Well that was as much fun as picking lint from under my foreskin.
Thank you for the link. I got most of the way through - FCC log in, frn number but the lic system is down for service.

Yeah the money they were gonna use to fix it got sent to Ukraine.

Once it's back up, you'll get to the part where they take your money, then once complete should have a callsign within a day or 2. Mine was about 12 hrs.

Good news is it looks like you're in the coverage area of the E. Tiger Mtn. Olycomm3 GMRS repeater.

I probably talk on that one just as much as the ham repeaters. Cool folks on there.

FCC site to download pdf of license is STILL borked.

Wow, I gotter done in a day.

So you two got GMRS callsigns now?

Who me? If so: no. but about a week or two ago It only took me an evening and a few minutes the next day to complete. They had the answer to me in just a day or two after.

Well this is cool, buytwowayradios is now selling a new version of my beloved TYT MD-UV390 that had bona fide AES256 encryption.

Mine are only 128 bit, basic (4 digit key) and enhanced (32 digit key), while the nee ones support those, plus a new "universal" (64 digit key).

Same price as they've ever been, now improved, and don't have to buy from Amazon.

The Anytone 878 still had an edge due to it's "key hopping" feature, but these are still half the price of the 878, and rated IP67 water resistant.

At this point in my usage I can attest that the MD UV390 is in fact waterproof and rugged. It has survived much to date.

AES-256 is a standard, so theoretically, they'll talk to each other.... so if you don't wanna dump $300 into a radio, grab the 390 Plus for ~$130.

The more advanced functions won't work, though, obviously.

But, waterproof and crypto for less than $150 i s a steal.

Yep. There are other folks who're getting their hands on them now, should know soon whether these can talk to other brands using same standard.

Theoretically it should work.

Also determining whether or not a firmware upgrade can achieve this in older radios like mine, or if the new plus model has some required hardware in it...although I'm very hesitant to mess with the firmware in my own radios.

OK

Got GMRS last month FWIW WRYE278
Got Technical KK7OLC

Anytone 878 on the way

Jumping into the deep end!

I've been running my UV-5R in scan mode ... pretty dead out there. Although I did hear a transmission from "Mike" in Alaska (missed the call sign) who was running a 100W setup.

It's curious, when I used the FCC website to lookup call signs they info was marked as "private" except for the name. But some repeater network websites used my call sign info and did display the full info of name and addy, etc.

Always use a PO box or alternate address.

On the topic of addresses:

When I was part of Fed Way Emergency Operations Center, as well as some local radio clubs, there was a guy that had an old Crown Vic police car. Tons of antennas, etc.

I hadn’t seen him in awhile, but I pulled into Fred Meyer’s parking lot, and saw his car in a handicapped spot, with a placard, and an NRA bumper sticker.

As I was sitting there waiting for the last inning of the Mariner’s game to end, I casually observed his call-sign on his vanity plates.

Just for grins, I looked it up on the FCC website, and boom, there was his address.

So, in a span of 30 seconds, I knew:

1) Where he lived

2) That he wasn’t home

3) That he probably has guns at home

4) If he comes home while someone has broken-in, he’s handicapped

Yup.

We call this OSINT....

Holy smokes!

Anytone 878UVII+ ... in over my head!