have my GMRS callsign. Know that I'm a free speech absolutist who paid their $35 for access to information, not to adhere to arbitrary rules.

That said, do you have any recommendations on antennas?

So, you only got your GMRS license to gain access to forums that restrict access to licensed users and no other reason?

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On 7/20/2024 at 7:33 PM, WSDV406 said:

is there a single antenna for HT's that works well for both bands?

By the way, to answer your original question in the simplest possible way, yes, I do know of (and have) an HT antenna that works on both amateur and GMRS frequencies, which I recommend. You should pick one up.

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13 hours ago, WRQC527 said:
13 hours ago, WRXR255 said:

What can be, unburdened by what has been, cannot unite HAM and GMRS. We can however, burden ourselves with resolve, to burden the unburdened.

"Today is today and yesterday was today yesterday. Tomorrow will be today tomorrow. So, live today so the future today will be as the past today, as it is tomorrow."

My head hurts now. 🤣

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On 7/20/2024 at 7:33 PM, WSDV406 said:

I'm new to the radio world. I'm a GMRS license holder (WSDV406). My interest in radio is mostly for emergencies and SHTF scenarios. My question is: With the arrival of radios like, but not limited to, the TIDRADIO H3 -- which are capable of tx and rx on HAM and GMRS frequencies -- is there a single antenna for HT's that works well for both bands? Or would you need to have one for each band and swap them continually.

Please don't get overly legal. I'm not talking about regular transmission.....I'm talking about emergency and SHTF scenarios. Also, if you can help it, please don't get too overly technical. I'm willing to learn (and am learning a LOT), but i'm looking for the simplest answer.......if one is possible.

Yes.  Most, if not all,  dual band radios I have seen already come with a dual band antenna.  It’s very common.   Even the loved and hated 771 comes in a dual band and a 771g gmrs tuned version. 

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23 hours ago, WRXP381 said:

Yes.  Most, if not all,  dual band radios I have seen already come with a dual band antenna.  It’s very common.   Even the loved and hated 771 comes in a dual band and a 771g gmrs tuned version. 

Thank you!

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11 hours ago, AdmiralCochrane said:

Ok, exactly what "information" did you get access to by having a GMRS license?

 

Every site that includes a map of gmrs towers (including this one), requires you to log in with your gmrs callsign to see the info needed to program that repeater to your radio. As I stated earlier, this is almost entirely an emergency and/or SHTF thing for me. So I'd like to have every local gmrs (and ham, for that matter) repeaters in my radios for such occasions. For GMRS repeaters, that information was locked behind having a calling (on every source that I could find at least.

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2 hours ago, WSDV406 said:

Thank you!

But I don't think the 771g is dual band. There are three versions of the 771.

  • 771R retractable, designed for 144MHz and 430MHz (Amateur)
  • 771 flexible whip, designed for 144MHz and 430MHz (Amateur)
  • 771G flexible whip, designed for 462MHz (GMRS).

It's a little hard to find higher gain handheld antennas for 144/440/465. As I mentioned in another post, if you are able to use a mobile antenna (with proper adapters), for example if you're at your vehicle, the Comet CA2X4SR is made for VHF amateur, VHF Murs, VHF Marine, UHF amateur, UHF GMRS, and other search and rescue frequencies in the vicinity. Great antenna for that purpose. I have one on the boat, along with a diplexer to feed a Marine VHF radio, and a GMRS radio. And I have one with my SDR dongles hooked up to it because it receives so well across such a broad spectrum of VHF and UHF.

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7 hours ago, dosw said:

But I don't think the 771g is dual band. There are three versions of the 771.

  • 771R retractable, designed for 144MHz and 430MHz (Amateur)
  • 771 flexible whip, designed for 144MHz and 430MHz (Amateur)
  • 771G flexible whip, designed for 462MHz (GMRS).

It's a little hard to find higher gain handheld antennas for 144/440/465. As I mentioned in another post, if you are able to use a mobile antenna (with proper adapters), for example if you're at your vehicle, the Comet CA2X4SR is made for VHF amateur, VHF Murs, VHF Marine, UHF amateur, UHF GMRS, and other search and rescue frequencies in the vicinity. Great antenna for that purpose. I have one on the boat, along with a diplexer to feed a Marine VHF radio, and a GMRS radio. And I have one with my SDR dongles hooked up to it because it receives so well across such a broad spectrum of VHF and UHF.

Thanks for the detailed explanation! I have some research ahead of me. And I like it. Ha.

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1 hour ago, jwilkers said:

No. The reason being that it's illegal for one radio to be used on the amateur bands and GMRS.

Sent from my SM-S911U1 using Tapatalk
 

That may be, but it's not illegal to use the same antenna. Antenna to diplexer to VHF and GMRS, separate radios. 

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38 minutes ago, dosw said:

That may be, but it's not illegal to use the same antenna. Antenna to diplexer to VHF and GMRS, separate radios. 

Agreed, but the fact that radios may not be certified for GMRS if they are easily used for amateur radio, removes commercial motivation for producing an amateur/GMRS antenna. 
No GMRS transmitter will be certified for use in the GMRS if it is equipped with the capabilities to operate in services that do not require equipment certification, such as the Amateur Radio Service.”

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20 hours ago, WRQC527 said:

You see, here's the thing. Or things, if you're counting. First, posting often is not a faux pas. There are people on this forum who quite literally live here. They talk to us more often than their own families. Second, if you want to joke about any subject here, no one will stop you. But not everyone appreciates the humor. In fact, a number of folks here were born without a sense of humor. Third, I don't get why anyone would call you a sad ham, because in order to be a sad ham, you need to be a ham, which to my knowledge, you're not. Also, it requires taking a test, so you may already be at a disadvantage. So you win that argument. The title of "sad ham" has to be earned. It takes a lot of posts throwing one's ham superiority, epic knowledge of FCC rules and radio theory in everyone's faces in order to achieve sad ham status. Also, you need to start every post with "I've been a ham for X years" as a warning to take you seriously. And finally, no one cares if you alter or censor your speech. They probably just won't engage with you. Not surprisingly, you're already on a number of ignore user lists in addition to being tossed from a GMRS club. I haven't taken that step yet, mostly because you do provide some entertainment. Which is nice.

I can see that very good number of you folks here have giant sticks up your asses. I was a brand new user and ask a question. And accidentally posted it multiple times. Whoops. My bad. I'm new. And y'all can't take a joke aimed at the  "Queen." That's weird but whatever. Anyone that wants to put me on a block list by all means please do so. I'm not interested in engaging with folks so petty anyway.

 

For those of you that have been helpful, I greatly appreciate it and thanks for helping me out!

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3 hours ago, nokones said:

Hey, Jeffrey, you only had your license for three days and have posted 5 times to this forum and you are already acting like a "Sad HAM" and you definitely don't have any respect for the Queen. The Queen is not any type of an antenna sucker. Maybe Amateur Radio is your best suit and the crowd you should be hanging with because GMRS is for the cool people.

If you think GMRS is for emergencies and the SHTF scenarios you will be in for a rude awakening during those situations when you can't communicate with anyone except God even with a fully or discharged battery.

Oh, there is another "Sad HAM" on this forum that may be somebody you probably would get along with real well, his forum user name has something to do with Danish Marbles.

Didn't realize it was faux pas to post often.

And I thought it was obvious that the antenna sucking comment was a joke. I guess not. 

I don't see why yall are calling me a sad ham. Literally the only thing I said is that I do not and will not alter or censor my speech when I transmit.

If that makes me a sad ham to yall, then so be it.

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1 hour ago, dosw said:

I also find it hard to believe anyone would be terribly successful getting help in an SHTF situation if they're barging into an Amateur frequency with attitude and no license, having already been kicked out of a local GMRS group for showing attitude and disdain for the process. There's some crossover, and long memories between GMRS users and hams. Go into a GMRS group and treat people such that they kick you out, then find yourself in an "emergency" and key up on a ham repeater. Great plan.

I didn't treat anyone like anything. I just don't and won't censor the words I use.

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