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I also get how many might not like some kind of membership fee for use....but as the sole financier of my own solar site @8800 ft in a remote area of New Mexico to help some 100+ families who have no cell service or other means of communication I didn't feel bad at all about asking for an annual donation that worked out about 9-12$\month....I have some $13K of my own in this site & must maintain batteries & all site maint on my own....Most who ask for some fee I will say are most likely just trying to cover their installation\operational costs....for the few who might be doing it for a profit motive...well I will leave judgment on that to others although I personally do not agree with trying to operate as a for-profit enterprise...so I practice what I preach..& "donations" to me for my site use are optional, not mandatory. And even like this nearly all who use it have tried to donate something to help so I still have some faith in human nature

It is sort of like asking, why someone doesn't make their car available for all to use. Private property is just that, private. If the repeater's owner wants to allow someone else to use it, that is great, and a privilege to those allowed to use it. Asking permission is a reasonable request.

Our neighborhood has most of the electrical underground. Except, for the transformer pedestal 50 feet from my front door. Not much in the way with interference on GMRS, 2m and 70cm bands. Although, I mostly just listen. So I couldn't tell you how it affects transmit purity. One of my neighbors a couple of blocks over has his long wire slung in the trees. He doesn't have any complaints on any of the bands. Well I take it back, he was complaining about all the vegetation interfering with his satellite play time. http://k3rrr.com/ Now the plethora of Plasma screen T.V.s in my neighborhood make trying to listen to HF with the SDR is another story. Should mention I have neighbors up real close to all sides of my house. Close enough my kids watch his living room T.V. from our living room.