Simplex or Repeater primary usage?

[OldRadioGuy]

Maybe we should set up a survey for this....

I'm just curious how many people primarily use GMRS on repeaters and how many use them mostly simplex.

 

Also, if you do mostly use a repeater, is it mostly for "social radio"? or more for necessary communications? 

 

We use them mostly simplex mode for direct communication in outdoors situations or traveling together in separate vehicles.

I occasionally use repeaters but not very often.  Maybe if one had better local coverage here I would use it more.

 

I've been a ham for 35 years but my wife and fishing buddies are not hams - so FRS/GMRS is more useful.

 

What is your primary use or purpose for getting into GMRS?

 

Vince

[SkylinesSuck]

I got in to it equally for Jeep stuff and to be able to reach out and touch my kids better on their FRS radios. This has blossomed in to their little friends in the area getting FRS radios and chatting about Pokemon and crap from their KG1000 in the treehouse (overkill yes I know). I'm trying to get them in to range of their best friend's house about 12 miles away on simplex so they can keep in touch, but no dice so far, and the repeater isn't appropriate for them yet. The family at the other end is unlicensed and just borrowing one of my CCR's while we test, but that will change if we can ever reach each other.

[ULTRA2]

I do both. But I'm primarily on repeater. The main reason I'm on repeater is for distance communications and simplex for local traffic within one or two miles from my location.

[WRCY896]

Mostly simplex between family members in close proximity.

 

We use the repeater for talking longer distance.

[gortex2]

When in the Jeeps simplex. When around one of my repeaters we use the repeater for range. Its mostly to talk to family or friends, not a chat line. If I wanted to listen to that I'd turn a ham radio on.

[mbrun]

I got into GMRS nearly 20 years ago for simplex. I use is around the home, out in the neighborhood, while camping, traveling and during family events. I purchased by first repeater capable GMRS radio about a year ago to expand the range when traveling in and around town, ultimately for the capability to communicate with home.

 

I enjoy radio as a hobby also. As such I enjoy talking radio on the radio with other enthusiasts. I have one local that I simplex with and others I connect with by way of the repeaters.

 

My primary channel on the base radio is a simplex channel. You will regularly find that radio monitoring it and scanning all the local repeaters. Nowadays I never leave the home without a radio, even when just taking my walk.

 

If I am out traveling about and using the radio talking to others my better half can often hear me and knows where I am at, leading to the ability to estimate when I will be home. And yes, we use the cell phone too.

 

Now more than ever I think of radio as an alternate means of communication in case of emergency.

 

 

Michael

WRHS965

KE8PLM

[MacJack]

I agree with all the answers above...  So we all are in the right community.  The only three thing in my situation is as following:

 

1) Been in radios, CB and FRS (Jeeping and traveling) and with the kid playing around house and camping.  Do mostly simplex but I have a family only repeater to play with until I get a better antenna.  

 

2) Grand kids getting into radios (FRS as have several all these years) and our 12 yo grand daughter and I went into GMRS as she wants to go into Space Force.  Now we are going to study this summer for our Ham ticket.

 

3) Have a great repeater in our area but not enough folks on it.  Have a few other private family repeater in the area which are quite.  So I found an app https://zello.com for my iPhone (also available for Android).  I joined several of the nationwide repeater groups via the app.  Not that busy but folks are logged on but crickets...  I key in with name call sign and always get a reply from some folks still living in NY, NJ, PA etc (Locked In).  Later on after time zone change I talk to a few in AZ etc.  It is interesting to connect with others and use proper radio etiquette.

 

So if you are hearing crickets give https://zello.com.  In fact I see myGMRS but disconnected.  

 

Enjoy your radios,

 

Jack

 

P.S. I should suggest when you setup for a FREE account put your name in followed by your GMRS call sign on the same line.  The channels are monitored and you have to validated by the monitors to make it work.  Here a list of channels I have: gmrs, gmrs network, gmrs washington, GMRS-REPEATERS AND mygmrs.    

[WRAK968]

I do both and in theory everyone should be out of good practice.

When around home using portables, or if we are communicating with another area from our hometown, we will use our repeater which is linked to the national network. If we plan to travel as a group or for when we are outside our home repeater range, we will use simplex to communicate.

I set up each of our radios with three channels:

Repeater (Obvious what its for)

Talk 1 (This is the repeaters output channel and same DCS code. We use this as our primary simplex channel)

Talk 2 (This uses a different channel and code, and is used to avoid interference with a repeater, or as a secondary for communications as we travel.)

Switching zones gives us access to all available GMRS and Repeater channels, however my family isn't experienced enough to understand how that all operates, but its there is we need them.

[OldRadioGuy]

I got a kick out of the post that said try Ham radio for "social radio". 

One of our local repeaters has a group of regulars that are on there every night. 

Sometimes it's about like a lunch table at a high school. 

They BS about gun stunts, recreational explosives, debates about army tanks and munitions, and crazy stuff.  

Sometimes entertaining and sometimes disturbing. :-) 

 

Other times it's mostly technical radio talk.  

Lately it's been a lot of talk about amateur satellite comms. 

 

I think GMRS tends to be more of an outdoors crowd - which I like. 

I rarely transmit on the local Ham repeater.  

 

Vince

[SkylinesSuck]

I think that spills over into the "prepper" community sometimes which also tends to lean in certain political directions. I've heard some "interesting" conversations ranging from deep state theories to mind control vaccines later in the evenings lol.

[n4gix]

I think that spills over into the "prepper" community sometimes which also tends to lean in certain political directions. I've heard some "interesting" conversations ranging from deep state theories to mind control vaccines later in the evenings lol.

 

And.... that's about the time I change the channel.