Jsmegs77
.308 Win
There are NMO magnetic mounts, and bracket mounts also. I'm partial to the drill-through kind but I have to say I'd be nervous doing it on a vehicle I paid more than $1500 for.
what BaoFeng should i be looking for now ??
- Thread starter Acer-m14
- Start date
FrankenCub
.338 Win Mag
I looked at a couple of them, might be able to live with the bracket type, but definitely prefer to drill a hole for a more permanent fixture. The o-rings actually seal well but I still use a bit of 3m 5200 for a guarantee. That stuff will seal anything! Just not so easy to remove the antenna if you want to change it out for something different.
I have the cable and have programed before. I need to break mine out and check them, can't even remember what I programed into them.
fnfalguy
.308 Win
For those in Orange, dutchess and Putnam, there is an active net to listen to on 146.970. They are currently running them at 9am and 8pm.
masterswimmer
.450/400 Nitro Ex
Out for delivery!
masterswimmer
.450/400 Nitro Ex
The eagle has landed......
whauburger
6.5 Creedmoor
Just wanted to give all a thanks for the info and direction. I've been playing around with listening (dont have a license so I can not transmit) and somewhat am getting the idea of it. The video @cgrutt Posted helped with quickly going through menu options and getting an idea of that stuff and @fnfalguy has given great advise and material.
soylentBlue
.357 mag
I used HamExam.org: Free Amateur Radio Practice Tests with Flash Cards to practice for my exam.
Twogunwilly
6.5 Creedmoor
Now I need a few too.
10-10
10-10
whauburger
6.5 Creedmoor
I've been using that site at night to do questions. Good resource.
If using a baofeng, follow these directions to fix the horrible stock squelch. I made these settings, then bump squelch to 4 or 5 and it made a huge difference for scanning.
UV5R/UV82 Squelch Levels - Miklor
UV5R/UV82 Squelch Levels - Miklor
BDinPutnam
.475 A&M Magnum
Any suggestions for power supply and antenna for a modest (and low profile) base station? I'm thinking long term that would suit me better than a handheld (something I could also stick in the truck as needed)?
I'm looking at the model radio that @fnfalguy posted previously, QB25 I think?
I'm looking at the model radio that @fnfalguy posted previously, QB25 I think?
Samlex and Alinco make good power supplies in the $125 to $150 range good for up to 30A. MJF makes decent stuff but is generally considered lower level you can get 15A supply in the $75 range.
Assuming dual band VHF/UHF antenna? PulseLarsen 2/70 is one of the better mobile antennas. I just bought a Diamond MR77 which seems OK and was 1/4 the price. You can get better base antennas if it is going to be permanently mounted on house, etc.
fnfalguy
.308 Win
@BDinPutnam
This is the radio I got on a lark. QB25 Pro Quad Band Mini Mobile Radio+ Cable + 50W Antenna
It comes with the antenna, but they you have to figure out a mount for it. I can try to find all the misc parts I got for it. In the house I'm using a tekpower TP350 to power it.
This is the radio I got on a lark. QB25 Pro Quad Band Mini Mobile Radio+ Cable + 50W Antenna
It comes with the antenna, but they you have to figure out a mount for it. I can try to find all the misc parts I got for it. In the house I'm using a tekpower TP350 to power it.
Marine Cpl
.577 Tyrannosaur.
@BDinPutnam
What are you wanting to get out of the radio? COMS with family? Just listening to amateur radio people on repeaters? Getting licensed to talk to only licensed amateur radio licensed people?
The reason why I ask is because unless everyone in your family gets licensed, you won’t be able to talk to them. If it’s just listening to amateur radio people, you can do the same with a handheld.
Also, if just to listen to amateur radio people, start with a handheld. You’ll realize that they have nothing to talk about. All they talk about is the weather, what radio they are using, and nothing else. It’s literally watching paint dry.
What are you wanting to get out of the radio? COMS with family? Just listening to amateur radio people on repeaters? Getting licensed to talk to only licensed amateur radio licensed people?
The reason why I ask is because unless everyone in your family gets licensed, you won’t be able to talk to them. If it’s just listening to amateur radio people, you can do the same with a handheld.
Also, if just to listen to amateur radio people, start with a handheld. You’ll realize that they have nothing to talk about. All they talk about is the weather, what radio they are using, and nothing else. It’s literally watching paint dry.
Marine Cpl
.577 Tyrannosaur.
If anyone wants to just be able to talk to family within a mile or so legally now without a license, this is the radio for you. MURS is like CB. No license required. You can also program other frequencies outside of the MURS band for listening only.
baofengtech.com
MURS-V1 MURS Radio
Discover the BTECH MURS-V1: MURS License Free Two-Way Radio for Manufacturing, Retail, Personal, and Business Two-Way Radio Visit the BaoFeng site to learn, buy, and get support.
baofengtech.com
Twogunwilly
6.5 Creedmoor
I believe you still need a license for a CB.
Marine Cpl
.577 Tyrannosaur.
Nope. No longer required.
Twogunwilly
6.5 Creedmoor
Would an old CB license cover these radios?
Possibly the FRS frequencies (I'm not sure) believe you need a Tech license for 2m and 70cm.
Marine Cpl
.577 Tyrannosaur.
The only unlicensed frequencies are FRS, MURS, CB, and I believe a very low wattage of a certain type of digital frequency. It escapes my mind the name of it. It isn’t used often because it has low range so it isn’t worth mentioning anyway.
MURS will outperform FRS in open and wooded areas. They are 2 Watts. You can also mount whip antennas on your roof for them increasing range. FRS will outperform MURS in structures but there aren’t many new radios that have 2 Watts for the FRS frequencies. Most legal FRS radios only transmit on 0.5 watts despite the rule that allows you to use 2 Watts. CB sucks for handhelds because good handhelds with high power don’t exist.
MURS will outperform FRS in open and wooded areas. They are 2 Watts. You can also mount whip antennas on your roof for them increasing range. FRS will outperform MURS in structures but there aren’t many new radios that have 2 Watts for the FRS frequencies. Most legal FRS radios only transmit on 0.5 watts despite the rule that allows you to use 2 Watts. CB sucks for handhelds because good handhelds with high power don’t exist.
Marine Cpl
.577 Tyrannosaur.
Oh. And if you want to listen to public safety frequencies, don’t bother if you want to do so with an analog HAM radio. Most public safety in NY is going to digital. Here in Orange County it’s all pretty much gone. There is only EMS and fire to listen to but they are soon joining the system. The only way to listen to them is with a 600 dollar digital scanner and not all of them work right.
BDinPutnam
.475 A&M Magnum
Thanks as always for the plethora of knowledge, gents.
Jsmegs77
.308 Win
The unlicensed digital bit you're thinking of is probably ISM (Industrial, Scientific & Medical). Frequencies range from 6 MHz to 24 GHz, applications are short range communications typically. Your wireless network is one example, Motorola's DTR series of business radios run on ISM 900MHz at 1 watt, and so on.
As to public safety, there's a lot of analog still. Broome County still mostly operates analog, as does NYSP and NYSDOT. What you can pick up and whether or not it's encrypted depends strongly on where you are. I use my UV82C to listen to local PD/Ambulance/DOT chatter, especially in winter where I clip it to my visor at work and just let it scan.
As to public safety, there's a lot of analog still. Broome County still mostly operates analog, as does NYSP and NYSDOT. What you can pick up and whether or not it's encrypted depends strongly on where you are. I use my UV82C to listen to local PD/Ambulance/DOT chatter, especially in winter where I clip it to my visor at work and just let it scan.
Marine Cpl
.577 Tyrannosaur.
I used to listen here in Orange with the UV82HP but it just stopped. Even the internet feeds on Broadcastify are just spewing out occasional noise with nothing intelligible. Now they are all on the P25 Phase 2 system. State police included. It started in Rockland and now it’s in Orange. Coming soon to a county near you. Our Fire Departments and EMS are on it too. Currently they still have a analog simulcast but that will end soon just like it did with the police.
Jsmegs77
.308 Win
P25 can be decoded with an SDR (or two if listening to a trunking system) and a tolerable PC. It's the standard for public safety, as digital protocols go. I've got a few (well, 7) P25 handsets, but since nobody around here is using P25 on UHF, I haven't gotten the chance to play with them much.
Edit: a quick scan of Radioreference shows a lot of 700/800 MHz P25 in Orange County, an inexpensive EF Johnson 5100 in 700/800 could serve as a scanner. Wouldn't help you for the big E (encryption) but there aren't a lot of those just yet. I have software and can loan programming cable or link to one that works...I'm kind of a big fan of the EFJ 5100 series.
Edit: a quick scan of Radioreference shows a lot of 700/800 MHz P25 in Orange County, an inexpensive EF Johnson 5100 in 700/800 could serve as a scanner. Wouldn't help you for the big E (encryption) but there aren't a lot of those just yet. I have software and can loan programming cable or link to one that works...I'm kind of a big fan of the EFJ 5100 series.
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Target
6.5 Creedmoor
Does anyone know the differences between the 100 or so Baofeng models?
From what I've read/watched, for the most part the radios share similar internals but have different housings.
I'm guessing that a UV 9r + , or 9r ERA has to be more up to date or "better" than a 5r. Or is it?
I'm also thinking that the TYT TH-UV88 might be an option as well . Its just a better built 5r.
For $30, its not a big deal.
With the current political environment, these radios are gaining in popularity, I figure that I may as well get one too.
If nothing else, I might be able to whine to you guys via the radio if the internet or our forum gets shut down at the election.
When I was in the Air Force in 87, some friends of mine had HAMs. They used them as we use cell phones today.
Other than that, it was ' I hear you, can you hear me?" type conversations.
From what I've read/watched, for the most part the radios share similar internals but have different housings.
I'm guessing that a UV 9r + , or 9r ERA has to be more up to date or "better" than a 5r. Or is it?
I'm also thinking that the TYT TH-UV88 might be an option as well . Its just a better built 5r.
For $30, its not a big deal.
With the current political environment, these radios are gaining in popularity, I figure that I may as well get one too.
If nothing else, I might be able to whine to you guys via the radio if the internet or our forum gets shut down at the election.
When I was in the Air Force in 87, some friends of mine had HAMs. They used them as we use cell phones today.
Other than that, it was ' I hear you, can you hear me?" type conversations.
Marine Cpl
.577 Tyrannosaur.
They are all the same internally pretty much but different models have different features. For example, the UV9R is waterproof. The UV82 has two different transmit buttons to allow one button to transmit to one frequency and the other to another frequency. The UV82hp is the same as the regular UV82 but it is 7 watts instead of 5 watts. I can go on forever listing the features but there are lots of different models. You basically have to comb through all of them and then decide what features you want.
As far as talking to us or anyone else for that matter, you have to be licensed and within range of another user.