HAM / GMRS Radio

I have several GMRS two way radios and enjoy communicating over our local repeater with others here in the valley. Lately I have been thinking it might be fun to add a mobil unit in my Slingshot. I am curious if anyone else here has installed any type of two-way radio in their Slingshot and if you have how and where you installed the antenna?

no one??

Quote from Shadrac

I would love to have some 2 way radios in my SS - Not up to speed on those yet, but have a bucket list to get my HAM license next year (if time allows).

I think I need a license for GMRS as well - similar to HAM.
Let's see what you got - I am very interested =)

Shadrac Getting a GMRS license is just a matter of paying for it - no test involved. it's much more limited than what you can do on HAM, but it is more than enough to meet my needs. We have a local repeater here in the valley that allows me to talk to people over the entire valley. At this point I only have hand held radios, but like I said in my OP been thinking about putting one in the Sling - - There are also repeaters outside of the valley that I haven't actually used yet, but I have registered with them so that will also give me huge range in just about every area I will ever ride.

to get a GMRS license you first register with the FCC and get whats called an FRN number and password you then use this to apply online for the GMRS license which just a matter of filling out a form and then you pay $35 and that's it - within a 48 hours or less they send you a link with your call sign - - the process is clunky because of the crapy web sites, but very easy. Also the license covers you and all of your family for 10 years

here is a link that gives step by step instructions - How to get a GMRS license.

Also radios seem to be very affordable - even the best can be had for under a couple of hundred dollars and lower cost radios that really work pretty darn well can had for under $50 - - I have talked all over this valley on a cheap Baofeng I got on Amazon for $26 - - not as good or nice as my better radios, but it works and I can take it anyplace without worrying it might get lost or damaged

its also nice knowing that in a SHTF moment we will have options should normal communications go down

Quote from EjFord

Always had CB radios on the Gold Wings and it was nice to be able to talk to the guys that were riding together.

in many ways GMRS is the new CB just a little more refined and hopefully it will stay this way

edit - and mobil GMRS radios can have as much as 50 watts of output power

Quote from Shadrac

haha - found this dude on YT - Love his videos so far!!

yep - notarubicon - Randy has some great videos - that link I gave you above on the step by step instructions was from him. I have watched a bunch of his videos

Anyway great to hear you did it. I actually ordered myself a new radio that is supposed to arrive today got a Black Friday deal on a Wouxun KG-S88G form Buytwowayradios.com Wouxun radios seem to be regarded as some of the best GMRS units and this is one of their newest. I wanted it because its rated IP67 and is fully waterproof and submersable here is Randys review

Shadrac - here is another link I think you will find very useful My GMRS

The ability to use repeaters is one of the big differences that sets GMRS above the other license free services. Repeaters do exactly what there name implies, they receive the signals you transmit and then they retransmit it on a different frequency sending it out much further than it would go normally it does the same with the signal from the person you are talking to back to you. Normally two radios standing on flat ground would have a line of sight range of under 10 miles assuming nothing in between, by using repeaters which are usually up on high ground this range can easily exceed 50 miles

using the link and clicking on the repeater tab at the top you can find all of the repeaters that are in your area. Some are "open" and all of the information to use them is right there in the link, others are closed and you need to request permission to use them and that link give to the link to do that.

Repeaters require a tone to be included in the signal they receive in your transmission. this tone tells the repeater that you are allowed to use it - the tone can't be heard by people only the repeater - open repeaters just publish this tone info and you can set it in your radio, and the closed systems want to approve you before giving you the proper settings - there are also a bunch of private repeaters that might be listed on the site and they dont let other people that are not in their group join

Also repeaters usually also transmit out with a tone - this tone can be set in your radio so that you only here people using the repeater - the receive frequencies that repeaters transmit are shared with the non repeat channels - setting the tone in your rec tone will keep you from hearing those people who are transmitting on the shared non repeater frequency - this tone is not required, it just limits noise on your repeater channels

if you need to know things those notarubicon videos are a great source of information

just for kicks - this is the repeater I use Coachella Valley GMRS

and this is a map of the coverage

I am in Palm Springs - and the repeater is on Indio Hill where the marker is about 17 or so miles south of me

thanks to this repeater I can walk out in my backyard with one of my little 5 watt handheld "walkie talkies" and talk to anyone with a similar radio in that coverage area that is on the repeater. The other day I was doing some testing and talked with a radio friend of mine who is all the way down at the end of the coverage area by the Salton Sea and I had my radio set on low power of only 1/2 watt - - he couldn't believe I could hit the repeater that easily - - I am lucky that my end of the valley is higher in elevation which gives me good line of sight distance to that repeater

Quote from FunCycle

I have used these radio's since 1989. I bought another set last year and have never even opened the box, these are for when Biden get's done with the USA. You know food, money, gun's, ammo and a few other things.

you should break them out and use them - I also originally got mine for SHTF moments, but I am now talking to people almost every day and finding it very entertaining - the FCC changed some of the rules not that long back and has increased the power allowed and also made all of the channels overlap with the FRS channels) - check out these two radios

Shadrac

VERY IMPORTANT

When you buy a radio make sure it has the repeater channels - there are a bunch of radios - especially the Midland hand held radios that do not include the repeater offset frequencies needed to use the repeaters

if you really want any meaningful range you need the repeaters

I recommend the Wouxun radios which are specially made for two distributers here in the U.S. to their specifications you might find some of them on amazon, but its better to go directly to buytwowayradios.com or bettersaferadio.com - - the radios they sell are similar, but not exactly the same - like I said they are made specifically for them and better safe sites theirs more geared to preppers and include emergency scanning programing in their Wouxun radios

after Wouxun I like Btech they are also specially designed to the specs of a company here in the U.S. based on Baofeng radios but higher quality

Quote from Shadrac

Considering starting with this one - to learn and become more comfortable.

https://www.buytwowayradios.com/wouxun-kg-805g.html?___SID=U

I love learning new things - and I am very technical by nature, as my last position was a lab rat working for a Telecom for over 11 years.

I have worked on almost every piece of Access gear, Router, Switch, CMTS, and IP Video within our network today.

RF, PON, RFOG, XGSPON, etc... all too familiar with me =)

Exciting!!

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good choice - excellent little radio that should do anything you need

This puppy is supposed to be delivered today, got it in the orange and it was a Black Friday special for $119 and included some extra goodies like a hand held mike - https://www.buytwowayradios.com/wouxun-kg-s88g.html

Quote from DJohnson

Ok now I know what for Christmas being a old CB user with a base station and mobile using SSB. I worked many years in the navy with airborne radios and broadcast radios and TV transmitters. I just gave up on CB when all you heard was foul language and everyone talking over top everyone.

GMRS is much nicer than CB, people seem to follow the rules and treat others with respect.