WA State Skagit, Snohomish, King County Repeater coverage help; Also Cultus Repeater Question

[WSKZ989]

I live and work in Northern Snohomish County, but have family in Seattle/woodinville. I am looking for help on how to be able to use GMRS to communicate in case of emergency with family in Seattle. I got us all Tidradio TDH3 with Nagoya 711 antennas. They are all programmed to both Oly Comm 3 and Cultus Mountain (waiting on Gold Mtn permission). The Problem: I can't hit Oly 3 from northern Snohomish County and they can't hit Cultus from Seattle. My current solution is I got a UAYESOK Heavy Duty Magnetic Mount Antenna, Dual Band VHF/UHF Vehicle Home Base Antenna for my car. I can hit Oly Com 3 about 50% of the time from my town (thanks to everyone who keeps responding to my five million radio checks). If anyone has a better recommendation for a mobile mount antenna for my car, please let me know. (Home base is in the future, but not the immediate future). 

Also, question about Cultus. I listen to Oly Comm3 A LOT and really enjoy listening to folks talk there. But on Cultus Mountain, there is nothing. If I do a radio check, I get a response. But there is no socializing on that repeater. Is that the culture of the Cultus Mountain repeater, or is there any chance I can get to meet folks on there and talk radio and emergency repsonse? Are there nets on Cultus?

FTR, I say I am interested in emergence response (I am), but it is true that listening to the folks on Oly Comm 3 makes me happy because those folks all have hearts of GOLD. (I am talking about you, Jim!). 

[Elmo777]

Gold Mtn may have you join the club to get the correct tones.  They had an issue a while back with a Jammer so they changed the tones and are reluctant to let them known without a membership.  Good group of guys in the club though so it may be worth it to join to have access.

[WSKZ989]

Elmo 77 I already did the terms of service and joined the list serves, I haven't been given the tones yet. I did listen to their most recent net which was pretty cool. Do you know anything about Cultus?

[WSHT233]

Gold's access is confusing and frustrating, even when you do everything right.

The access tones are in the email server list once you're accepted and know where to look, but it's pretty daunting.

To be fair, if you and yours can reach Olycomm3 on Cougar Mt. I don't know that Gold will add a lot of additional connection.

 

[WSKZ989]

16 hours ago, WSHT233 said:

Gold's access is confusing and frustrating, even when you do everything right.

The access tones are in the email server list once you're accepted and know where to look, but it's pretty daunting.

To be fair, if you and yours can reach Olycomm3 on Cougar Mt. I don't know that Gold will add a lot of additional connection.

 

Thanks for the information!

 

I can hit Oly Comm 3 maybe 50% of the time. I NEED A BIGGER ANTENNA. But seriously... if anyone can recommend a good mag mount for a car that would be cool. 

[WSHT233]

I use a one and done Nagoya mag mount in my vehicle, connected to a standard Baofeng handheld unit with a palm mic.

This is the kit:  low profile antenna, integrated mag mount, and a good run of decent coax and adapters:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09TPZ221K

It works well enough for my use range when mobile (Whidbey Island to south Seattle) with the only real bad spots in lower Mukilteo.

There's also the popular Midland NMO mag mount, that will let you connect a whip, ghost, or whatever NMO antenna you want to try:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07CRBV71V

 

[Elmo777]

On 1/28/2026 at 11:30 AM, WSKZ989 said:

Elmo 77 I already did the terms of service and joined the list serves, I haven't been given the tones yet. I did listen to their most recent net which was pretty cool. Do you know anything about Cultus?

Unfortunately i do not.   Jamie is usually pretty good about getting back to you or having someone do that with the tones for Gold MTN.  

[Elmo777]

On 1/29/2026 at 9:02 PM, WSHT233 said:

Gold's access is confusing and frustrating, even when you do everything right.

The access tones are in the email server list once you're accepted and know where to look, but it's pretty daunting.

To be fair, if you and yours can reach Olycomm3 on Cougar Mt. I don't know that Gold will add a lot of additional connection.

 

I would agree with this 100%.  Cougar is back up and running,  and between the two, you have a ton of area covered.  I see why you want to hit Gold Mtn based on your location.  Remember with Gold, the repeater will Not Kerchunk when you key up to see if your hitting it, they have it set up this way on purpose.  There is a link they should have sent you for their discussion groups with a lot of info on their club etc.