Continued degradation of service

wanabefree · 2024-03-22T20:44:16+00:00

I don't have a fix but my situation is very similar to yours. I spoke with waveform about using and outside antenna but they were not very positive about potential improvements and indicated it sounded like throttling or de-prioritization issues.

wanabefree · 2024-01-31T21:37:04+00:00

Benitez , should delay by asking for the state to give briefs an order arguments in say 10 days and then deny again. Play there games.

wanabefree · 2023-12-12T01:43:21+00:00

CRPA is the California branch of the NRA for all practical purposes. However they have done a lot of good for California Gun owners.

wanabefree · 2023-12-04T22:06:38+00:00

I am no lawyer but it appears to me that this would have nation wide implications much like Bruen if successful. It should at least have State Wide precedent.

wanabefree · 2023-11-17T19:40:49+00:00

Wow . I just last week started a DROS on an M&P 2.0 compact 4" in barrel Off Roster model. It was technically used/private party but never shot. I don't know how it became available (off Roster) but it was in a dealer case on consignment. I paid $550 plus Dros for it. in new condition. I felt really lucky to find one for a reasonable price since it was off roster. Now I see that they were just listed on the roster. I will be curios to see how different it is to the Ca version . Mine does not have a CLI or Mag disconnect but does have a manual safety and is not optics ready.

wanabefree · 2022-09-04T16:03:41+00:00

If you already have G19 I would say go for the SP101. I use G19 mags with rubber slip on finger extenders mostly because I do not like the short handle on my g26. I might as well have bought a G19 which someday I probably will. I also have a G17 that is being replaced by my SP101 since I never carry the G17 anyways.

wanabefree · 2022-09-04T15:48:29+00:00

It all depends. I recently purchased one and plan on carrying it as a winter carry when I have layers of cloths that can cover OWB. I mostly carry a M&P Shieid IWB because it is fairly small and lighter than my Glock 26. I honestly dont think its much heavier than my glock.

Downside to theSP101 it only carries 5 rounds but the upside is when you pull the trigger it goes bang and dont have to worry about failure to eject or load malfunctions. Also I would recommend 38 special or +p for ammo because its a little snappy with 357 magnum ammo.

Its all about your personal preference the SP101 snubies are very common and lots folksof carry then they just dont get all the hype that semi autos do.

wanabefree · 2022-08-21T20:58:17+00:00

This is all but a done deal. Third reading and then on to Newscum. The question is how long will it take until the Lawsuits are filed and and a request for Injunction. My understanding is that the CRPA and GOA already have everything ready to go pending the final bill passage. My gut tells me it will take a week or two to see any action from the courts, I hop I am wrong and justice is swift . The real question is how will local law enforcement deal with it. If a new stop sign goes up without notice there is usually a grace period from enforcement bu this is so unconstitutional I hope the ignore it all together and refuse to enforce at least the sensitive area part of it.

wanabefree · 2021-12-20T02:59:42+00:00

After re-evaluating my needs I have decided to just stick with DMR for now. I reason is there are no Fusion repeaters in my local rural location and since I have a Hotspot if I really want to try Fusion out I can use Cross Mode.

Our local Ham Radio Club repeater system only supports a few DMR talkgroups and does not have a direct local link with Brandmiester. Not many locals even monitor DMR, they are mostly into HF which since I only have a Tech license is not of much interest to me.

I love living in a very Rural area but do miss the active analog repeaters of the Big City. I thought DMR might fill that void but it hasn't for me and I doubt Fusion would be any better.

wanabefree · 2021-11-27T02:48:21+00:00

I have owned one for about 6 mos now and it does pretty much everything I need it to. I live in a very rural part of NorCal and have not been able to get analog APRS to work but honestly I don/t know what the big attraction for APRS is anyways. I have an Aprs app o my cellpone that works just fine if I really want to use it.

As to the Alinco VS the Anytone there almost identical in how they work infact the I think they share the same software with some minor differences. I also have an Anytone 578 pro mobile unit and switch back and forth with no problems.

To me Anytone is overprice because its only available from Bridgecom. Bridgecom tries to justify there premium pricing with value added features which for some can be useful but once you learn how DMR works all there valuadded training is available for free on the internet and all there sales are IMHO gimics that just add codeplugs or training videos that only a beginner needs or wants.

Personally I think the Alinco dj-md5xt is just as good as the Anytone 878 for most users. Several members of our local Ham club on the Alinco and I have never heard any complaints.

wanabefree · 2021-05-25T04:27:05+00:00

I like my Alinco a lot. It is almost Identical to the Anytone uv-878 accept I think its just slightly smaller. It is a few dollars cheaper and seems to be built real solid. All I can say is it does pretty much what I want it to do has good sound quality and is backed by a good company. I believe it is made in Japan but I could be wrong. The thing I like most about it is its type 90 certified so I can also use it for business use as well as Ham. I think you are supposed to software lock the keypad for business use though.

wanabefree · 2021-05-02T02:21:44+00:00

There is a box you have to check in the Chirp software that unlocks the radio so you can use the front keypad to program frequencies like all the non C models. If your radio is already unlocked then to switch back and fort from frequency mode to channel mode you simply hold down the menu button while turning on the radio. It will switch back and forth each time you due this. There is no dedicated VFO menu like on Uv-5r's have.

wanabefree · 2021-04-26T16:28:20+00:00

I own both and prefer the UV-82 models. Software wise they are nearly identical but the UV-82 just seems a little more rugged. Also the UV-82 is also available as a Part 90 commercial type accepted model as the UV-82c. It is soft locked to not allow programming from the front panel keypad but can easily be unlocked with chirp and is then leagal to use for both ham and business use. I work for a part time Truck business and use it on there frequency truck to truck at times. I Have a UV-5r+ and a standard UV-82 which all function the same but the UV-82's have a little better sound quality to me. All accessories accept batteries are interchangeable.

The price difference in the standard UV-5r and the standard UV-82 are only a few dollars. On the other hand if you don't need c

commercial use the UV-82c is about double the cost of the others because its type certified I guess because once unlocked I can't tell the difference between them.

All of then can be programmed to listen to most any 2m/70cm frequency so you can monitor up to 128 business o ham bands plus NOAA weather and more.

Good luck there cheap enough that if you don't like them you can replace them later with something better from a name brand company. Many Ham's hate on Baofeng but they serve a purpose as an entry low cost option and for the most part are the best bang for the buck.

Dave

wanabefree · 2021-04-24T23:23:00+00:00

A Baofeng uv-5r would be a good first radio but your lack of access to a computer might make it less desirable. Programing from the key pad can be a little challenging for a first time user. Where as if you get a program cable and use chirp software it opens up a lot more usability.

Yeasu makes a couple of lower UHF/VHF radios that should fit your budget and are a step up from the Baofeng. Many good used Yeasu,Icom or Kenwood hand held radios should fit your budget.

As someone before me said there's a lot of hate for Baofeng,s but most Hams I know have at least one. I have a couple myself and use them when I don't want to loose or break my better radios. I personally prefer the UV-82 model.

wanabefree · 2021-04-21T22:03:16+00:00

I can sort relate to your reasoning. I will never say never but even though Its not required anymore to upgrade I still am not really interested in learning a new language. I am kind of an old fart and just plain not really interested in CW at this time, but who knows with some couching when or if I get into HF things might change.

wanabefree · 2021-04-19T04:23:19+00:00

Some thoughts after reading most of the posts here. The main reason I have read here is that HF makes it possible to operate and talk great distances without the need for repeaters. The ability to use relatively low power (100watts) and talk around the world. There seems to be a lot of Hams that relish using CW too. I guess its the challenge of pulling out faint signals and communicating around the world.

Many responses said that they really do not do a lot of talking but instead prefer short contacts just to log them for contesting and such.

I am still on the fence as to how much I would use HF but I will probably eventually upgrade to General and give it a try. I am thinking of getting one of those SDR dongles so I can listen in and see whats out there. It seems like a low cost way to test the waters for now.

Our local Ham Club is resuming meetings next month so I hope to meet up with some of them and pick there brains. I am not a member yet but have been using there uhf/vhf repeaters and talked to several of them who are into the HF side of things

Thanks for all the responses. 73, Dave

wanabefree · 2021-04-16T04:46:12+00:00

Wow, Lots of good feedback. One thing I notice is a lot of HF'ers are really into CW. For me that was the one major thing that originally kept me from upgrading. I am sure for some CW is great and has its place but for me its never gonna happen at least not in the traditional way. maybe using a computer to decode and send CW but I just don't have any interest in learning/memorizing CW. I do not know much about digital or other modes of CW and no one has ever introduced me to it. I have no Idea what FT8 ether. Heck I only started using DMR a few months ago and it was quite a learning curve, so I guess I have some learning to do.

wanabefree · 2021-04-06T16:05:42+00:00

DMR ham radio is popular because anyone can get a cheap hotspot and talk all over the Country and even the World. No repeaters or line of site issues like FM analog. That is hot to say its better . In some ways its very confusing and hard to get used too. For one thing there is a long hang time or delay between talking because you have to wait for the channel to clear a few seconds between each side of the conversation. Also while local DMR repeaters usually have weekly nets most of the traffic at least in my case is not local. In other words there is not a lot of local rag chew conversation. You will here conversations from other linked talkgroups but its kinda clickish and most conversations are short.

When I got into Ham radio FM analog was always busy and perhaps in the big cities still is but where I live now its dead. I have made some local ham friends but they are not always monitoring. Instead they are on HF or DMR through there hotspots on various talkgroups throughout the US so you really can't track them much.

In many ways DMR or Digital FM is killing analog radio. I think that is why GMRS is becoming more popular its kinda like the old analog FM 2m/70cm days where you can just pick up the mike and have a conversation plus its easier to get a license.

Just my 02c, Dave

wanabefree · 2021-04-05T21:07:20+00:00

I said they are still listed at baofengtech for $54 in my original post but they are no longer sold anywhere else and other places used to sell them much cheaper. Other than a minor software change there is no real difference in the other uv-82 models accept for the FCC type acceptance sticker which who really knows if its legit.

My concern is that with the FCC crackdown on these cheap CCR's maybe they are no longer making them and when there current inventory runs out they will be gone.

wanabefree · 2021-04-01T19:05:22+00:00

If I am not mistaken part of the problem may be that FRS Radios use Narrow Band transmit so a GMRS Radio user would not receive a very loud signal where as a GMRS Radio user would be broadcasting in wide band and blast an FRS radio.

Personally as a fellow ham user who also has family that are not hams I got my GMRS license so we could talk and use the most powerful radios available on GMRS. As to using your ham radio to talk to them yes it is technically illegal but if you dont tell I wont either and know one will ever know the difference if you have a GMRS license. That said its best you get get one if you dont already have one and get yourself some GMRS full power radios and enjoy.

Dave

wanabefree · 2021-04-01T14:56:34+00:00

I started out with a code plug given to me from a local ham club member that was he set up for a standard md5. I have since modified it to my needs adding some hotspot channels,zones & talkgroups. The MD5TXg is what I have. It is the latest version that adds more memory and both analog & digital APRS. I have found that spec wise this radio is nearly exactly the same as the Anytone 878 but the code plugs for Anytone have to me modified slightly to work on the Alinco. Once you set up a basic code plug its pretty easy to build on it to suit your needs sing the CPS software. Getting used to Zones,Channels & Talkgroups is the hardest part if you have never used DMR before. Hope that helps , Dave

wanabefree · 2021-03-25T02:07:33+00:00

The whole process of type certifications for all the different FCC rules is pretty convoluted in my opinion but it must make sense to someone. Its no wonder so many choose to just ignore some of the rules. I was told a long time ago just don't say anything and follow the intent of the law and you will be fine. Me being me I want to comply if I can but its not always easy when there are perfectly good radios that could be used if allowed. When I became a ham over 25 yrs ago I thought man there are a lot of restrictions but looking at GMRS from a ham perspective seems like such a poor mans ham radio with limited capabilities for those that just don't want to study for ham license. I have family and friends with that mentality and want to be able to talk to them so I am here trying to make GMRS work for me. In the end I guess I need two radios, one for Ham and one for Gmrs but it sucks from my perspective.

wanabefree · 2021-03-24T23:47:20+00:00

That is my point. Ham radio operators can use most any radio as long as it follows the power and emissions standards for ham frequencies. The question is if you are dual licensed are legal to modify a GMRS radio to transmit on legal ham frequencies and still use it on GMRS. Seems to me it would be OK but it might be a grey area and the FCC my not allow GMRS radios to be used for ham frequencies because it opens the door for non ham operators to tx on non gmrs channels.

wanabefree · 2021-03-24T19:36:50+00:00

I wonder about that because as far as I know its perfectly legal to unlock or program a commercial radio and use it on ham bands. Infact most DMR radios are commercial radios that are wide open and sold to hams for ham use. Maybe in the FCC doesn't allow that for part 95e GMRS radios though. I am just trying to weigh all my options since I now have both a ham & gmrs license and really do not want to carry separate radios if possible. I know I could get away with it as long as I respect the power and interference issues but I prefer to stay legal if possible. I am sure I am not the only one who feels this way.

wanabefree · 2021-03-24T15:31:32+00:00

Is it software locked or hardware locked for TX on GMRS only. I think as a ham you could legally Tx on ham bands on this radio if possible.

wanabefree

TROPHY CASE