UHF Newby questions and unit selection

I've used GME both in 477 Mhz UHF & 27 Mhz CB radio bands for many years . Been very happy with them. Although not a great deal lately. They are recognized as the 2nd best radio on the market

I have now gone to ICOM remote head radio . Best in the business. Very solid units. Very Happy
Icom Australia | Everything in Radio: UHF CB


What aerial you use will depend on the terrain you will be using your radio in

Cheers Gary

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Originally Posted by AK83

OH, should have been more specific about the added programmable channels: you can only Rx on those, no transmitting.

That is, you can transmit on the 80 normal channels, and the programmable ones are other frequencies you can listen in on.

so, say you're out bush, and as we're in Aus, most of which is not covered by comms, so your news will be what you saw back in whoopwhoop. But you're on holidays and you don't care for what everyone else is burdened with ... just where you are going too.

In your blissful, tuned out, holiday mode tho, you notice some smoke up ahead .. miles and miles away.
Is it a std burn off or something sinister you may be heading into?

So it's usefulness is really only one of those once in a lifetime thing that may save it for ya.

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Thanks AK, I guess this will all become clearer when I get the unit installed and start playing with it and the App.

I suppose the only other question is POWER SOURCE?

I'm guessing direct to the AUX Battery makes sense (ie not through vehicle accessories) so you're not worrying the cranking battery in any way if you're stationary and monitoring a "situation"?

Would you recommend an Inline Switch to the Hideaway Unit to limit any unintended (however small) current draw when the UHF is not in use? Or does the power button on the Handset turn the unit off completely? (That might be a question for GME?)

Thanks again all!
CBurgo

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Originally Posted by CBurgo

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Would you recommend an Inline Switch to the Hideaway Unit to limit any unintended (however small) current draw when the UHF is not in use? Or does the power button on the Handset turn the unit off completely? (That might be a question for GME?)

Thanks again all!
CBurgo

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Via the XRS connect app, I remember that it has an ability to set the unit to auto power down. So technically an inline switch may not be needed if power drain is a worry for you.
but on standby, the current draw is up to 0.750A, and in muted mode is about 0.1A.

So if you had say a 60Ah aux battery and you left it on accidentally and you didn't set the auto power down feature, it would take between 90 and 600 odd hours to drain the aux battery.

I can remember this feature a bit, vaguely .. so had a peek at the manual, and can't find much info, but I checked the app and it's there .. between 30 and 180mins delay for auto power down.
I assume this means auto power down from when you used it(transmit), not from it's last receive transmission.
Not sure if that last use includes say a button press, like volume or channel change or what ... or if that means the last PTT operation.

Also .. I'm not 100% sure that if you have it on and simply disconnect the microphone out of it's socket without turning off first .. does this turn off the actual radio unit or not???
If so, then this could be another way to eliminate an inline switch.
That is, instead of adding the complication of a switch, just remove the mic unit may turn it off. Will need to check this out.
I know that when I connect my mic unit, it does come on automagically.

As said before, with lockdown after lockdown and thus very restricted ability to go anywhere, I haven't used mine in a very long time. so my memory of all the features of it is a little vague.

I have mine connected to my Aux battery too.

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Originally Posted by AK83

Via the XRS connect app, I remember that it has an ability to set the unit to auto power down. So technically an inline switch may not be needed if power drain is a worry for you.
but on standby, the current draw is up to 0.750A, and in muted mode is about 0.1A.

instead of adding the complication of a switch, just remove the mic unit may turn it off. Will need to check this out.
I know that when I connect my mic unit, it does come on automagically.

As said before, with lockdown after lockdown and thus very restricted ability to go anywhere, I haven't used mine in a very long time. so my memory of all the features of it is a little vague.

I have mine connected to my Aux battery too.

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Yes, the Auto Power off will be a good safeguard and will also ask GME about whether the unit shuts down when the mic is disconnected. It'd be interesting to know how much it would drain if you left it on and on Auto Record.....? Aux battery connection it is.

Thanks again AK.:thumbsup:

My Oricom UHF380 has died and I can't find the receipt (I'm sure it's still under warranty) so I can't send it in (or drop it in - they are next door to KLR Automotive). They did replace the mike a short while back - the plastic sheathing on the coiled mike lead was breaking up and falling off.

I'm now thinking of getting a GME. I could never be sure if anyone was receiving me when I used the Oricom. I'd often have to get a radio check and didn't always get an answer - so I'd do a reset on the radio.

A radio engineer a little while back recommended Tait as the best uhf radio.

I have a small unicom thing that sounds like someone is being choked....but the bloody thing keeps working....or I'd upgrade it.

Our amateur radio club uses Tait repeaters on the 2 metre band.

I’ve always gone Aussie for antennas via these guys:

Mobile One Antennas

Australian down to the fibreglass blanks. Also do 27MHz if you’re into catching skip!
As for radios, I’m with those saying Holden vs Ford for GME vs Uniden. I’ve got both and iCom in the boat (VHF). All solid. Still on the old 40 channels so far…

I would really like encrypted frequency hopping like the old tri square US radios:
eXtreme Radio Service - Wikipedia
But not actually legal here. I like to have the ability for public and private communication…

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Originally Posted by p38arover

My Oricom UHF380 has died and I can't find the receipt (I'm sure it's still under warranty) so I can't send it in (or drop it in - they are next door to KLR Automotive). They did replace the mike a short while back - the plastic sheathing on the coiled mike lead was breaking up and falling off.

I'm now thinking of getting a GME. I could never be sure if anyone was receiving me when I used the Oricom. I'd often have to get a radio check and didn't always get an answer - so I'd do a reset on the radio.

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Ron, If you paid with a credit card, the record of that transaction would do the trick.
Don.

If I still had the records for a CC I no longer have. [happycry]