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Midland MicroMobile 15w GMRS Install

TroyBoy

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That's cool! What did you screw the radio bracket to?
Just Velcro to the radio bracket and the top of the inverter. peel and stick.
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TroyBoy

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Why do I always forget about Velcro? Brilliant!
Haha. I can do a lot with Velcro and zip ties! I just hope the peel and stick doesn’t become stick and peel. What did you do with the mile of antenna cable? I was tempted to cut it and put on a new end but I was worried that might effect the antenna tuning. I ended up running the antenna cable inside the plastic door step along the side of the jeep and back.
 

Speed331

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Since the controls are all on the mike, I mounted mine in the glove box. Power from the battery line in the auxiliary switch bundle. Ran an extention for the mike cable through to the drivers side and back across the gully in the console to the grab bar. Antenna cable out the drivers door to the antenna mount. Used 3M double sided tape from my gopro kit to attach all the mounts.
Jeep Wrangler JL Midland MicroMobile 15w GMRS Install 20210208_150437
Jeep Wrangler JL Midland MicroMobile 15w GMRS Install 20210208_150509
Jeep Wrangler JL Midland MicroMobile 15w GMRS Install 20210208_150541
Jeep Wrangler JL Midland MicroMobile 15w GMRS Install 20210208_150533


I really like this antenna spot as the 6db antenna almost perfectly matches stock radio antenna on the passenger side. Love the symmetry.
 

flharleycop

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Since the controls are all on the mike, I mounted mine in the glove box. Power from the battery line in the auxiliary switch bundle. Ran an extention for the mike cable through to the drivers side and back across the gully in the console to the grab bar. Antenna cable out the drivers door to the antenna mount. Used 3M double sided tape from my gopro kit to attach all the mounts.
20210208_150437.jpg
20210208_150509.jpg
20210208_150541.jpg
20210208_150533.jpg


I really like this antenna spot as the 6db antenna almost perfectly matches stock radio antenna on the passenger side. Love the symmetry.
Is that a better location for the antenna transmit wise location than on the rear by the spare?
 

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operator22

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Jeep Wrangler JL Midland MicroMobile 15w GMRS Install 20210208_150533
Jeep Wrangler JL Midland MicroMobile 15w GMRS Install 20210208_150533


I really like this antenna spot as the 6db antenna almost perfectly matches stock radio antenna on the passenger side. Love the symmetry.
The fender antenna mount looks kind of similar to the Cool Tech one. Did you fabricate it?
 

Pepe My Little Mule

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The fender antenna mount looks kind of similar to the Cool Tech one. Did you fabricate it?
Looks like the mount sold by Rugged Radios. I have that mount on my TJ for almost one year - already starting to rust.
 

Speed331

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Is that a better location for the antenna transmit wise location than on the rear by the spare?
I figure it's probably a wash. The tip clears the roofline so they are about the same hight - the reception should be about the same. I pick up chatter from Southern NV Off Road Recovery on Mt. Charleston no problem - figure 15 to 25 miles depending on which trail they're on
 

Speed331

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flharleycop

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I figure it's probably a wash. The tip clears the roofline so they are about the same hight - the reception should be about the same. I pick up chatter from Southern NV Off Road Recovery on Mt. Charleston no problem - figure 15 to 25 miles depending on which trail they're on
Realistically what range do you get? I was having my CB installed and the radio shop was not real upbeat on the GMRS they said the range was similar to cb in my area Northern Colorado and I would not get what is advertised.
 

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Realistically what range do you get? I was having my CB installed and the radio shop was not real upbeat on the GMRS they said the range was similar to cb in my area Northern Colorado and I would not get what is advertised.
You don't get what is advertised but it is FAR better than a CB. I've gotten 10 miles easily on pretty flat land with a 15w MXT275. I can consistently get 5 to 6 miles. Try that with a CB that's not illegally modified. And the transmission/reception is much more clear.

Jeeps are not optimal for either CB or GMRS. If the antenna was in the center of a metal roof, up nice and high, it would go a good bit further than 10 miles in typical conditions.

But here's what you can do with GMRS: Use a repeater. I'm on a repeater network and routinely hear people from many states away and could talk with them, if I desired. There are just so many things you can do with a GMRS that you can't with a CB. And I'm not trying to diss the CB. I have one in each of my Jeeps, along with GMRS. They still are good for talking to truckers and other Jeeps that still have them.
 

flharleycop

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You don't get what is advertised but it is FAR better than a CB. I've gotten 10 miles easily on pretty flat land with a 15w MXT275. I can consistently get 5 to 6 miles. Try that with a CB that's not illegally modified. And the transmission/reception is much more clear.

Jeeps are not optimal for either CB or GMRS. If the antenna was in the center of a metal roof, up nice and high, it would go a good bit further than 10 miles in typical conditions.

But here's what you can do with GMRS: Use a repeater. I'm on a repeater network and routinely hear people from many states away and could talk with them, if I desired. There are just so many things you can do with a GMRS that you can't with a CB. And I'm not trying to diss the CB. I have one in each of my Jeeps, along with GMRS. They still are good for talking to truckers and other Jeeps that still have them.
I was going to add that same radio in addition to the CB. I dont know much about GMRS I was told you have to pay or be invited to use a repeater. How does that work??
 

Speed331

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Realistically what range do you get? I was having my CB installed and the radio shop was not real upbeat on the GMRS they said the range was similar to cb in my area Northern Colorado and I would not get what is advertised.
On flat(ish) ground you'll probably send to 12 - 15 miles with the 15 watt unit and 30 - 40 miles with the 40 watt unit.
Jeep Wrangler JL Midland MicroMobile 15w GMRS Install gfjoqgqm6eojbdoufppc

Terrain matters, if your in a heavily wooded or really hilly area, the 3db (ghost antenna) might be a better option. It's signal is more of a dome shape (as opposed to the flat shape of the 6db) and will give better close range service - say out to 5 miles - in those conditions.
I have both and swap as needed.
 

DanW

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I was going to add that same radio in addition to the CB. I dont know much about GMRS I was told you have to pay or be invited to use a repeater. How does that work??
I'm still learning but you just have to get permission to use the repeaters, and they usually have etiquett rules and such. I joined a group at midwestgmrs.com and got permission to use the Indy600 and Greencastle 725, both of which overlap where I live.. It is networked up into Wisconsin, I think out to Idaho and also down into the southwest. I'm not sure how all of that works but I know I can talk to them. I have a friend on it, too, that lives a few miles away and he actually spoke to a guy in Idaho. We listen to them all the time.

So once I had permission I turn on the repeater function in my Midland GMRS from the menu. You then get a bank of the repeater channels above the ones already there, but they are the same, 15-22 that are in the regular bank. They just say RP next to them or REP. I then tune channel 17 in the repeater bank and then use the privacy code they give me. The Midlands can currently only do a one channel repeater where you send and receive on the one channel. For example the Greencastle repeater appears to require one channel to transmit and another tu receive. If I have the terminology correct, that's duplex. The Midlands only do simplex, but that's going to change with a new radio they are introducing later in the year. Also, on the Midland 275, there is a clicking sound when you are on the repeater channel that is eliminated when you hit the monitor function. The good news is that you can hear fine, but the bad news is you have to hear the static. Overalll, though, I prefer the simplicity of the Midland MXT275 and it also has a loud speaker. It is a good quality unit and works GREAT for direct mobile to moblile or mobile to walkie communication.

I hope that all makes sense. Again, I'm just beginning to learn and what I know is mainly limited to the repeaters near me. Others may have different rules and such. I also signed up at mygmrs.com and they have a forum. Their members are very helpful, although a few are very arrogant and look down on the Midland radios and don't seem to understand that there are other uses for these things besides sitting in their basement and yacking to each other about how their radios sound. But again, there are many who are VERY helpful.

There are new repeaters popping up all the time, too.

On a side note, the radio Midland is preparing to introduce is a 50w programmable radio. That's the one that will be able to do duplex communication with repeaters. I also have heard they are going to do a 40w MXT275 but have delayed it due to Covid and strong demand for their existing products.
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