Help Pls! Programming a Motorola GP328 16 Channel

[NewGal]

Hi all,

I am completely new to 2 way radios.
Recently I bought a pair of Motorola GP328 16 channel from an auction.
I bought them as to use them as walkie-talkies when I go hiking.
At the moment they do work up to about 4km between each other.
The guy who sold them to me thou said they should be re-programmed to a 'cb-frequency'.
When this is done, I was told I could transmit much further than 5km and also that I could have my own private channel.
Since I acquired them from an auction, I have no real proof of purchase except for a written receipt stating that they are a pair of Motorola GP328 and I have been told that for a proper licensed place to re-program them for you, you must show proof of ownership.

My question is – Is this absolutely necessary and is there any way around this such as doing it yourself?
I’m only intending on using these as 2-way radios and have been told that when they have a cb frequency, you could potentially get up to 500km ‘in line of sight’ range, is this true?

Thank you.
Alice.

[ConstableCare]

Hi all,

I am completely new to 2 way radios.
Recently I bought a pair of Motorola GP328 16 channel from an auction.
I bought them as to use them as walkie-talkies when I go hiking.
At the moment they do work up to about 4km between each other.
The guy who sold them to me thou said they should be re-programmed to a 'cb-frequency'.
When this is done, I was told I could transmit much further than 5km and also that I could have my own private channel.
Since I acquired them from an auction, I have no real proof of purchase except for a written receipt stating that they are a pair of Motorola GP328 and I have been told that for a proper licensed place to re-program them for you, you must show proof of ownership.

My question is – Is this absolutely necessary and is there any way around this such as doing it yourself?
I’m only intending on using these as 2-way radios and have been told that when they have a cb frequency, you could potentially get up to 500km ‘in line of sight’ range, is this true?

Thank you.
Alice.

Hello NewGal,

Couple of answers to your questions:

1. The frequency that you are using at the moment is probably the same frequency that the previous owner was using therefore you may potentially cause them some interference and as such are transmitting illegally. All transmitting radio's (two-ways) need to be licensed except for CB' by the ACMA (Aust. Govt.) If you were to have them re-programmed to CB, with the assumption that they will cover this frequency band, then you won't get into any trouble;

2. There is no such thing as a "private" channel on CB - it's a free for all! The only way to get your own "private" channel is to obtain an ACMA (Aust. Govt.) licence and your own discrete frequency - a very costly exercise for what you want to do;

3. From a hand-held radio, you will never obtain '500kms line of site' range unless you were using linked repeaters (a re-broadcasting 'towers').

First thing to do would be to call into a shop such as TRANS-AIR in Belmont and have the radio looked at. They can determine what frequencies the radio's can operate on and if they can be re-programmed to UHF CB. If not, you may be better off to purchase 2 UHF CB radio's that come pre-programmed.

Let us know how you go...

Cheers, CC

P.S. No, I don't work for TRANS-AIR, but they are a Motorola Dealer. There are others but they charge like wounded bulls!

[Lucas_arts_182]

chances are the radios are VHF of UHF but don't cover the CB 477mhz band.
how much did you pay for them?

PS i would not transmit on them at all untill they are looked at by someone who knows what their doing and is qualified.
they will have the frequncies for the previous owners in there and if you use them you could get in alot of trouble.

[NewGal]

1) I paid $300 each for them and bought two. The bloke said this is a top deal as normally new they are worth around $1000 each! (They are failry used, scratched ect but they work)

2) They can run both on UHF & VHF on these frequencies -
136-174 / 330-400 / 403-470 / 450-527

3) Yes, I heard that you will need to go via a repeater, I understand that this is only possible when they have been re-programmed?

4) So if right now I can obtain around 5-7km (in a forest or area with hills) what is the maximum range on these GP328's if someone was on a beach or something and if I had them re-programmed to a CB frequency?

5) And lastly, yes I have been told about bringing them in to an expert, but like i mentioned also, I was told that with out proof of ownership, they will not do it. I have read on this forum that others have gotten around this issue and thats why I am asking as I'm hoping that maybe I could do it my self, otherwise I wasted $600 for nothing:(