WRQH837

I just got on the wait list for the Wouxon KG-UV9GX. I figured I could use it as a scanner to see if I have any real interest in scanning and/or Ham before spending big bucks, and I can use it with my GMRS.  

Hi Steve, 
Thanks for answering the original question in such a concise way! I've been reading a lot online and have found pieces of this information here and there. It's really nice to see it summarized.  Now, I know why emergency radios have the bandwidth they have, and I also know what I need to do to listen to local emergency services. All of you here have helped a lot! 

Going back to your original question, the range of frequencies the Crane Skywave covers are those which allow you to listen to transmissions from around the world, given a good antenna system.  They are the frequencies used by shortwave radio stations and ham radio operators which are best at long distances.  They propagate worldwide, bouncing or skipping off layers within the atmosphere and the earth itself and when conditions are just right you should be able to listen to radio stations from around the world without any networking or repeaters.
That specific range of frequencies is also called HF which stands for High Frequency.  In the Amateur Radio world HF extends from 3 MHz to 30 MHz (3000 kHz to 30,000 kHz).  VHF is 30 MHz to 300 MHz and UHF is 300 MHz to 3000 MHz (3 GHz).
As frequencies get higher, they no longer bounce as well.  They travel more in a straight line. This makes radios in the VHF and  UHF ranges better for local communications, such as fire, police, and utility services. It also makes them better for communicating via satellites.  If you wish to listen to those services, a true scanner, with the capability of listening to trunked and digital transmissions would be appropriate.  

You may want to find a scanner like a Uniden or Whistler, or even a used Radio Shack scanner that will range into the UHF and higher frequencies. CCrane appears to focus on the lower shortwave frequencies up to VHF. Could be a marketing decision, could be because of the expense or technical challenges. Or both.  Either way, a scanner may be your answer.

I used BCD235XLT for years, till all the law enforcement, fire, EMT, and even city comms in my area went to P25 Phase 2. I gave away this scanner, it was good, but a bit tedious to program: everything must be done from the front panel. It also had a NiMH battery pack, that was easy to replace.
Just a few days ago I found a deal on ebay that I can't pass, for the BCD325P2 scanner, beaten up but working. These P25 scanners are expensive. It also a breeze to program from computer using regular mini-USB cable.
The difference between scanner and regular HT is that scanner is scanning much faster, so less chance to miss communication, and a lot of them, even cheap ones, can also scan trunked systems

OK, figured it out!  

Check these for Ham frequencies near you http://www.interceptradio.com  and https://www.radioreference.com then program them in like other frequencies you have added. 

Thanks for the info! I was under the impression I could switch to a HAM band and scan it. I may have been mistaken. But, hey, I'm a newb! 

Most if not all repeaters will have a "squelch tail". I've heard different people call it different things. But if you can receive the repeater, when you transmit to the repeater, you will hear this "squelch tail" at the end of your transmission. Some repeaters have certain noises on their squelch tails, such as beeps, and some have none. That is why you will hear people "kerchunk" a repeater. They are just testing that they can hit it. When you unkey your mic, if you don't hear this squelch tail, you aren't hitting the repeater. It is kind of hard to explain this sound as it can be different on every repeater. One repeater in my area does a small double beep, and another one doesn't so it just sounds like a quick burst of static at the end of my transmission. 

Side Note: The squelch tail is actually the end of your own transmission. due to distance and time through the duplexer, you receive your own transmission, just a few hundredths of a second behind.

Hi,
New to GMRS. I have KG-905G's with all their accessories x2. The wife and I wanted a form of communication besides cell phones, just in case, you know, an earthquake, etc. happens. We're in East County San Diego. I asked for access to the ECOM repeaters in my area, just in case, you know, zombies, etc.  We did a quick test and we can get around 2.5 miles with the Nagoya antennas. I do not have a base station yet, but I was thinking of a Wouxan KG-XS20G Plus to start. Maybe a 1000G depending on finances. 
Frank 
 
Edit - Oh, I wanted to add - thanks to NotARubicon, your videos helped me with my purchases. Thanks, man!