@nrao_hamradio i'd try to stop by! i'm currently working on emergency response plans for the household and i've designed a GMRS system and configured all the radios in the house to have the same channel IDs so you can just pick up one and go.
and four of them have location services (3 #gmrspro HTs and 1 vero #VRN76 that can give you the location of other radios in your group. the Vero even does APRS but be careful with that cuz it's not well implemented yet.
here's some hax for the #Vero #VRN76 dual band HT with APRS (of all things) these also apply to the #BTECH GMRS app for the #GMRS_PRO
1. attach to your radio and go to settings and tap the "battery status" thing ten times until it says "enable factory test mode" or whatever, now you can TX on all bands
2. go to firmware update and when it says "there are no updates" tap that at least 10x and it will send you a newer firmware image
…but it won't successfully install. but the unlock is golden<3
i really do love the #Vero #VRN76 but because i bought it off ali express i fear i may never get official firmware updates from Vero or any partners.
Radio Oddity sells this cool HT (dual band, unlockable, excellent display, location services including APRS) under the name GA-5WB but they charge a lot more for it.
OTOH they have issued firmware updates to fix bugs and there are many to choose from!
apparently the #Vero #VRN76 location-services HT similar to the #GMRS oriented GMRS-Pro but on ham bands — it finally has a US release from #RadioOddity and they call it the #GA5WB, it's on their website now:
https://www.radioddity.com/products/radioddity-ga-5wb
the software is definitely frustrating on these things. the BTECH GMRS-Pro app is kind of compatible but the banks are smaller on the N76 / #5WB and there are 12 of them but the Network Channel bridging stuff is a _mess_ honestly.
#ham #amateurRadio #APRS ?!WAT
