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So here's how linking works for repeaters. Most repeater owners are going to make a decision regarding what they are going to link to if anything at all. They own the repeater and make that decision. Now a good number of owners will choose to not link at all. But the ones that do decide to link are gonna do what makes them happy. And the end users are typically NOT going to have any input on what the repeater is linked to. One of the things that will get you in deep crap is creating a link to a repeater without the permission of the repeater owner. Yes, it's possible to do but I am not gonna sit here and explain how to do something that will get your NODE banned forever, get you possibly banned from this site. SO don't ask, cuz we ain't saying. To the actual design of the system. The system is made up of node's and hubs. The hubs are either the wide area hubs, or state wide hubs. The wide area hubs on this system are the ones with a three digit ID number. The national hub being hub number 100. Midwest is 169 and so on. Anyone can connect to those hubs that has a valid node with an issued ID. Or you can connect to state hubs (what I do) for your local state or a state that has one. Now these hubs are privately owned. So some level of permission MAY be required to connect to those state wide hubs. That is for you to work out. If there are no local repeaters that are connected to the system, or you are wanting to connect to ta different local system than the repeater owner that is local to you is connected to you can obviously put up your own repeater and do as you like. At least as long as the hub you are connecting to allows you to connect to it. Again, that's for you to work out with that hub owner. In addition, individual repeaters can be linked together via the system. Again, with permission. You can set your node to connect to another node. That node can be anywhere. So a node in California can connect to a node in Ohio, or New York, or another node in California. The sky's the limit for that sort of thing. And putting up a repeater is NOT difficult. And there are a number of us here that can assist with that effort if you ask. Some of us, like me, are commercial radio tech's and do this sort of work all the time. Other's are really good with the specific configuration of the node software and are a wealth of information wihen it comes to that.

Yes, as you close in to the repeater, you will be able to pickup traffic on the input from local users. You can then decode which tones the local users are using to gain input to the repeater --> War Driving! Also, if they do not use tones on their reception of the output frequency, they can hear you, if you chose to transmit on the output frequency to inquire about permission to use/membership/tones, etc.

Yes, we’ve discussed Reverse here before and customarily. It is a ham radio feature. On my radioddity DB 20 – G, it only becomes available after one “unlock“ the radio. it is a handy feature when hunting down repeaters

There is no Front Panel Programming mode on the Motorola CDM radios. You need to have software & a specific programming cable in order to change the programming that's already in the radio. Changing the tone on an existing channel is about a 10 minute job, start to finish. Getting the correct software & cable is much more of a job than doing the actual work. If it's a one-time change, then it's probably more cost effective to pay someone else to do the programming. Without knowing where you are located, hard to recommend somewhere local to take it to, but I'd start by searching for "Motorola radio dealer +_________________" and fill in the ______ with your local city/metro/county location. There are people advertising programming services for those radios on Ebay starting @ $30 + return shipping costs. CDM's are fine radios with good audio and decent build quality. They were at the pinnacle of analog radio technology 20 years ago.

LOL- did not even realize that. I dont even have that model, I have two Wouxun KGs. Thanks you FCC ?

I cant recommend enough an air cannon. This little $40 project changed everything. First shot, first try got my line 100ft over the exact branch I was aiming for. antenna at about 80'-85' vs 25'-35' is a massive difference. lv_0_20221216141102.mp4

Thanks to Randy's discount code, I got my unit a few days ago. An early xmas gift from my wife. I have a Wouxun KG-UV9-Pro from BSR. Both radios a very good. The 20+ watts makes a big difference for me due to the hills and Mt. Diablo near me. I was able to connect to the repeater in Sunol and was able to converse with clarity. I paired it with a pyramid 6 amp PS. I have an Ed Fong antenna on my roof/side of the house (HOA) with a 25 foot KMR 400 (amazon) cable. My SureComm digital meter shows upto 22 Watts out with SWR of 1.18. So far no issues. There was one weird anomaly this afternoon that the tones for one of the repeaters got set to off, hence it can't talk and hear on that repeater. Watch Randy's videos on this model to get to additional info, he has one when it first came out and a follow up when it went "plus". The free Wouxun software makes it easy to change setting but it does NOT have the ability to import/export. My UV9-Pro has tons of channels and I can't port them over, not even copy and paste using the Wouxun software. The RT systems software (around $25) does not show one for the xs20G. The Wouxun Commander for the XS20G does not recognize the file output from the UV9-pro. WRUT935/Benjo

Ah, you don't often find a "Reverse" function on GMRS radios. Mostly they use a function that converts to simplex on the repeater output channel, whereas Reverse will have you listen to the input and if you choose to, transmit on the output.

Remember not all groups want other folks on their repeaters. This isn't ham radio. Some folks install repeaters for themselves only. I actually removed all my repeaters from this site for that exact reason. If its listed as open then send the request and wait. There are folks who come here, register a repeater and never come back. Thats part of the issue. Its been an issue for years. Others just are busy. I see messages here and there asking if my stuff is still online and I try to reply when i can to say its closed but life happens and I am sure many get lost in email land Just wanted to share a repeater owners aspect.

No, he said he couldn’t tell the difference between the Wouxun XS20G or 935G SOC radios and superheterodyne radios, but he could tell a big difference between the Wouxun SOC radios and cheaper SOC radios. Therefore he would also be able to tell a big difference between superheterodyne radios and the cheaper SOC radios.

A GMRS repeater may only be operated under a GMRS license. A ham club certainly could collocate a GMRS repeater at their repeater site, but it would have to have a GMRS call sign reflecting its operator’s GMRS license.