Basics for a beginners...

[WROA675]

Hello to you all,

  I recently received my call sign, WROA675, and yes the fee is still $70, though I keep reading it's suppose to go down to $35. My exposure to GMRS is through 4x4 friends that don't have CBs, but suggested getting GMRS units. That being said, I'm walking into this new world blindly. Right now I have the Radioddity GM-30 (handheld), nice unit as far as I can tell, for my needs. I will be getting a mobile unit soon for my truck. I have heard people (right out of the box) on the lower channels talking and assume they may be on FMR (walkie talkies) and some chatter on the upper channels. I've attempted to speak to those on the radio (get a radio check) but no one on any channel has responded yet. I assume any one on the radio is willing to chat or why would they have a radio.  I'm thinking since mine is a handheld unit maybe they can't hear me, but not sure...is there some type of tuning, etc, that I need to do to my radio to transmit and receive messages back (and what's up with the Morse code)?  Any tutorial videos y'all would suggest for a newbie like me? Clubs to join (I'm in Cali-L.A. county)? Thank you in advance for your advice and input. WROA675 signing out

[MichaelLAX]

WELCOME!

Make sure that your channels have NO receive CTCSS tones set, so that your receive is wide open to listen to whatever is transmitted on that frequency.

I have the clone of your Radioddity, the Pofung P15UV, purchased specifically so that I could use Menu items 30 and 31 to scan for CTCSS and DCS tones transmitted by others to gain access to Repeaters.

Take a drive up to a hilltop area and see if anyone comes back to your transmissions then; you'll have better range, the higher you are! They may not hear you still, if they have Receiver tones set up to block out unwanted transmissions -- You will have to use Menu Items 30 and 31 to see if they are expecting transmission tones and even this will not work, if they use different tones for XMIT & RCVE

Check out these repeaters for SoCal - Los Angeles:

Crestline: 575 ("462.575"; Transmit Tone = 67.0) if you are on the more Eastern side of the County

Mt. Disappointment 600 (167.9)

Mt Harvard 625 (151.4)

Club 650 (107.2) Especially in the San Fernando Valley

Ranchino 700 (D271N) If you are in the Northern Inland Empire

RT 725 (100.0) Be careful; there are Bozos on this bus! 

Remember to program these into Channels 31-54, so that your HT knows to transmit up on 467.xxxx and yet receive on 462.xxxx*

The Morse Code is FCC required Identifiers of who owns the Repeater.

Check out this YouTube video for background:  We like to support the socially-challenged! 

*I assume you have the updated Radioddity firmware to allow these extra DIY Repeater channels.  Turn off power, hold down the button just below the Push-to-Talk button and turn on power: a firmware number will briefly appear, such as 006.03.006, which is currently the updated firmware number.

[IanM]

Also new around here but not new to radio in general—hope I can answer a few questions. 

As for why others chatting might not hear you, they're likely using a tone (CTCSS, DCS, PL, you name it) to block out anyone not TXing on that code. Especially if they're using a set of FRS radios; all but the cheapest seem to be 'privacy code' capable and have them on by default. The newer FRS radios can use all channels, but people with those cheapies tend to stay on the lower ones—think just keep clicking up from 'channel 1' until you find a clear one. 

Or, if it's one of the upper GMRS channels (15-22), they could be on a repeater—in which case not only might they be filtering you out with a tone, but you might not even be close enough for simplex (radio-to-radio) reception. 

The morse code you're hearing is probably a repeater identifying itself by call sign occasionally as required. Again, that suggests whoever you're hearing is communicating through said repeater, and you're not. You need to be on a duplex/repeater channel and using the tone code that it's listening to, to transmit to it. That's what's great about this forum is finding repeaters and being able to contact their owners for access info. On a GM-30, you'd have to go into one of the RPT channels and set a TX code at the very least, and maybe an RX code depending on the repeater and if you want to filter out other chatter on that channel.

With a handheld connected through a repeater, you should be good to go. I can easily pick up one 30 miles away. Transmitting on it is a different story. 

Little side note—you said "I assume any one on the radio is willing to chat or why would they have a radio." Not necessarily (I don't—I primarily use it for outdoor activities and short-distance comms outside cell service); would you and your 4x4 friends want someone butting in to shoot the breeze when you're out? It seems, on here and other boards, I occasionally see people getting irritated by business users, RVers, families, etc using the channels. Remember this is a utility band—'Family Radio Service' and 'General Mobile Radio Service'. It also shares some frequencies with the older dot-code Business Band. For most users, it's just a tool and not a hobby, unlike Ham, where the fun is in the equipment, talking to strangers, and talking to strangers about equipment. 

Depending on where you are, you might find the GMRS band less exciting than the CB and amateur bands for connecting with strangers—'rag chewing' as it's called. Where I am in Seattle, we have a number of repeaters in the greater area, but many of those are reserved for emergency preparedness or neighborhood communications. There's one open repeater for chatting with an absolutely huge range across the whole metro area, but it really only sort of perks up in the late evening. YMMV depending on where you are.

[MichaelLAX]

PS: Take a look at the Anytone AT-779 a/k/a Radioddity DM-20G a/k/a Retevis Ra-25 for your truck ($99 to $129 retail).  I love mine:

18 watts

Cigarette lighter plug

I purchased a $20 mag-mount antenna and a $25 cup-mount holder for it:

 

[WROA675]

Thank you MichaelLAX. Honestly, I haven't changed any settings, programmed any channels, and really I wouldn't know how to do it anyway, at this time. I have read through the manual for the radio, but I'm unsure how to make sense of it. I'm optimistic that with time and instruction, I'll get it. I was able to talk to my daughter on her FMR walkie, which was nice because at least I know the unit works  . I saw the video you suggested and thanks for all the other resources. That guy, Randy, is as funny as he is informative, I've enjoyed watching a few others of his reviews. I'm over the hill for you in the Santa Clarita Valley, so hopeful in the not-so-distant future we can have a different kind of conversation (over the airwave versus the net).  

[MichaelLAX]

Lets chat Channel 3 simplex

i’ll drive over the hill at about 4pm!

I-5 or Hiway-14?

[WROA675]

I'm off the 14, close to Via Princessa (Sierra hwy & Soledad)

[MichaelLAX]

I’m on my way to that area now

 

I’m on my way to that area now

 

Turn turn on channel 3

[WROA675]

38 minutes ago, Papatree said:

Thank you MichaelLAX. Honestly, I haven't changed any settings, programmed any channels, and really I wouldn't know how to do it anyway, at this time. I have read through the manual for the radio, but I'm unsure how to make sense of it. I'm optimistic that with time and instruction, I'll get it. I was able to talk to my daughter on her FMR walkie, which was nice because at least I know the unit works  . I saw the video you suggested and thanks for all the other resources. That guy, Randy, is as funny as he is informative, I've enjoyed watching a few others of his reviews. I'm over the hill for you in the Santa Clarita Valley, so hopeful in the not-so-distant future we can have a different kind of conversation (over the airwave versus the net).  

“The seeker embarks on a journey to find what he wants and discovers, along the way, what he needs.”
― Wally Lamb

[MichaelLAX]

462. 61250

[WROA675]

I think I enter it correctly. I'm on DIY-1 (031) but not hearing anything. Maybe I could drive out near you?

 

[MichaelLAX]

Just turn to channel 3 on your handheld

[MichaelLAX]

To the others following this thread:

I drove up to Canyon Country and Kevin and I communicated on Channel 3 successfully! 

I was unable to find a GMRS repeater up there or over in Valencia and in response to my email to the administrator of the VNC700 Repeater on Oat Mt., he told me that unit is off the air for upgrades for now.

Anyone know of any clubs that Kevin can join?