FCC after your BaoFeng!

[Remington788]

Okay, thought about it and I think I get it, maybe.

Band basically takes you from VHF to UHF and vice versa. Like going quick from channel 100 to channel 300 and back. more like back in the old old days when the TV had two dials, one UHF and one VHF From there, you can go up in channels. Is there a way to program what VHF or UHF freq it goes to when you hit the band button? No. The band switch only works in frequency mode

A/B basically should take you to the top or bottom of the screen. But, can't you also preset what default freq it goes to or is it truly just switching from top to bottom? it just switches from top to bottom. there is no difference between them. You can pre-program 128 channels. I think I grasp that. Seems that I see a setting in CHIRP that you set a freq for VFOA and VFOB? What's that all about. Not sure Also, seems to me it wont switch if I have a strong signal. Is that to to with TDR being on? Again, not sure, but one thing you can do is set it to skip certain channels when scanning. For instance I skip the NOAA stations because they never pause in broadcasting so it would stick on it.

Also, I recall in CHIRP that you can adjust freq range? Seems what it was set up was not at limits at all which seems strange or maybe I am not recalling correctly?

Lastly, I seem to get the weather and that's it!! Like, no activity on any frequency? I'm getting the better antenna however really? i routinely pick up a repeater in Elizabeth NJ on the stock antenna when its cloudy, though mostly I hear one on Valley Forge MountainSomeone has to be out there!!

Try loading these repeaters in the presets. Listen later in the evening and you may get traffic. If you Google the license number (N3KZ or K3TI) you can see exactly where the tower is located and who runs t (usually local radio clubs).

Frequency License Type Tone Out Tone In Alpha Tag Description Mode Tag
53.87000 N3KZ RM 131.8 PL N3KZ Earlvil N3KZ Earlville FM Ham
145.15000 K3TI RM 114.8 PL K3TI Reading K3TI Reading FM Ham
145.17000 AA3RG RM 110.9 PL AA3RG Pine G AA3RG Pine Grove FM Ham
145.49000 K3TI RM 114.8 PL K3TI Reading K3TI Reading FM Ham
146.64000 AA3RG RM 82.5 PL AA3RG Pine G AA3RG Pine Grove FM Ham
146.91000 W3BN RM 131.8 PL W3BN Reading W3BN Reading FM Ham
147.18000 WB3FPL RM 110.9 PL WB3FPL Readi WB3FPL Reading FM Ham
147.21000 K3ZMC RM 131.8 PL K3ZMC Pottst K3ZMC Pottstown FM Ham
224.02000 K3ZMC RM 131.8 PL K3ZMC Pottst K3ZMC Pottstown FM Ham
224.16000 K3UIP RM 146.2 PL K3UIP Readin K3UIP Reading FM Ham
224.64000 K3TI RM 114.8 PL K3TI Reading K3TI Reading FM Ham
442.75000 KI3I RM 141.3 PL KI3I Pottsto KI3I Pottstown FM Ham
443.55000 K3ZMC RM 131.8 PL K3ZMC Earlvi K3ZMC Earlville FM Ham
444.35000 K3TI RM 114.8 PL K3TI Reading K3TI Reading FM Ham
448.72500 K3UIP RM 146.2 PL K3UIP Readin K3UIP Reading FM Ham
449.07500 N3SWH RM 131.8 PL N3SWH Texter N3SWH Texter Mtn FM Ham
449.62500 K3CX RM 114.8 PL K3CX Reading K3CX Reading FM Ham

These are FireEMS (you really cant get police)

Frequency License Type Tone Alpha Tag Description Mode Tag
151.22000 WNMU915 B CSQ Berks F Disp Berks Fire/EMS Dispatch FM Fire Dispatch
856.08750 RM 156.7 PL Berks Knox Fire Knox Box Activations (also voice interop option) FM Fire-Talk
155.31000 RM 173.8 PL Berks F Resp Fire Response (patched with trunked system) FMN Fire-Tac
153.81500 WNMU915 BM CSQ Berks SpcOps County EMA Special Ops FM Emergency Ops
463.07500 192.8 PL Med 4 Eastern PA MEDCOM FM EMS-Talk

more frequencies here
https://www.radioreference.com/apps/db/?ctid=2246

[fallenleader]

that reminds me, for those of you whom live around where the psp has moved over to p25, are they encrypting all chatter?

[Gunowner99]

Try loading these repeaters in the presets. Listen later in the evening and you may get traffic. If you Google the license number (N3KZ or K3TI) you can see exactly where the tower is located and who runs t (usually local radio clubs).

Frequency License Type Tone Out Tone In Alpha Tag Description Mode Tag
53.87000 N3KZ RM 131.8 PL N3KZ Earlvil N3KZ Earlville FM Ham
145.15000 K3TI RM 114.8 PL K3TI Reading K3TI Reading FM Ham
145.17000 AA3RG RM 110.9 PL AA3RG Pine G AA3RG Pine Grove FM Ham
145.49000 K3TI RM 114.8 PL K3TI Reading K3TI Reading FM Ham
146.64000 AA3RG RM 82.5 PL AA3RG Pine G AA3RG Pine Grove FM Ham
146.91000 W3BN RM 131.8 PL W3BN Reading W3BN Reading FM Ham
147.18000 WB3FPL RM 110.9 PL WB3FPL Readi WB3FPL Reading FM Ham
147.21000 K3ZMC RM 131.8 PL K3ZMC Pottst K3ZMC Pottstown FM Ham
224.02000 K3ZMC RM 131.8 PL K3ZMC Pottst K3ZMC Pottstown FM Ham
224.16000 K3UIP RM 146.2 PL K3UIP Readin K3UIP Reading FM Ham
224.64000 K3TI RM 114.8 PL K3TI Reading K3TI Reading FM Ham
442.75000 KI3I RM 141.3 PL KI3I Pottsto KI3I Pottstown FM Ham
443.55000 K3ZMC RM 131.8 PL K3ZMC Earlvi K3ZMC Earlville FM Ham
444.35000 K3TI RM 114.8 PL K3TI Reading K3TI Reading FM Ham
448.72500 K3UIP RM 146.2 PL K3UIP Readin K3UIP Reading FM Ham
449.07500 N3SWH RM 131.8 PL N3SWH Texter N3SWH Texter Mtn FM Ham
449.62500 K3CX RM 114.8 PL K3CX Reading K3CX Reading FM Ham

These are FireEMS (you really cant get police)

Frequency License Type Tone Alpha Tag Description Mode Tag
151.22000 WNMU915 B CSQ Berks F Disp Berks Fire/EMS Dispatch FM Fire Dispatch
856.08750 RM 156.7 PL Berks Knox Fire Knox Box Activations (also voice interop option) FM Fire-Talk
155.31000 RM 173.8 PL Berks F Resp Fire Response (patched with trunked system) FMN Fire-Tac
153.81500 WNMU915 BM CSQ Berks SpcOps County EMA Special Ops FM Emergency Ops
463.07500 192.8 PL Med 4 Eastern PA MEDCOM FM EMS-Talk

more frequencies here
https://www.radioreference.com/apps/db/?ctid=2246

Okay, I am at home and looking in CHIRP program now, let me see.....

What is VFO A Frequency (mine says 400.67500) and VFO B Frequency (mine says 146.5000) in CHIRP? Looks like you can set whatever you want for it but what is the purpose of that setting in CHIRP? That seems to be the question I keep asking but now I actually see the setting but have no idea what it does.

I get the band switch and yes I remember those TV's from growing up. Basically it takes you from the VHF band to the UHF.

As far as the A/B I think it won't switch if there is a good signal because technically it is monitoring two frequencies (TDR mode) and switches to the stronger so unless I turn that off I guess that will be an issue.

Thanks for the frequencies, I will get them in however I do have some of them in. I'll see what I hear, or something like that ha ha! Thanks!

[Royinmontco]

that reminds me, for those of you whom live around where the psp has moved over to p25, are they encrypting all chatter?

PSP is opensky. All encrypted. New system is being test to replace openscam, which i believe is P25 phase II. Expect encryption there, too.

[theshadow]

Okay, I am at home and looking in CHIRP program now, let me see.....

What is VFO A Frequency (mine says 400.67500) and VFO B Frequency (mine says 146.5000) in CHIRP? Looks like you can set whatever you want for it but what is the purpose of that setting in CHIRP? That seems to be the question I keep asking but now I actually see the setting but have no idea what it does.

I get the band switch and yes I remember those TV's from growing up. Basically it takes you from the VHF band to the UHF.

As far as the A/B I think it won't switch if there is a good signal because technically it is monitoring two frequencies (TDR mode) and switches to the stronger so unless I turn that off I guess that will be an issue.

Thanks for the frequencies, I will get them in however I do have some of them in. I'll see what I hear, or something like that ha ha! Thanks!

think of the A and B as two different radios. since you can listen to two separate frequencies/ Channels/ however you want to reference them. while you can listen to two at the same time, you can only transmit on one, whichever the little Triangle is on. Top of the radio display is the "A" side of the radio, bottom is "B" side of the radio. If you program the "Simplex" frequency of 144.350, and the Reading 180 repeater 147.18000 110.9 PL Chirp looks like this for that one:
Name Frequency Duplex Offset Tone rToneFreq cToneFreq DtcsCode DtcsPolarity Mode TStep
RDG180 147.18 + 0.6 Tone 162.2 162.2 23 NN FM 5

monitor those frequencies tomorrow (Sat), there is a Search and Rescue training happening in Blue Marsh, you should be able to hear them.

[Gunowner99]

Okay, I get that A and B side.

Simplex you just type the freq?

What is all that mumbo jumbo for that repeater? Can't I just type in the freq? Maybe because I entered the repeaters I have incorrectly and just added the FREQ, they may not be working? I need all the rest of that entered?

Still having the issue with the TDR mode because it is enabled but I suppose it is supposed to be doing that as far as not allowing me to switch from A to B is the signal on A is strong and no signal on B?

It's clearing up for me now however if TDR allows you to monitor two frequencies and it switches to the one that is broadcasting, then technically it should allow me to have a broadcasting freq on both A and B but it seems I can't get to B because A is broadcasting so I can't enter another freq in B. Am I making sense?

And, so you know anything about VFO A Frequency (mine says 400.67500) and VFO B Frequency (mine says 146.5000) in CHIRP?

[fallenleader]

PSP is opensky. All encrypted. New system is being test to replace openscam, which i believe is P25 phase II. Expect encryption there, too.

poo, i knew opensky was not only encrypted but trash. really expensive trash they refused to drop. in true government fashion.
p25 can be and i heard some areas have switched already. i don't recall if they were running encrypted or not.

[theshadow]

Okay, I get that A and B side.

Simplex you just type the freq?

What is all that mumbo jumbo for that repeater? Can't I just type in the freq? Maybe because I entered the repeaters I have incorrectly and just added the FREQ, they may not be working? I need all the rest of that entered?

Still having the issue with the TDR mode because it is enabled but I suppose it is supposed to be doing that as far as not allowing me to switch from A to B is the signal on A is strong and no signal on B?

It's clearing up for me now however if TDR allows you to monitor two frequencies and it switches to the one that is broadcasting, then technically it should allow me to have a broadcasting freq on both A and B but it seems I can't get to B because A is broadcasting so I can't enter another freq in B. Am I making sense?

And, so you know anything about VFO A Frequency (mine says 400.67500) and VFO B Frequency (mine says 146.5000) in CHIRP?

k, sorry about the delay.

the question about transmitting and receive. yes, both sides can receive, the side with the strongest signal is the one with priority, you can not receive both at the same time, it's not in stereo so to speak, one at a time. Broadcasting will only be done on the side that you choose, be it A or B, and is indicated by a small triangle.

You are confusing modes, VFO is one mode, memory is the other. In VFO mode, it's "free Style" if you will, that's where you can punch in any frequency you desire. When you do this, it is mostly "Simpex" meaning radio to radio, no repeater involved, so it's as simple as just entering a frequency. You CAN key in a repeater manually, but that's were all that "Junk" comes in. see repeaters (as my instructor put it) has a "goes in" and a "goes out" frequency. There is a space between those frequencies called an offset. Offsets are either positive, or negative. so looking at:
RDG180 147.18 + 0.6 Tone 162.2 162.2 23 NN FM 5

the receive (goes out) Frequency is 147.180 (thus the text name RDG, Reading, 180) with a Positive (+) offset of 0.6 making the Transmit (goes in) frequency of 147.780. Since there are a limited number of coordinated repeater frequencies (yup a bureaucracy to prevent multiple repeaters from impacting each other) the repeaters will use a 'Privacy" or PL, in this case it's the same for transmit and receive 162.2 and is tone activated. It operates in the Narrow (as opposed to wide) hence the NN, in the FM mode. The 23 and 5 are numeric values that CHIRP uses, but doesn't impact the operation of the radio, or repeater.

You have a small grasp of the TDR, as it does temporarily lock you, to protect you from changing out of a conversation by accident.

I know this gets complicated, but that's where taking the HAM license comes in handy, you get to learn about things like this.

[Gunowner99]

You are a great help, thank you!

I get the difference between memory(what I programmed in prior) and VFO (enter on the fly) I believe.


So, in CHIRP when I program the repeaters I need to put all that info in in order for it to work correctly? If I put all the offset and freq info I should be fine as far as monitoring?

But for simplex like a GMRS frequency, I just enter the freq with no additional information? In CHIRP that is as well as the actual radio?

[theshadow]

You got it on memory and VFO.

in order for the repeater/ radio to work properly on repeaters, yes it needs all that info. Technically speaking for monitoring, all you need is the output (receive) frequency and PL tone, since you're not intending to transmit.

Bingo you got it on Simplex, and FRS/ GMSR are just a class of simplex frequencies.