quote:

Originally posted by nhracecraft:
<<snip>>
Are your programmed frequencies set to wide band? If set to narrow band, you may have difficulty receiving transmissions on those frequencies if the transmitter is not set similarly.

I use the CHIRP software to program the radios. I don't see anything that specifically says "wide band" or "narrow band". The one column I suspect does this is the one labeled "mode" which has the options of FM or NFM. Is that it? FM = wide and NFM = narrow?

quote:

Originally posted by nhracecraft:
Have you considered that perhaps nobody is transmitting on those frequencies?

Of course I've considered it... but that is a lot of frequencies for nothing but "dead air", so I was curious.

quote:

Originally posted by nhracecraft:
Regarding FRS & GMRS Frequencies, why program both into your radio? They are the exact same frequencies. Except for restrictions on transmit power for FRS (and the obvious fact that there are repeaters for GMRS!), there is NO difference! Honestly, as the 'Boof-Wang' UV-5R is not type accepted for either of those radio service bands, there's no reason to comply with the TX power restrictions for FRS anyway, especially if you don't have a GMRS license...Just sayin'

I don't know... I'm new at this (like less than a week since I got the radios) so I only followed some of the online videos. Other than that, I have little idea what I'm doing with frequencies!

I realize the pair of UV-5R radios I have are "technically" no legal for FRS or GMRS use, but there is a new release using the EXACT same model number that is, so I have little problem with using these on those bands also. What legit HAM frequencies would you recommend I use, and where can I find a list of what is legal?

Thanks!

quote:

Originally posted by nhracecraft:
<<snip>>
Regarding FRS & GMRS Frequencies, why program both into your radio? This make NO sense (at least to me), as they are the EXACT same frequencies! Except for restrictions on transmit power for FRS (and the obvious fact that there are repeaters for GMRS!), there is NO difference! <<snip>>

Went back into CHIRP and did some selective sorting, and I see what you mean regarding redundant frequencies with only the power limit being different! I knew there was some overlap; I just didn't realize how much! I have removed the duplicate freqs with FRS labels, but that still leaves me wondering where to get a list of acceptable/usable HAM frequencies. The HAM charts I've seen online seem to be out of range of what is allowable in this radio. Color me seriously confused!

My guess is you aren’t hearing anything because nobody is transmitting when you are listening.

Other than the local daily net from 8:30am to 9:30am, I’ve only heard occasional automatic station IDs from the local repeaters.

These radios don’t scan particularly fast (I’ve read 3 channels per second), so if you have a ton of channels programmed, you’ll likely miss the repeaters’ station IDs. A real scanner might scan 100 or 200 channels per second. This is where you use CHIRP to skip channels except the ones that are likely to have activity. You won’t pickup anyone using FRS radios unless they are in your neighborhood. You might pickup simplex GMRS (in other words, handset to handset) within a mile of your house. You’ll probably pickup GMRS repeater traffic if there’s a GMRS repeater within say 20 miles, maybe more. Same with VHF and UHF HAM repeaters.

I’ve got my radio set to scan only the four local-ish repeaters. I found them by searching my county’s name and “ham radio club” on the internet.

For example: I searched Madison, Alabama ham radio club and came up with: Huntsville Amateur Radio Club . Looks like they have meeting at 7:30pm on 2/16 where they will program your radio for you. There’s a chart close to the bottom of the page that says the do a net on Mondays at 8:00pm. The chart lists the frequencies of the repeaters they use and the locations of those repeaters. These radios use the 146ish and 445ish ones.

For those that live near navigable waterways, you could program the frequencies for the Marine VHF channels and maybe pickup some boat traffic. Channel 9 is the hailing channel for recreational boaters, channel 16 is a hailing channel for everyone and the emergency channel, channel 22 is the Coast Guard working channel. Channels 68, 69, 71, 72 are non-commercial channels, you would hail another boat (recreational) on 9 and agree to switch to one of those four channels to countinue your communications. Channel 13 is fun. It’s the Bridge to Bridge and bridge channel. Ships and barges will communicate with each other, hence Bridge to Bridge. It’s good to listen to if you’re on an inland waterway to know what’s coming around the bend ahead of time. It’s also the channel the opening roadway bridges use.

quote:

Originally posted by 911Boss:

Final suggestion on the TD-H8, get the “Gen 2 HAM 10W” version. The GMRS version I tested only did 5W. The HAM version puts out ~9.5W with supplied antenna and an SWR of 1.4.

So if the HAM version is 10W but you unlock the GMRS function, is that also 10W or only 5W?

Forgive me if this topic was discussed earlier in this thread, I must have missed it...

When on a road trip in my car I typically have my cell phone plugged into the Apple CarPlay via USB to use the phone and navigation while at the same time continuously charging. Is there a recommended USB charger that can be used for the UV-5R in which I can keep the radio plugged in and charging while scanning/talking?

Thanks a lot.

Chris

quote:

Originally posted by Chris17404:
Forgive me if this topic was discussed earlier in this thread, I must have missed it...

When on a road trip in my car I typically have my cell phone plugged into the Apple CarPlay via USB to use the phone and navigation while at the same time continuously charging. Is there a recommended USB charger that can be used for the UV-5R in which I can keep the radio plugged in and charging while scanning/talking?

Thanks a lot.

Chris

I'm pretty sure I saw a battery with a 12v plug wired to it for Baofeng's.

Think I know the answer on this one, but:

If you have a pair of the UV-5R & were in a 2 car trip, could these be used 'line of sight' for communication, if they're on the same channel, similar to a basic walkie?
Assuming, if so, that the licensure requirement still applies?

^^^^

Yes. Ideally, due to the close proximity, you would communicate on a simplex frequency rather than tying up a repeater.

quote:

Originally posted by P250UA5:
Think I know the answer on this one, but:

If you have a pair of the UV-5R & were in a 2 car trip, could these be used 'line of sight' for communication, if they're on the same channel, similar to a basic walkie?
Assuming, if so, that the licensure requirement still applies?

If you use an FRS frequency, no license is required. GMRS does require a license ($35 fee but no exam) and allows the full power of the radio to be used, whereas the FMS channels are limited to 2W (some are down to 0.5W).

Edit to add: There is a newer version of the UV-5R that is actually FCC Part 75 certified, so it's legal to use FRS and GMRS channels. Technically, the older version that most of us have bought off of Amazon are supposed to be HAM only, but apparently nobody has ever been prosecuted for using uncertified radios on the FRS and GMRS channels (according to the FCC website).

If you're going to transmit on the UV-5R, you need a Technician, General or Amateur Extra license, no exceptions.

quote:

Originally posted by bronicabill:
Edit to add: There is a newer version of the UV-5R that is actually FCC Part 75 certified, so it's legal to use FRS and GMRS channels.

For the radios we've been buying via the links in this thread, though, you must have a license and technically you can't transmit on GMRS channels using these radios even if you have a GMRS license.

Yes, I've heard the stories that no one has ever yadda yadda, but I prefer to do things the right way.

The newer Baofeng radios that are type-accepted for GMRS would make sense for me. I can get a GMRS license which would cover my wife and get her a GMRS radio.

^^^^^^^^^^

From what I understand, the UV 5R ham radio is not a FCC legal GMRS radio, but Baofeng makes a UV 5R GMRS model.

I have determined for my wife and I, for our emergency comms, we are going to use the GMRS system. I actually sold my pair of Tidradio handhelds to a buddy of mine last Sat. for $15 less than I paid. The radios proved to be a bit too complicated for my wife; she has zero interest in getting a technicians license and I'm looking at Wouxun GMRS radios for our needs. I'm told by some folks at bytwowayradios.com they are easier to deal with, and they are primarily going to be used for simplex mode anyways.

quote:

Originally posted by bettysnephew:
Pretty soon, we will have you guys building antennas to contact the International Space Station when it passes overhead and attempting low wattage moon bounces! LOL!

For me, that ship sailed a few years back thanks to JALLEN. A few Baofengs, a homebrew handheld Yagi, and next thing you know I was sending in my QSLs for ARRL VHF/UHF Century Club.

You can have a blast on a Technician license and a surprisingly low budget.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: DennisM,

quote:

You can have a blast on a Technician license and a surprisingly low budget.

Here's the other end of the rabbit hole. For those with a slightly higher budget...that stacked array of 4 17 element yagi's on top makes me drool every time I see it. The setup below isn't too shabby either.

quote:

Originally posted by fischtown7:
Check out the RTL-SDR v4 that I mentioned above, it is absolutely eye opening what information can be collected over the open airways. This is like a scanner on steroids, just by looking at it you can get a good idea what channels are being used and then punch the frequency in on the UV-5R.
I got this on Amazon and it even has antennas you can use with our radios. Less than $40.

Amazon RTL-SDR V.4

Far out. So, in terms of monitoring communications during emergencies, SDR seems to be a tool that makes a great deal of sense: inexpensive, full-spectrum, not overly-complicated interface. And, of course, no license required merely for monitoring.

Assuming one's power is out, the cellphone interface makes a lot of sense. You can keep a cellphone going for days if you have a few of the small, commonly-available powerbanks.

And Para the software and decoders are all free.

Check out this program for the RTL-SDR, we are talking downloading weather satellite pics, weather balloon data etc. It is mind blowing.

There is cellphone software for Iphone and Android?

quote:

Originally posted by parabellum:
There is cellphone software for Iphone and Android?

Not sure about cellphone. I have seen numerous videos of this installed on laptops.

I believe it is possible to plug this straight into a Macbook or Ipad and it will pretty much run plug and play.

I am trying to find a video I watched yesterday where they used a Raspberry PI board that they enclosed in a case with a 7"HDMI touchscreen. They then attached the dongle onto the back of the case so that they had basically a handheld scanner.

Looking at this, the answer is yes and no. It can be done but you require an intermediate device:

https://www.rtl-sdr.com/new-rt...pp-for-ios-released/

From 2018 but I would think it applies still today:

quote:

A new RTL-SDR compatible app for Apple iOS (iPhone, iPad) has recently been released on the Apple App store. The app is called "SDR Receiver", costs US$9.99, and is used together with an RTL-SDR (or Airspy HF+) server running on a separate networked device such as a Raspberry Pi or PC. Limitations by Apple mean that the RTL-SDR can not run directly on iOS devices. The software description reads:

"SDR Receiver, a new iOS app for RTL-SDR and Airspy HF+, is now available on the App Store. The app works with an RTL-SDR or Airspy HF+ that is attached to a host Mac, PC or Raspberry Pi running the rtl_tcp server or equivalent. The iOS device, which may be an iPhone or an iPad, communicates over the network with the host computer which may be anywhere on the network that is reachable by TCP/IP and that can sustain the required bandwidth."

quote:

Originally posted by parabellum:
<<snip>>
For the radios we've been buying via the links in this thread, though, you must have a license and technically you can't transmit on GMRS channels using these radios even if you have a GMRS license.

Yes, I've heard the stories that no one has ever yadda yadda, but I prefer to do things the right way.

The newer Baofeng radios that are type-accepted for GMRS would make sense for me. I can get a GMRS license which would cover my wife and get her a GMRS radio.

For the record, I am studying for my HAM license to be 100% legal, and I am considering "upgrading" to the Type 75 approved radios so that I can use GMRS legally also. Had I understood all of this confusing mess before purchase, I would have gone with GMRS radios to begin with. I also prefer doing things the right way!

I posted this earlier, but having received and used the radios, I can be specific to these radios and perhaps more clear.

You can use the ham versions and GMRS versions to talk to each other legally provide the person using each radio has the license appropriate to that radio.

On the ham version:
Set the B line to the GMRS transmit frequency you set for the GMRS radio’s A line.
Set the A line to a HAM frequency

On the GMRS version:
Set the B line to the HAM frequency you set the A line to on the HAM radio.
Set the A line to a GMRS frequency

On both radios, only transmit on A. The radios will listen on both A and B. When you transmit on the HAM radio the GMRS radio will receive and play that transmission. Likewise, when you transmit on the GMRS radio, the HAM radio will receive and play that transmission.


On another note, I’m looking at options to record received transmissions from a scanner. It could be used as a voice message system then. That would solve the problem of having to have both parties on at the same time.