SDK

338538504_ActiveGMRSRepeatersInMaine-2022-08-10.pdf 2022-08-16 - Active Maine GMRS Licenses by Call Sign.pdf 2022-08-16 - Active Maine GMRS Licenses by Name.xlsx

It seems like there are new and stronger repeaters going up every week lately. It is hard to keep up with them all. I am trying to put together a document with all the specs available. Attached is what I have compiled so far. Maine GMRS Repeaters - 2022-06-09.pdf

Line A in Maine.pdf

Having a repeater in Lincoln / Lee area should encourage a lot more people to join the GMRS wave - especially the off-road crowd. Thanks for taking the lead on that project. Keep us updated on your progress. WQYC747 / Steve / Androscoggin County P.S. Any Preppers Out There? Let's Network!

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GMRS is staring to gain interest in Central Maine. I expect it will grow even faster after April 19, 2022 when the license fee is reduced to $35. Auburn700 GMRS Node https://www.facebook.com/groups/3795863640461777 Maine GMRS https://www.facebook.com/groups/474386201046836 WQYC747 / KC1LGL

Better late than never.

I had the Midlands, too and was very dissatisfied with them. I now have two BaoFeng BF-F8HP handhelds with Nagoya NA-771 antennas and have had no issues with them. The range of frequencies they cover is great! - 136MHz-174MHz VHF and 400MHz-520MHz UHF. It has 128 fully programmable memory channels. I highly recommend them. https://baofengtech.com/product/bf-f8hp/

If there are any other Maine Preppers out there, check out our family's mission to educate, enlighten, and entertain. We will be doing a video on GMRS (and Ham) radio sometime this year. https://www.maineprepperkids.com/

Hi Mark, Yes, we have spoken on air. I am not on a lot right now, too many other things to do that make it difficult. I have BaoFeng BF-F8HP handhelds as my main radios. I have my original UV-5R in the car with an external antenna and a 12-volt power adapter. I also have it running through my car sound system for better clarity. I really like their expanded frequency range that makes them good for both Ham and GMRS as well as emergency services monitoring. Do you know of any Preppers in our area? My wife and I are part of a loose-knit group. Have been trying to get everyone outfitted, licensed, and trained on GMRS since none of them are inclined to get Ham licenses. I got my Ham license [KC1LGL] three years ago (one of my retirement projects). Steve / WQYC747

My reason for asking is that if there are repeaters in the North Maine Woods (NMW) for the state officers to use, maybe there would be locations where GMRS and/or Ham repeaters could be installed for us civilians when we are in the area.

I was researching yesterday and found that it is still $70 (March 8, 2022). Spread out over 10 years it is still worth getting when you want it. Why wait for just a penny a day savings?

Do you know what the Game Wardens and Forest Rangers use for communication in the NMW?

Are there any Prepper-minded folks out here? SouthernPrepper1 has a video on YouTube to give us Mainers a chance to connect in his comments section. I have tried, but we Mainers are a skeptical bunch and aren't prone to "join in" easily. I have recently started trying to connect with Preppers on GMRS and Ham. No contact yet. GMRS, with the repeaters out there, is perfect for Preppers.

Even the Ham must be limited to HF. I don't think there are any linked VHF or UHF repeaters up there, are there? I have a friend with as camp in the Allagash and was looking for one he could use.

Trickydogshow Was that the second stage of the licensing process? The first stage is just to get your FRN (FCC Registration Number) which is at no cost. After you get that you have to log in with your FRN to apply for a license.

Currently there are 655 active GMRS licenses in Maine and 5,051 active Ham licenses, although some are Silent Key. WQYC747 / KC1LGL - Steve

I should add that the Spruce Mountain repeater is owned and operated by Jeff Hartford <n1snr@yahoo.com> - WQQG491 and site owner Dave Libby - WQOP567. They are happy to let folks use it, but would like to know who you all are, so please look them up and report in.

Hi WROM399, welcome to the air! Sorry I didn't notice you sooner. I don't come here very often. There is a repeater on Spruce Mountain in Woodstock that is the best around. Can you program duplex for a repeater on your radio? It is set up on Channel 20 - 462.675 MHz with a +5 MHz offset and a 156.7 PL Tone on the input. It has the best range of all GMRS repeaters around. It is about 2,400' above sea level and has a 80-90 Watts ERP. I heard an operator calling from Dover-Foxcroft just the other day. WQYC747 - Steve in Mechanic Falls

Me too: KAGF6091

I highly recommend the BauFeng BF-F8HP for handhelds. They are 8-watt transceivers with a wide range of VHF and UHF frequencies including two Ham bands (2m & 70cm), FRS/GMRS, MURS, and many local emergency services frequencies so you can use them as scanners. They are currently $62.89 each. I recommend getting the longer NA-771 antenna at $16.99 and a spare battery or two. Check them out at baofengtech.com. For a mobile rig the UV-25X2 or UV-50X2 are affordable options with the same capabilities and much higher power. Get the programming cable and use the free application CHIRP to program them. Been there, done that with the Midlands - never again. WQYC747

Hi Gang, I just stumbled onto this "Central Maine" thread. I also have both GMRS and Ham General licenses. The GMRS is for the family blanket for travel or recreational use mostly. Not much, if any, traffic on GMRS these days. I listen to the Streaked Mountain repeater in Buckfield sometimes on Channel 20. I can talk simplex with family nearby. On a budget so I use BaoFeng handhelds and a 25-watt mobile in the car.

I got my USB cable as part of the expansion pack when I bought my UV-5R from BTECH a year ago. I fought for hours trying to get it to work. The next morning I simply plugged the cable (no radio attached) into my laptop and it proceeded to download and install the driver automatically. No problems after that. The COM Port is tricky, but try them all until you find the one that works and then use that one. If you use more than one computer it will probably be different on each. I am trying to figure out how to connect through a local repeater here right now. I may be getting close.