Could someone ELI5 the 8 repeater channels on my GMRS-V1

[WRFH675]

I'm new and still learning everything.

 

If I tune into the REPT15 channel on both radios, why does nothing happen when I key up with both radios next to each other? Now, I understand I should stick with the regular channels for close communications. I'm just experimenting here and trying to learn why, and why not, certain things work. Do these channels only work if they actually travel through a repeater?

[Jones]

Yes, these channels only work if they actually travel through a repeater.  No repeater on that channel in your area means no comms on repeater channels.

 

Keep in mind however, that channels like 15 and REPT15 are the same receive frequency, only the transmit changes on the REPT channels, because repeaters do not hear and re-transmit on the same frequency.  You are still hearing channel 15, but in REPT mode, your actually transmit 5MHz higher in frequency, which the repeater hears, and sends back on channel 15 for all to hear.

 

If someone is talking through a repeater that you hear on 15, you will hear the same thing on 15 or REPT15.

[JJM]

As stated: the repeater channels transmit on an offset of + 5.000 MHz. The second radio is listening on, let’s say, 462.625 but the first radio is transmitting on 467.625. There are PL tones involved as well, for actual repeater use.

[WRFH675]

Thanks for the info. I just tested all repeater channels but nothing came back, so I guess there are no repeaters near me. Although, maybe I needed to use PL tones?

 

I took radio 1 and set it to REPT15. Radio 2 set to GMRS15. I used radio 1 to transmit a radio check through and received nothing on radio 2. I did that with all the repeater channels and received nothing on any of them. Just want to make sure I was testing this the correct way? CTCSS was off on both radios for every channel.

[JJM]

You won’t hear anything without using the correct tones. Usually. Some repeaters don’t require tones but they are rare.

 

There’s a map on this site of repeaters. Check to see if any are near you.

 

 

 

 

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[JJM]

You won’t hear anything from the repeater without using the correct tones. Usually. Some repeaters don’t require tones but they are rare.

 

There’s a map on this site of repeaters. Check to see if any are near you.

 

 

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

[WRFH675]

Looks like I'm a couple of miles outside of the nearest repeater's coverage map. This is the one: https://mygmrs.com/view?id=3521

 

I have a few more questions:

• The output is listed as 462.725 Mhz. Looking at my frequency reference chart, this would be GMRS channel 22, correct?
• If this is channel 22, and all I wanted to do was listen, I would only have to switch to channel 22 and do nothing else?
• For travel tone (PL tone?) it says "No". This means no tone is needed, correct? But even if there was a PL tone, as long as I have no tone set on my radio, I should still be able to hear everything?

[JJM]

Looks like I'm a couple of miles outside of the nearest repeater's coverage map. This is the one: https://mygmrs.com/view?id=3521

 

I have a few more questions:

• The output is listed as 462.725 Mhz. Looking at my frequency reference chart, this would be GMRS channel 22, correct?
• If this is channel 22, and all I wanted to do was listen, I would only have to switch to channel 22 and do nothing else?
• For travel tone (PL tone?) it says "No". This means no tone is needed, correct? But even if there was a PL tone, as long as I have no tone set on my radio, I should still be able to hear everything?

1. Yes

2. Yes

3. Travel tone is a national standard tone for the national standard “calling” frequency. It’s purpose is 1 tone/frequency to make it easier to make contacts while out of your normal area. It is not necessary for listening.

 

 

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