-
To anyone looking to acquire commercial radio programming software:
Please do not make requests for copies of radio programming software which is sold (or was sold) by the manufacturer for any monetary value. All requests will be deleted and a forum infraction issued. Making a request such as this is attempting to engage in software piracy and this forum cannot be involved or associated with this activity. The same goes for any private transaction via Private Message. Even if you attempt to engage in this activity in PM's we will still enforce the forum rules. Your PM's are not private and the administration has the right to read them if there's a hint to criminal activity.
If you are having trouble legally obtaining software please state so. We do not want any hurt feelings when your vague post is mistaken for a free request. It is YOUR responsibility to properly word your request.
To obtain Motorola software see the Sticky in the Motorola forum.
The various other vendors often permit their dealers to sell the software online (i.e., Kenwood). Please use Google or some other search engine to find a dealer that sells the software. Typically each series or individual radio requires its own software package. Often the Kenwood software is less than $100 so don't be a cheapskate; just purchase it.
For M/A Com/Harris/GE, etc: there are two software packages that program all current and past radios. One package is for conventional programming and the other for trunked programming. The trunked package is in upwards of $2,500. The conventional package is more reasonable though is still several hundred dollars. The benefit is you do not need multiple versions for each radio (unlike Motorola).
This is a large and very visible forum. We cannot jeopardize the ability to provide the RadioReference services by allowing this activity to occur. Please respect this.
GMRS antenna
- Thread starter BJ_NORTON
- Start date
- Status
SteveC0625
Order of the Golden Dino since 1972
I just purchased the Commercial/GMRS version of Ed Fong's j-pole. It gets installed into a section of PVC pipe that can be mounted most anywhere. The total investment is about $33 so far. I'm still experimenting with mounting options for the house and for the travel trailer.
Dual Band VHF UHF Ham Commercial Murs and GMRS Versions Base Station Antenna | eBay
A really GOOD GMRS base station antenna is the Comet CA-712EFC. Not cheap, but well made and an excellent performer. I got mine here:
NCG Comet CA-712EFC - $129.95 : The Antenna Farm, Your two way radio source
NCG Comet CA-712EFC - $129.95 : The Antenna Farm, Your two way radio source
- Joined
- Feb 22, 2005
- Messages
- 298
Dont waste money and time.. Get a good one right at first.
Trust me I have tried the cheaper the cheap and then went with a good comet. 25 mile difference and pulls HT in very well.
Dont go cheap on cable either. That will kill everything.
Brett
Trust me I have tried the cheaper the cheap and then went with a good comet. 25 mile difference and pulls HT in very well.
Dont go cheap on cable either. That will kill everything.
Brett
Project25_MASTR
Millennial Graying OBT Guy
If you can get one given to you (yes, companies do give towers and entire wideband setups away), a DB420 is not a bad option. Just about the only antennas we can get to withstand 90+ mph winds here in Lubbock.
Get a catalog from Home page. They have a Sinclair Labs vertical with 3 db gain on sale for $19.95. It comes with 30' of Belden RG58/U cable attached. It's a coliniar and works fantastic. I transmit from one end to the other of a long valley with 7000' tall mountains on 3 sides. The antenna was made for some radio, I don't know which, but they bought a bunch, that is why the price is so low, it's at least a $70.00 antenna.
I cut off the cable except for one foot, attached LMR 400, ran it to a lightning arrester then into my shack. My radio only puts out 20 watts and talks like 100. Get rid of the thin cable and use nothing less than LMR 400. L-Comm sells it for $0.75 a foot, Timewave, the best available at the best price anywhere. It talks and receives a lot better than the copper J Pole I had up in the same place before and it will stand up to any weather or wind, just make sure the pole is well guyed, but the antenna being short and not very heavy does not put much strain on a pole.
In an F-5 hurricane, it will be the only thing left undamaged. I got five, 4' tent poles from the Army Surplus store for $2.00 each and use one set of 3 nylon guy ropes. The pole does not bend in 65 MPG wind. It's a cheap way to get a good set up on the air.
The antenna is mounted 20' above the roof of the house, a good way to get more height. You can either put it up 20' or attach it to the house and be able to go 20' above the house and height is everything with GMRS.
The antenna is Part # SUV4500SP1 It's range is 450-470 MHz and it has an SWR under 1.5 to 1 up to 480 MHz
It's just over a foot tall, comes with mounting parts for a mast and is housed in Sched 80 PVC.
For $20.00, you won't find a better antenna with gain.
It also keeps a 25 watt radio legal. With 3 DB gain, depending on if it's DBi or DBD, it could double the power of your transmitter, so a 25 watt transmitter is like a 50 watt transmitter, less coax loss, which is legal. Either way, you will be under 50 watts effective radiated power, staying legal and you will find you won't need more power or gain. I know mine talks over 12 miles simplex, much depends on height and what is around you, I talk with a few a lot further because of terrain height. It hits two repeaters very clean.
For your Vehicle, get a Comet CA-2 X 4SR. It's a ham antenna, made for VHF/UHF amateur radio and EMCOMM work, it's very wide banded and made to be used with GMRS also. I have mine tuned for the Ham bands and the SWR on GMRS is 1.8 to 1. I could get the SWR lower on GMRS, but I use the Ham radio much more. It has 6.2 DBi gain on UHF which is just over 3 DBd gain, which means you will double the power of your radio. It's a fantastic ham antenna also, talks better than any other I have tried and is a fold over if needed. It cost approx. $60.00 and is worth every penny.
73's, John KF7VXA
I cut off the cable except for one foot, attached LMR 400, ran it to a lightning arrester then into my shack. My radio only puts out 20 watts and talks like 100. Get rid of the thin cable and use nothing less than LMR 400. L-Comm sells it for $0.75 a foot, Timewave, the best available at the best price anywhere. It talks and receives a lot better than the copper J Pole I had up in the same place before and it will stand up to any weather or wind, just make sure the pole is well guyed, but the antenna being short and not very heavy does not put much strain on a pole.
In an F-5 hurricane, it will be the only thing left undamaged. I got five, 4' tent poles from the Army Surplus store for $2.00 each and use one set of 3 nylon guy ropes. The pole does not bend in 65 MPG wind. It's a cheap way to get a good set up on the air.
The antenna is mounted 20' above the roof of the house, a good way to get more height. You can either put it up 20' or attach it to the house and be able to go 20' above the house and height is everything with GMRS.
The antenna is Part # SUV4500SP1 It's range is 450-470 MHz and it has an SWR under 1.5 to 1 up to 480 MHz
It's just over a foot tall, comes with mounting parts for a mast and is housed in Sched 80 PVC.
For $20.00, you won't find a better antenna with gain.
It also keeps a 25 watt radio legal. With 3 DB gain, depending on if it's DBi or DBD, it could double the power of your transmitter, so a 25 watt transmitter is like a 50 watt transmitter, less coax loss, which is legal. Either way, you will be under 50 watts effective radiated power, staying legal and you will find you won't need more power or gain. I know mine talks over 12 miles simplex, much depends on height and what is around you, I talk with a few a lot further because of terrain height. It hits two repeaters very clean.
For your Vehicle, get a Comet CA-2 X 4SR. It's a ham antenna, made for VHF/UHF amateur radio and EMCOMM work, it's very wide banded and made to be used with GMRS also. I have mine tuned for the Ham bands and the SWR on GMRS is 1.8 to 1. I could get the SWR lower on GMRS, but I use the Ham radio much more. It has 6.2 DBi gain on UHF which is just over 3 DBd gain, which means you will double the power of your radio. It's a fantastic ham antenna also, talks better than any other I have tried and is a fold over if needed. It cost approx. $60.00 and is worth every penny.
73's, John KF7VXA
Last edited:
SteveC0625
Order of the Golden Dino since 1972
SVU4500SP1 UHF Base Antenna, 450-470 MHz W/Cable (Their online catalog is a bit of a PITA to search through so here's the direct link to that antenna.)
Thanks for the link Steve. It is a 3 DBd, antenna which means it has 3 db gain over a dipole, so it will double the power as to radiated power over a 1/4 wavelength vertical antenna or a dipole, which actually has a little but of gain, a fantastic deal for $20.00.
It will make a 25 watt radio transmit like a 50 watt radio minus coax loss. Most antennas are rated in DBi, which radiates a little less than 1/2 as much power as the same antenna rated in DBd, so when you find an antenna with a DBd rating, it is a true indication of how much gain you will really get. A 3 DBi antenna really only has about 1.2 db gain or something close to that, not 3 db.
Be sure to keep the coax as short a possible, all coax has a lot of loss on the UHF band compared to VHF or HF.
I had it as just over a foot tall. With the mounting bracket, it's closer to two feet tall.
I should add that Sinclair Labs makes about the best quality antennas you can buy.
John
It will make a 25 watt radio transmit like a 50 watt radio minus coax loss. Most antennas are rated in DBi, which radiates a little less than 1/2 as much power as the same antenna rated in DBd, so when you find an antenna with a DBd rating, it is a true indication of how much gain you will really get. A 3 DBi antenna really only has about 1.2 db gain or something close to that, not 3 db.
Be sure to keep the coax as short a possible, all coax has a lot of loss on the UHF band compared to VHF or HF.
I had it as just over a foot tall. With the mounting bracket, it's closer to two feet tall.
I should add that Sinclair Labs makes about the best quality antennas you can buy.
John
Last edited:
KB7MIB
Member
Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (X11; Linux i686; U; en-US) Gecko/20081217 Vision-Browser/8.1 301x200 LG VN530)
On the main GMRS channels, there's a 50 watt TPO limit, but there is no ERP limit. On the FRS shared channels, there is a 5 watt ERP limit.
Antenna height is only limited on the FRS shared channels, as well. Not on the 8 main GMRS channels.
On the main GMRS channels, there's a 50 watt TPO limit, but there is no ERP limit. On the FRS shared channels, there is a 5 watt ERP limit.
Antenna height is only limited on the FRS shared channels, as well. Not on the 8 main GMRS channels.
Good info to know. When it comes to the FCC, most of the time, ERP is the measurement, nice to know it's just a straight 50 watts as well as antenna height. I may put mine up higher now. I'm not really sure I need to as I get my signal anywhere I want to. The mountains limit my range. There are mountains behind the other mountains that catch any knife edge signal.
It's either in the valley, or getting out on a repeater.
HF does get out, so I'm not totally boxed in.
John
It's either in the valley, or getting out on a repeater.
HF does get out, so I'm not totally boxed in.
John
KB7MIB
Member
Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (X11; Linux i686; U; en-US) Gecko/20081217 Vision-Browser/8.1 301x200 LG VN530)
Your local/county zoning board and/or HOA may impose limits. Airports/heliports impose limitations, too. Otherwise, it's up to 200' before you need to add lighting IIRC. You'd need *really* good coax at 200' though lol
Your local/county zoning board and/or HOA may impose limits. Airports/heliports impose limitations, too. Otherwise, it's up to 200' before you need to add lighting IIRC. You'd need *really* good coax at 200' though lol
kayn1n32008
ØÆSØ Say it, say 'ENCRYPTION'
dbi= dbd+2.14
There for a 3dbd gain antenna is equal to 5.14dbi gain.
Sent from an unknown place...
There for a 3dbd gain antenna is equal to 5.14dbi gain.
Sent from an unknown place...
N4KVE
Member
462 MHz Land Mobile (GMRS) J-Pole Antenna | KB9VBR J-Pole Antennas
These seem to work quite well if you don't have a lot to spend. He actually made me a custom slim jim version of this antenna which has more gain. It's not in his catalog, but it has good SWR on 445/465.
These seem to work quite well if you don't have a lot to spend. He actually made me a custom slim jim version of this antenna which has more gain. It's not in his catalog, but it has good SWR on 445/465.
Project25_MASTR
Millennial Graying OBT Guy
Somewhere I remember seeing something about 600W ERP but I can't find it so I guess it's not there.
I use to use the Browning BR-150 on UHF for 70cm, commercial, and GMRS. It had 6 dBi and the only difference on any band between 25W and 45W was about a mile (so I usually run 25W).
I ordered two CA2X4SR's and have one installed on the DD (it replaced a VHF 5/8 wave with 3 dBd that I'm gonna use for APRS now) but I still need to get the diplexer installed (I run separate VHF and UHF radios) and the UHF mount is becoming a 900 MHz setup. Installed the other on a mag mount for the Jeep until I take the time to drop the headliner and install the NMO mount.
I'm pretty sure that figure is for a dipole and includes some extra gain from having the dipole the correct distance from the ground and having good ground. When you put a vertical way up in the air, you don't get the ground gain. DBd is gain over what a dipole puts out, not including extra gain from the ground . DBi is the gain over an isotopic radiator in space, a theory and not a real figure as to being correct.
Most feel DBd is as close as you will get to real gain as far as the number goes. Add in gain from good ground under a dipole and the gain will be higher for the dipole, but not a vertical that is up high. Up high, the vertical loses most contact with ground as far as the ground effecting the gain.
Sent form a known place.... Idaho
John
Last edited:
It's amazing how difference in power is not as important as the antenna used.
I guess that's why they say to put up the best antenna system possible. I sure have found that the antenna is the heart of a good station as well as it's location.
I think you'll like those CA4X4SR antennas too. I think they are one of the best out there. I think it's comet that has one with about 5 db gain on VHF, but I'd bet it's much more directional as to it's pattern and it sure is a tall one also.
There are a couple people in the Valley who use the same Browning antenna on GMRS that you do and they put out a great signal, seems to be a darn good antenna.
I've really wanted to try the 900 MHz band, but where I live I think I could talk all day and the only one that would hear me would be me. Nobody in this rural area is using them, we only have 2 meter, 70CM and GMRS repeaters around here. Same for the 222 band.
Packet is becoming more and more popular. I just bought a used Kantronics+3. I hope to have it up and running in a couple weeks, I just need to see what cables come with it and what I'll need to buy.
I got lucky, 3 people gave me their old lap top computers when they bought new one's. People who are not into radio just don't know how much better the older operating systems seem to work with the Ham radio programs.
73's, John
Last edited:
Project25_MASTR
Millennial Graying OBT Guy
I was one of the selected few to obtain one of the Sheriff Office's Pentium 3 laptops. They still use those old laptops (the county MOV interop linking machine will only run on Windows 98). Put a fresh copy of 98 on it, running the RSS for all of my 90's era radios on it, except for my Spectra…don't have a RIB so I don't mess with it.
I picked up a couple of KPC+3's from a AC company that used to use them for APRS on their commercial freqs. Got the radios and everything, only downside is that they were running on UHF with Icom F221S (it would be a simple reconfig the KPC and then plug-n-play onto a F121S for APRS though).
As far as base stations go, I have 60 ft of Rohn 25 sitting in my back yard with a DB420 (from the AC place) I just haven't had time to put it up yet (only going 40 ft). I'm more interested in APRS than I am true packet as far as the value of a TNC…wouldn't mind getting into digi on HF, little different setup though.
quarterwave
Member
ASP805...10db gain...22ft "thunderstick". Been my main repeater for about 15 years. Spare in the barn, just in case....I got them used.
Strickland Propane - Taste the meat not the heat.
Strickland Propane - Taste the meat not the heat.
Project25_MASTR
Millennial Graying OBT Guy
The top two elements off a DB420 with the matching co-phase harness creates a semi compact +3 dBi omni (+/- .5 dB). Works pretty well as a portable repeater antenna. That with a modded GR300, SM50 based repeater, Icom F420S/221S based repeater running 18-25W and some solar panels is not a bad option if you need a "tactical" repeater that can be thrown in a Jeep and setup in 5-10 min.
- Status
Similar threads
