Question: Paid Subscription Repeaters?

[wilbilt62]

14 minutes ago, SteveShannon said:

If a means of emergency communications is truly important, other members of the community should be willing to help pay to do it right.  

If I could find someone about 5 miles north of my location willing to host a repeater site, I could likely scrape up the cash to get it done. I don't think it would meet the goal if I did it where I am.

These are small, rural communities in a low-income area. One has about 2,500 residents and the other (where I am) has about 350.

[WSHH887]

I have set up sort of an network in my neighborhood.  Now mind you geographically it's an area of about 4 blocks north to south and 6 blocks east to west.  Not a large area.  In addition it is a long established neighborhood with a lot of older residents who have been here for decades. It's a mix of Los Angeles City and unincorporated Los Angeles County.  Jurisdictional issues are fairly frequent with both agencies at times saying it wasn't their area.  Sadly, typical for SoCal today.

This was motivated by a home invasion not long ago.  The mother and child were home alone in the evening.  It took the LAPD over an hour to respond.  She did get a hold of a neighbor a few doors down after about 10 minutes on 911 hold.  By then the invaders had left.  

The idea is simple.  Folks have GMRS  handhelds.  We have a dedicated frequency.  There are a lot of retired folks who can monitor the frequency.  There currently isn't any established roster of who and when.  But turns out there are more than enough to have it covered 24/7.  

Had our neighbor just called on a radio there could have had several "experienced" guys there in a minute or two at most.  Most folks who are on the network have bought their own HT's.  For others several of us have donated HT's.  

Obviously not everyone is onboard.  You still  have folks who insist that the police can protect them.  This with clear evidence to the contrary.  Now there is nothing on paper.  No one has a list of folks or anything else.  But it has already proven useful in several "property" crimes.  Just neighbors helping neighbors.  A lot like it was when I was growing up.

Back then a kid got banged up (happened frequently when we used to "play" outside) you could go to any house and the adult there in would take care of you.  Today that rarely happens due to fear of litigation.  

[wilbilt62]

3 hours ago, WSHH887 said:

I have set up sort of an network in my neighborhood.  Now mind you geographically it's an area of about 4 blocks north to south and 6 blocks east to west.  Not a large area.  In addition it is a long established neighborhood with a lot of older residents who have been here for decades. It's a mix of Los Angeles City and unincorporated Los Angeles County.  Jurisdictional issues are fairly frequent with both agencies at times saying it wasn't their area.  Sadly, typical for SoCal today.

This was motivated by a home invasion not long ago.  The mother and child were home alone in the evening.  It took the LAPD over an hour to respond.  She did get a hold of a neighbor a few doors down after about 10 minutes on 911 hold.  By then the invaders had left.  

The idea is simple.  Folks have GMRS  handhelds.  We have a dedicated frequency.  There are a lot of retired folks who can monitor the frequency.  There currently isn't any established roster of who and when.  But turns out there are more than enough to have it covered 24/7.  

Had our neighbor just called on a radio there could have had several "experienced" guys there in a minute or two at most.  Most folks who are on the network have bought their own HT's.  For others several of us have donated HT's.  

Obviously not everyone is onboard.  You still  have folks who insist that the police can protect them.  This with clear evidence to the contrary.  Now there is nothing on paper.  No one has a list of folks or anything else.  But it has already proven useful in several "property" crimes.  Just neighbors helping neighbors.  A lot like it was when I was growing up.

Back then a kid got banged up (happened frequently when we used to "play" outside) you could go to any house and the adult there in would take care of you.  Today that rarely happens due to fear of litigation.  

I grew up in So Cal (Simi Valley) in the 1960s and 1970s. Back then, the "neighborhood moms" would help you out if you rashed your face on the pavement. My wife and I left there in 1985 and moved up north to the "wild west", we we still are today.

Today, my "neighborhood" is about 12-15 miles north to south and about 6 miles wide. Much of the area has very few services. In the southern portion, there are no stores, gas stations or retail businesses of any kind. Law enforcement response was measured in hours or even days until recent years.

We are basically on our own down here. Many live behind tall fences and locked gates, because the tweakers will rob you blind given half a chance. BTW, I have some "experience" and don't play that game.

In the rainy season, the roads flood every year and we are cut off from anything. In the summer, fires are a constant danger. This is why I would like to establish a radio network for emergencies.

There are several established repeaters that easily cover this area, but the owners are all "mine, mine, mine!" centric.

It is pretty sad, actually.

 

[The219]

9 hours ago, wilbilt62 said:

I have actually thought about it. Unfortunately, my location is not ideal for what I would be attempting to accomplish. I would be trying to establish a means of emergency communication between two small communities about 10 miles apart in a rural area. Simplex on HT likely won't do it.

Then like OffRoaderX said purchase your own repeater and hardware. This site has them for sale, you could support this site and your local small communities, all in 1 swoop.

[Socalgmrs]

4 hours ago, wilbilt62 said:

I grew up in So Cal (Simi Valley) in the 1960s and 1970s. Back then, the "neighborhood moms" would help you out if you rashed your face on the pavement. My wife and I left there in 1985 and moved up north to the "wild west", we we still are today.

Today, my "neighborhood" is about 12-15 miles north to south and about 6 miles wide. Much of the area has very few services. In the southern portion, there are no stores, gas stations or retail businesses of any kind. Law enforcement response was measured in hours or even days until recent years.

We are basically on our own down here. Many live behind tall fences and locked gates, because the tweakers will rob you blind given half a chance. BTW, I have some "experience" and don't play that game.

In the rainy season, the roads flood every year and we are cut off from anything. In the summer, fires are a constant danger. This is why I would like to establish a radio network for emergencies.

There are several established repeaters that easily cover this area, but the owners are all "mine, mine, mine!" centric.

It is pretty sad, actually.

 

How is it sad that some one that spent possibly 1000s of dollars does not want every tom dic and harry all over his repeater?  He is responsible for all transmissions from his repeater. He is responsible for up keep of his repeater.  I think it’s sad that if you want emergency comms you don’t do something about it and you want to ride other people’s coat tails.  You are I wasn’t what you have centric.  Pretty sad actually.  

[Socalgmrs]

10 hours ago, wilbilt62 said:

I have actually thought about it. Unfortunately, my location is not ideal for what I would be attempting to accomplish. I would be trying to establish a means of emergency communication between two small communities about 10 miles apart in a rural area. Simplex on HT likely won't do it.

What about simplex from base units with higher power and good antennas.  You can set up a great base unit for less then $250. You can always relay.   I think with repeaters we have gotten away from the needed skill of relaying information.