New to radios
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I venture to guess most areas in Vegas would be able to hit a Vegas or Potosi repeater.
We'd need more specifics.
You a ham or gmrs license holder?
Approximate location (cross streets would be helpful so we can know what repeaters you should be able to hit)
If you are trying to Tx from inside a building you aren't gonna get very far with the standard rubby ducky (no lucky) antenna.
you are welcome to email me your CHIRP file (nevadashooters at gmail) and I can see if I see any reason why it wouldn't hit anything.
I can hit Potosi repeaters from Vegas with my UV5R and the rubber duck antenna (not very cleanly though)
We'd need more specifics.
You a ham or gmrs license holder?
Approximate location (cross streets would be helpful so we can know what repeaters you should be able to hit)
If you are trying to Tx from inside a building you aren't gonna get very far with the standard rubby ducky (no lucky) antenna.
you are welcome to email me your CHIRP file (nevadashooters at gmail) and I can see if I see any reason why it wouldn't hit anything.
I can hit Potosi repeaters from Vegas with my UV5R and the rubber duck antenna (not very cleanly though)
NYECOGunsmith
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Citizens Band and FRS (Family Radio Service) do not require a license, Amateur Radio Service (HAM) and GMRS (General Mobile Radio Service) each require a license.
The Amateur Radio Service license requires passing a test ($15 to take it, then an additional $35 to the FCC to issue the license once they receive proof of you having passed the exam) and is good for 10 years.
It can be renewed every 10 years for $35 to the FCC with no retesting required.
There are three classes of Amateur radio license, you have to start with the Technician class, can stay there forever, or move up to the next class, General Class by taking another exam (for another $15 fee, but no $35 to the FCC, license class upgrades are free) after passing the General Class, you can if you wish take the Extra Class test and upon passing, ($15 for the test again) and no $35 fee, have all the privileges currently offered to the Amateur Radio Service.
As long as you pass a test, you may take the next higher test for free on the same day that you pass the first test.
You could study all three question pools, Technician, General, and Extra, take and pass all three (in the order of Technician, General and Extra) for one $15 test fee and one $35 license fee. Many folks do just that.
The GMRS license is $35, no test required, and is good for 10 years, and can be renewed every 10 years for $35.
I can provide the question pools for all three classes of license to anyone interested (I am an FCC Volunteer Examiner for Amateur Radio) and the locations, dates and times of where you can take the test(s).
I can also walk anyone interested through the process to obtain their GMRS license.
The Amateur Radio Service license requires passing a test ($15 to take it, then an additional $35 to the FCC to issue the license once they receive proof of you having passed the exam) and is good for 10 years.
It can be renewed every 10 years for $35 to the FCC with no retesting required.
There are three classes of Amateur radio license, you have to start with the Technician class, can stay there forever, or move up to the next class, General Class by taking another exam (for another $15 fee, but no $35 to the FCC, license class upgrades are free) after passing the General Class, you can if you wish take the Extra Class test and upon passing, ($15 for the test again) and no $35 fee, have all the privileges currently offered to the Amateur Radio Service.
As long as you pass a test, you may take the next higher test for free on the same day that you pass the first test.
You could study all three question pools, Technician, General, and Extra, take and pass all three (in the order of Technician, General and Extra) for one $15 test fee and one $35 license fee. Many folks do just that.
The GMRS license is $35, no test required, and is good for 10 years, and can be renewed every 10 years for $35.
I can provide the question pools for all three classes of license to anyone interested (I am an FCC Volunteer Examiner for Amateur Radio) and the locations, dates and times of where you can take the test(s).
I can also walk anyone interested through the process to obtain their GMRS license.
Nice writeup. I am a ham and thinking about outfitting several family members with some GMRS radios. Any pointers or recommended handheld? They are in Reno and I'm in Carson. The Washoe valley in between the 2 locations dashes any hopes of line of site between us. What gear might you recommend for their local comms?
73 to all
73 to all
NYECOGunsmith
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NYECOGunsmith
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Nearly all of the Bao Feng, TYT, HYT or Wouxon radios that new hams have acquired over here (soon after they get their license and join the radio club), seem to last 6-12months of everyday use, if only used for a few minutes at a time, and longer if only used occasionally for a few minutes at a time.
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The few I have opened up after failure seem to have died from a lack of sufficient heat sinking on some of the SMT (Surface Mount Technology) transistors and resistors, or they have blown a diode or capacitor, which is usually due to an over current condition.
Solid state electronics, whether SMT or DCMT (Discrete Component Mount Tech, which is older generation) don't degrade unless subjected to heat, or to a poor ground or positive power connections (high resistance connections) that increase current draw or in some cases lead to arcing.
Not all fail that fast, but in keeping track with our new members, the failure rate has been running over 50% in the first 12 months of ownership.
And getting them repaired often means sending them back to China, as they don't have repair facilities here as do Yaesu (Cypress CA), Motorola (Missouri) , Kenwood (Wisconsin), Alinco (Georgia) or Icom (Washington).
.
The few I have opened up after failure seem to have died from a lack of sufficient heat sinking on some of the SMT (Surface Mount Technology) transistors and resistors, or they have blown a diode or capacitor, which is usually due to an over current condition.
Solid state electronics, whether SMT or DCMT (Discrete Component Mount Tech, which is older generation) don't degrade unless subjected to heat, or to a poor ground or positive power connections (high resistance connections) that increase current draw or in some cases lead to arcing.
Not all fail that fast, but in keeping track with our new members, the failure rate has been running over 50% in the first 12 months of ownership.
And getting them repaired often means sending them back to China, as they don't have repair facilities here as do Yaesu (Cypress CA), Motorola (Missouri) , Kenwood (Wisconsin), Alinco (Georgia) or Icom (Washington).
Not a radio expert but been doing the ham and GMRS thing for about 10-years now. I don't object to someone using a Baofeng to get into the hobby but please set your expectations low. The reason the Baofeng has a bazillion 5-star reviews on Amazon is because it cost $30 and it will technically get you on the air but that is about it. I wont beat this subject to death because it has already been done on the internet many times over. It is also worth noting that for a new radio operator, having just a handheld is going to limit your ability to enjoy the hobby and you really should be looking to get a mobile or base station radio.
There is a learning curve for the Motorola stuff but worth it IMO. You can easily find some Motorola MotoTRBO stuff on eBay for relatively inexpensive just make sure you do your research and ask questions.
There is a learning curve for the Motorola stuff but worth it IMO. You can easily find some Motorola MotoTRBO stuff on eBay for relatively inexpensive just make sure you do your research and ask questions.
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