Welcome!

[BradfordD]

New to this website - and GMRS.  Received my FCC call sign and joined up!  Welcome to you all!!

Already ordered a HT (delivery 10/8 hopefully) and will order the "companion" (not sure what type of model the second unit will be..)  once I've figured this all out a little bit better.  I live in an area that has a lot of hills (NorCal) - so I'll be needing information on repeater locations within my surroundings.  Is this the best site to find these?  Are there other websites or organizations I should be looking into?

Needs/Background:  I car rally a bit (mostly on-road, but off-road sporadically) and have several cars - so #1 as a handheld  seemed the most appropriate.   Then, I'd like to have another GMRS for my spouse or brother - that would be #2 (probably another HT)..  May run a mobile base on my Jeep at a later date and, if so - that would be #3.   I camp and hunt, although neither as often as I'd like to..

I'm kinda' expecting "dead air" - but that remains to be seen (errr, heard)..

[wayoverthere]

4 hours ago, BradfordD said:

New to this website - and GMRS.  Received my FCC call sign and joined up!  Welcome to you all!!

Already ordered a HT (delivery 10/8 hopefully) and will order the "companion" (not sure what type of model the second unit will be..)  once I've figured this all out a little bit better.  I live in an area that has a lot of hills (NorCal) - so I'll be needing information on repeater locations within my surroundings.  Is this the best site to find these?  Are there other websites or organizations I should be looking into?

Needs/Background:  I car rally a bit (mostly on-road, but off-road sporadically) and have several cars - so #1 as a handheld  seemed the most appropriate.   Then, I'd like to have another GMRS for my spouse or brother - that would be #2 (probably another HT)..  May run a mobile base on my Jeep at a later date and, if so - that would be #3.   I camp and hunt, although neither as often as I'd like to..

I'm kinda' expecting "dead air" - but that remains to be seen (errr, heard)..

First, welcome!

In my opinion, yes, this is the best source I've seen for gmrs... this site has both the most listings, and the easiest to use interface to search, though the less regulated (not coordinated like ham) nature of gmrs means there are some outdated listings. There's also a solid attitude of educating and helping new users.

Repeaterbook is close on ease of use; they've primarily been aimed at ham, but began adding gmrs listings in the last year or so, and the mobile app can filter by gmrs, though they're late to the game on adding listings.

USA gmrs association (insert eye roll here), has some listings as well, along with a bit of a chip on their shoulder toward this site, and I'm not entirely a fan of some of the attitudes in their Facebook group, though that may just be my my issue. Last I looked at their listings, they're pretty sparse in CA.

On outside traffic, low expectations are a good place to start. Many areas don't have the hobbyist presence that ham does (I think of it as ham-lite), going with more of a sticking to their group mentality (frs-plus), though as you'll see on the site, some definitely do. Nothing wrong with expecting low and being pleasantly surprised.

Final quick suggestion? Pair mag mount antennas with the handhelds to get the signal outside the vehicle where possible; easy to move between vehicles, and you can still use them if you step up to mobile radios, or choose to upgrade to hard mounting of some sort.

[abbysdaddy]

New to GMRS (all radio actually) and in an area with no repeaters so I’m not really sure what I’m doing but on my my way in to San Antonio I was able to listen in on a convo. Very exciting!  I got a repeater check too, but my reception was bad. I’m getting there though!  
 

Roy

WRMW320

 

[kipandlee]

Welcome  to the forum abbysdaddy

[ShadetreeMechanic]

Hi all! New to GMRS but not new to radio. I have been an avid CBer for the past 8+ years. I enjoy 11 meter DX and have even talked to a few stations in Europe earlier this month. 

I started GMRS with the Midland bundle with the Mtx 115 and two handhelds to take to the beach. Works great to keep family members in touch. Have since bought two more pairs of handhelds for family members in our neighborhood. My wife takes care of her elderly mother down the street. We use these for house to house coms. Super convenient for our kids who go back and forth between the two houses.

Now I am looking at putting the 115 in my CB shack with an antenna on the roof of the house. Then I started reading about simplex repeaters. Might be a good way to connect to my parents house across town. The handhelds don't quite go that far.

I think the best part of the GMRS service is the short (relatively) antennas compared to CB.

I might get my ham license in the future, but for now I have what I need. 

Thanks for having a great website for people to learn and grow.

Chris

WRHX773

 

 

 

[mbrun]

Welcome to the forum @ShadetreeMechanic .


Michael
WRHS965
KE8PLM

[labreja]

Hello everyone.

I am new to GMRS as well as the myGMRS.com website.  I have 2, probably vintage by now, Cobra Micro Talk LI 7000 WX HTs and 2 Kenwood TK-880 radios.  The one base station Kenwood is connected to the Ed Fong DBJ-UHF GMRS antenna.

I look forward to learning as much as I can, and meeting new people.

Thanks

James

WROD278

K8JCL

[mbrun]

Hello everyone.
I am new to GMRS as well as the myGMRS.com website.  I have 2, probably vintage by now, Cobra Micro Talk LI 7000 WX HTs and 2 Kenwood TK-880 radios.  The one base station Kenwood is connected to the Ed Fong DBJ-UHF GMRS antenna.
I look forward to learning as much as I can, and meeting new people.
Thanks
James
WROD278
K8JCL

Welcome to myGRMS. Enjoy the forum.


Michael
WRHS965
KE8PLM

[JimSmitty]

Hey Everyone from the Northeast Kingdom of Vermont (north of line A).

  Received my license yesterday (WROJ327) but have been listening to mostly nothing (dead air) for over a month now. Learning what I can in the meantime.

  I drive a lot for work (field service) in northern NH and VT so hoping to catch some chatter. Only 1 repeater (Monroe 625, in NH) within 15 miles from my home and pick it up decent outside, so-so inside, with a Nagoya UT-72G mobile ant and a Radioddity DB25-G. Not ready to hoist up a roof ant (yet) but eyeing the KM4HLF J-pole for GMRS and maybe another DB25-G for a base. Kind of hilly here so not expecting much. Also have a couple cheap TIDRADIO GM-5R HTs that I listened to before getting the mobile. 

Nice to meet you all. 

[mbrun]

Hey Everyone from the Northeast Kingdom of Vermont (north of line A).
  Received my license yesterday (WROJ327) but have been listening to mostly nothing (dead air) for over a month now. Learning what I can in the meantime.
  I drive a lot for work (field service) in northern NH and VT so hoping to catch some chatter. Only 1 repeater (Monroe 625, in NH) within 15 miles from my home and pick it up decent outside, so-so inside, with a Nagoya UT-72G mobile ant and a Radioddity DB25-G. Not ready to hoist up a roof ant (yet) but eyeing the KM4HLF J-pole for GMRS and maybe another DB25-G for a base. Kind of hilly here so not expecting much. Also have a couple cheap TIDRADIO GM-5R HTs that I listened to before getting the mobile. 
Nice to meet you all. 

Good Day Jim. Welcome to the forum.


Michael
WRHS965
KE8PLM

[PACNWComms]

New GMRS license holder, but not new to FCC licenses overall. Just needed another radio in my commute car, and this was the cheap, easy, and fun way to go.

[mbrun]

New GMRS license holder, but not new to FCC licenses overall. Just needed another radio in my commute car, and this was the cheap, easy, and fun way to go.

Welcome to the forum. Enjoy.


Michael
WRHS965
KE8PLM

[PhilVB]

GMRS Radio newbe from VA Beach VA here. Look forward to learning lots.

[BoxCar]

Welcome

[Blaise]

Hi all,

I'm a complete radio newb from the NYS Capital Region who just got his GMRS license and is here looking to learn!

Blaise

[BoxCar]

Welcome to the group

[Horseshoe]

Hello migrated from cb to Gmrs  WRON420 Southwest Pennsylvania cant say I miss CB much just the good old timers who kept in touch local every evening 7pm chan 30. 

Thank you for having me. Hope to learn what I can.

 

 

[BoxCar]

Welcome. There are many here that can offer advice and assistance.

[CombatVet]

Hello, from Delaware, USA. New member and GMRS licensee WRON425. Just received my Wouxun KG-935G and learning how to program it. Soon ordering some more GMRS HT's and a mobile radio (Wouxun KG-1000). 12 year U.S. Army and OIF3 Veteran and family man. Looking forward to learning about the hobby and making a few new friends along the way. Catch ya on the airwaves or on a backcountry road somewhere in the USA  73's

[mbrun]

Hello, from Delaware, USA. New member and GMRS licensee WRON425. Just received my Wouxun KG-935G and learning how to program it. Soon ordering some more GMRS HT's and a mobile radio (Wouxun KG-1000). 12 year U.S. Army and OIF3 Veteran and family man. Looking forward to learning about the hobby and making a few new friends along the way. Catch ya on the airwaves or on a backcountry road somewhere in the USA  73's

Welcome myGMRS. There are a lot of good and knowledgable people here.

Enjoy the forum.


Michael
WRHS965
KE8PLM

[TheDeacon]

Hello!  I'm a GMRS newbie.  My forum name is in honor of my dad who passed this summer.  TheDeacon was his CB radio handle from the 1970s (KHG9669).

[CombatVet]

On 11/14/2021 at 6:30 AM, mbrun said:

Welcome myGMRS. There are a lot of good and knowledgable people here.

Enjoy the forum.


Michael
WRHS965
KE8PLM

Thank you. I requested to join a local area repeater (actually the only GMRS repeater in the state lol) and the owner was more than obliged to allow me to use his repeater. I'm already liking the vibe of the GMRS community. Let the good times roll!

73's

John (WRON425)

[mbrun]

Thank you. I requested to join a local area repeater (actually the only GMRS repeater in the state lol) and the owner was more than obliged to allow me to use his repeater. I'm already liking the vibe of the GMRS community. Let the good times roll!
73's
John (WRON425)

Glad you are off to a good start.


Michael
WRHS965
KE8PLM

[NorthWind]

Howdy, everyone!

 

I'm Mark from Oregon, and I just joined after receiving my callsign a few days ago (WROT443). I am new to radio, but am finding what I am learning to be wonderfully interesting! I am looking forward to reading more, and I am excited that there is an old school forum like this to interact and learn from. I mainly wanted a way to communicate with my partners while in the woods, which is most weekends.

Thanks for having me!

 

[DanW]

32 minutes ago, NorthWind said:

Howdy, everyone!

 

I'm Mark from Oregon, and I just joined after receiving my callsign a few days ago (WROT443). I am new to radio, but am finding what I am learning to be wonderfully interesting! I am looking forward to reading more, and I am excited that there is an old school forum like this to interact and learn from. I mainly wanted a way to communicate with my partners while in the woods, which is most weekends.

Thanks for having me!

 

Welcome to the forum! There are many helpful folks around here, so you'll enjoy it!