Are the repeaters in the Cumberland, MD, 21502, area in operation?

[USNRetired]

I programmed all of the listed repeater freqs for the area into my scanner and have heard nothing in more than three weeks.  I've tried radio checks and received no response. 

[Logan5]

are you hearing any hang time after you key up? some repeaters have a hang time of open sound after key up, some do not. do you hear your voice on your scanner set to the repeater output frequency only? do you have an outdoor antenna? If you can pin point the actual location of the repeater, with height and watt output info, you should be able to figure out the height of an outdoor antenna to effectively communicate in your area. If the repeater is outside your area, you may have to wait for a tropospheric event.

[PastorGary]

Note: Permission may be required to access. While requesting permission, the owner can be asked what the status is of his or her system.

[ambdrvr]

USNRetired, 

 

Welcome to the hobby first of all.  As for the repeaters in the Cumberland area I can say that they are all "up and working" as far as they are on the air but with very little use anymore.  The gentleman who owned most of them as passed away and with few users out there nobody really uses the repeaters.  From  your location you should be able to hear/activate several of them.  When I am home I try and monitor them but as I work out of town I am not home much to hear activity.  I also monitor in my work truck but again being out of town I don't hear much either.  Is there a specific repeater you are wanting to hear or use in the area?  If you are just trying to listen there is a good chance you won't hear much.  There are a few "unlicensed" users who use the Dan's Mountain site (462.600) from time to time but other than that I haven't heard an "official" conversation in quite some time.

 

Hope this helps.

WQCE824

[USNRetired]

WQCE824, Thanks for the information.  I try to use the Dan's Mountain, since I can just about see it from my house. I just have the handheld, at this time, but my ham rig has the ability to get to those freqs.  My exterior antenna has some issues, and I have a GMSR antenna on order.  I hear an occasional conversation between, what seems to be the same, two people in the late afternoon.  I believe they call each other unit 5 and unit 2, on the scanner.