Left Coast Discord Watch

a project by Left Coast Right Watch News

Citizens Liberty Organization / 🌎 Global Channels / 📡comms-radio

For the sharing and discussion of communications systems such as radio transceivers, and related topics.

BugsyBaldwin
(id: 704929763176874004)

02 May 2020 17:59

Anyone have a good step by step how to program channels on a Baofeng UV-5r

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Deleted User
(id: 456226577798135808)

02 May 2020 18:25

@BugsyBaldwin a programming cable and chirp is way easier.

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[CA] SoyBoi
(id: 338553359843721218)

02 May 2020 18:59

Any recommendations on an ear piece for a 2 way radio

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[CA] SoyBoi
(id: 338553359843721218)

02 May 2020 19:01

I'm new to this whole thing, but I'm getting a UV-5R gen 3, but don't know wtf I'm doing lol

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EDDSkitz
(id: 470383814544326666)

02 May 2020 22:27

It'll come with one that's good unless you wanna move up to military style comms.

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T0G
(id: 165877945821429760)

02 May 2020 22:53

"That's good" I threw that thing in the trash right after I tried it out for the first time

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EDDSkitz
(id: 470383814544326666)

02 May 2020 22:57

Okay, use whatever, but they work fine.

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EDDSkitz
(id: 470383814544326666)

02 May 2020 22:57

I use peltors 🤷‍♂️

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[TX]YimYam
(id: 652657530786545755)

03 May 2020 01:45

There’s some pretty highly rated ones on Amazon for cheap. Acoustic tube is what it’s called

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[CA] SoyBoi
(id: 338553359843721218)

03 May 2020 02:03

I'm thinking about the BF-F8HP Is there any resources yall would recommend for anyone new to radios? Never actually dealt with them before and don't wanna just have nice paperweight

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[CA] SoyBoi
(id: 338553359843721218)

03 May 2020 02:07

Yeah looks solid, I'm sure I can figure out how to use it, just new to all this crop Heard you need a license to transmit or some shit? Is the mere possession of it illegal lol? Luckily I'm very clumsily and forgetful so I lose shit all the time

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[CA] SoyBoi
(id: 338553359843721218)

03 May 2020 02:08

Need to read up on how to use the thing properly, haven't ordered it, yet wanted feedback before I threw cash at it

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[CA] SoyBoi
(id: 338553359843721218)

03 May 2020 02:11

For sure, just wanted to know where the line is

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EDDSkitz
(id: 470383814544326666)

03 May 2020 02:27

The BF-8HP is a 8w UV-5R

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EDDSkitz
(id: 470383814544326666)

03 May 2020 02:28

Newer firmware is all.

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EDDSkitz
(id: 470383814544326666)

03 May 2020 02:28

Also, nobody cares about power or licensing on FRS or GMRS

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EDDSkitz
(id: 470383814544326666)

03 May 2020 02:29

GMRS *technically* requires a license, FRS does not.

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Phill
(id: 300112749273284630)

03 May 2020 02:30

Ive been dicking with murs recently and hamdheld to handheld it works good in the neighborhood inside and out of vehichles

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EDDSkitz
(id: 470383814544326666)

03 May 2020 02:31

VHF is good for open areas, UHF better for buildings and populated areas.

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[VA] JediComms
(id: 704476636753559632)

03 May 2020 03:56

FRS has 22 frequencies that are shared with GMRS. Even if you high power a BF at 8 watts, which is above the legal limit, nobody is going to challenge you on the air because your range is less than two miles. There is no way to accurately measure power out in the wild. Behave and be courteous and nobody will care. Now, GMRS has an additional 8 frequencies which doesn't mix with FRS. These are meant for repeater us. GMRS is licensed but there isn't a test. Just submit a GMRS application with $70 to the FCC and you're licensed for 10 years.

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Deleted User
(id: 456226577798135808)

03 May 2020 06:02 edited: 2020-05-03T06:02:27.133+00:00

I suggest everyone use https://signal.org as their texting app on your cellphone for end to end encryption with others also using it.

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bullmoose
(id: 704744859872788571)

03 May 2020 06:02

☝️

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bullmoose
(id: 704744859872788571)

03 May 2020 06:03

Agreed, it's so we'll encrypted that the creators can't hack it

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Deleted User
(id: 456226577798135808)

03 May 2020 06:08

@Reno do you know if installing a custom ROM instead of Android OS will stop it?

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Deleted User
(id: 456226577798135808)

03 May 2020 06:11

I guess it depends on your threat model.

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Deleted User
(id: 456226577798135808)

03 May 2020 06:12

For example, I'm no Edward Snowden, so I'm sure they're not going to get the supercomputers fired up to crack my YouTube password

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Deleted User
(id: 456226577798135808)

03 May 2020 06:14

I have practically zero knowledge of hardware and firmware exploits to spy on me sadly.

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Deleted User
(id: 456226577798135808)

03 May 2020 06:15

@Reno what about AMD?

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Deleted User
(id: 456226577798135808)

03 May 2020 06:15

Ah. Well shit. Lol. At least I use Linux.

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Deleted User
(id: 456226577798135808)

03 May 2020 06:17

I use a mainstream one, Linux Mint.

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Deleted User
(id: 456226577798135808)

03 May 2020 06:18

I have win10 on a separate hard drive for video games, but yeah Linux is my every day.

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Deleted User
(id: 456226577798135808)

03 May 2020 06:20

Do you think apple "refusing" to help feds break into encrypted phones was an act?

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redbeard
(id: 576640967927660555)

04 May 2020 03:22

Let me get started on the comms faq. Entry #1, buttfangs are shite.

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redbeard
(id: 576640967927660555)

04 May 2020 04:04

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[LA] Zoomer Medi/k/
(id: 687142537353232434)

04 May 2020 04:07

Gib me one on far left plz

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[LA] Zoomer Medi/k/
(id: 687142537353232434)

04 May 2020 04:07

I love Motorola’s

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redbeard
(id: 576640967927660555)

04 May 2020 04:08

I’m happier with the APX 4k than I thought I would be. I used to have a 7000XE and loved it.

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redbeard
(id: 576640967927660555)

04 May 2020 04:10

All but one of those has AES-256 encryption. 4th from left has NVG compatible display and its too dark to see on camera.

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EDDSkitz
(id: 470383814544326666)

04 May 2020 04:29

@redbeard I've been looking at the APX series, but I've always held off because I have 25 licensed UHF channels from the FCC and most of the people I work with use standard UHF channels.

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EDDSkitz
(id: 470383814544326666)

04 May 2020 04:29

And I'm not really trying to buy a bunch of them, lol.

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[TX]YimYam
(id: 652657530786545755)

04 May 2020 04:38

@redbeard why are baofengs bad I’m still a newb working towards my license and have a GT3TP.

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EDDSkitz
(id: 470383814544326666)

04 May 2020 04:39

They aren't bad, they are cheap... 99.9% of people will be just fine with them or a standard HT from another Chinese or Japanese manufacturer.

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EDDSkitz
(id: 470383814544326666)

04 May 2020 04:41

Getting even business band channels licensed is expensive, and P25 digital even more so. If you're just talking with your crew, the FRS bands tend to be fine for most.

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[TX]YimYam
(id: 652657530786545755)

04 May 2020 04:42

I programmed mine with a variety of things repeaters FRS MURS and simplex

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[TX]YimYam
(id: 652657530786545755)

04 May 2020 04:42

NOAA too

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EDDSkitz
(id: 470383814544326666)

04 May 2020 04:44

Yeah, that's what most people do... with any HT you're limited in range anyway unless you setup your own repeaters, or have some local to you. But you're still on open airwaves anyway.

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[TX]YimYam
(id: 652657530786545755)

04 May 2020 04:44

I guess so as long as you’re talking to people you know you can always talk in code

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EDDSkitz
(id: 470383814544326666)

04 May 2020 04:45

The ones redbeard has there are expensive digital radios that require existing infrastructure, or are just as limited as a standard ham HT, with the addition of *legal* encryption.

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[TX]YimYam
(id: 652657530786545755)

04 May 2020 04:45

Do you need your general license for that right

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EDDSkitz
(id: 470383814544326666)

04 May 2020 04:45

Yeah, codes would be best anyway

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EDDSkitz
(id: 470383814544326666)

04 May 2020 04:46

It would be advisable to have your license for ham channels and definitely for repeater use, yes

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EDDSkitz
(id: 470383814544326666)

04 May 2020 04:47

Fuck the government and all, but the ham ops get their panites in a bunch over it, and things have been getting better and not worse over the years for that

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[TX]YimYam
(id: 652657530786545755)

04 May 2020 04:48

Well small team use aside the hobby interested me in general. I got a 8watt HT figured it was a good place to start

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[CA] SoyBoi
(id: 338553359843721218)

04 May 2020 04:48

When do you need a license? I'm getting a BaoFeng but not familiar with any of the legal crap

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[CA] SoyBoi
(id: 338553359843721218)

04 May 2020 04:48

That's what I ended up getting too

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EDDSkitz
(id: 470383814544326666)

04 May 2020 04:48

But in truth, there is no radio police, and rarely has there ever been prosecution resulting from illegal frequency use. You could probably get away with faking a callsign if you know all the rules and regs... but at that point why not take the cheap ass test

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EDDSkitz
(id: 470383814544326666)

04 May 2020 04:49

@[CA] SoyBoi technically you need a license to use a ham radio period

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[CA] SoyBoi
(id: 338553359843721218)

04 May 2020 04:49

That's fucking stupid

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EDDSkitz
(id: 470383814544326666)

04 May 2020 04:50

But..... many just use the FRS channels because they are unlicensed and absolutely not policed

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[CA] SoyBoi
(id: 338553359843721218)

04 May 2020 04:50

Whata FRS? I'm new to all this crop

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EDDSkitz
(id: 470383814544326666)

04 May 2020 04:50

It's only slightly stupid

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[CA] SoyBoi
(id: 338553359843721218)

04 May 2020 04:50

Just know a phone won't be a viable options, so need a radio

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EDDSkitz
(id: 470383814544326666)

04 May 2020 04:50

Only in that the government shouldn't be involved.

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EDDSkitz
(id: 470383814544326666)

04 May 2020 04:51

Just google FRS radio frequencies... much easier than me explaining it.

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EDDSkitz
(id: 470383814544326666)

04 May 2020 04:51

But they are the same channels the cheap radios from wally world use

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Yeetasaurus Rex
(id: 238880292138385418)

04 May 2020 04:52

I knew i should have boosted some xts5000's when i had the chance lol

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EDDSkitz
(id: 470383814544326666)

04 May 2020 04:52

But the china radios can be programmed for them and have much higher power than you're legally allowed to use so you get a little more range

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EDDSkitz
(id: 470383814544326666)

04 May 2020 04:53

@Yeetasaurus Rex you'd still need infrastructure and the programming software

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EDDSkitz
(id: 470383814544326666)

04 May 2020 04:53

Otherwise just a really expensive baofeng

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EDDSkitz
(id: 470383814544326666)

04 May 2020 04:54

Ypu can get Motorola CP200's for dirt cheap these days and use UHF channels and have a bulletproof radio

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Yeetasaurus Rex
(id: 238880292138385418)

04 May 2020 04:54

comms is the one thing im lacking right now. because IRC can only go so far.

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EDDSkitz
(id: 470383814544326666)

04 May 2020 04:55

Really it sucks for civilians.... either you use shitty China radios, or spend an assload of money getting a business license and buying frequency allocation

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Yeetasaurus Rex
(id: 238880292138385418)

04 May 2020 04:56

oh and CB's lol

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EDDSkitz
(id: 470383814544326666)

04 May 2020 04:56

I ran a radio rental business for a while, so I own some channel allocation, but still regular UHF that I'm not legally allowed to use encryption on. And that cost a few grand.

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[CA] SoyBoi
(id: 338553359843721218)

04 May 2020 04:57

Stupid question of the day, So the point is to use a frequency that no one nearby is using, to speak to the parties you want, or find the Channel someone is on to join them, and you can utilize it within the range of your radios capability correct?

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EDDSkitz
(id: 470383814544326666)

04 May 2020 04:57

Yeah, kinda...

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[CA] SoyBoi
(id: 338553359843721218)

04 May 2020 04:57

Any and all resources would be much appreciated

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EDDSkitz
(id: 470383814544326666)

04 May 2020 04:59

Say you had your HAM license.... you could most likely find repeaters in your area that you can absolutely jump on and talk to people, if you're friends have the license you can talk pretty good distances.

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EDDSkitz
(id: 470383814544326666)

04 May 2020 04:59

Even with a baofeng

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EDDSkitz
(id: 470383814544326666)

04 May 2020 05:00

If you're all in the woods doing innawoods stuff, you can just use those FRS channels, as most likely there won't be others within the few miles range that they work anyway.

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EDDSkitz
(id: 470383814544326666)

04 May 2020 05:01

Privacy and civilian radios isn't really a thing

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[TX]YimYam
(id: 652657530786545755)

04 May 2020 05:01

Best advice study for the license you’ll learn a lot of good shit along the way

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EDDSkitz
(id: 470383814544326666)

04 May 2020 05:01

Yeah

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[CA] SoyBoi
(id: 338553359843721218)

04 May 2020 05:01

So is the signal grid based? Or for example in the middle of nowhere can the radios be used stand alone to communicate to one another?

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EDDSkitz
(id: 470383814544326666)

04 May 2020 05:01

And if you're already into electronics and electrical stuff it's a breeze

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[CA] SoyBoi
(id: 338553359843721218)

04 May 2020 05:02

I'm into it, just have no idea about this area lol

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EDDSkitz
(id: 470383814544326666)

04 May 2020 05:02

Stand alone, or "simplex" is radio to radio

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EDDSkitz
(id: 470383814544326666)

04 May 2020 05:02

Repeaters are what you would call grid based.

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EDDSkitz
(id: 470383814544326666)

04 May 2020 05:03

You talk to a repeater in your range, and it rebroadcasts the signal much stronger out to others... but they still have to be in range of that repeater as well

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EDDSkitz
(id: 470383814544326666)

04 May 2020 05:03

Then there's DMR, but that uses the internet, so if that's down it's useless anyway

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[CA] SoyBoi
(id: 338553359843721218)

04 May 2020 05:03

Okay, and in simplex, would you just match frequencies or is it a different functionality on the radio?

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EDDSkitz
(id: 470383814544326666)

04 May 2020 05:04

Yeah, just match frequencies

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EDDSkitz
(id: 470383814544326666)

04 May 2020 05:04

Theres MUCH more to all this

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EDDSkitz
(id: 470383814544326666)

04 May 2020 05:04

But I'm trying to keep it super simple, YouTube really is your friend here.

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[CA] SoyBoi
(id: 338553359843721218)

04 May 2020 05:04

Yeah I'm gonna have to do some digging for sure

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[CA] SoyBoi
(id: 338553359843721218)

04 May 2020 05:05

I'll look shit up, but appreciate the help!

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[TX]YimYam
(id: 652657530786545755)

04 May 2020 05:05

Look for “Ham Radio Crash Course” on YT lots of good advice

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EDDSkitz
(id: 470383814544326666)

04 May 2020 05:06

Basically it's like this.... if you want an expensive hobby, get into hams. If you just want emergency comms if things break down, just learn the basic FRS/GMRS/weather band programming and keep your batteries charged.

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[TX]YimYam
(id: 652657530786545755)

04 May 2020 05:06

Also our little radios can reach out a little farther with a bigger antenna he reviews a 42 1/2 inch and antenna on there that’s pretty cheap

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EDDSkitz
(id: 470383814544326666)

04 May 2020 05:07

Yeah, but a few miles over flat ground is it

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