8 GMRS Repeater Channels

[DRKSKY]

Sorry if this topic has been discussed before, but I didn't see it covered exactly.  Forgive the intrusion, but I see you are very active on the forum.  I am a HAM operator and new GMRS user.  To that end, I am curious as to the function of the 8 built in GMRS repeater channels.  Is there a common key or input/output tone these need to be programmed with?  Also, how does that work if there is not an established nationwide repeater network for GMRS?  Meaning, how does one travel from State X to State Y and use the set repeater channels?  It is merely luck of the draw if you happen to be close to a repeater or am I missing something?

Thank you..

WSJL651

[SteveShannon]

22 minutes ago, DRKSKY said:

Sorry if this topic has been discussed before, but I didn't see it covered exactly.  Forgive the intrusion, but I see you are very active on the forum.  I am a HAM operator and new GMRS user.  To that end, I am curious as to the function of the 8 built in GMRS repeater channels.  Is there a common key or input/output tone these need to be programmed with?  Also, how does that work if there is not an established nationwide repeater network for GMRS?  Meaning, how does one travel from State X to State Y and use the set repeater channels?  It is merely luck of the draw if you happen to be close to a repeater or am I missing something?

Thank you..

WSJL651

There are no universal tones. By regulation GMRS repeaters are individually operated, unlike ham radio with its club licensing. As such each GMRS repeater operator can choose whatever tone they want. When traveling, a person should research what repeaters are available and program DIY channels for them. This site is probably the best resource for repeater information. Look at the map or the repeater database. Welcome to the forums!

[Lscott]

GMRS has only 22 official channels to use. Out of those 8 are reserved for repeater operation, with the matching 8 input only frequencies. If there is no traffic on the output frequencies they can be used for simplex.

Normally the purpose built GMRS radios have the channel frequencies builtin by the firmware. At best you can select which access tone to use. Various radios allow duplicates of the repeater channels with different tones to accommodate traveling around different areas.  Also the repeater channels you find the builtin ones are set for a +5MHz split. However the current FCC rules allow any of the 8 input frequencies to be paired with any of the 8 output frequencies, which results in a non standard split. Most repeaters stick to the standard +5MHz.

[nokones]

I'm not sure why you find that GMRS would be any different than Amateur radio. Just like Amateur radio, GMRS repeaters are put on the air by various enthusiasts that are willing to invest there hard earned money and time for various reasons to accomplish some personal radio communication goals.

Traveling throughout the country and finding available GMRS repeaters that are open for you to use without obtaining permission would be no different than the Amateur Radio world. For GMRS, you have mygmrs.com to obtain the locations, frequency, and tone information for repeaters and any pertinent information regarding the use of those repeaters just like you can find for the Amateur Radio world with ARRL or Repeater Book.

Yes, there are more Amateur radio repeaters than GMRS repeaters and there are only 8 GMRS channel as compared to a Gazillion channel possibility with Amatrur radio. In most areas GMRS enthusiasts do a pretty good job with sharing the spectrum.

For an example, in the Phoenix Area, there are about 13-15 GMRS repeaters that are spreadout through the Valley with frequent use and with Amateur Radio, there approx 30-35 2 Meter and approx 15-20 70 cm repeaters with very little use except for one 2 Meter repeater that has some activity and one or two 70 cm repeaters with occasional traffic.

As for simplex traffic on the Amateur 2 Meter and 70 cm channels, it is very seldom that you hear anything on the designated simplex channels. As for GMRS simplex traffic, all 14 Interstitial and 8 Main 462 MHz channels are very heavily used throughout the day and there appears not to be any serious conflicts with co-channel uses .

In my opinion, there is a lot of wasted Amateur 2 Meter and 70 cm, and probably the 1.25 M and 33 cm channels as well sit idle and are a total waste of spectrum resources and not being used efficiently.

[LeoG]

The standard travel tone is 141.3Hz.  If there is a repeater in the area that is designed for people traveling through this is the most likely tone it will be on.  But as others have said there is no reason that it can't be on any of the other analog tones along with the digital tones.

Lots of smaller shorter range repeaters held by people who only use them for their own families or small groups.  In CT there seem to be 2 repeaters you can use.  One in Glastonbury which is permission based only and the other in Holyoke, Ma that is open for you to use or join their little group.

Lots more smaller repeaters with a lot less range if you know where to look.

[DRKSKY]

7 minutes ago, LeoG said:

The standard travel tone is 141.3Hz.  If there is a repeater in the area that is designed for people traveling through this is the most likely tone it will be on.  But as others have said there is no reason that it can't be on any of the other analog tones along with the digital tones.

Lots of smaller shorter range repeaters held by people who only use them for their own families or small groups.  In CT there seem to be 2 repeaters you can use.  One in Glastonbury which is permission based only and the other in Holyoke, Ma that is open for you to use or join their little group.

Lots more smaller repeaters with a lot less range if you know where to look.

Thank you.  That is what I was asking what a standard input tone would be.  I hate to post questions, because they always seem to fall off track.  Yes, repeaters can be found but was curious as to the specific 8 GMRS repeaters that are built in.  I understand folks put up and pay for their own and use input/output tones on those.  Just didn't know if there were anything special about the 8... thank you for the reply.

[DRKSKY]

19 minutes ago, nokones said:

I'm not sure why you find that GMRS would be any different than Amateur radio. Just like Amateur radio, GMRS repeaters are put on the air by various enthusiasts that are willing to invest there hard earned money and time for various reasons to accomplish some personal radio communication goals.

Traveling throughout the country and finding available GMRS repeaters that are open for you to use without obtaining permission would be no different than the Amateur Radio world. For GMRS, you have mygmrs.com to obtain the locations, frequency, and tone information for repeaters and any pertinent information regarding the use of those repeaters just like you can find for the Amateur Radio world with ARRL or Repeater Book.

Yes, there are more Amateur radio repeaters than GMRS repeaters and there are only 8 GMRS channel as compared to a Gazillion channel possibility with Amatrur radio. In most areas GMRS enthusiasts do a pretty good job with sharing the spectrum.

For an example, in the Phoenix Area, there are about 13-15 GMRS repeaters that are spreadout through the Valley with frequent use and with Amateur Radio, there approx 30-35 2 Meter and approx 15-20 70 cm repeaters with very little use except for one 2 Meter repeater that has some activity and one or two 70 cm repeaters with occasional traffic.

As for simplex traffic on the Amateur 2 Meter and 70 cm channels, it is very seldom that you hear anything on the designated simplex channels. As for GMRS simplex traffic, all 14 Interstitial and 8 Main 462 MHz channels are very heavily used throughout the day and there appears not to be any serious conflicts with co-channel uses .

In my opinion, there is a lot of wasted Amateur 2 Meter and 70 cm, and probably the 1.25 M and 33 cm channels as well sit idle and are a total waste of spectrum resources and not being used efficiently.

Thank you for the reply.. that isn't what I was asking about.  

[SteveShannon]

27 minutes ago, LeoG said:

The standard travel tone is 141.3Hz.

 

Well, not officially, although tradition probably makes it a more prevalently used tone. it used to be when there was a travel channel, but there no longer is. Here’s Marc Spaz’s far better explanation:

 

 

[WRUE951]

1 hour ago, DRKSKY said:

Forgive the intrusion, but I see you are very active on the forum.  I am a HAM operator and new GMRS user. 

Most HAM operators i'm acquainted with knows how to use the tools available to him/her to find HAM repeater frequencies and associated PL tones..  GMRS is really no different other than the resources to find that info..  Unlike HAM where you have a handfull of ways to find repeater info,  this site (MyGMRS.com) is probably the single and most preferred place to find GMRS repeaters.   Repeater Book tried but failed to gain traction with GMRS users..  Stick with MyGMRS and you'll find all the info you need to access GMRS repeaters acfross the nation.  

[amaff]

13 minutes ago, WRUE951 said:

this site (MyGMRS.com) is probably the single and most preferred place to find GMRS repeaters.   

Most preferred? Sure.
Single? Absolutely not. There's a bunch of GMRS repeaters just in my area that aren't on here but are published elsewhere.

[DRKSKY]

38 minutes ago, SteveShannon said:

 

Well, not officially, although tradition probably makes it a more prevalently used tone. it used to be when there was a travel channel, but there no longer is. Here’s Marc Spaz’s far better explanation:

 

 

NOTARUBICON has stated that 19 is the go to as well (per his YT channel).  Makes sense to me considering 19 used to be the travel channel on CB.  

[SteveShannon]

2 minutes ago, DRKSKY said:

NOTARUBICON has stated that 19 is the go to as well (per his YT channel).  Makes sense to me considering 19 used to be the travel channel on CB.  

I agree, now that the Line A restrictions have been removed. Marc referred to Randy, of Notarubicon fame, when he used his online name here, @OffRoaderX.

Channel 19 is not a repeater channel though.

[Lscott]

1 minute ago, DRKSKY said:

NOTARUBICON has stated that 19 is the go to as well (per his YT channel).  Makes sense to me considering 19 used to be the travel channel on CB. 

Depends on who you ask. It turns out there really isn't one. Before it was generally accepted to use 20. Now people are advocating for 19, and others don't use either one.  It's turning into a bit of a mess since people simply can't agree on one and stick with it.