Why are so many repeaters private?

[TonyAldo]

I'm pretty new to GMRS and I've been dabbling with it on and off. Many of the repeaters near me or what I can here are "private" . I'm curious as to why? Which leads me to my 2nd question. Do I have to be a member to all these repeaters to be able to transmit? 

[JohnE]

1 for the most part GMRS is intended as a Family radio service.

2  cost. I have $$$ into 3 machines. my time, my $$, it is at my digression to let others use it.

3  people can be idiots. you want to act like a fool on my machines I shut them off.

4  this is not HAM

as to being a member, you would have to ask permission and/or seek out the groups repeater you wish to use.

given your location you should/could be hearing machines in LI possibly  a couple of NYC machines.

[magic279]

Many are private because we just want to know the user before they get on our repeaters.  An answer to a few questions to see who you are would get you permission to use my repeaters.  Like said above this is not ham.  Many people have gotten a license but do not know the rules or maybe specific rules to a repeater.

[quarterwave]

Even though marked Private, I see notes about asking for usage permission. 

 

I know I have talked on a couple around Myrtle Beach, SC a few times on vacation, they just wanted to know who you were and your call. I didn't have anyone to talk to specifically (no one in my party), but talked to local people who were monitoring. Nice folks, and they appreciated having someone to chat with from out of town.

[kcsdrd2232]

I have asked for permission on several repeaters in Michigan and never received a response. I understand why the repeater owner would want to screen users, but a response would be at least courteous.

[JohnE]

adding to this

I would privately e-mail the owner of said machine and state the reason/purpose for use along w/call signs.

I have had requests w/no info what so ever, you can guess what my RE is.

[Jones]

What I can't seem to understand is: If a repeater is Private, and the owner does not want to allow anyone to use it, then why even list it?  Is it just a vanity thing to have your name on a website as the owner of a machine? Ooohh lookie, I have this shiny thing, but you can't touch it!

 

It can't be about coordination, since there is no coordination on GMRS, and everyone must share the frequencies.

 

I have a repeater. It is private, DCS locked, and for use by my family only, so I just do not advertise it at all.

[n4gix]

"Private" most often means that permission must be obtained. You are right that a truly "private" system shouldn't even be listed.

[magic279]

It can be about coordination.  Though GMRS has no official coordination it helps others decide a frequency that might be open in your area.  I know every repeater operator in the area and we do all things possible not to cause interfirance among though known repeaters.  Several are not listed but we do our coordination on our own.  This is no way stops someone from putting up one, but allows us to do it and not cause others problems.  I recently was going to put up a .700 repeater but someone else did and decided to go to .675 as it was open in the area.

[JohnE]

"Private" most often means that permission must be obtained. You are right that a truly "private" system shouldn't even be listed.

 

It can be about coordination.  Though GMRS has no official coordination it helps others decide a frequency that might be open in your area.  I know every repeater operator in the area and we do all things possible not to cause interfirance among though known repeaters.  Several are not listed but we do our coordination on our own.  This is no way stops someone from putting up one, but allows us to do it and not cause others problems.  I recently was going to put up a .700 repeater but someone else did and decided to go to .675 as it was open in the area.

agreed on both points. mine are all listed as a matter of coordination,and they all have their own rough mobile coverage maps.

all of my machines are "private" . I also do not allow permission through the main board as I have had problems w/that.

any request must come through a PM or a private e-mail request. as a side note I have had less issues going this route so far. this goes directly to my third point. in this city we have more than our fair share.

[berkinet]

...

4 this is not HAM

...

...Like said above this is not ham....

Yes, GMRS is not amateur radio. However, also note there are private ham repeaters as well.

 

Given hams (generally) voluntarily coordinate* repeaters, a private repeater effectively means a private frequency. Yes, you can talk simplex on the input or output. But, you are very likely incur the wrath of the repeater's users.

 

So, while both services have open and closed (really a much better word than private) repeaters, because there is no coordination required, the situation on GMRS is really quite different.

 

* Coordination of repeaters is not specifically required in Part-97. However, it does state:

c: Where the transmissions of a repeater cause harmful interference to another repeater, the two station licensees are equally and fully responsible for resolving the interference unless the operation of one station is recommended by a frequency coordinator and the operation of the other station is not. In that case, the licensee of the non-coordinated repeater has primary responsibility to resolve the interference.

[TonyAldo]

1 for the most part GMRS is intended as a Family radio service.

2  cost. I have $$$ into 3 machines. my time, my $$, it is at my digression to let others use it.

3  people can be idiots. you want to act like a fool on my machines I shut them off.

4  this is not HAM

as to being a member, you would have to ask permission and/or seek out the groups repeater you wish to use.

given your location you should/could be hearing machines in LI possibly  a couple of NYC machines.

 

Thanks. Yea I can see how it would cost a bunch of money and you have to police the idiots some how. But membership fees..I don't know how I feel about that. 

[Elkhunter521]

All gmrs repeaters are private. They operate at the sole discretion of the owner.

[RCM]

My repeater is open to all licensed operators who operate according to the laws governing GMRS. Users don't have to email and ask permission; however I appreciate those that do, as it gives me a chance to get to know the users of my machine. It's just a courtesy thing.

[drk1970nj]

WELL SAID

 

 

 

Many are private because we just want to know the user before they get on our repeaters.  An answer to a few questions to see who you are would get you permission to use my repeaters.  Like said above this is not ham.  Many people have gotten a license but do not know the rules or maybe specific rules to a repeater.

[coryb27]

Mine are all public, anybody is free to use them. If a user is more then just passing thru and plans to use the systems often I require them to create a profile on my website should I need to contact them off the air. Frequent users that do not sign up are asked to or permission is revoked.

[LAMBSONB60]

Thanks. Yea I can see how it would cost a bunch of money and you have to police the idiots some how. But membership fees..I don't know how I feel about that. 

I also get how many might not like some kind of membership fee for use....but as the sole financier of my own solar site @8800 ft in a remote area of New Mexico to help some 100+ families who have no cell service or other means of communication I didn't feel bad at all about asking for an annual donation that worked out about 9-12$\month....I have some $13K of my own in this site & must maintain batteries & all site maint on my own....Most who ask for some fee I will say are most likely just trying to cover their installation\operational costs....for the few who might be doing it for a profit motive...well I will leave judgment on that to others although I personally do not agree with trying to operate as a for-profit enterprise...so I practice what I preach..& "donations" to me for my site use are optional, not mandatory. And even like this nearly all who use it have tried to donate something to help so I still have some faith in human nature

[PRadio]

It is sort of like asking, why someone doesn't make their car available for all to use. Private property is just that, private. If the repeater's owner wants to allow someone else to use it, that is great, and a privilege to those allowed to use it. Asking permission is a reasonable request. 

[Elkhunter521]

I'm surprised that any repeater owners allow strangers to use their repeater. So many people are such jerks with their expectations of the use of a repeater owners private property.

 

I re-wrote this several times to comply with "language" allowable on this site.

Hmmmm, seems hollow, oh well.

[marcspaz]

I'm surprised that any repeater owners allow strangers to use their repeater. So many people are such jerks with their expectations of the use of a repeater owners private property.

 

I re-wrote this several times to comply with "language" allowable on this site.

Hmmmm, seems hollow, oh well.

It's not just wanna-be repeater users either. I was running some tests with two of my radios today. Some guy got on and told me I needed to be "OFF HIS FREQUENCY" by 6:00 PM because him and his friends have a conversation every Monday through Friday starting at 6:00 PM on that frequency.

 

I was a hot second away from using a very poor selection of words to remind him that these are "public" airways and no one has priority unless there is emergency traffic and if the frequency was in use... he could just pick another one.

 

Best part... I listened in on the 6:00 PM convo... they are talking about what they like on their salad. What restaurants have the best salads and salad bars. Dude was going to be in such and such a place tomorrow and wanted to know if anyone know where he can get a good salad... especially with good ranch dressing.

 

Glad they consider a dinner salad priority traffic and tell others to get off "their" channel. Good grief.