marcspaz

First the earth cooled. And then the dinosaurs came, but they got too big and fat, so they all died and they turned into oil. And then the Arabs came and ...

@TrikeRadio Great question, BTW. Even if we have no intent on doing it, it's always fun to try to think through stuff like that. Sometimes, the 'what if' is very entertaining.

As Steve mentioned, there are some regulations preventing repeaters from transmitting on the 8 input channels. All repeaters can only transmit on the frequencies associated with channels 15 through 22. With that said, there are no restrictions on with input frequencies can be used... there is no law or rule requiring a specif frequency pairing. The only way I am aware to RF link GMRS repeaters while staying in the GMRS service is to use any GMRS frequency other than the 8 traditional repeater inputs as an input for each relay point. Now, here is where you may run into issues. Anything not explicitly denied is allowed. Since there are no laws or rule prohibiting the methods I mentioned, you can do it legally and within scope of the rules... BUT, depending on the User population in those repeater areas, you will P!$$0ff a ton of people. I would expect complaints to be filed. I say this because, instead of tying up one channel for one repeater, you are going to be using 2, 3, or possibly even 4 or more channels for a GMRS service based RF linked system. Now, if the FCC really wanted to be hard on someone, they could call it an RF network and try to prohibit the action under the "any other network" clause, even though its not a routed network. That's where having deep pockets for a lawyer would come in handy. Edit: I forgot to mention, due to the type of duplexers and filtering needed, this would be extremely expensive to build.

Randy!!! That was supposed to be private. No beard touching tonight!

That is the nicest compliment I have gotten in months!

A little something from this weekend...

No worries. I appreciate that. I love the service too. I'm just a little tired. Just got home from a huge offroad trip to to Uwharrie and need a nap. LoL Im definitely looking forward to meeting you. It's always great to meet someone passionate about the hobby and making new friends.

That would be awesome! PM me next time you’re heading over and I'll try to swing by.

Im tired of arguing with strangers on the internet. Im not going to get any further into it. If you're genuinely interested and in my area, join ARES, show up in person for some training events and actually show up to support an agency activation, and you can see how everything works.

You're welcome to believe whatever you would like.

Yes... I completely agree with your opinion. That's why when I started the IPT, I recruited multiple people who have actually done this specific task before. Hire the right people for the job, is my best bet.

Im not sure about citation, but I am an Amateur Radio Emergency Service (ARES) assistant emergency coordinator in one county, an ARES operator another county, support the state and DHS regionally and we use both amateur radio and FRS/GMRS to assist the government in their operations as SOP. Not everyday or every event, but when we have unlicensed volunteers or government employees that need to speak directly to operators, we usually stuff an FRS radio in their hand, as an example.

I studied constitutional law and the founding and framing of the US. That doesn't mean I know everything about everything.

The thing I hear the most is "you're not a real Ham if you don't know CW." And my favorite is the guy on the repeater saying "I only operate on CW.", but 10 minutes before that he was (on the repeater) bragging about making 3,000 contacts on FT8 last night. LoL

The real answer is no, but I'm sure he'll make some BS up, or tell you to do your own research. Sadly, I will never know his answer, as he is on my ignore list

That sucks to see. Depending on the state, he can be looking at jail time for that stunt.

The information above is technically accurate, but should we caveat that for the woods? Since the forest isn't consistent in density, levels of foliage change, the amount of water in the trees vary, etc. actual results may vary.

We were doing that for our friend Roland, too. We appended his REACT number to our call signs at the end of our conversations... like WRAB123 43. I agree it's a nice gesture.

Not only that, why would the site shutdown?

@WRUU653 wow! I did miss that one! Thanks for the link.

Wait... what? What did I miss?

Signed and posted comment... I believe that the ability to link repeaters over an internet connection is crucial to the success of public safety networks. There are a tremendous amount of GMRS repeater owners who allow volunteer response groups such as REACT, ARES and RACES that support the federal, state and local government in emergency response, as part of logistic divisions and moving critical information. Terrain often is the largest obstacle, reducing radio coverage. The ability to link multiple repeaters (network and RF) would greatly increase the coverage area for the emergency volunteer groups, helping preserve life and property during a mass-casualty crisis.

Rich, as I FYI, I have started an IPT here in the DC area to work on a Petition for Substantive Rulemaking, rather than simply trying to sway Policy Statements. Right now we have a team of 5 communications professionals, some also with experience in writing bills and several have direct POCs in the FCC. If you have any interest in hearing about our plans or potentially joining the IPT, please send me a PM. Anyone who has looked at previous FCC proposed changes relating to PRS/GMRS, has seen how much consideration is given to MyGMRS and its members. I believe you would be a great addition to the IPT.

Im not going to lie... sometimes I'm the "some people" identified in your closing statement. BUT... in my defense, as soon as everyone realizes I am always right, we will all get along much better.

There is definitely possibility to include additional frequency allocations, modulation types (p25/c4fm for example) and modifications to existing rules. There is a tremendous amount of effort, multiple agency and organization coordination required for identifying potential additional frequencies, expanding an existing service. So, the team will be looking at level of effort and likelihood to succeed. We are going to need public support in order for any changes to occur. I am 100% certain that any proposed changes will be socialized in places like like MyGMRS. We have just started discussing what the makeup of the IPT will look like. Once the team is selected, the meetings will start. I suspect this will take some time... and we can't make any promises beyond we will try... but key players are committed. I was wait for the "that escalated quickly" meme.