[Noob with no local traffic... yet.]

On 10/28/2021 at 9:32 AM, Citizen said:

Good point.  Well, if that is the case, the next best thing may be to have a second radio set to Ch 16 simplex and no codes, and listen for his own transmission.

And/or, take a 30 minute drive out US-84 west towards Oglesby.  Transmit every 2 miles or so and see if you can hit it.

Unfortunately, after re-reviewing the repeater, I found this in the notes:

This means the antenna is pointed S-SW (almost as if down the I-35 corridor towards Ft. Hood - Austin areas).  If this is the case, you may never hit it from anywhere on US-84, unless maybe very close by.  I apologize for not realizing this sooner, and steering you down the wrong path (literally).  I was a bit misled by the perfect circle coverage diagram.

...

It’s all good, you were only trying like I am! I didn’t drive out that way yet or anything so no harm, no foul.  Where I’m located is close to TSTC, just a few miles east of the IH-35 corridor and just shy of a couple miles N/NW of 84. 
 

I read in an earlier post that you used to live in McGregor but moved after retiring. Are you still in Texas? If so, I just found something awesome, but you gotta pay around $25 to use it (good for a year, I think). Become a supporting member of the Texas GMRS (TexasGMRS.net) website and you get access to RO-IP, either via Android, iOS or PC, and you basically “dial-in” to a repeater that’s linked to almost every repeater in Texas and talk over wifi or cell data. My first day, I keyed up and talked to guys from Mexia, Cypress, and Troy! 

[Did I program this GMRS Repeater correctly in Chirp?]

Than

8 hours ago, wayoverthere said:

If I'm remembering chirp correctly, either will work. The current setup will give you the tx tone for repeater, and your receive will be carrier squelch (no filter, hear everything dependent on your squelch level).

Changing it to tonesql will apply the same tone to both transmit and receive (so you only hear signals carrying the tone).

If I'm programming a preset for a specific repeater I do usually use tonesql to filter out any simplex traffic.

Thanks for the tip! Still no luck on my end, so I’m either too far away or no one is on the repeater when I try it. There’s no tone after I transmit so idk if I hit it or they just don’t have a beep set. 

[Did I program this GMRS Repeater correctly in Chirp?]

Hey guys,

Thanks for the prompt replies. I did include "141.3" in the tone column. Attached is a screenshot of Chirp. Does that look right? Or should I have done:

Tone Mode: ToneSql
ToneSql: 141.3 

?

[Did I program this GMRS Repeater correctly in Chirp?]

https://mygmrs.com/repeater/4727

I’m trying to program the above repeater into Chirp, and I thought I had it correct, but I’m not sure because I didn’t hear a tone or anything after I transmitted. This is what I programmed: 

FREQ.: 462.575

Name: WRCP705

Tone mode: Tone

Duplex: +

Offset: 5.0

 

If a column wasn’t mentioned above, I left it blank. 

 

Did I do that correctly or should I change something?

 

 

 

[Noob with no local traffic... yet.]

14 minutes ago, Citizen said:

There is the WRCP705 repeater in Oglesby, which boasts 70 mile radius (covers Waco).  Because Waco is about 25 miles away, and with not-so-hilly terrain, you might be able to hit it.

Great to hear of a GMRS user in Waco.  I spent part of my childhood in McGregor, and now that I'm retired, have considered moving back there.  If that ever happens, I'd rag-chew with you any day.

... 

Yeah, I think you’re right. I’m gonna try to hit it later tonight and let you know! Are they normally like ham repeaters, where even if no one responds, you’ll still hear a tone or some sort of Morse code? 
 

McGregor is nice. I worked out that way a lot at my last job. Lots of pretty country headed out towards Gatesville and beyond! Since you know the area, to clarify I’m actually in Bellmead, pretty much right on the line between Bellmead and Lacy Lakeview, couple miles south of TSTC. So it sits a bit low. But let’s see…

[Noob with no local traffic... yet.]

I’m afraid I’m in the same boat as the OP. I live in the heart of Texas (Waco, specifically) and I got my GMRS license in hopes to do a little rag-chewing too,  but all I get are crickets. 
 

I also understand that this isn’t ham radio and random contact and chatter isn’t all that common in GMRS. I’m not only interested in that side of it, but also in possibly setting up a repeater or getting HTs for my family. These are long-term goals, however, and it would be cool to just make contact once! 
 

Had I done more research, I would have seen that there are ZERO repeaters in my area (the closest being about 60 miles away) so my only shot at this is simplex (which is what, 1-2 miles line of sight?) or hitting one of the repeaters when traveling, which I’ll also try to do but not at this very moment. 
 

oh well. Lol