GMRSNetwork

A single channel Motorola HT-220

Can you please tell me where there is an active 2 meter repeater? I have yet to find any. GMRS is what 2 meters was in the 1980's. I am a 30+ year Ham / Technician. Nothing to be found on the tech bands except for an occasional ARES Net and 10 meter openings. Orlando FL is a huge city, I scanned all repeaters for months when I was there last winter and never heard anyone. You do the math. GMRS is easier to get into and zero CB nonsense, it's GREAT!

Anyone living in the Des Moines Iowa metro or travelling though is welcome to join the Des Moines 700 net every Thursday at 7:30 PM on 462.700 / PL 141.3

Any chance you can send me a copy or dropbox? Need for storm spotter group radio. Email: gmrsmultinet@gmail.com

Does anyone have Pro CPS R06.12.02 software for a CDM (Wideband)?

$800 for a license is a LOT more than $35 for a struggling farm. Lowband is the only place to escape the Narrowband and DMR nightmare, only choice is used equipment. A used lowband Maxtrac is WAY better than any current mobiles.

To give a little more clarity - antenna high on silo. Nearby repeaters overpowering family farm transmissions. Farm Base if used simplex on 462 with high antenna would have repeaters with "rag chewers" doubling with farm mobiles, guess who wins. Putting base on 467 would only have mobile interference which is much lower. Yes, I know different PL's are used but signal still present. Just wondering if legal or base has to "repeat". Back in the day GMRS was used for intended purpose, business (at the time) and personal. Personal mean family keeping in touch with family on the road for personal business. It wasn't treated like a hobby back then with long winded people chatting about the Phila Patriots. Getting a family farm licensed on analog business band is expensive, time consuming and a big hassle. Narrow channel spacing (less range/volume), having to hear digital noise from oversold DMR when monitoring off hook etc etc. GMRS is the last vestige of what radio was before services were combined into business pool and DMR was oversold to unsuspecting users. Used to flip the PL switch off on my lowband Motrac and hear many businesses clear from all over the county.

Steve, more of a curiosity question... Mobiles would transmit on 467 and base on 462, just no repeat function. Seems to me the rule is clear it MUST be a repeater. Just for a farm wanting a base at a high location to talk to mobiles without having to buy a repeater with duplexer. A repeater is a bases that also re-transmits. A commercial repeater has a mic on it which allows "base" station operation in half duplex as well as repeat for mobiles.

Question for any rule experts: We all know that simplex on the repeater inputs is forbidden. What about half-duplex where the base TX is on 462 and RX is on 467 same as a repeater less repeat. Mobiles are reversed. Could not find a rule against it. Same operation as old Taxi systems were mobiles could not talk to each other, only to the base.

Roy, that is a GREAT location! I used to do comms in that region. If you look at the MYGMRS map for the region there are several closed REACT & retired "NYPD type" repeaters (Alpha / Bravo) repeaters. Not sure why they are even listed on MyGMRS other than as a caution not to use them if you even hear them. No way to ask permission or contact - which is their right. With that said a Harriman to Selkirk coverage repeater is an excellent idea. You can pick up a good used Kenwood repeater from NYCOMCO or Ebay and avoid the Motorola money pit. Just stay away from Chinese duplexers.

Gregg, sounds good in theory but HOA's don't care about radio, only controlling people. Remember Gladys Sharp from "Over the Hedge" cartoon movie? That is the spitting image of HOA presidents!

Same thing in the Midwest. Weekly ARES nets and that's it. GMRS is VERY active. I think it's because it's easier to get a GMRS license and the idiot "CB slang" crowd is absent here - just polite farm belt Midwesterners.

Americans have allowed so-called "private equity" firms, HOA's and corporations to control every aspect of their lives. Google "HOA wants to ban guns" to see the articles. This is no joke, if you want to be a HAM, GMRS operator or gun owner I would highly advise not to live in an HOA!

I remember being on our local 2 Meter repeater in 1978 and someone used the "autopatch" to call in an accident. With everyone having cellphones now I think the real use for emergencies is in the backcountry. Even now T-Mobile uses Starlink when away from cell towers and in the clear outdoors. I worked for the largest mobile telephone provider in NYC in 1979 and people would call the mobile operator all the time to report accidents. I had a Mocom 70 in the car and only heard the mobile operator until full duplex was switched on for a phone call. Radio was fun back then, GMRS is the only service that has any real activity. 2 M has turned into the land of "Nets" everywhere I travel, no more drive time rechews even in NY or Chicago on club pairs. Took the 2 Meter out of the car and now only have GMRS.

"Bubble Pack" radios should never have been allowed with repeater channels to be sold by big box stores. I know, I know - "free market". With that said you reap what you sow. NYC is a den of idiots, I know I grew up there. A lot of the stupidity on repeaters seems to come from the "bubble pack crowd" who figures how to program a tone and a pair. I had a GMRS license in the early 80's. You bought a Standard Radio GMR-1 and ordered crystals for your licensed pair (plus 675). No nonsense (jammers) but repeater owners had families along with cement companies, taxis on a community tone panel. My repeater was in West Paterson, NJ overlooking NYC and had great coverage. If a customer didn't pay his/her monthly or violated rules owner made a trip to the site and pulled the tone element for that user. Much simpler then. It just seems the people who buy Midland mobiles from Walcott Radio get their license and act responsibly vs those that buy Cobra handhelds in plastic from Bass Pro.

I can see new licenses not being processed or manually entered into the database due to staff shortages, but why is an automated database shut down so no one can search? Takes no labor to leave it up and running. Makes no sense unless it is deliberate just to inconvenience people and prove some point about the shutdown. Thoughts?

I visited your area, great repeaters! However, one in particular served as a political, religious, and ideological stump during a "rag chew" net. Kind of off-putting. Politics & religion should be off the table if you want a community-based communications group that truly represents the people.

I read a past post about Kenwood, Motorola Etc being so much better than Midland. Probably so for a cement truck. People choose the FPP flexibility of the MXT-500 (or Wouxun) because you don't need proprietary software, wideband keys and problems with comports - the list of issues is LONG. I was in the two-way business and it's an expensive PITA, especially Motorola. Plus, if you travel you have to take a laptop everywhere. Same reason most hams don't use Motorola or Kenwood for 2 meters. Sure, the made in Malasia (M) or Japan (K) is a more durable, better-quality radio but my Midland is way more versatile. Build quality is decent/durable, great loud audio and I have had no issues. I prefer Midland to Wouxun but that's just my personal opinion.

TRUE, but people buy Hyt because of the insane rip-off prices of the big M and draconian software policies. Oil industry can afford Motorola, but the average hobbyist can't. Personally, I prefer Kenwood and NXDN.

Agreed. The impact needs to be to cripple greedy American conglomerates who outsource all manufacturing to China. Wouxun, Baofeng etc. are rare example of Chinese products sold directly to us. Most Chinese goods are made for companies like Proctor Silex etc. so executive heads can get rich selling us inferior junk products at HIGHLY inflated prices. This will be ending real soon. I'll keep my wideband capable Spectra mobile and Saber portable (made in Malaysia, not China). I have zero problem with Wouxun radios but I do have a problem with toasters, microwaves - EVERYTHING being made there under a trusted American brand name. REAL capitalism means many small to medium size businesses all doing well across our great country. Just google "American Made Products" - MANY things to choose from (sorry no radios). Thats where I buy.

What made in USA GMRS radio are you using?

Are you offering funds to go along with the tutoring? Not everyone has money or resources to do that. Most of us are not in the top 1%

TDM827, fair enough. In the 70's there were community repeaters. Everyone got along and no nonsense. With the way people act today your point is valid.

Because repeaters are not getting use after the FCC debacle with linked network. Users are allowed to use for "personal business", why not get more users on. The amateurs have a saying - use it or lose it. They lost the 220 band due to lack of use.