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  1. DaveInDenver

    Ham radios. What is everyone using

    In this case there is some logic to it I think even with channelized simplex. If you're using perhaps the digital mode of an FTM-400 you could see FM carriers even if your radio doesn't demodulate them to find unused frequencies. But, yeah, generally having band scope in a mobile or portable...
  2. DaveInDenver

    GMRS

    Do you have a budget number in mind? The Wouxun KG-805G and KG-905G are probably some of the better GMRS radios but they're not cheap. You can spend more if you want additional features but these two in particular are known to be good GMRS radios. By better in this case I mean actually takes...
  3. DaveInDenver

    Garmin In-Reach Failure

    That's unlikely if the battery is fairly depleted, however you are right that those battery banks are more aggressive about turning off as the load approaches full. I've seen where you have two algorithms competing such that you can get oddity with some devices. Anker and similar profile for...
  4. DaveInDenver

    GMRS + ham with 2 possible antenna locations (lesser of 2 evils.)

    This is a "sort of" question because whatever is on the roof is going to be better but some antennas benefit more from large planes under them than others. And in the case of a simple 1/4λ having a sufficient planes under it is basically mandatory, which is probably what you're getting with a...
  5. DaveInDenver

    Super Compact UHF/VHF Dual Band?

    Just my $0.02 but if you want dual band and dual VFO you might be better off assuming you'll need to go remote face mounting. Not that the DR-MD500 is bad necessarily but there's not a lot of history and it's maybe an Anytone AT-D578UV that's been rebranded. So I'd have some concern about it's...
  6. DaveInDenver

    Wildernest Restoration

    I'd be wary of using Riv-nuts on your 'Nest. The fiberglass is not very thick and often the internal structure is wood. So when they expand and squeeze they will most likely just crack the shell. There's a few places where there is steel molded inside the 'Nest with a void behind it, like the...
  7. DaveInDenver

    2M Antenna Recommendations?

    A J-pole is a very fine antenna but doesn't seem like it would meet some of the OP's and many of the subsequent posting member requirements for a mobile antenna other than cost and naturally performance? Even as a portable antenna it's not the most packable when built with soldered copper...
  8. DaveInDenver

    Folding antenna mast?

    That telescoping mast is an awesome find. It's aluminum, which could be useful (as insofar as it could be your radiating element directly, although an extra section or two would be handy) or a slight inconvenience (e.g. affect tuning potentially and you have to consider lightning and static...
  9. DaveInDenver

    Someone explain why GAIA gets so much love

    Absolutely true, different strokes for different folks. Nothing wrong with Gaia if it works for you. I prefer to spend my subscription money with Caltopo, which I just find more useful. It does decent routing, has an ability to act as a map tile server for other applications (requires the top...
  10. DaveInDenver

    Folding antenna mast?

    Are you after something for mobile or stationary use? When you say "directional" I'm wondering if you mean a Yagi or dish maybe and how big of an antenna you're using. Anyway, lots of hams have come up with tilt-up masts over the years for all sorts of reasons. Very common with large beams...
  11. DaveInDenver

    Super Compact UHF/VHF Dual Band?

    Do you mean dual band as in covering perhaps both 2m and 70cm or actually dual tuners? If you want the later it's hard to imagine a smaller radio than that Alinco Bill shows. It's pretty small. In fact I'm not it isn't the smallest ever. There's been some small radios, the Yaesu FTM-10...
  12. DaveInDenver

    RP-TNC / TNC, why not more popular in Amateur Radio?

    Would be nice to see better connectors like the TNC in ham radio. I think the downside to the TNC is that it's a fairly complex connector mechanically and doesn't offer enough to justify in many cases. The N handles slightly more power and will tolerate large coax and hard line a little...
  13. DaveInDenver

    The Most Highly Anticipated 50 Watt Radio is Now Available

    DCS doesn't use a digital carrier. DCS is sending a low baud 23-bit telegram at 134 bps superimposed on your analog FM signal. It's so slow it would sound like a very low frequency tone if it wasn't filtered, just like the actual low frequency sub tone of CTCSS, which are analog tones mixed...
  14. DaveInDenver

    GPS on a laptop

    The fella asked about a laptop maybe because he has it already or needs it for other things? I have a laptop I use for work and for its main task a tablet isn't an option. I get to lug around a Dell Precision mobile workstation with an i7-1265/32GB. So it's got the horsepower, why not just...
  15. DaveInDenver

    Need ideas where to mount a charging base for two handheld radios

    Would make one suggestion regarding your (correct) assessment of holding the radios in place. I submit what has always struck me as a kludge solution but one that has worked fine for years with commercial radios. The strap or tie-down being various things, sometimes barely more than a bungie...
  16. DaveInDenver

    Another antenna location question…

    Having the antenna between slats on a roof rack is going to perform poorly. The lift gate lip can work fine but might limit antenna options. For example simple 1/4λ whips aren't going to work well and might present a bit of challenge to tune. More or less similar to fender and bumper...
  17. DaveInDenver

    Tired of Old Junk but no Interest in Newer 4x4s

    My basis for saying that was the observation of the HG condition at ~187k. It hadn't started leaking but it wouldn't have been long before it did. So I'm just suggesting that on the first generation of Toyota iron blocks and alloy heads (22R, 1FZ, 3VZ, etc) they hadn't completely figured out...
  18. DaveInDenver

    Tired of Old Junk but no Interest in Newer 4x4s

    Meh, I went back to stock nylon guides when the supposedly better metal guides gave up very prematurely. Now it's only fair to say this was not a factory setup but that short lived (guess why) single row conversion that used machined down double row guides. Lifespan was installed at 145k...
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