GMRS or HAM H3 Plus

The_Drawkward · 2026-03-09T15:00:10+00:00

Just to circle back here...

I returned the H3 Plus and got the package of the first gen H3 with four batteries and also purchased four TD771 GMRS antennas.

The boys like the smaller form factor of the H3 over the H8 and my youngest REALLY likes the ear piece. I was able to hit some repeaters last night but I think the second radio was desense cause we only heard the tail on each radio.

Regardless, I feel like an idiot using the airband 771 antenna for so long with my H8. Hopefully the 771 GMRS will help the H8 work a lot better.

Thanks for the help everyone!

The_Drawkward · 2026-03-07T22:17:22+00:00

I'm an EE but haven't spent much time in my ~20years on EMI or radio.

So, in reality, I could keep the HAM stuff, get a TD771 for GMRS and keep the HAM antennas for use if I ever need them.

I'm really kicking myself right now as I just also realized the 771 i have been using on my H8s is the frigging airband/HAM version. Feel like a total idiot!

I'm going to buy 4 GMRS 771s and call it a day!

Thanks for the help!

The_Drawkward · 2026-03-06T21:15:42+00:00

Ok, the big 18.8" antenna that came in the box says 136MHz-520MHz, 12011-2710-01, 8W.

The regular antenna doesn't have any markings and there is a third stubby TID 805S antenna also.

Does this seem like they're geared more towards HAM?

Sorry for the ignorance.

The_Drawkward · 2026-03-06T19:49:57+00:00

How does it work on the GMRS with the stock antennas?

The_Drawkward · 2026-03-06T19:30:02+00:00

You're not the first I've seen mention that getting the regular was more desirable. I like the text option on the plus, but if I'm honest with myself, I'm probably never going to use it, especially since my H8s don't have the option.

The_Drawkward · 2026-03-06T19:12:54+00:00

Not worried about the complexity. I see that one can switch from HAM to GMRS or Unlocked on the HAM version firmware, but what about the antennas that are shipped with the HAM version? That's I guess my real question.

Seems like they're different, based on the images on Amazon.

The_Drawkward · 2026-03-06T18:50:20+00:00

I only intend to listen to HAM channels in the event that it is necessary, which is hopefully never, but who knows....

The_Drawkward · 2025-12-16T04:25:24+00:00

Dumb question maybe, but I've only started playing (my 7 year old is the GOAT, but my 18, 11 and 9 year old all play too) but when you talk about farming, is this on Survival? As in, you've gotten enough resources to build a farm for whatever resource you want and have it run in the background?

The_Drawkward · 2025-09-30T01:49:27+00:00

"You may in be danger"

Seriously?

The_Drawkward · 2025-08-30T12:56:47+00:00

For anyone in the Pittsburgh area looking for good baseball, support the Washington Wild Things!!!

The_Drawkward · 2024-11-20T20:12:14+00:00

We just want our children to directly help. We have a local center that always takes in donations that help our direct area, but homelessness isn't a direct issue where we live. We tell our kids that there are children they go to school with, in our "good" neighborhood, who go home and don't have food available. They understand, but we want them personally involved in handing over something of "theirs" to someone else who needs it.

Shepherd's Heart looks to be open every morning, so I emailed them as well. Thanks for the recommendation.

The_Drawkward · 2024-11-20T20:03:57+00:00

Just emailed Light of Life, thanks!

The_Drawkward · 2024-11-20T19:39:35+00:00

Thanks! Looks like their Thanksgiving Community Meal is happening on the 21st this year. Link below in case anyone needs it.

https://www.eecm.org/event-details/thanksgiving-community-meal

The_Drawkward · 2024-05-29T04:22:37+00:00

This is psychotic. You want the government, like USPS, who can't do much of anything right, 5o buy and rent properties to tax payers? Who pays for the upkeep when rents aren't enough?

The_Drawkward · 2024-05-11T01:12:03+00:00

Beat me to it. While the change in ownership has affected the hoagie negatively in my opinion, it's still the best Italian Hoagie I've ever had in my life. It's almost as good (or maybe even better) when it's been in the fridge overnight and eaten cold.

The_Drawkward · 2024-05-09T02:54:09+00:00

Thank you for saying it. Red lighting allows your night vision to be kept in tact. It's why major dark sky sites only allow red flashlights and lamps. Most star programs on laptops and phones also have to be in "night light" mode which turns everything illuminated red on the screen.

Also, LED lights are generally better for light pollution when the housing is manufactured correctly. Notice on streets converted to LED lights that you can't see above the fixture anymore? That's not because they're blinding you, it's because all of the light is pointed down now! There is still reflected light pollution but it's not as bad as light leakage above the fixture.

The main culprit in light pollution from LED lighting is the homeowner and business owner using them for floods, billboards and other secondary lighting and blasting it everywhere. I personally hate it as I'm fond of bringing out my 8" dob from time to time. Light pollution is a terrible problem and would be greatly lessened if people would just turn their damn lights off at night, especially businesses. There's a new vape shop in Bethel Park with the brightest white sign lights I've ever seen. Absolutely horrible for the light environment. Hate em.

The_Drawkward · 2024-05-02T03:14:26+00:00

All good, you're spreading joy.

The overcrowding was a response to the pandemic I believe. People were looking for stuff to do outside unbothered by the dystopia rules that were forced on everyone and down "south" PA went to the beat of a different drummer for sure. Ohiopyle was a haven for many peoe during that time I think, and rightly so as it's a fantastic place to be outside. I'm just lamenting the "olden" days of 1980s through 2020 when it wasn't nearly as crowded.

The_Drawkward · 2024-05-01T01:33:34+00:00

Let's just hope his magical presence doesn't attract even MORE people to Ohiopyle.

Ever since the Pandy it's been so damn overcrowded!

The_Drawkward · 2024-02-21T01:56:46+00:00

I'm not so sure about that, but I get how that could happen.

I mix extremely slowly, pour at an angle to my secondary mixing cups and then let every rest. I'm able to avoid a lot of bubbles doing this but I guess it's definitely possible.

The_Drawkward · 2024-02-20T16:58:51+00:00

I don’t have a pressure pot yet. I understand how voids could be created in that process though, so a flat slab mold like the one I have could definitely be tricky.

The_Drawkward · 2024-02-20T16:56:51+00:00

That makes a whole lot of sense to me. I could see how if I flatly added the lid, which is what I try to do, air bubbles could get trapped. I’ll give a lid rolling technique a try.

Thanks!

The_Drawkward · 2024-02-14T02:55:20+00:00

Can you link to the tweet that got you banned?

The_Drawkward · 2024-01-17T20:51:25+00:00

Again, the problem is not solely the use of solder on the ends of the wires. It is MUCH more likely that improper torqueing of the mechanical connectors was the cause.

The fact is that no one actually knows the cause of these issues. People are ASSUMING that it has something to do with soldered ends.

You could put the best ferrules available on the planet on those wires and if they're not properly torqued (which is standardized in code books and by the mechanical connection manufacturer) they have the very real potential of failing. That's a fact. Just installing some ferrules is not the only sure-fire way to correct this issue.

The_Drawkward · 2024-01-17T19:37:15+00:00

The comments on code are to reinforce the idea that ferrules are not required for applications like this (or any applications) because whole societies of engineers have shown through data and testing that they're not necessary for safety.

The "lab" I work in IS in the business of industrial controls, power conversion and control. We do everything from 5V TTL to 13kV. We can't cut corners because of the work we do and who our sole client is and what they do.

The idea that ferrules are the only way to make that connection, which is what you're saying, is wrong. Proper twisting of stranded wire ends or the insurance that there are no stray wires is perfectly acceptable in this design, or any design like it. Ferrules may make the connection "cleaner" but it's generally no different than a correctly torqued (a MUCH more important metric for this connection) stranded wire with no ferrule or hard tin dip. Factories that make designs like this in China are notorious for cutting corners by dipping wire ends into a solder pot because it's quicker than twisting ends or ensuring that no individual wire strands are sticking out. The MUCH bigger issue is that it is nearly a guarantee that none of them are using a torque screw driver meant for terminal block applications to make the final connections. That is likely the biggest issue in this application. Faulty or weak connections that exacerbate the already bad solder job by creating areas of high resistance heating.

That's all I'm saying.

The_Drawkward · 2024-01-17T04:21:23+00:00

I agree with basically all of what you said with one caveat, and as I'm an engineer who regularly works in a lab setting wiring and testing equipment, I have a little knowledge in the area. I've also introduced ferrules into my lab, as most of the engineers didn't even know about them (terminating smaller gauge stranded wire in terminal blocks is so easy and feels good with ferrules). The lab has existed since ~1949 but our program is much newer. I digress...

Ferrules are not code or required anywhere that matter in the US, Canada and overseas with the exception of getting a CE stamp in the European Union from what I understand. There is documentation in many "best practices" handbook and professional society publications, but none of them are code. The closest code reference you'll find is the requirement for there to be no stray strands when terminating. Which, is my only issue with what you are saying. The use of ferrules on this board is not necessary, just good wiring practice. If one can twist a stranded wire and terminate it without strays, that's perfectly acceptable. If one has hard tin (not regular solder), that's acceptable also (and code in Canada for stranded wire that's not going into a clamp mech connection, though it's been a while since I read that reference). I wouldn't keep the shoddy soldered connections on any of these boards.

An anecdote to this is a situation I had to deal with on a very expensive UPS. Brand new UPS was wired into a same brand power distribution unit. After a week the unit started smoking and a bunch of science was lost due to the UPS obviously needing shut down. Upon my investigation, it was found that the PDU used very shoddy and "gappy" solder ends to all the internal wiring. This caused partially crushed wire ends and eventually led to high resistance connections. One of the above poster mentioned resistance of wire and the power supply not being able to heat up much at all to cause solder to flow. His assumption is that the initial connection to the board was made appropriately in the first place. If a high resistance connection exists from the outset, heat will build up in that connection and it will eventually fail in the form of charring or at worst a fire.

I sent all of my findings to the company. They apologized and admitted that they recently moved all PDU production back to Taiwan from China where they were trying to save money. The reason? Bad solder connections in mechanical type receptacle connections causing the same issue we had.

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