GMRS (General Mobile Radio Service) Thread

Zoro has a discount currently and found out that they carry Midland products. They also have free shipping on orders over $50.

If you use discount code "SAVEBIG3" it will get you the following. (Offer valid until Sept. 22, 2019, 11:59pm CT)
10% off $75+
15% off $175+
20% off $275+

Here are links to the Midland products they carry.
Link1
Link2

Also looks like they drop ship, so it comes straight from Midland.

 

Times Microwave Systems coupled with MPD Digital provided coax is top shelf and doesn't get any better. Great choice!

 

@lewi3069, thanks so much for that write up and super informative installation walk through.

Now you can start testing how that stealth antenna does compared to a thirty inch +5 or 6 dB gain antenna. I will do the exact same thing and just swap one out for the other when I’m way out there or acting as a relay for the smaller radios. But when in town run the smaller stealth option.

 

Guess I lucked out... I went back to see what I ordered and that was exactly it.

 

All skill, no luck.

 

This low profile antenna looks pretty neat.
LP450NMO
https://www.pulselarsenantennas.com/product/lp450nmo-2/

 

@lewi3069, how much cable did you purchase and was it too much, just right, or cuttin it close for the instal?

 

The mouth I purchased came with 17' of cable attached with no end. I had a little over a foot left over.

 

Good choice. MPD makes good cables, although pricey. I have a bunch of their stuff myself too.

 

The UHF band, 420-450 MHz, is used A LOT by Hams. Here's an overview of how it is divided up: http://www.arrl.org/band-plan (scroll down to the 70cm band). If you're interested in way more communication choices than GMRS, I'd suggest you get your HAM Tech License. A whole new world will open up for you As far as that ICOM radio goes, there are multiple choices if you want a radio that can span HAM + GMRS. Before you just jump in and buy and expensive radio, I'd suggest you read up on them and importantly, decide what kind of communications you really want to play with. (Analog voice only, or digital too, like DMR? Packet radio? APRS? SSTV? etc)

 

The HAM repeaters in my area that I would use have several in the 400s per the attached picture.
This was my main decision for the Icom radio versus the midland. I can program those freqs in and monitor but not talk(unless it’s in an emergency) and also have the GMRS freqs, FRS and GMRS repeater freqs as well as NOAA.

I didn’t think $275 was expensive for those capabilities. But please correct me. As I’ve stated. I am brand new to all of this and am learning more here from a few individuals than I am from the bad information online elsewhere.

 

Well my GMRS license was approved. I like my new callsign over my old one. Only took one day to approve it.

 

I took the 4wd instructions on the sun visor and printed my call sign the the ch/freq. for the Midland. Turned out pretty decent.

 

That's a good idea

 

That is happening. I never use that spot for anything anyways.

 

I've been reading through this and have been considering a unit for my truck. Pardon my ignorance on the mobile application of HAM and GMRS. I have my GMRS and each HAM license, but have only used those for HF in the lower bands and for FT8 to do research via manpack or base station transceivers. What are users generally using for bands and channels that are actually commonly used while driving, off-roading? Does anyone use any buddipole products like the buddistick? Unfortunately the buddistick is 10-40m though. I've had great results with the buddipole for semi-mobile uses.

I ask because I frankly rarely ever see people running GMRS, much less HF transceivers in my area. Was looking at a Yaesu FT-857D. I have to find a good multiband antenna as well.

Found this antenna, I'm a believer in tuners. Found a front no drill hood mount and cable at the antenna farm and the unit with antenna at ham outlet for a little less. If this interests anyone I'll follow up if I choose to go this route.

AC2YZ
WRDU420

 

Here is the word .docx that I used. I just printed it once to see where it would set on the paper. Then I used painters tape to set it over the same spot and printed it again.

https://drive.google.com/open?id=14LT7Etq5PO2iPTYytnLZrltiVoCEsITZ

 

Thanks!

 

I can agree with the fact that off roading not too many people use HF or GMRS. Most still use CB, it's the go to. It's cheap and has no license, and it also has too many people that have crappy setups so they sound like hell. The old off-road group I was part of I proposed we move to GMRS mainly to the fact that you could just understand what people are saying since it come through so clearly. I think HF is quite popular, but the test turns people off. That's where GMRS comes in it's cheap enough not that's it's a 10 year license to talk most people into it. Also the availability of low cost handhelds is a huge benefit, where the HF handhelds are more expensive.
Infact my family and friends have been using FRS/GMRS for years without even knowing it for road trips and hunting.
In my opinion GMRS is one of the most simple, effective, and inexpensive solution for reliable communication. Not saying HF can't be better as it can generally reach farther, but it takes more knowledge (test) and money to jump into.
All that said, I'm still interested in your build thread and performance results.

 

I agree with @lewi3069 (go figure). The GMRS handhelds for all family members is a huge plus for a communication plan anywhere. The handhelds work well enough to go car to car or person to person in most scenarios. The Technician license is only good for the one individual who holds that license and the 35 question test and study for it is time consuming. Plus you are assuming everyone else will have their tech license. In a perfect setup, you would have both a GMRS license and a Tech license. This way you can reach out in real emergencies or longer distance scenarios but also defer to GMRS whenever necessary and hand out handhelds like hot cakes.

 

It is a good point that the GMRS license covers your immediate family all under one license. I would also be a liar if I didn't admit that I know plenty of people that use GMRS without a license. When possible I try to convince them to purchase, but it's not always am easy task when it just works otherwise.

 

Check this out, buddy sent me this today.

https://offgridsurvival.com/california-officials-declare-ham-radio-no-longer-a-benefit/

I have a stack of parts in the corner, I'm waiting on my TRD Pro 2020 to hit the dealer that I paid for in September... this is on my to do list once I get the car and do the ceramic coating and install the parts I have laying around.

Wrt to the tests, the Technician and General were easy. Took those at the same time, used hamstudy for practice tests and read the books by Gordon West. The Extra exam I studied for two weeks, same method passed first try. I'd recommend if you were on the fence to knock it out.

 

California Officials haven't figured out how to tax Ham/GMRS radio operators yet. If it's not taxable then it's irrelevant...

 

Yeah, I'm here (Central Coast, CA) for a masters program and will promptly be moving back to the east coast.

 

I suggest not moving to any coast... To many quacks

Edit: sorry, not helpful.

 

You could remove the edit, it's pretty sound advice.

 

There aint shit in the middle of the country. Flyover states for a reason IMO. Putting lettuce in burritos...da fuq. Seriously though, not a fan of the middle of the country. Rusty cars, blatantly racist ass people, ignorance is rampant, superiority complex all over... you all can have that. I didn't have a need to carry until I moved to hicksville and I'm out. This is the pits.

Sorry not sorry. Keep your Muricuh. I want no part of it. I want to be a part of The United States of America. Not your redneck shit.

 

Lettuce in burritos!? I'm not sure of any place that is acceptable!
All opinions of location aside (mine included) and in effort to get back on topic.
I think it's crazy that any government body would go after these "free" resources. I know when I lived in Colorado, things like this were helpful to search and rescue groups that were mostly volunteer and underfunded.

 

Every HAM operator right now talking freely running off some form of generator in CA is laughing at everyone else with no power and fires closing in down south again. Good luck with comms. Toss in an unfortunate earthquake and watch the cell networks crumble or be so tied up that you get no service anyways. We have all seen it on the east coast, only for a few days, but still.

Also after reading that article which has a very prepper tone to it, it appears the state gov only wants repeaters off public land. Yes, death by a thousand cuts, but not the end just yet. Plus, the FCC is federal and has a say in in the end but it is CA. So who knows.

 

Sorry guys didn't mean to start anything political. Just thought the article was relevant to GMRS and FRS. Another reason to have an HF rig.

We even used HAM repeaters in Nepal when I was there for an HF exercise. They're literally everywhere and used for disaster response.