What I heard... part B

[WRHS218]

I just got home from my return trip which was about 2000 miles total. I took the Northern route from Southeast Texas, up to the Dallas area, and then north and west to highway I-40 through New Mexico, Arizona and finally back to California. I had my KG-905G and a KG-UV9G on and scanning the whole time. I scanned all GMRS channels and repeater channels as well as many specific repeater channels found on MyGMRS.com and the Repeater Book app. I heard a couple of people talking GMRS simplex in the Dallas area. In Albuquerque I heard a repeater but it wasn't one I had access to. Outside of Gallup, NM I heard a lady on a repeater although I didn't have the codes and was driving so I couldn't search for them. A man responded to her telling her to give her call sign because she was on HAM frequencies and then a minute later corrected himself realizing he was on GMRS. I heard some back and forth on the highway from folks using what sounded like bubble pack radios caravaning. In beautiful, scenic Boron, CA I was able to access a repeater but received no replies. The rest of the trip was quite. I think I heard Chick-fil-A in one city.

I was also scanning 2m on my VX-6R along the way. I hit a couple of repeaters in the Amarillo area and heard some radio traffic in the larger cities. 

So there you have it. My anecdotal experience on a two part 4000 road trip. I am pleased with the over all performance of both GMRS radios. I had both radios on for close to 70 hours of scanning and maybe 30 minutes total of transmitting and never had to change batteries in either one. The Yaesu had to have a fresh battery once a day, although my batteries for that radio are very old.

[daschnoz]

If you ever find yourself in central PA, dial up the 625 repeater out of Mt. Holly.  Throw out your call sign.  There is always someone listening and someone will usually respond, especially if it's an unfamiliar call sign.

Rag chews are common well into the early morning hours.