New user - over thinking it again :-)

[Chickenhawk56]

LOL! What do I know RF from RFM. I just know they work very well inside a vehicle with the factory antenna and have tried several mobile antenna solutions. They all just degraded the range significantly.

The DTR forums are here:
Motorola DTR Radios - Start Here

Some great enthusiasts there.

Also, check out this thread on this forum:
https://forums.radioreference.com/gmrs-frs/345831-gmrs-exit-strategy-going-900mhz-dtrs-dlrs.html

As for busy pockets of users, it is good to hear. I have never been to Vegas but could see how all five channels might be busy, especially when you get up a few floors. If you have the DLR, just switch to channel 6. If you have the DTR, just program in one new channel; it should solve the problem in those very rare places with lots of other users.

If one wants to forego the programming cable and software, it is easy to do from the front panel. Add a new Public Group and you have 10 channels to choose from, and 100 unit ID numbers. Just program the radios so that the group number AND the group ID match, and you are good to go.

In case anyone asks, the five factory default channels on the DTR are:
- Public Group 1, Group ID 1
- Public Group 1, Group ID 2
- Public Group 1, Group ID 3
- Public Group 1, Group ID 4
- Public Group 1, Group ID 5

The six factory "channels" on the DLR are:
- Channel 1, Unit ID 1
- Channel 1, Unit ID 2
- Channel 1, Unit ID 3
- Channel 1, Unit ID 4
- Channel 1, Unit ID 5
- Channel 1, Unit ID 6

The first five on the DLR are the same frequency hopping algorithm as the DTR, so they will talk to each other.

The DTR has almost 1000 choices of "channels" and the DLR has close to 100,000 combinations of channel number and ID number, and both can be programmed without a cable or software, so even in the busiest area, it is easy to find a new "channel."

 

[mmckenna]

LOL! What do I know RF from RFM. I just know they work very well inside a vehicle with the factory antenna and have tried several mobile antenna solutions. They all just degraded the range significantly.

I'd need to search for it, but there's a discussion on this forum about this. I seem to recall there being a way the Motorola DTR radios sense when the correct antenna is attached. Simply screwing on another antenna, or connecting to mobile antenna won't work.

I'll see if I can find it.

 

[alcahuete]

I'd need to search for it, but there's a discussion on this forum about this. I seem to recall there being a way the Motorola DTR radios sense when the correct antenna is attached. Simply screwing on another antenna, or connecting to mobile antenna won't work.

I'll see if I can find it.

That was my thread. Big discussion, still no results. I've tried damn near everything. Though one user said there is no circuitry to detect a different antenna. https://forums.radioreference.com/commercial-radio-antennas/358098-dtr650-external-antenna.html

I get about 14 miles with the 1/2 wave (definitely not complaining! LOL), whereas I get about 3 with the external. Crazy!

 

[Chickenhawk56]

I was part of that discussion. Not being much of a conspiracy theorist, I just didn't believe that Motorola would deliberately disable external antennas. It just didn't make sense.
Sorry, but I stick to my original guns - which is hilarious of you knew what I did for a living - and feel the factory antenna and the 900MHz spectrum is efficient, and any gains in an external antenna are lost in the cable run. (I was VERY careful to exactly measure the cable run to match the frequency spectrum.)

 

[quietcropduster]

I was part of that discussion. Not being much of a conspiracy theorist, I just didn't believe that Motorola would deliberately disable external antennas. It just didn't make sense.
Sorry, but I stick to my original guns - which is hilarious of you knew what I did for a living - and feel the factory antenna and the 900MHz spectrum is efficient, and any gains in an external antenna are lost in the cable run. (I was VERY careful to exactly measure the cable run to match the frequency spectrum.)

Ill bite...what do u do for a living?

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk

 

[quietcropduster]

Just got them in the mail today. Programmed them to boot in DT mode. Haven't had the chance to use them yet but I will ASAP.

If I end up not liking them, I'll try the MURS radios.

Thank you to everyone for your assiatance!

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[bravo14]

I had the i355 I used the radio part they worked okay. Of course that was years ago.

 

[Chickenhawk56]

Let us know how this goes! good luck and keep us updated.

We all had fun contributing to this thread and there is a some good information for others who may have similar needs. Lots of great suggestions from some VERY experienced folks in here.

Ill bite...what do u do for a living?

LOL! Don't tell anyone. Firearms trainer/writer.

I work primarily with LE and military on how to shoot fast and accurate.

Also 25 years in the film business (which is where I am using two-way radios on a daily basis.)

Not going to say any more, but let's just say I am so anal about safety that Sam Jackson once affectionately called me "mean - -" ... well, let's just say it was the same thing he once called a bunch of snakes. And a plane.

And Keanu Reeves kept calling me sir, until I told him he didn't need to call me sir. So he started calling me Obi-Wan because he said I was the Jedi Master of gun training.

Stuff like that. Lots of fun.

 

[jonwienke]

(I was VERY careful to exactly measure the cable run to match the frequency spectrum.)

That is a myth. If the cable is an electrical odd multiple of 1/4-wavelength, it will fool an SWR meter into reading erroneously low because of the phase relationship between the outgoing signal and the reflected signal. If you cut your cable unnecessarily long to get an erroneously low SWR reading, you are masking antenna problems and throwing signal away, and it's not surprising you're getting poor antenna performance.

 

[quietcropduster]

Let us know how this goes! good luck and keep us updated.

We all had fun contributing to this thread and there is a some good information for others who may have similar needs. Lots of great suggestions from some VERY experienced folks in here.


LOL! Don't tell anyone. Firearms trainer/writer.

I work primarily with LE and military on how to shoot fast and accurate.

Also 25 years in the film business (which is where I am using two-way radios on a daily basis.)

Not going to say any more, but let's just say I am so anal about safety that Sam Jackson once affectionately called me "mean - -" ... well, let's just say it was the same thing he once called a bunch of snakes. And a plane.

And Keanu Reeves kept calling me sir, until I told him he didn't need to call me sir. So he started calling me Obi-Wan because he said I was the Jedi Master of gun training.

Stuff like that. Lots of fun.

Ha I gotcha. I rock out a full size 1911 45 cal for duty purposes. Best handgun in the world IMO.

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[quietcropduster]

What's more powerful?

1. Motorola i355 or similar PTT

2. Baofeng UV5R

Assuming terrain is the exact same & radios r used in exact same manner?

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[alcahuete]

What's more powerful?

1. Motorola i355 or similar PTT

2. Baofeng UV5R

Assuming terrain is the exact same & radios r used in exact same manner?

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk

In my experience out here in the desert, my DTR650s outperform my UHF/VHF radios without any difficulty. Lowing my VHF/UHF to 1W to more or less match the output power of the DTR, and its an even wider margin.

 

[SteveSimpkin]

What's more powerful?
1. Motorola i355 or similar PTT
2. Baofeng UV5R
Assuming terrain is the exact same & radios r used in exact same manner?

Comparing a 1W 900 MHz digital spread spectrum radio to a 5W analog VHF/UHF radio is a bit of an apples and oranges comparison. I'll let people who own both give their opinion.

How did the two Motorola i355 phones you bought last October work for you?

 

[mmckenna]

What's more powerful?

1. Motorola i355 or similar PTT

2. Baofeng UV5R

Assuming terrain is the exact same & radios r used in exact same manner?

"Powerful" is a term that can mean many things.
Obviously, the 1 watt (or less) I355 is lower RF power output than the Baofeng. The Baofeng's claim to put out 4 watts (or less).

Antenna gain plays into this.
At 900MHz, the antenna and ground plane on the i355 is probably pretty efficient.
On the Baofeng, the short antenna (short for UHF and shorter for VHF) is going to impact the ERP. On VHF, the ground plane presented by the radio chassis is going to be lacking, also.

Frequency plays into this.
Different scenarios, locations, topologies will present different issues to radio waves. In some cases, 1 watt on 900MHz could work better than 4 watts on VHF. In other cases, 1 watt on VHF could outperform 4 watts on 900MHz.

Receiver plays into this.
Transmitting is only half the equation. You need to look at receiver sensitivity. Even if you have a 100 watt radio, if the receiver on the other end is stone deaf, it won't matter.

I've only used Baofengs a few times, and I was less than impressed. Some swear by them (some swear at them, too). Seems to depend on the individual radio as to how well it works.

So, as always, the answer is: It depends.

 

[quietcropduster]

Comparing a 1W 900 MHz digital spread spectrum radio to a 5W analog VHF/UHF radio is a bit of an apples and oranges comparison. I'll let people who own both give their opinion.

How did the two Motorola i355 phones you bought last October work for you?

I've used them a few times, about a 2 mile range at best in my environment. I did just buy the fixed antennas which claim 2 increase range dramatically but haven't had the chance to try them out

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[quietcropduster]

back here to over think it again!

I wanted 2 switch it up a bit. I do have the Motorola i355 radios that I programmed to boot in PTT mode. They work OK. I was wondering thought if something like the BaoFeng UV-5R would work better, so I bought 2. They came with a TIDRADIO NA-771 Antenna, which yes I know is an off brand. When I transmitted on them the range was not nearly as good as the i355. No idea why? I did watch a very lengthy youtube video on all the options, its on the high power setting, and everything seems to be working correctly. I made the assumption that 4 watt radios were "better" than the 1 watt i355.

 

[iMONITOR]

My experience with GMRS is if you don't work though a repeater and a really good antenna on your home & vehicles, you might as well stick to FRS. A lot of GMRS users complain that unlicensed users wreak havoc with their repeaters.

 

[quietcropduster]

My experience with GMRS is if you don't work though a repeater and a really good antenna on your home & vehicles, you might as well stick to FRS. A lot of GMRS users complain that unlicensed users wreak havoc with their repeaters.

What's a good antenna for the uv5r? I've tried 2 research it but everyone seems to have conflicting opinions. The Nagoya NA-771 seems to be a good 1 maybe?

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[Knoxradio]

What's a good antenna for the uv5r? I've tried 2 research it but everyone seems to have conflicting opinions. The Nagoya NA-771 seems to be a good 1 maybe?

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Problem is the uv5r is designed for amatuer radio, not GMRS. For GMRS you need to get an antenna tuned for those frequencies, it's usually considered the commercial model, which is typically tuned for 450-470 Mhz.

 

[Knoxradio]

I got the Nagoya NA-701C for my BTech GMRS radio because everyone said they were much better, I couldn't tell a difference, although this antenna is tuned for the GMRS frequencies. Likely my issue is the BTech cheap radio itself.