Quote from: EBuff75 on Yesterday at 12:11:58 AMNot just old trucks.  My 2006 Mazda is still on the original headlight bulbs (they're HID) which are getting dimmer over time.  I'd like to replace them with newer ones, but replacing the bulbs requires removing the entire bumper cover to get the headlight housings out.  The issue: this car has been in Michigan for it's entire 20 year life, and every one of the 15-20 bolts and screws that hold the bumper cover on are completely bonded to their (formerly captive) nuts so that everything just spins and doesn't loosen. 

I had to do something similar on a car I drove some years back.  Couldn't afford to pay someone else so it became a "Saturday driveway" project, done in the summer time--I would have hated to do it in January.  

Got the lights replaced on my truck.  This is an old farm truck, PO was an old farmer: the screws holding the housings for the lights are held on by screws, in this case with 4 different heads (when you lose a screw, find something that fits and get back to work).  

Quote from: Habu on November 15, 2025, 08:31:39 PMWent to pick up dinner tonight and realized my left turn signal was out, while checking that out I discovered the brake lights were out.  Argh.  On an old truck, replacing those little bulbs can sometimes take as long as a serious repair.  Will be adding a weekly check of the lights to my usual Saturday checks.

Not just old trucks.  My 2006 Mazda is still on the original headlight bulbs (they're HID) which are getting dimmer over time.  I'd like to replace them with newer ones, but replacing the bulbs requires removing the entire bumper cover to get the headlight housings out.  The issue: this car has been in Michigan for it's entire 20 year life, and every one of the 15-20 bolts and screws that hold the bumper cover on are completely bonded to their (formerly captive) nuts so that everything just spins and doesn't loosen.  

My mechanic quoted me $500+ just to install the bulbs that I provided him, as every single one of those bolts and screws are going to have to be drilled out and then replaced (he's not screwing me over either - he's very good and has the best rates in my area, plus he routinely gives me breaks on stuff because I'm a good customer).  It's not hard, but it's really tedious and on a low-slung car like that, it's a lot easier to do on a lift than it is in my driveway.  Needless to say, I'm holding off on doing it until one of the bulbs actually fails, or I end up getting a new car (which is more and more likely as the rust on mine is getting pretty bad).  

Located it via the Wayback Machine:

https://web.archive.org/web/20201108105338/https://www.amr.net/solutions/federal-disaster-response-team/references-and-resources/dhs-austere-ems-field-guide.pdf

My "bug out vehicle" is also my "DD", and "hunting truck", etc.  Checked fluids today (usual Saturday thing, but the last couple weeks were. . . chaotic), as usual nothing needed.  

Three weeks ago, the master cylinder was dry: turned out the only remaining 35 year-old brake line had rusted through).  I got to pull the line, learn to bend the new brake line, and replace it.  Then bleeding the brakes took longer than everything else.  

Went to pick up dinner tonight and realized my left turn signal was out, while checking that out I discovered the brake lights were out.  Argh.  On an old truck, replacing those little bulbs can sometimes take as long as a serious repair.  Will be adding a weekly check of the lights to my usual Saturday checks.

Quote from: TACAIR on November 15, 2025, 04:43:25 PM

Quote from: Moab on November 14, 2025, 10:58:25 PM

Quote from: TACAIR on November 14, 2025, 01:24:03 PMThese feature HAM+GMRS+FRS+MURS out of the box.

Current version of CHIRP supports the Minis  use any older UV-5R programming cable
Under $40 for the pair (Amazon)

New menu system
Color screen
5 watts out
Smallest yet
single button push for WX band
screen icons both easier to see and understand. 

Uses oddball battery pack w/contact in middle of battery pack 
comes with the USB-C charger cable.

Good, clear audio for TX and RX

I see these as a good 'parking lot comms/shopping center intercom for me and my DW.

******
I can hear, if not talk to all area ham repeaters, eve th eones out i the valley (60+ miles away)

Amazon sells an adapter to use 'ham' BNC-F base HT antennas.

Worth a look

BTW - ALL current FCC rules still apply.

I wasn't taking these very serious before I read your comments. And the early prices I saw didn't impress me. The battery thing still sucks. How much are the batteries? How long do they run? And do they offer larger ones?

for RX only, the battery does well.
I use the 20/80 formula for use/battery life.

The OEM battery is 2200 mAh, so good size for such a small radio.  There is a AAA battery pack, something I always try to have for each HT.  Right now, I'm waiting for them to show up on Amazon, the one on market now is via TEMU, a no-go for me.

At  $40 for a pair, I see no risk and buying a pair to play with.  At 5 watts, makes a it deal for me as I have a ham license and they play well on V/UHF.

To be honest I prefer multiples of a normal sized battery over larger extended batteries. In most of my use cases portability outweighs needing a heavier, bulkier radio. 

Like everything else - I'm wishing I'd waited to buy so many electronic things this year. I bought a battery station 2 months ago. And every battery station is on deep discount now. I think in prep for that new battery tech coming out of Wyoming. 

Quote from: Moab on November 14, 2025, 10:58:25 PM

Quote from: TACAIR on November 14, 2025, 01:24:03 PMThese feature HAM+GMRS+FRS+MURS out of the box.

Current version of CHIRP supports the Minis  use any older UV-5R programming cable
Under $40 for the pair (Amazon)

New menu system
Color screen
5 watts out
Smallest yet
single button push for WX band
screen icons both easier to see and understand. 

Uses oddball battery pack w/contact in middle of battery pack 
comes with the USB-C charger cable.

Good, clear audio for TX and RX

I see these as a good 'parking lot comms/shopping center intercom for me and my DW.

******
I can hear, if not talk to all area ham repeaters, eve th eones out i the valley (60+ miles away)

Amazon sells an adapter to use 'ham' BNC-F base HT antennas.

Worth a look

BTW - ALL current FCC rules still apply.

I wasn't taking these very serious before I read your comments. And the early prices I saw didn't impress me. The battery thing still sucks. How much are the batteries? How long do they run? And do they offer larger ones?

for RX only, the battery does well.
I use the 20/80 formula for use/battery life.

The OEM battery is 2200 mAh, so good size for such a small radio.   There is a AAA battery pack, something I always try to have for each HT.  Right now, I'm waiting for them to show up on Amazon, the one on market now is via TEMU, a no-go for me.

At  $40 for a pair, I see no risk and buying a pair to play with.  At 5 watts, makes a it deal for me as I have a ham license and they play well on V/UHF.

Bought an iCar Pro OBDII scanner for the Jeep, and a subscription to the JScan app.

Quote from: Moab on November 14, 2025, 10:58:25 PM

Quote from: TACAIR on November 14, 2025, 01:24:03 PMThese feature HAM+GMRS+FRS+MURS out of the box.

Current version of CHIRP supports the Minis  use any older UV-5R programming cable
Under $40 for the pair (Amazon)

New menu system
Color screen
5 watts out
Smallest yet
single button push for WX band
screen icons both easier to see and understand. 

Uses oddball battery pack w/contact in middle of battery pack 
comes with the USB-C charger cable.

Good, clear audio for TX and RX

I see these as a good 'parking lot comms/shopping center intercom for me and my DW.

******
I can hear, if not talk to all area ham repeaters, eve th eones out i the valley (60+ miles away)

Amazon sells an adapter to use 'ham' BNC-F base HT antennas.

Worth a look

BTW - ALL current FCC rules still apply.

I wasn't taking these very serious before I read your comments. And the early prices I saw didn't impress me. The battery thing still sucks. How much are the batteries? How long do they run? And do they offer larger ones?

No larger batteries that I can find.  I bought 2 batteries for $21 each, but you can find them on Aliexpress in the $16 range.  I'll get you a runtime when I've had a chance to use them more, but it looks like about 36 hours receive-only on a fairly low-usage local repeater.

Quote from: TACAIR on November 14, 2025, 01:24:03 PMThese feature HAM+GMRS+FRS+MURS out of the box.

Current version of CHIRP supports the Minis  use any older UV-5R programming cable
Under $40 for the pair (Amazon)

New menu system
Color screen
5 watts out
Smallest yet
single button push for WX band
screen icons both easier to see and understand. 

Uses oddball battery pack w/contact in middle of battery pack 
comes with the USB-C charger cable.

Good, clear audio for TX and RX

I see these as a good 'parking lot comms/shopping center intercom for me and my DW.

******
I can hear, if not talk to all area ham repeaters, eve th eones out i the valley (60+ miles away)

Amazon sells an adapter to use 'ham' BNC-F base HT antennas.

Worth a look

BTW - ALL current FCC rules still apply.

I wasn't taking these very serious before I read your comments. And the early prices I saw didn't impress me. The battery thing still sucks. How much are the batteries? How long do they run? And do they offer larger ones? 

These feature HAM+GMRS+FRS+MURS out of the box.

Current version of CHIRP supports the Minis   use any older UV-5R programming cable
Under $40 for the pair (Amazon)

New menu system
Color screen
5 watts out
Smallest yet
single button push for WX band
screen icons both easier to see and understand.  

Uses oddball battery pack w/contact in middle of battery pack 
comes with the USB-C charger cable.

Good, clear audio for TX and RX

I see these as a good 'parking lot comms/shopping center intercom for me and my DW.

******
I can hear, if not talk to all area ham repeaters, eve th eones out i the valley (60+ miles away)

Amazon sells an adapter to use 'ham' BNC-F base HT antennas.

Worth a look

BTW - ALL current FCC rules still apply.