WSEZ864

Most repeaters are 'tone coded' (CTCSS) and not DCS. Double check your repeater's requirements.

I have two ground planes mounted above one another on a single PVC mast mounted to my chimney. The top antenna is for 2 meters and the lower one is for GMRS. The top of the lower antenna is about 12" below the bottom of the upper antenna. No noticeable interaction.

Just checked - back online this morning.

Doesn't seem to be working. I've never had trouble reaching it and just now tried a test with no response. Either down or a new tone.

Every 15 minutes and, as you say, at the end.

Amphenol.

Agreed. One thing to take notice of is that most GMRS radio marketing statements specify power as "up to x watts", or "as much as x watts" and do not actually state your 40 watt radio will deliver 40 watts.

Fixed.

I just went to the FCC ULS Search site and searched my amateur call and it popped right up.

I have several SWR meters of varying frequency ranges and varying precision that I've used successfully in the past. I finally went for the nanoNVA-H4. I find it very useful and fascinating to experiment with. Having a full sweep of the band and broadband capability (mine goes to 1.5gHz) is immensely helpful with building/tuning antennas. While much the same SWR info can be gained by MANY readings on an straight (single-frequency at a time) SWR meter, the VNA does it all almost instantaneously, and also offers other useful test modes, such as cable testing. My only regret is not buying one sooner.

Not me, I ain't skeered of nothin', I'm married. While I'd like to see the OP edited to make sense, from what I can squeeze out of it, I think you're right. We do the same thing to encourage kids in amateur radio. During Field Day, we act as "Control Operators" and encourage kids to make contacts, which unfailingly delights them. We also work with the Boy Scouts and help them earn their "Electronics" badges by virtue of letting them use our radios and making it a point to be available during their activity days so they can make successful contacts.

I agree. In my brief time here, I see the same thing. I've been a ham for more than 11 years, but just got my GMRS license and a couple GMRS radios last October. I think each radio service has its place, strong points and weaknesses. I didn't get into GMRS for its 'ham lite' aspect, I did it to exploit another means of communication between family and friends who do not wish to get licensed. I put a GMRS setup with battery backup at my sister's house, giving us fail-safe commo no matter what grid conditions are like. I have friends who will use FRS gear, however neutered, due to not having to be licensed, and yet other friends who would get the GMRS license because it doesn't require specialized knowledge they don't need for anything else in life and provides enhanced performance. For those who still wish to push GMRS past its intended usage, wishing for things like linked repeaters, clubs and nets, I'd suggest just getting your amateur radio license and do those things effectively and in earnest. I live in a relatively populated area (between Baltimore and DC) and there are literally a dozen or more ham repeaters, sponsored by a dozen clubs, within earshot of my relatively modest setup. Most have nets at least once a week and my club has two, an ARES net and our club 'roundtable' net. Some are linked across broad coverage areas and some even provide 'EchoLink' coverage, meaning you can log into a net or repeater from a computer anywhere you have internet access. Ham repeaters have greater range and greater participation rates than GMRS. If group activities interest you, we have a "Field Day" exercise every June where a bunch of us set up portable equipment on temporary/emergency power and operate non-stop for 48 hours. Most clubs have other activities as well, like hamfests, group breakfasts, parties and radio coverage for events like marathons. There is very little difference in equipment costs - antennas and feedlines (coax) are the same, and while one can buy "nicer" ham radios and amplifiers (you are allowed 1,500 watts on most bands) for bigger money, there is no shortage of operators successfully using the exact same brands of ChiCom equipment being used here. I am an amateur radio "Volunteer Examiner" and help give amateur radio service licensing exams almost every month (we skip some months due to holidays). Honestly, the Technician level exam is NOT that hard and even the entry-level Technician license provides privileges that allow capability FAR beyond GMRS We have had kids less than 10 years old passing the exams. Our last exam session had 5 candidates (two men and three women) and the worst one passed with only three wrong answers (you're allowed to miss 9 of 35 for Tech & General). Our pass rate is something like 86%, and the candidates that fail often show signs of not having studied at all. I think most people over-complicate the exams. You don't even have to be a math genius, if you ace everything else you can blow ALL of the math questions and still pass. In my opinion, the most effective way to study is to use one of the practice exam sites. I like this one: https://hamexam.org/flash_cards/18-Technician due to the instant feedback. I realize many would prefer to know the theory vs "studying for the exam", but one really doesn't start learning until they get licensed and start using the radio. I'm not trying to "sell" ham, the amateur radio bands are already crowded enough, but to show its not as hard as you think and to offer a viable solution to those who look to GMRS for features beyond its intent and capability. Meantime, let GMRS be GMRS, a radio service intended to support activities and family commo.

"CSQ" (carrier squelch) is an optional setting on the receiving radio and works exactly the same way it would on GMRS frequencies, as do other squelch settings. On simplex, carrier squelch is most often used, with CTCSS being used most often when working repeaters.

Telling our ham confederates that we got started in CB actually goes over smoother, because they can assume we grew out of it.