Finally dipped a toe into GMRS

[Utah KJ]

I'm about to start installation of a Yaesu FTM-300D into my Overlanding vehicle of choice. My boss is going to get it programmed tomorrow since he has the cable for that purpose.
I did get an GRMS license from the FCC so it's all very above-board. HAM is down the road a bit yet.

 

[SRN]

Just man up and get a HAM. Psh. ?

 

[E.J.]

Using a ham radio for GMRS isn't "above-board", license or not ?‍♂️

 

[jadmt]

couple buddies and I just got midland mxt 105's (2 of us) and one got the 40 watt midland. It amazing the range. we all were in our driveways and could talk to each other plain as day. The one with the 40 watt lives 14.5 miles from me driving probably 8 as the crow flies with a mountain between us and 16.5 from the other guy and probably close to that as the crow flies and we with the 5 watts live almost 10 miles from each other and maybe 8 as the crow flies. With a city of close to 100K between the other two. mostly just mountains between me and them. we had no issues talking and better than our CB's even 1/4 mile apart. We all got or licenses back in about 2 days after submitting online. First government agency that was quick lol.

 

[verdesard0g]

40 watt gmrs+ over 20 miles for me with hill's and houses in between.

 

[Billoftt]

40 watt gmrs+ over 20 miles for me with hill's and houses in between.

40 watt gmrs+ over 20 miles for me with hill's and houses in between.

I imagine you are not in the Southeastern USA, so much vegetation down here UHF just scatters off of it and I can only get about 4-6 miles out of it.


Sent by electrons or some crap like that.

 

[DaveInDenver]

I imagine you are not in the Southeastern USA, so much vegetation down here UHF just scatters off of it and I can only get about 4-6 miles out of it.

I think they're in Arizona. Vegetation aside it would also have to be a place with elevation differences because radio horizon with two antennas about 6 feet off the deck (e.g. two roof mounted ones) is about 7 miles. To get a simplex path of 20 miles one station would have to be around 150 feet above the other (like up a foothill perhaps) just to see each other.

 

[Billoftt]

I think they're in Arizona. Vegetation aside it would also have to be a place with elevation differences because radio horizon with two antennas about 6 feet off the deck (e.g. two roof mounted ones) is about 7 miles. To get a simplex path of 20 miles one station would have to be around 150 feet above the other (like up a foothill perhaps) just to see each other.

I was thinking the same.

Or a lucky bounce off of a mountain. Whenever I am up in the mountains the more common 440 repeaters do some weird stuff.


Sent by electrons or some crap like that.

 

[verdesard0g]

Yep, Arizona. Between Sedona and Cottonwood, a bit over 20 miles, hills, houses and vegetation but about the same elevation.

 

[DaveInDenver]

I was thinking the same.

Or a lucky bounce off of a mountain. Whenever I am up in the mountains the more common 440 repeaters do some weird stuff.

VHF and UHF can do some weird things in the troposphere and ionosphere. But those are harder to predict than direct wave and tend to skip long, so suddenly get a hundreds of mile path.

 

[JimBiram]

The FTM 300D isn’t type certified for GMRS so it’s technically illegal to operate that radio in the GMRS frequencies. Better to get a Midland, or just go ahead and take the Technician Ham test.


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[jadmt]

just got back from Moab and I will say the $80-90 Midland mxt105's were stellar. 100X better than the cb's we have previously used. Never once did we have issues communicating.

 

[Utah KJ]

Using a ham radio for GMRS isn't "above-board", license or not ?‍♂️

How so? I programmed the GRMS channels, and that's what I use. Don't be silly.

 

[Utah KJ]

The FTM 300D isn’t type certified for GMRS so it’s technically illegal to operate that radio in the GMRS frequencies. Better to get a Midland, or just go ahead and take the Technician Ham test.


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Already installed. Already been using.

 

[Utah KJ]

Just man up and get a HAM. Psh. ?

Can't. Chinese Virus has testing in person cancelled 'round these parts.