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Radio Frequencies
- Thread starter lilfordwmn
- Start date
@BroncoDon most of us haven't really adopted the use of GMRS. Here in Southern California so many of us have been involved in the off-road racing community that we've sort of adopted the communication channels mostly used in that world.
It is worth knowing that the nearly ubiquitous UV-5R radios can work in both freq ranges. As I've only recently learned, some of them won't TX in the 'race radio' freq range, but most do. Those that didn't do not have the "Baofeng" name on them.
Example: https://www.amazon.com/Baofeng-UV-5R-136-174-400-480Mhz-1800mAh/dp/B08T2JVYRJ?th=1 or https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08M95SJQ5
Example: https://www.amazon.com/Baofeng-UV-5R-136-174-400-480Mhz-1800mAh/dp/B08T2JVYRJ?th=1 or https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08M95SJQ5
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The one ntsqd linked to would suffice.
Pro tip: make sure you read the instructions and figure out how to key in frequencies BEFORE showing up at the runs, so you can quickly and easily key in whatever freq the run leader has designated. If you want to take the time to key in the ones from the list at the top of this thread you can, but that would get tedious without using a PC cable and Chirp to download them all en masse. If you do want to key them in, I would only bother with the first 8 channels (down to BFG Relay).
Either one of my links immediately above should work. HOWEVER, I am troubled by these two lines in the descriptions of the first one:
"Frequency Range: 136 - 174 MHz"
"Frequency Range: 144-148MHz, 420-450MHz. Please kindly know that UV-5R would not transmit without this frequency range."
The first range is what is needed, I interpret the second statement to mean that it will not transmit ("TX") above 148MHz. Which is what I ran into with my two most recent purchases. They will receive ("RX") above 148MHz, but they won't TX up there. So far I've not found a way to modify them to do so.
*** If you buy one of the above and set it or program it to one of the freqs above 148MHz, try pushing the Push T Talk (PTT) button and watch the display. My radios that have the problem change their frequency display to read "666.66" and do not TX.
Pending more intel on that topic we're left with the more traditional handi-talkie ("HT") mfg's like Icom, Alinco, Yeasu, and god forbid, Kenwood (bad experience with their product has left a long lingering bad taste). These all will need the so-called "MARS-CAP"* modification to TX above 148MHz. This whole thing gets crazy confusing to most nuuB's (including myself when I was one, and on occasion it still is).
Some links-
www.dxengineering.com
*Traditional ham's do not like the MARS-CAP mod because it allows for broadcast out of the codified ham bands. I think that they forget that the FCC themselves says that in an emergency that communications can occur "by any means necessary." So having a radio with the MARS-CAP mod should not be their concern. I'd think that they would even encourage it, but they do not. Instead, their concern should be the use of such a modified radio when not in a ham band and when not an emergency. If you really want to wind them up just mention this mod on a ham forum and then stand back and watch the show. It is mean to do so, but it sometimes is amusing.
"Frequency Range: 136 - 174 MHz"
"Frequency Range: 144-148MHz, 420-450MHz. Please kindly know that UV-5R would not transmit without this frequency range."
The first range is what is needed, I interpret the second statement to mean that it will not transmit ("TX") above 148MHz. Which is what I ran into with my two most recent purchases. They will receive ("RX") above 148MHz, but they won't TX up there. So far I've not found a way to modify them to do so.
*** If you buy one of the above and set it or program it to one of the freqs above 148MHz, try pushing the Push T Talk (PTT) button and watch the display. My radios that have the problem change their frequency display to read "666.66" and do not TX.
Pending more intel on that topic we're left with the more traditional handi-talkie ("HT") mfg's like Icom, Alinco, Yeasu, and god forbid, Kenwood (bad experience with their product has left a long lingering bad taste). These all will need the so-called "MARS-CAP"* modification to TX above 148MHz. This whole thing gets crazy confusing to most nuuB's (including myself when I was one, and on occasion it still is).
Some links-
Ham Radio Outlet Product Details - Item Not found
We were unable to find a product matching that product id and/or description.
www.hamradio.com
Handheld Radio Transceivers | DX Engineering
Get high-powered performance and user-friendly features with handheld ham radios and transceivers! Choose from economical 2M devices or step up to digital handhelds.
*Traditional ham's do not like the MARS-CAP mod because it allows for broadcast out of the codified ham bands. I think that they forget that the FCC themselves says that in an emergency that communications can occur "by any means necessary." So having a radio with the MARS-CAP mod should not be their concern. I'd think that they would even encourage it, but they do not. Instead, their concern should be the use of such a modified radio when not in a ham band and when not an emergency. If you really want to wind them up just mention this mod on a ham forum and then stand back and watch the show. It is mean to do so, but it sometimes is amusing.
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BadSquatch
Huge Member
I have the https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00MAULSOK?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details which is the 3 gen of the UV-5R from Baofeng. BTW, it's on sale right now for about $70 on Amazon. I used CHiRP to program the radios to the SCB freq. and after a little trial and error get all those freqs to work.
BroncoDon
Growing Member
Well this radio thing seems to be very complicated for and old guy like me, whatever happened to a simple walkie-talkie or CB radio, I just bought a couple of GMRS and they seem to be very easy to use, pick a channel and go with it. I plan on doing the easy “site seeing runs” at this years bronco bash, this time anyway, so i just might have to use good old fashioned hand signals. Or run lobo.
KD6TAV
Eddy / Big Blue
Some people just buy the radio and bring it with them and someone can probably set it up for you on a few frequencies.
jviz4u
Growing Member
Wesharden
Small Member
Baofeng got hand slapped by the FCC, I think Sept 2019 was when they had to stop selling radios that could trans outside of GMRS freqs
FCC Cites Baofeng Importer for Illegally Marketing Unauthorized RF Devices
The American Radio Relay League (ARRL) is the national association for amateur radio, connecting hams around the U.S. with news, information and resources.
BadSquatch
Huge Member
Interesting ... maybe I have an old radio but it works on both VHF and UHF freq. both RX and TX.Baofeng got hand slapped by the FCC, I think Sept 2019 was when they had to stop selling radios that could trans outside of GMRS freqs
FCC Cites Baofeng Importer for Illegally Marketing Unauthorized RF Devices
The American Radio Relay League (ARRL) is the national association for amateur radio, connecting hams around the U.S. with news, information and resources.www.arrl.org
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jviz4u
Growing Member
BadSquatch
Huge Member
The Beofeng BF-F8HP which is advertised as the "next generation of the UV-5" that I bought a couple of months ago allowed me to use CHiRP to program both the SCB and the GMRS frequencies in both RX and TX no problem. For $70 on Amazon, I thought that was a pretty good deal. My next step is to eliminate the hand held, and get a mobile. If for no other reason than the handheld on has 8 watts, and the mobile will do 50. Also, have a better antenna should help as well.
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There is a page out there on the Baofeng's that mentioned pressing three buttons at once and then turning the unit on while all three buttons were kept pressed. This reportedly "unlocks" the TX range. The only button of the three that I recall for sure is the 'Monitor' button. I don't recall the page or where I found it, but this shouldn't be too hard to find again and I may have it bookmarked at home. Once I had done that I went thru the programming steps with CHIRRP again and all was good.
It is pretty amazing what an HT can do with a good antenna. It obviously won't match the power output of a mobile, but can 'stage' your purchases to spread out the cost if need be. Buy and install a good antenna with a PL259 connector on the end of it's coax, and buy an adapter from that to whatever your HT uses for it's antenna connection. It may be that this is as far as you need to go, and it may not be.
It is pretty amazing what an HT can do with a good antenna. It obviously won't match the power output of a mobile, but can 'stage' your purchases to spread out the cost if need be. Buy and install a good antenna with a PL259 connector on the end of it's coax, and buy an adapter from that to whatever your HT uses for it's antenna connection. It may be that this is as far as you need to go, and it may not be.
I use the 8-watt Baofeng handheld with the long antenna and it works pretty good. But on our Saturday run we had 38 (!!!) rigs so we were spread out over several miles, around bends and over peaks from one another, so I sometimes couldn't reach all the way to the back from the front. But Steffie was right behind me in Coco, and we have a 50-watt Rugged hard-mounted in that one, so I would occasionally need to walk back to her when I needed to coordinate something with the tail. I'll have a hard mounted mobile in Chanel soon too.
BadSquatch
Huge Member
Yeah, that's how I started out, i.e. with a handheld. It works great, and I'm very happy with it. But, I'm a "constant improvement" kind of guy, so I'm looking to move up to the external antenna next and a mobile radio. I COULD put the external antenna on the handheld, but then I would also need to get a microphone as well. I figure after all that, I might as well just take the plunge and get the mobile. Right now I'm trying to decide on the best mounting location. I'm thinking about putting it on the passenger side of the center console. But I'm also playing with the idea of putting it on the dash. But I'm worried about heat. I noticed that my GoPro overheated and shut down a couple of times when I was using it all day long. So it worries me that the radio might get too hot up there on the dash.
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