WRQU476

Totally understood, but, when traveling, like I just tried across 3 states, mostly rural low demand areas were station crowding will never be an issue (like most of where a lot of newcomer and safety conscious family users would I think really like to use it), the complication of the non-standard PL search was difficult to say the least. A standard travel tone similar handshake setting or code generator would be a solution for short term visitation like travel? It is a problem squarely set on travel safety and brief family or group communication across unfamiliar territory. Some travel standard would fix it and wouldn’t invade or overburden anyone to a great degree. I assume this will never change though. I contend KISS is better than the downsides.

I meant to type this “This highly complicates the relative ease of GMRS usage across family members who might travel or whatever.” And I add that just because it is supposedly easy for some to carry their computer and cord and then search and hopefully find the right PL TONEs as we travel (hahaha sure try it) it is not at all easy for the vast majority of users. I know I am right on this LOL

I am finding there are MANY PL Tones used area by area, state by state, for GMRS Repeaters. This moves the relative ease of GMRS usage across family members who might travel or whatever. I understand that someone or a group that maintains the equipment to support a repeater for an area might like to keep the PL Tones (the access tones, secret handshake tones etc) to themselves but it does add a huge layer of complication to the use of the GMRS system for the average user which it sure seems the GMRS system was designed for. There is plenty of room for secrecy of PL Tones in the complicated HAM realm and that is part of that great hobby or business application but IMO this should not be how it works in the GMRS world. I wish the FCC required GMRS repeaters to all use a standard tone. Let the rest of the HAM world remain a puzzle to be unfolded and learned by those inclined for such things. I myself am an Extra Class HAM and I still would like GMRS to be uncomplicated and have widespread usage for many practical and fun reasons.