I’ve had several people ask me about what would make up a good HAM radio setup for a beginner. There are a few things to keep in mind when someone is considering a new setup. Please note, this discussion is for VHF/UHF radios only. I may do a similar post for HF at some point.

Set realistic expectations

First, keep in mind that technology has it’s limits. It’s unlikely using a handheld radio and a stock antenna, for instance, you will be able to talk across the state without using repeaters and other services offered by HAM radio clubs you may need to join. VHF and UHF are limited by line of sight. That is why tall towers exist, because the further you can “see” the further the radio signals go. It’s important to understand what the technology can and cannot do, and I hope to explain that below.

Hello everyone, here is an updated GD-77 codeplug that covers the entire state of Iowa.

LAST UPDATED SEPT 23, 2018

—–>  Download Iowa DMR GD-77 v2018-09-23 <—–

Please keep these oddities in mind when using:

The GD-77 requires the current talkgroup ID to be present in the RX group, even for the channel you are currently tuned to.  This behavior is different than the MD380 which will always play audio for the talkgroup programmed in the current channel.  To avoid having to create dozens of rx groups, my codeplug is configured with the following groups: Continue reading →

I’ve created a video demonstrating how to do some intermediate functions in Excel.

To follow along, please download the following file: Example Worksheet