Power Packed Mobile GMRS Radio

[@NeonLightRays]

It’d be cool to see you set up a repeater with these. Repeaters keep people on the air more than they would simplex and helps the hobby!

[@temporarilyoffline]

It would be fun!

[@javabeanz8549]

I actually bought the repeater kit from Retevis when they had a special going. I thought we could use it for the club, but there's an issue, that we can't find information on setting up an auto ID device with these radios, so if anyone has a good answer for that, we would appreciated it!

[@hazratmuhazmat8831]

I am looking for something that allows me to program different repeaters with different codes and name them.

[@NeonLightRays]

@@javabeanz8549 my comments keep disappearing(at least on my end) look at mygmrs for one

[@temporarilyoffline]

KZbin auto-blocks any links in comments. There were lots of pornbots spamming links

[@Siskiyous6]

It was the results I got with mobile GMRS radios that really sold me on value of the service.

[@temporarilyoffline]

I think its GMRS time!

[@gefjondotcom]

I have set up a repeater using two RA87 radios. In relay mode, the transmit power is only 20 watts (I suppose because a repeater has a higher duty cycle). A 20 watt duplexer is less expensive than a 50 watt duplexer. I was able to order a Chinese duplexer tuned to channel 20 for just over $40.00. The signal difference between 20 and 40 watts would be 3 dB, or half an S-unit. For a data cable between the two radios, all it takes is a 3.5 mm to 3.5 mm stereo cable. The reverse is set on the receive radio to receive on the 467 frequency (IE: 467.675 for channel 20). For an ID, I connected an old Android phone that I had laying around to an inexpensive handheld radio with an APRS cable, and have it playing an MP3 of the CW ID, and speaking a message with the ID and PL tone with Macrodroid every 15 minutes. It makes for a fairly inexpensive repeater.

[@temporarilyoffline]

I figured it was just a straight audio cable. Thanks for confirming! I was hoping I could find a cheap duplexer at a hamfest and play with it... But brand new and on Frequency already has its merits too!

[@ozone385]

Hello Steve. Good video. The coax test was interesting, i understand UHF is very picky about the coax. The jumper with the built in right angles i knew was going to be lower, but the other ones really surprised me. With out giving out coax names just what they are called would be very informative to both new and seasoned radio operators.

[@temporarilyoffline]

I was a little cranky when my 40w radio only made 15w on high power. I needed to get to the bottom of that. More to come.

[@WECB640]

That coax test was very telling Steve. Such a short jumper to have that much loss is astounding. I wonder if all the jumpers were really 50 ohm coax. I hope you'll check each with the nanovna or other means. Thanks 73 OM.

[@temporarilyoffline]

Good call on the ohms test!

[@k5wxp22]

Good morning, Steve! You've got me considering getting a GMRS license. I am surprised how active it is compared to CB, although I think CB'ers would come out of the woodwork during an emergency. I'm not talking about the skip shooters on channel 19. 😂 You mentioned Chirp support...one thing that cracks me up is when people give a radio a bad rating because it is not supported by Chirp. 😅 73, Brett K5WXP

[@temporarilyoffline]

Check for local GMRS repeaters, I run into a lot of people that use it. Windows is so full of problems and slow code that I don't like it anymore. No Chirp = No Programming for me!

[@Siskiyous6]

I second this emotion ​@@temporarilyoffline

[@seanwieland9763]

9:47 MPD Digital coax has always been good for me. This was their LMR-240 by the looks of it? I’d love to figure out the explanation for power dropping to 15 watts.

[@temporarilyoffline]

I previously thought this coax was bad. Before I left Wisconsin this past summer I was getting "99:1" SWR using it and now I'm getting good SWR, but low power... I was just trying to show that coax matters and that if you get low power readings, its not always the radio's fault.

[@blueboy1183]

Steve looks to a good mobile GMRS radio!! Great review! Looks very easy to manually program as well!!

[@temporarilyoffline]

I'm glad you found the review helpful!

[@KQ1USA]

I bought a pair and made a repeater. Was very easy to do. Has about a 25 mile range.

[@temporarilyoffline]

2 antennas or 1 antenna?

[@javabeanz8549]

are you at elevation with that?

[@KQ1USA]

@@javabeanz8549 I am located on the western side of the meteor crater in Wetumpka Alabama, I am at about 550 ft ASL its a good area for radio comms.

[@KQ1USA]

@@temporarilyoffline one with a xlt duplexer.

[@KQ1USA]

@@javabeanz8549 my house 550 ft ASL

[@dougdukes1039]

Thanks Steve. Appreciate all the work you do. Question. The Amazon link says the radio has 30 channels, Obviously not correct. So how many channels are there? Also, can you add ANY HF/UHF Ham channel into this radio? Thanks again.

[@temporarilyoffline]

I think they are talking about pre-programmed channels vs how many channels are available. The retevis website says 200 memory and call channels

[@fredm8788]

Love to see the Repeater operation, if you can secure another radio. Thanks!

[@temporarilyoffline]

I'm trying!

[@PaulGriffith]

I would like to see this setup as a repeater.

[@temporarilyoffline]

Me too!

[@Tommy-K4BWN]

Steve I've got a question for you I've got a Radioddity DB50 mobile using in my home here I've got a mobile antenna mounted on top of a satellite dish turned upside down for ground plane does a good job hiting repeaters the dish has a big enough hole drill through it that it does not touch the antenna itself but it's grounded to the mount with screws . But my question now is my neighbor TV he says which I've heard it over the phone I am coming over his internet TV not a TV antenna he is using internet TV . Would a filter on my radio and grounding It To The ground do any better. Its 2m on a Repeater.

[@temporarilyoffline]

His Internet TV device is required by FCC Class B rules to "accept harmful interference", so (politely of course) his TV is poorly designed... I haven't run into this issue yet myself, so I'm not 100% sure of the fix. I'd start with a mix 31 ferrite close to the TV end of the power cord to try and remove any stray RF that his TV is picking up... But it's gonna be a long search for a solution. You might also dial back your power all the way and then add just enough power to hit your favorite repeaters and see if that helps... Or design an antenna to point away from his TV.

[@Tommy-K4BWN]

@@temporarilyoffline thanks for the info so far I've added chokes on my coax cable and using a piece of coax for ground from the antenna mount to a ground a rod in the ground hoping maybe that will help a little bit .

[@Siskiyous6]

I have the low power Retivis repeater, but if all it takes is a cable I am very interested in you getting a second retivis for testing. And, in buying the setup from you since that will just be a mess in your tiny house.

[@temporarilyoffline]

I'm glad you're hear for me. I'll have some stuff for sale at QF if you'll be there!

[@georgespeck8761]

really enjoyed the video

[@temporarilyoffline]

Thanks George! That's what I like to hear!

[@victorcharlie7491]

Great review, tnx for the info!

[@temporarilyoffline]

Glad you found it useful!

[@carlosroig5315]

Some design elements taken from Yaesu, like the top cover speaker grille, let's rename it FTR-87GM

[@temporarilyoffline]

Yeah. There's only so many ways to make a speaker grill and imitation is the sincerest form of flattery! I wonder if Yaesu could compete in this market space?

[@tgrossner]

It's probably just me, but I don't get why vendors produce GMRS with VFO functionality if GMRS is all channelized. What would you use a frequency mode VFO for GMRS for?

[@Littrell1966]

The radio was originally designed for UHF. They merely change the programming to use GMRS channels.

[@temporarilyoffline]

I like it, because I want to quickly spin up a frequency and program in a repeater. I was playing with a different GMRS radio today that didn't have that and we just lucked into a pre-programmed channel that we could edit the tones on to open up a local repeater. Is there actually a rule that says you can't TX in between channels?

[@kcarmical]

Looks like the 10% coupon is already dead :-(

[@temporarilyoffline]

It was just yesterday! There will be more I'm sure.

[@Kc5cnt-Russ]

Nice radio but that display was left in the 90s

[@temporarilyoffline]

As is most radios tech, it's like a 3rd world country...