I have taken and passed the technician and General exams. I have purchased a TDRADIO TD-H8. I have no idea how to use them. I am brand new to this and any advice would be greatly appreciated.
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Congrats on passing Tech and General.
I have a TD-H3 but I’m pretty sure the programming is the same as for the H8. First thing to do is download the Odmaster app from the app store on your phone. Follow the instructions on setting up an account in the app and for pairing your radio with your phone via bluetooth. The first thing you will want to do to get started is use the app to look up a listing of repeaters local to you. Follow the instructions in the app for sending the list of repeaters you have selected to the radio. Once the programming is complete you should be able to cycle through the repeaters on the radio and listen for activity, or announce your callsign and see if anyone is listening.
This is just a quick and easy how to program repeaters to monitor in your radio. There are a ton of more in depth tutorials on YouTube that you can watch to dig into the more detailed controls. If you have, or get, your GMRS license you can also “unlock” the radio to allow it to use those channels. The GMRS license is $35 and doesn’t require any testing. TidRadio uses the same hardware for their so called GMRS version and just restricts useage to either HAM or GMRS using the firmware in the radio. It is pretty easy to unlock and be able to use both.
An alternative to the Odmaster app is to use CHIRP on your computer and program the radio via USB. CHIRP is probably best used once you are more comfortable with the radio though. The interface isn’t quite as user friendly until you know what you are after.
Here is a link for CHIRP if you feel like diving in: Home - CHIRP
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Thank you.
What is GMRS?
I appreciate your help.
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I may be remembering the acronym wrong but I believe it is General Mobile Radio Service. It is a specific set of frequencies in the 70cm band that are set aside specifically for GMRS radios. I think the main reason they have a license requirement for it is because GMRS can be used on GMRS repeaters. It is used a lot in 4x4 off-roading, hiking, and other activities that may take you out of range of cell service. It is limited to specific channels and 50w of transmit power. OH, and GMRS is a “Family” license, so when you get the license everyone in your family can use it. (think, wife, kids, grandkids, parents, grandparents, brothers, sisters, etc)
There is also FRS (Family Radio Service) that is limited to 5w and cannot use repeaters. FRS does not require a license.
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Thank you very much. That sounds like something I am interested in.
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I have odmaster downloaded and now my radio won’t scan. Just a little frustrated
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Are you saying it will not scan channels you have added or that your phone will not pair to the radio?
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It is paired. It will not scan channels
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Have any channels been loaded to the radio? Are you pressing and holding the SCN (#3) button for two seconds? Are you in Channel Mode vs Frequency Mode?
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Here is a video to show how to program the radio using ODMaster starting at about the 2:50 mark in the video.
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Thank you very much
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We have an article that talks about the difference between GMRS and Ham Radio if it helps: Ham Radio vs GMRS: Differences and Which is Best for You?
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Very good article. Thank you
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Will my TidradioT8 also serve as a gmrs? It is a HAM version
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Yes, but you will need to go through a process to unlock it. Look up Td-H8 unlock on Youtube and you will see numerous videos on it.
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Thanks
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Make YouTube your new friend…
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