Question About Using a G5 in Car for VHF

[rayvann]

I'm considering purchasing the G5 because of the size and 8-position knob feature. However, I will be using this radio mostly while in a vehicle and monitoring VHF. I do want to be able to use it occasionally for simulcast, but VHF will be my main need. My #1 concern is the internal antenna for VHF and how it receives while in a vehicle. My #2 concern is sound quality while in vehicle. Bluetooth would work through speakers, but I could only use that if my vehicle will allow the phone to take priority over the radio when on calls. If you have any experience using this radio for VHF while in a car, I would love to hear about your experience. Thanks!

 

[madpuma13]

I use my g5 as a pager in vhf. It works great inside my vehicle. The only gripe I would have about it isn't the reception but the volume level.

For most purposes max volume is adequate (driving down non highway roads) but when responding to a call I wish I could turn it up louder.



Sent from my ONEPLUS A5000 using Tapatalk

 

[ecarvalho]

In a car, you can clip your G5 to the sunvisor and it will be close enough for you to listen.
Car bluetooth doesn’t work with the G5. At least in my car.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

 

[RRR]

Sure is an expensive way to monitor VHF, to get a G5, when there are so many much cheaper options, with external antennas. The G5’s have so much under the hood, just doesnt seem right to not use it to it’s full potential....

 

[Citywide173]

I'm using this:

https://www.walmart.com/ip/Wireless...Music-Home-Car-Receiver-Adapter-Mic/595476936

in the car for streaming through the stereo. Aside from a fraction of a fraction of clipped audio at the beginning, it works great. I have tested it with a 3.5mm listen only acoustic ear tube and the dongle has enough power to drive it. I will be pairing it with an amplified speaker in the near future for a more permanent solution.

 

[JD21960]

G5 in Car for VHF

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[mmckenna]

I'm considering purchasing the G5 because of the size and 8-position knob feature. However, I will be using this radio mostly while in a vehicle and monitoring VHF. I do want to be able to use it occasionally for simulcast, but VHF will be my main need. My #1 concern is the internal antenna for VHF and how it receives while in a vehicle. My #2 concern is sound quality while in vehicle. Bluetooth would work through speakers, but I could only use that if my vehicle will allow the phone to take priority over the radio when on calls. If you have any experience using this radio for VHF while in a car, I would love to hear about your experience. Thanks!

You can pick up a used VHF mobile radio and set it up for 2 tone paging. Add a 1/4 wave external antenna and it'll be cheaper and outperform the pager.

 

[rayvann]

Thank you for the responses so far. I'm a police chaplain and would like to monitor traffic on our PD channels, which are P25 in the 154.000 MHz area, as well as some other local PDs and State. I'm not really interested in scanning around, but want a durable radio while in the field and, most importantly, good reception. I like the way I can set frequencies to positions with the G5 so that I can easily switch channels with a click. I may use some positions for multiple frequencies, but mostly want to set this up for our PD channels and other nearby agencies. We are a small city with less than a 10-mile radius. Again, the main concern is internal antenna for VHF and whether the reception is adequate to capture our PD traffic, especially while in a vehicle. Maybe G5 is overkill and a waste of money, but I'm trying not to waste money buying junk that doesn't work as needed/wanted. That's why I'm reaching out to you all for advice...and I truly appreciate the responses.

 

[Uni1]

Unication G2 VHF. P25 Phase I and II, external antenna. Ill get you the details. Same as the G4/G5 but VHF only.

 

[rayvann]

@Uni1 Perfect! Looks like this is just what I need. You can contact me at rayvann@suddenlink.net. Thanks!

 

[hfd26]

Will the details on the g2 vhf be posted here. (Price, 2 tone over p25, analog)

 

[rayvann]

Since others may be interested in this topic, I'll answer my own question that I originally posted since I have now purchased and am using a G5. My top concern was VHF reception without the ability to attach an external antenna. I should not have been worried. The G5 VHF reception (even though it only has an internal VHF antenna) is a good deal better than my Grecom PSR-500 with an external antenna attached to my car's trunk. I now receive clear communications from agencies 20+ miles away day and night on VHF. So if you are like me and are worried about the internal VHF antenna. Don't worry, it's more than likely better than the external antenna you have now.

That's the positive. The negative is the Bluetooth capability. I drive a car with SYNC MyTouch and it gives a 6-digit PIN in order to pair a BT device. The G5 only allows 4 digits. There are some work-arounds for some version of SYNC, but I have yet to find one for mine. If anybody has the MyTouch version of SYNC and has gotten their G5 to pair, please share!

Finally, regarding the G2 pictured in a post above by Uni1. I was contacted by Uni1 and he said that the G2 is not currently available for US market. The price, if available, would be the same as the G4. I decided to take my chances with the G5, which gives me 700-800 for a few buck more than the G2 would have been if available. And most importantly, I didn't want to wait for the G2. So far, I'm very pleased with my decision. Just wish I could get that Bluetooth to pair with my car! The sound is nice in the speaker, but I really like having it come through my car's speakers. I hope this post helps somebody.

 

[n2pqq]

Since others may be interested in this topic, I'll answer my own question that I originally posted since I have now purchased and am using a G5. My top concern was VHF reception without the ability to attach an external antenna. I should not have been worried. The G5 VHF reception (even though it only has an internal VHF antenna) is a good deal better than my Grecom PSR-500 with an external antenna attached to my car's trunk. I now receive clear communications from agencies 20+ miles away day and night on VHF. So if you are like me and are worried about the internal VHF antenna. Don't worry, it's more than likely better than the external antenna you have now.

That's the positive. The negative is the Bluetooth capability. I drive a car with SYNC MyTouch and it gives a 6-digit PIN in order to pair a BT device. The G5 only allows 4 digits. There are some work-arounds for some version of SYNC, but I have yet to find one for mine. If anybody has the MyTouch version of SYNC and has gotten their G5 to pair, please share!

Finally, regarding the G2 pictured in a post above by Uni1. I was contacted by Uni1 and he said that the G2 is not currently available for US market. The price, if available, would be the same as the G4. I decided to take my chances with the G5, which gives me 700-800 for a few buck more than the G2 would have been if available. And most importantly, I didn't want to wait for the G2. So far, I'm very pleased with my decision. Just wish I could get that Bluetooth to pair with my car! The sound is nice in the speaker, but I really like having it come through my car's speakers. I hope this post helps somebody.

Don't know if it will work but you can try this :

https://owner.ford.com/support/how-...se-pair-phone-with-sync-with-4-digit-pin.html

 

[Citywide173]

That's the positive. The negative is the Bluetooth capability. I drive a car with SYNC MyTouch and it gives a 6-digit PIN in order to pair a BT device. The G5 only allows 4 digits. There are some work-arounds for some version of SYNC, but I have yet to find one for mine. If anybody has the MyTouch version of SYNC and has gotten their G5 to pair, please share!
.

If you have an audio input jack (I know my 2010 Escape does in addition to SYNC) my suggestion above for the dongle should work. I know that when I did sync it in the Escape-I don't remember if it was a 4 or 6 digit pin-it would make a tone before every unmute of the speaker.

Bummer on the G2.

 

[rayvann]

Don't know if it will work but you can try this :

https://owner.ford.com/support/how-...se-pair-phone-with-sync-with-4-digit-pin.html

Thank you! My version of SYNC does not allow for reverse pairing this of type of BT device. Called Ford, got the Philippines, and went round and around with someone trying to help me. He couldn't get past the fact that I wasn't trying to pair a phone and ended the call by telling me they were not trained to help with pairing a radio receiver even though my question was about getting a 4 digit code and I would take care of the rest.

 

[62Truck]

I'm not sure if this helps any with the BT. In one of my vehicles I have hum by Verizon. I have the 1st generation hum, and the part that clips to the sun visor is also a BT speaker. My G1 is able to pair to it. Might not hurt trying to pair your G5 to a BT speaker if you have one.

 

[RFI-EMI-GUY]

I'm considering purchasing the G5 because of the size and 8-position knob feature. However, I will be using this radio mostly while in a vehicle and monitoring VHF. I do want to be able to use it occasionally for simulcast, but VHF will be my main need. My #1 concern is the internal antenna for VHF and how it receives while in a vehicle. My #2 concern is sound quality while in vehicle. Bluetooth would work through speakers, but I could only use that if my vehicle will allow the phone to take priority over the radio when on calls. If you have any experience using this radio for VHF while in a car, I would love to hear about your experience. Thanks!

You should look into the Unification G4/G5 amplified charger. You can mount it on the center console and run it from 12V, it will charge the battery, provide an external antenna input (Use an NMO and a simple VHF 1/4 wave whip) and it has an amplified speaker or you can amplify it further from there. The VHF whip will probably work fine on 700/800 MHz as well or you can get a multi-band NMO mount antenna. It also has a relay so your tone out can honk the horn etc.

https://docs.wixstatic.com/ugd/9bbbf0_0fa914b52671468ba054641dc048ffb8.pdf

 

[KevinC]

You should look into the Unification G4/G5 amplified charger. You can mount it on the center console and run it from 12V, it will charge the battery, provide an external antenna input (Use an NMO and a simple VHF 1/4 wave whip) and it has an amplified speaker or you can amplify it further from there. The VHF whip will probably work fine on 700/800 MHz as well or you can get a multi-band NMO mount antenna. It also has a relay so your tone out can honk the horn etc.

https://docs.wixstatic.com/ugd/9bbbf0_0fa914b52671468ba054641dc048ffb8.pdf

The G4/5 don't use the external antenna jack or pins on the bottom for V/UHF. V/UHF uses an internal antenna.

 

[RFI-EMI-GUY]

The G4/5 don't use the external antenna jack or pins on the bottom for V/UHF. V/UHF uses an internal antenna.

If you read the specs for the charger it is well implied that it does. In fact they furnish your choice of LB/VHF/UHF and 700/800 MHz whips to attach to the BNC connector on back of the charger..

 

[KevinC]

Unication G2 VHF. P25 Phase I and II, external antenna. Ill get you the details. Same as the G4/G5 but VHF only.

If you read the specs for the charger it is well implied that it does. In fact they furnish your choice of LB/VHF/UHF and 700/800 MHz whips to attach to the BNC connector on back of the charger..

The G2 does, but I'm 99.999% positive the G4/5 don't.