GMRS repeaters

[Guest yooper]

Sorry for all the questions, this is my second question on the gest forum. I have a 20 watt GMRS radio set up at my home I use mostly for scanning the surrounding area. I'm not someone who talks a lot, I like to listen and build antennas for something to do in retirement.

This is my question: GMRS channels 1 through 7 are five watts. Channels 8 through 14 are 0.5 watts, and 15 through 22 are 50 watts max output. Channels 15 through 22 are repeater channels. 

I keep receiving transmissions on channel 4 that show it's a repeater somewhere in my area. The signal is week, 2 bars on the tower reception, I'm thinking it's a ways away. Am I missing something here? Is channel 4 a repeater channel? Is there a unregistered repeater I'm receiving? Is there a city,town, municipality using GMRS?  Sometimes it sounds like some type of government organization using the repeater on channel 4.

Thanks, red neck yooper

[amaff]

1 hour ago, Guest yooper said:

I keep receiving transmissions on channel 4 that show it's a repeater somewhere in my area. The signal is week, 2 bars on the tower reception, I'm thinking it's a ways away. Am I missing something here? Is channel 4 a repeater channel? Is there a unregistered repeater I'm receiving? Is there a city,town, municipality using GMRS?  Sometimes it sounds like some type of government organization using the repeater on channel 4.

 

1. What do you mean it 'shows' that it's a repeater?
2. Municipalities have on occasion stepped on GMRS channels. I think we've had a couple stories of fire departments on here in the last couple years.

But without, just, SO much more info, I'm not sure we can diagnose it for you.

Is Channel 4 a GMRS repeater channel?
No.
Is there much (other than the FCC rules...) stopping someone from setting up a repeater and using it on Channel 4?
Also no.

[WSAA635]

Depending on the radio you have either Channels 23-30 are Repeater Channels OR RPT 15 thru RPT 22 are Repeater Channels. After GMRS 22 the next 8 Channels, no matter how they're labeled are supposed to be the Repeater Channels.  

[AdmiralCochrane]

In the stone age, there were GMRS business licenses. You could be receiving data being transmitted by a grandfathered business licensee.

[WRUE951]

how do you know or what makes you think what you are hearing on ch 4 is a repeater?

[OffRoaderX]

3 hours ago, Guest yooper said:

I keep receiving transmissions on channel 4 that show it's a repeater somewhere in my area.

This is the part that everyone wants an answer to, because it makes zero sense.

[Guest Yooper]

My radio will show a tower in the display screen for repeaters, in simplex transmissions the tower doesn't show on the display screen. I have all the GMRS repeaters in my area programed into my radio, when someone uses the repeater the tower icon pops up on my display screen. The frequency for GMRS channel 4 does not match any frequency for registered repeaters in my area. It appears someone in my area is using channel 4 on a repeater. I have no clue what's going on or why. At times the transmissions sound like a government organization, other times transmissions are personal in nature.

[OffRoaderX]

7 minutes ago, Guest Yooper said:

I have no clue what's going on or why.

There are a couple of possibilities:

• You are very confused about what your radio is doing/how your radio functions
• Your radio is broken

and my guess is that your radio is not broken.

[WRUE951]

1 hour ago, Guest Yooper said:

My radio will show a tower in the display screen for repeaters, in simplex transmissions the tower doesn't show on the display screen. I have all the GMRS repeaters in my area programed into my radio, when someone uses the repeater the tower icon pops up on my display screen. The frequency for GMRS channel 4 does not match any frequency for registered repeaters in my area. It appears someone in my area is using channel 4 on a repeater. I have no clue what's going on or why. At times the transmissions sound like a government organization, other times transmissions are personal in nature.

I think you are confused with display symbols on your radio.  Pull your manual and become familiar with them so you know what they represent.  Unless you are on a trunked system, your radio will have no way to detect presence of a repeater while in idle mode.   GMRS radios do not operate in Trunk.  

[WRHS218]

17 hours ago, Guest yooper said:

I have a 20 watt GMRS radio set up

What radio are you using?