Leaderboard

Some people make things way too complex. Overanalysis = paralysis. As for CWID, yes, a repeater can and will transmit morse code on the output (462.xxxx) frequency. If you really read deep into the rules, I suppose that you can make a case that the mobile unit which transmits into the repeater on 467.xxxx should also be identifying. A simple verbal call sign identification would serve that purpose, but I'm also not aware of a single case of the FCC ever taking action against some one who only identified on the GMRS repeater's output. There are tone panels out there which will CWID based upon the tone/PL/DPL in use. In short, you can have different CWID's for different users, and pre-program them into the repeater based upon the user's PL tone. A pretty easy way to have multiple users identifying off a single repeater. There are plenty of type accepted Part 95 radios out there, but they're not all being sold new anymore. Wanting brand new limits your choices, for sure. There's also no FCC action I've ever seen that the FCC took against someone for using re-purposed Part 90 radios, and there's been a few letters and tacit admissions posted by the FCC where they realize that people are using surplus Part 90 radios and repeaters for GMRS. Does lack of enforcement = legal? Probably not, but I'll still keep using Part 90 gear until such time as the FCC tells me to stop. Over the air, there's little way to tell what type of radio someone is using. I guess some people like to know exactly who is talking & wish for an easy way to identify such. I view an automated CWID as being legal, slightly more anonymous, and a whole lot easier to use for my family. We don't need to spend 10 seconds identifying ourselves before we see if Mom wants milk on the way home. We let the automated CWID take care of all that after we're done talking.

Maybe, but I've been looking into making a neighborhood repeater and it sure helped me.