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Hello GMRS "gang", After a few postings and reflection, it is clear that GMRS owners need to make an orientation video, and/or hold a group zoom for new users before allowing access. This will be my approach 100%. In this meeting or video, politely addressing operational guidelines and expectations up front would really help! Because new users have no idea what to do, and seasoned and fresh "hammy's" are already going down the wrong path, sound mentorship is the answer. Not a rigorous military drill set, but a practical and open discussion. New users WANT to know what to do, and many "hams" think they know what to do. It is an unhealthy combo for sure. It's about getting along, sharing the resource, and not making the repeater owner want to get two sticks and gouge their eardrums out...

Wow!!! That is just enough of a dozer to make you wish you actually had one!.......................

Yes!!! I totally support your pal in what he did with his repeater. It is as though we need to have some kind of "intervention" for hams once they come to GMRS. I dare say that holding a zoom meeting with camera's and faces where discussion about the inappropriate habits that "hams" develop would be addressed. It is NOT about "good people" or "bad people", yet bringing out into the light, an open discussion of the horrid operating habits that "hams" rapidly develop. It would be like some type of initial "repeater orientation" style meeting which would be a requirement before a repeater owner will allow access. I can't see any other way to deal with this other than head on... I SAY AGAIN! Utility use is people inclusive! Hammy ham lingo makes it people exclusive!

Well, Logged in after not having been on here a while, and saw this thread. Thanks to Marc for taking the time! I shudder at the thought though of "ham" style culture becoming the "norm" for GMRS. Please refrain from emotional reactions, but I promise everyone that if this "cultural" situation of "hammy style" becomes the norm? GMRS will be in trouble. Using CW lingo/shorthand for voice modes is one of the operating habits of hams that are not the best. How many times have you heard the propane delivery guy using ham lingo when on the radio? Aircraft? EMS? Timber crews? Pipline? Railroad? Marine SSB (not ham but actual maritime SSB), Coast Guard, I can go on and on!! The phonetic alphabet is essential at times, and important to learn. Utility use is "inclusive" and using ham lingo is "exclusive"...

hello, I sure would like to know the status of this overhaul in your area. Trends in user numbers? Of course its too soon for certain conclusions, yet this disciplined strategy sounds well thought out.

If there were to be some kind of interference issue from this repeater? Yes, the FCC would get involved because the ITU looms larger in this situation and coordination in each international ITU region is how things are managed normally. The CB scene is a mess pretty much globally, but this is off topic from the US/Canada border posting about the GMRS repeater. ITU agreements are there to prevent as many issues as possible.

As more groups try to keep up with the next guy/group on the linking subject, the ideas of keeping comms brief as possible is going to be VERY important!! I can't stress this enough. It is mind boggling to think of one paid subscription service I know that is methodically dominating the 8 channel space like they do. One guy pushes his xmit button and he is heard from Macon to Chattanooga with topics that have no relevance to anyone else. Yes, before anyone starts soiling themselves, it's a giant party line I know. The part that amazes me that I have never once heard anyone behind these kinds of linked systems say is, "gee, perhaps we need to chill out a little as we are hijacking every available channel". One time a radio pal of mine asked me, "why are you so rarely on the radio?"... I said, "because most of the time I have little to nothing to say". His response was a classic, he said, "well...that never stopped anybody"... Epic statement. The money steers the ship though. No matter how real, honest, and measurable, any of the postings on this thread are? Where does change actually occur? It starts with each and every one of us.

Hi "UncleYoda"... Somehow, your emotions are deleting the core part of the suggestion. There are 8 channels. I have never read that "hams should be banned", yet I am suggesting that "hams" unwittingly develop operating habits that do not blend well with the 8 channel spectrum allocated. My vision for even bringing this up, is to call attention to this which may cause "hams" calling other "hams" on GMRS to politely say, "OK let's roll over to 70cm or 2m or some where else so that we don't clog the space..." that's all. No malice, no hidden advocacy, no "ham loathing"... Just bringing the idea that setting a precedent where we all behave as gentlemen and ladies and handle things with decency is encouraged. That is all.

Bingo!!!! In an effort to link and expand coverage? This unwittingly expands the impact of non-utility behavior issues. North Georgia GMRS I used and subscribed until the linking started. The utility user numbers crashed, and the ham type numbers went up. It's a paid service so there goes the neighborhood. That was the catalyst for starting to acquire decent hardware to run my own cooker.

axorlov.... This is not possible or even on topic to "ban" hams... It is 100% about openly talking and being able to say to your ham buddies, hey this is really a utility use type service, lets not clog it up so we should move to band xyz for the carry on... It is in fact about developing a pragmatic attitude where "we share the resource"... that would make it work. Forget you tube and all that baggage. Those people are paid to act weird and enjoy doing it. Its all good.

That means there is a problem with this issue.... Larger than I had even thought. Someone coming from the "ham bands" needs to reflect on operating habits a little before diving in. GMRS is best served as a "utility" user area. People could discipline themselves enough to make this work because.... Oh am I ever going to get it for saying this... Because if people use it like "hams" do? It's shot for utility use when in range of a repeater. I know I'm a new poster here and that statement will likely get me banned for life when the flames start. It's OK. I'm still my own life path either way. thanks to everyone for the thoughtful posts. ---Joseph

Yes, There are some thoughtful posts here and commendable. I thought many things that were typed by others, yet was trying to be as polite as possible. Rants and raves don't help anything. IF any good can come of this, I would like it to be known that it was a polite suggestion that eating the rag, endless weather chat, and a parade of random electromagnetic FM is kinda hard on "utility users"... This is what I meant when I said, "hams develop some operating habits that are not the best"... This was not meant in disrespect in any way. It is an empirical observation. Those techniques need and want to be in the ham bands so I only ask politely, not with hidden advocacy. Steps to help with this could be as simple as resisting the urge to xmit if you honestly have nothing to say. It would really help a lot! By the way, I had NO IDEA that the license fee was 35 now! OMG! Chinese radios and this? I had been accumulating quality commercial hardware to put my system up for almost 5 years now. This indeed could potentially become an "issue"... Knowing all this? I am off the fence and it will stay private for now, yet still open to public use if I don't start to hear fresh dung hittin da fan...

Yeah.... This is a tough one and don't take it personally. I have a repeater and have not yet decided if I want to post it as available or not... In an ideal setting, I would like to give access to everyone with GMRS users having priority over "ham" type users. Ham types have plenty of other places to go, and from the perspective of providing public access, I want to do this. Yet, I worry that users that have come from the ham side have learned some operating habits that are not the best at times. I honestly don't know how I am going to address this issue if I take it public. I get 40 miles of coverage so the system is working really nice too. On the fence on this one myself so I suspect the owner you are describing thought about these issues also. Too bad the interpersonal skills were not up to par though. J