GMRS repeater

[k9zip]

Question do you need special permission to set up a GMRS repeater from the FCC or do you just look for a repeater output thats not used in my local area? 

[PastorGary]

Your GMRS license is your authorization to own and operate a repeater.  Monitoring all 462 and 467 main frequencies for awhile is a good idea to check to see if any channels may be in use for other repeaters.

 

[quarterwave]

I might suggest a little program, I think is still available for windows, if not there are others. ScanRec is a configurable recorder with vox for the PC, and you can run your radio into the sound card and monitor a channel for a week or a month....then just go back and see how much traffic was there when you play the recording back. 

 

In commercial radio, I have used a vox tape recorder to do this in the past. And, while I am telling stories...A tech I once worked with, he had an analog clock hooked up in the mix, when the vox controller came on, it also fed 1.5 volts to the clock, and the clock would run when there was audio coming in. He set the clock for 12:00 and then checked the minutes, and seconds on it when he/we went back to check the recordings in a week. That's how we used to find the best frequency from the 4-5 the coordinator would send us. 

 

Just thought I would share, monitoring a channel all day is tough, it needs to be at a fixed location too, preferably where the repeater will be, and on a similar height antenna. If you try to do it manually...well, as soon as you walk away there will be traffic...or could be. So a recording device is very handy. 

[WRAK968]

I might suggest a little program, I think is still available for windows, if not there are others. ScanRec is a configurable recorder with vox for the PC, and you can run your radio into the sound card and monitor a channel for a week or a month....then just go back and see how much traffic was there when you play the recording back. 

 

In commercial radio, I have used a vox tape recorder to do this in the past. And, while I am telling stories...A tech I once worked with, he had an analog clock hooked up in the mix, when the vox controller came on, it also fed 1.5 volts to the clock, and the clock would run when there was audio coming in. He set the clock for 12:00 and then checked the minutes, and seconds on it when he/we went back to check the recordings in a week. That's how we used to find the best frequency from the 4-5 the coordinator would send us. 

 

Just thought I would share, monitoring a channel all day is tough, it needs to be at a fixed location too, preferably where the repeater will be, and on a similar height antenna. If you try to do it manually...well, as soon as you walk away there will be traffic...or could be. So a recording device is very handy. 

I use an old radioshack scanner that has a hit counter on it. I put all pairs in and leave it for at least 30 days. When I return, its a matter of looking at the hits not just on the RX but the TX side as well. Doing this lets me choose the best pair for the area.