Trail Comms - What and How? Hopefully a sticky!

Nice. How about diagnostic tools to perfect your placement or antenna setup?

 

Yeah that's be perfectly fine. The only thing I might add Is for extra safety, maybe see if you can find how much juice it pulls and put a generic inline fuse that you can find at any automotive store for cheap with it as close to the battery as it can. You should never have an issue, but youd rather it pop back there

 

Makes sense, I was going to reuse the factory inline fuse, figuring it's probably calibrated for the draw of the radio. I was also going to use the quick disconnect connectors as well.

 

For GMRS antennas are basically set up, GMRS uses a very narrow range of UHF. No tuning really needed. Just put your antenna away from anything metal, other than the roof! and you're good.

 

Thatd work too! How does it look weather wise? I'm guessing they know their market to its pretty rugged

 

I don't want to seem daft, but is there an adjustable antenna?

 

I would think so, but most of my sources are social media or the manufacturer for info, so I'd like a way to test the setup without risking damage to the components or my truck's electronics.

 

Using a cigarrette lighter power source can, and will add a huge amount of engine/transmission noise to your transmission. It's a bad idea to use the 12v system in your vehicle, rather than going straight to the battery.

 

For GMRS, not really. AS I said, IT's a very narrow band within the UHF range. It's really not needed

 

Dude. For real.

 

Yes! from experience...absolutely, yes!

 

Sorry, let me change of the tone of this to dial it down a bit. No interest in being hostile and still not sure what set you off.

His comment was that he was bypassing the cigarette outlet and putting on ring terminals to the battery. I said that would be a good idea and to maybe add a fuse closer to the battery just for safety, and that it may be redundant but wouldn't hurt

 

Can you use an SWR meter, or one that is capable of reading watts, to optimize antenna placement on GMRS setups, or is it like the aforementioned advice from you guys that it's just not necessary?

 

I get you now. I was going to reuse the inline fuse, but you say to add an additional one closer to the battery. Interesting, and like you said redundant, but "two is one and one is none" lol

 

that is hot at all what I read, but you are right! Adding a fuse closet to the battery is safer. AS I see It my comment had nothing to do with that or anything having to do with that, but YES! You are right about that. NO fuss there!

 

The swr meter makes sure the antenna is the right length more or less. Basicslly if it's off, all that power you're using could get Bounced back and fry the radio if not set up right.

But like @tex.proud said, those unit are really solid and you won't have to worry about that They're good out of the box

 

Dude, what the fuck is wrong? I tagged a few guys and @koditten that love HAM shit and would be more than willing to help. Max never gave anything but advice, he never said anything bad. I'm at work in an ER, you want me to get a doc to send over a script for some Vitamin H? Or maybe a self-hug jacket?

 

his last comment was he's putting ring terminals on and my first line was that's perfectly fine . But yes, we are all in the same mindset.


I like the fuse closer to the batter because the fuse can only protect what's past it.

 

@m603holden and @tex.proud and everyone else, thanks for the help! Do you guys have any preferences for anyone looking at a vehicle mounted setup in GMRS, or any brands that tend to be more reliable in TX (transmit) or RX (receiving)?

Edited to add: do you recommend jumping to Ham over GMRS, or diversifying?

 

My bad. All is good. Sorry for the shit! Settled now.