KAB3210

I've been licensed on GMRS (former Citizens Class A) as KAB3210 since 1977 and have had repeaters, base stations, small base stations, control stations, mobiles and handhelds on the air over the years. When I first was licensed, I was authorized on only 462.625 MHz. 

My research tells me (last time I searched) that I have the ninth oldest individual GMRS license in the United States, and the 17th oldest GMRS license overall when you add in businesses, governments and clubs that hold grandfathered licenses. I also have the fourth oldest GMRS individual license in Illinois, which tells you something about GMRS and the Lincoln State (yes, four out of the nine oldest GMRS licenses are in Illinois -- amazing, even though my Class A license originally was issued in Pennsylvania). The eight individual GMRS licenses older than mine in the USA are: KAA8142 (IL), KAA8420 (WI), KAA8478 (IL), KAA8488 (IL), KAA8919 (MI), KAB0664 (CO), KAB0941 (KS) and KAB1705 (VA). The eight non-individual GMRS licenses older than mine are: KAA9096 (NY-462.675), KAA9759 (OR-462.725), KAA9830 (FL-462.675), KAA9903 (UT-462.550), KAB0223 (WA-462.675), KAB1761 (RI-462.675), KAB1975 (MI-462.625) and KAB2141 (CA-462.625).

I rarely use FRS channels, although I have used FRS base stations as intercoms in my home in the past. I much prefer to use the full power of GMRS. I also like using MURS. I am involved with a sheriff's search and rescue team and am an officer of the organization and oversee our radio communications. I have been involved with groups in the past such as civil defense, emergency management, emergency medical services (EMT), ARES, RACES, Skywarn, etc.

I've held GMRS licenses in other entities' names, too, over the years, but let those licenses lapse when the FCC started charging for licenses, as well as when the FCC turned GMRS into individual-only licensing (even though those licenses could have been grandfathered).

I'm currently located in western Illinois and have local repeaters on the air and also use other repeaters for travel purposes, as you will see by the list of repeaters I have listed on this site. I also use GMRS for simplex communications. We have a simplex GMRS net in the Galena Territory south of Galena IL that I am active with.

In addition, I am active on the ham bands as N2DUP. I like to operate various digital modes such as DMR, P25, NXDN, dPMR, etc. I favor VHF and UHF over HF, even though I have been a contester in the past. I currently have a ham repeater on the air as well as a remote base patched from 440 to 146.520 (both are open access). I currently have VHF and UHF commercial repeaters on the air for business communications.

My various GMRS repeater locations around the USA are employed for itinerant operation while traveling in those areas and power output typically is kept low to avoid interference to others. NOTE: THERE IS NO NEED to request access to these repeaters because they are only in use for short periods of time while I am visiting those areas. I include the information on MyGMRS as a courtesy to you so that you know the pairs and tones I employ when you are setting up a system as to avoid interference to your local operations when I come in on an itinerant basis. Thank you.