pridge

Hi Everyone.
 
I've been reading and trying to better understand the GMRS world.  Got my license a few months ago.  Lots of great info here and much appreciated.  I've tried to contact the repeater owners in my area and I'm just not getting any responses.  I've started with the MXT115 and didn't know about the narrow band issues at the time.  I don't think I've heard a call sign in the short time I've had it, just basically all business traffic.  Maybe this is the norm until I get a better radio, I don't know.  Anywho I just wanted hi and that I appreciate this forum.

Welcome to MyGMRS. You won't hear call signs being used unless you are active on a repeater. Many users just don't use their call signs on single channel (Also known as simplex) operations because so many unlicensed users are on those channels. This is due to the legalization of "Combo" bubble pack radios. The biggest issue with this is that nobody reads the manual, which is why you end up hearing businesses using the "Family radio service" frequencies. They find it cheaper and easier to use such radios than it is to pay the FCC for a license and then purchasing proper part 90 radio equipment.

After running a search of your callsign I only found two repeaters close to your city of residence, Lakeshore and Rock. Lakeshore is open to all users, while asking for permission is always a good idea, the first paragraph of the repeaters listing reads "Repeater is 100% Duty cycle...free to use it as you need it. 45 watt Machine located  12 miles south of Bandera in a neighborhood called Whartons Dock/ Lake Medina Shores, open repeater for all Licensed GMRS users and their Family,  Please feel free to throw a call out to see if anyone is around, I'm always looking for radio checks from different locations to see what coverage I can get." I take this as you do not need permission and may call on the system anytime. The Rock on the other paw does require permission to use and the repeater owner should be in contact with more information about permissible uses. Please keep an eye on your spam folder as I have found that sometimes e-mails through MyGMRS have gone there. If you have not heard back from the owner after a month, you can try reaching out to them a second time for permission (Sometimes e-mails are overlooked when we are busy, or perhaps the owner was away on vacation and has not checked their e-mail.)

On a last note I would like to point out that both repeaters are a distance from you. The Lakeshore repeater is the closer of the two, is about 20 miles away with a range listed as 13 miles. Rock is much further away and only has a range of 20 miles. You may have difficulty reaching either of those repeaters when mobile.