Little Disappointed

[taco6513]

I went to the FCC web site and you can search for GMRS licenses by city and zip code.

There are 5 active licenses found and two are me and my employee. Three others?

Only found three expired licenses in the last 19 years.

Only found 4 more in the towns around me.

I also found a license issued to a business. Call sign: KAE0902  

The state only has 539 active licenses! The whole state!

Wow! just not much interest in GMRS. 

 

I do have one question? How many radios are out there in use but not licenced?

People buy them and ignore the requirement.

 

WRCW870

[WRCY896]

There aren't a lot of people in my state either.

 

I am not worried about it. I didn't get the license to talk to the whole state or other people in my town as a form of chit chat.

 

I got into GMRS to add another layer of communication for my family in the emergency preparedness circle.

 

Often times, even when showing good cell coverage, I can't get a call to my wife. I also have SPOT, but I often want to get her a message that is not life threatening, but might be somewhat urgent.

 

GMRS seems to fill that void for me.

[coryb27]

Don't get discourage by the lack of users in your area rather embrace the lack of and if no repeater is available in your area install one. I have learned if you build it they will come. Start a club or group, put up a web page, start a Facebook group for your area etc.. You will be surprised how quickly like minded people  will get licensed to talk with others that share the same interests.

[marcspaz]

We have similar active license density in Virginia, too.  There are 1908 active users out of a population of 8.5 million.

 

In my experience, FRS and GMRS are used by families on a pretty casual bases.  There are a lot of GMRS users that just don't get a license.  I am the only person that I know personally that uses GMRS and has a license.

 

 

People have all kinds of reasons for getting into radio services.  Endless numbers of reasons.  My recommendation is, don't get into radio for the sake of getting into radio.  Use the services... integrate them into your life, to make your life better/easier.

 

Me and many of my friends go 4 wheeling, use multiple vehicles to go to cruise-in's and car shows, and our car clubs go on cruises.  Radio makes all of that easier and more fun.  There are many places were we play that do not have any cell phone coverage.  That makes radios critical to communications.

 

Then of course there are COOP/Disaster response benefits too.  I was an assistant emergency coordinator for ARES for years.  Radio was critical to day-to-day and in emergencies.  Especially during power outages and when commercial comms are not available.

 

 

A combination of HF, VHF and UHF communications capability can save lives as well as adding to fun.

[shaine]

I went to the FCC web site and you can search for GMRS licenses by city and zip code.

There are 5 active licenses found and two are me and my employee. Three others?

Only found three expired licenses in the last 19 years.

Only found 4 more in the towns around me.

I also found a license issued to a business. Call sign: KAE0902

The state only has 539 active licenses! The whole state!

Wow! just not much interest in GMRS.

 

I do have one question? How many radios are out there in use but not licenced?

People buy them and ignore the requirement.

 

WRCW870

Two active users are you and your employee . . . and your families. My local amateur radio club has a repeater that my wife and I mostly use. Once in a while, another operator will hop on. I will be setting up the rest of my family as budget permits.

 

 

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