Noob with no local traffic... yet.

[Trad77]

Hello,

I received my GMRS license about a month ago and what I have been learning is... crickets.  Locally we have one repeater and I NEVER hear anything on it.  I use it to try to get some activity on it but, it sits quiet.  I also call out on simplex as well.  Nothing.  What can a dude like me do to get more activity around here?  What do you do to get more activity in your local area.  So far, I have looked up any kind of group or club for GMRS, I tried to get my (very few) friends into GMRS (they dont care) I have asked co-workers (they dont have a clue what I was talking about haha) and then I just call out all the time for someone to reply.  Anyway, Im just asking for a little bit of help and encouragement to continue forward with GMRS because its pretty hard to talk to yourself out on the air.  

[pcradio]

GMRS is not like the amateur band. It is used by groups of people who are hiking or moving around an area together.

[wayoverthere]

The reality of gmrs is that most areas, it's treated as a utility, in line with the stated intent of the service, and people pretty much sticm to their 'group'. Some areas, as you found, there just isn't much activity, though I'm surprised you aren't at least hearing some activity on the lower channels if you're scanning...kids with the off the shelf ("bubble pack") radios.

Some areas do have a bit of hobbyist activity, but they're more exception than norm....I ran into that realization too. It's been a little experimenting with radio, but not a lot of activity, talking to an empty repeater or two.

It sounds like you're doing about all you can do to scare up some activity, it's just about incorporating it with activities where you can. For the hobbyist side, though, the reality is that it may be worth looking into ham as well...more hobbyists there

[DownEastNC]

4 hours ago, Trad77 said:

Hello,

 What can a dude like me do to get more activity around here?  What do you do to get more activity in your local area.

My situation is unique but my experience may help you. I created a Facebook Group specific to the area, disaster preparedness, and for GMRS. I then went fishing around for other FB groups that are specific to my area, did some chatting with the admins, got their blessings and then invited their membership to join my group. Within 2 days I got 15 members and they're still dribbling in. With a couple of exceptions none of these folks are familiar with GMRS so I'm feeding them some YouTube videos and links to web sites. I hoping eventually we will have some users in the area and a little more activity on the air waves. If you want to make it happen you got to work it from different angles.

 

[MichaelLAX]

4 hours ago, Trad77 said:

Hello,

I received my GMRS license about a month ago and what I have been learning is... crickets.  Locally we have one repeater and I NEVER hear anything on it...

Where's that?

[Trad77]

4 hours ago, pcradio said:

GMRS is not like the amateur band. It is used by groups of people who are hiking or moving around an area together.

You are right!  I do understand this and I am not expecting a mass influx of other GMRS users to be on everyday like some hams I know.  I am more asking how you can bring in some traffic so that we can use the repeater.

[Trad77]

1 hour ago, MichaelLAX said:

Where's that?

I am in Wyoming... Poe Dunk, Wyoming. haha.

[Trad77]

1 hour ago, DownEastNC said:

My situation is unique but my experience may help you. I created a Facebook Group specific to the area, disaster preparedness, and for GMRS. I then went fishing around for other FB groups that are specific to my area, did some chatting with the admins, got their blessings and then invited their membership to join my group. Within 2 days I got 15 members and they're still dribbling in. With a couple of exceptions none of these folks are familiar with GMRS so I'm feeding them some YouTube videos and links to web sites. I hoping eventually we will have some users in the area and a little more activity on the air waves. If you want to make it happen you got to work it from different angles.

 

Facebook?  Whats that? haha.  I do not have an account with them, however I could use some local forums that I know of.  Thanks for the advise and idea!

[Trad77]

3 hours ago, wayoverthere said:

The reality of gmrs is that most areas, it's treated as a utility, in line with the stated intent of the service, and people pretty much sticm to their 'group'. Some areas, as you found, there just isn't much activity, though I'm surprised you aren't at least hearing some activity on the lower channels if you're scanning...kids with the off the shelf ("bubble pack") radios.

Some areas do have a bit of hobbyist activity, but they're more exception than norm....I ran into that realization too. It's been a little experimenting with radio, but not a lot of activity, talking to an empty repeater or two.

It sounds like you're doing about all you can do to scare up some activity, it's just about incorporating it with activities where you can. For the hobbyist side, though, the reality is that it may be worth looking into ham as well...more hobbyists there

Unfortunately the local ham traffic is quite silent as well... unless if you use HF then you can get a contact that way.

[MichaelLAX]

7 minutes ago, Trad77 said:

I am in Wyoming... Poe Dunk, Wyoming. haha.

Seriously, what part of Wyoming?

[wayoverthere]

29 minutes ago, Trad77 said:

Unfortunately the local ham traffic is quite silent as well... unless if you use HF then you can get a contact that way.

I wonder if the gmrs repeater owner would be amenable to getting it linked...somewhere...elsewhere in state, neighboring state (depending on location), somewhere that might be likely to have some traffic. nothing begets activity like some activity, but getting it started is the hard part. Bonus if you're near popular off grid outdoor areas that might be crying for coverage, linking might be key to making talking home via network a reality.

That aside, if you haven't already, you make poke at some other listings for repeaters that may not be listed here. Imo, this site is the most complete listing, but repeaterbook does have a couple gmrs repeaters listed, along with all the ham stuff.  on the ham side, if it's currently barren outside of hf, I'd be looking toward digital modes (fighting with setting up for dmr, myself...)

[lougasp61]

If you can afford it, put up your own repeater and then maybe more people such as your friends would show an interest. This may sound expensive but you don't have to put up the world's most powerful repeater or even a commercially built one.

There a many on eBay.

Here is one with a power supply
https://www.ebay.com/itm/154636123201?hash=item240107fc41:g:4GgAAOSwUyxhPXbm

Add the duplexer
https://www.ebay.com/itm/334098498505?hash=item4dc9d283c9:g:DIkAAOSwwy1hB9pG

Antenna
https://www.ebay.com/itm/293628806495

Coax
https://www.ebay.com/itm/181996135177

Not as expensive as you may have thought!

 

 

[WROA675]

12 hours ago, Trad77 said:

What do you do to get more activity in your local area. 

FCC website will have a list of all the licensed GMRS users in your area. That may be a good way to find other radioheads in your area.

[WyoJoe]

3 hours ago, Papatree said:

FCC website will have a list of all the licensed GMRS users in your area. That may be a good way to find other radioheads in your area.

As of the time of this post, there are only 386 active GMRS licenses in the entire state of Wyoming!

Surprisingly, to me at least, Wheatland has 12 of those. That seems to me like a high percentage since there are so many towns throughout the state.

[n4gix]

22 hours ago, lougasp61 said:

Add the duplexer
https://www.ebay.com/itm/334098498505?hash=item4dc9d283c9:g:DIkAAOSwwy1hB9pG

The same duplexer is available from Amazon.com for considerably less: $119

Amazon.com: Fumei UHF 400-470MHz 50W Duplexer for Radio Repeater with Preseted Low Frequency 462MHz & High Frequency 467MHz & N Female connectors : Electronics

[WRNX804]

On 10/14/2021 at 12:39 PM, DownEastNC said:

My situation is unique but my experience may help you. I created a Facebook Group specific to the area, disaster preparedness, and for GMRS. I then went fishing around for other FB groups that are specific to my area, did some chatting with the admins, got their blessings and then invited their membership to join my group. Within 2 days I got 15 members and they're still dribbling in. With a couple of exceptions none of these folks are familiar with GMRS so I'm feeding them some YouTube videos and links to web sites. I hoping eventually we will have some users in the area and a little more activity on the air waves. If you want to make it happen you got to work it from different angles.

 

Whereabouts down east are you located, generally speaking? I'm in Nash county, just recently got my license and a DB20-G. Haven't heard any local traffic and am still trying to figure out how to connect to the repeater in Tarboro, WQYS795. I spend a lot of time in Edgecombe county with church and other activities, any help or contacts is appreciated!

[DownEastNC]

2 minutes ago, WRNX804 said:

Whereabouts down east are you located, generally speaking? I'm in Nash county, just recently got my license and a DB20-G. Haven't heard any local traffic and am still trying to figure out how to connect to the repeater in Tarboro, WQYS795. I spend a lot of time in Edgecombe county with church and other activities, any help or contacts is appreciated!

The coastal plains of NC between Bettie and Cedar Island in Carteret County have the designation of "Down East". This includes Harkers Island, Davis, Atlantic, etc. Most of us border Core Sound which separates us from the wilder uninhabited portions of the Outer Banks. You're a good 165 miles away by road and 110 miles as the crow flies. I'll poke around and see if there's a repeater between us but I'm thinking that's doubtful and even on a good day we would both have to have some antennas way up in the air. I'm working on the antenna thing but not quite there yet.

I wish I could help you with some contacts but I'm struggling with that myself. It is deathly quiet on the radio out here. I'm chatting up the idea with a few neighbors and I have the Facebook Group in the works, but so far folks seem to be reluctant to engage.

[gortex2]

GMRS is not about finding contacts and chatting with others. Its more of a service for families and such. There is a major disconnect between users thinking GMRS is like ham radio. 

[MichaelLAX]

2 hours ago, kb2ztx said:

GMRS is not about finding contacts and chatting with others. Its more of a service for families and such...

OMG: you better explain that to 99% of the GMRS users in Southern California (especially the "off-roaders")! 

[WROA675]

11 minutes ago, MichaelLAX said:

OMG: you better explain that to 99% of the GMRS users in Southern California (especially the "off-roaders")! 

Right!?! The whole reason I got into this is because I heard that the chicks dig a guy with a radio clipped to his belt, plus I wasn't getting anywhere in Tinder 

[gortex2]

MY point was people jump on here and say i can't hear folks, can't get repeaters cant find friends. Thats not what GMRS was ever intended for. Yes some areas have groups but 95% of the GMRS systems are for a certain user group. Ever since this entire merge with FRS its gotten worse and worse. I dont know why people think they can go buy a radio and start calling for people to answer. If your looking to get into clubs or chat with new users great but most of the areas that wont happen. I have GMRS to talk to my users on MY repeater. I also use GMRS (more FRS) on Jeep rides to talk to the guy in front or behind me and thats it. I dont expect to just jump on the radio and call up folks. 

[MichaelLAX]

34 minutes ago, kb2ztx said:

MY point was people jump on here and say i can't hear folks, can't get repeaters cant find friends. Thats not what GMRS was ever intended for...

I will be the first to admit I am NOT a GMRS historian!

BUT: the implication of your comments is that: GMRS users are NOT allowed to find folks, whether by repeater or otherwisel they are NOT allowed to "go buy a radio and start calling for people to answer."

I cannot find any justification for your assumed prohibition of such activities on GMRS and hence they are allowed to jump on GMRS to find folks, whether through repeaters or otherwise; and/or go buy a radio and start calling for people to answer, even if you personally chose NOT to do such activities.

Just so we are not misleading other GMRS users reading this thread.

[wayoverthere]

I feel like there's a perception among some of the long time gmrs users, especially with the influx of users the last few years (between boredom and disasters), that the growth of a hobbyist mindset is going to turn gmrs into a free for all like cb became. I think this is where some of the discouraging attitudes stem from toward hobbyist mindset on gmrs.

I'm in the camp that, while hobbyist usage isn't the main intent of the service, there's also nothing in the the regulations that prohibits using it in that way. It just means I need to temper my expectations of what I'm likely to find on the radio waves. And I've been trying to walk that line with a lot of the new user threads...show then the reality without making it like I'm trying to totally rain on their enthusiasm for a new hobby.

[IanM]

No, there's no prohibition against contacting strangers, and I don't think that's what he was implying, so much as that most traffic on GMRS is, well, not that. 

There is, however, a prohibition on using repeaters without permission ("In transient use, a mobile station from one GMRS system may communicate through a mobile relay station (repeater) in another GMRS system with the permission of its licensee"), and I would guess a lot of repeaters one comes across that aren't listed on here as public probably have a specific intended purpose other than random visitors. I've seen reports on here and elsewhere of people driving around trying to find unlisted repeaters. Please don't.

As I said in the other thread re: open/closed repeaters, it's also just discourteous to jump into random other conversations; more than once while trying to get ahold of a family member I've gotten back "hey man, I just got this Baofeng radio and I'm flipping through the channels, how are ya buddy". No, that's not illegal (unless it rises to the level of willful interference), but it's not a good way to make friends in the hobby!

But I agree with @wayoverthere, I have nothing against people taking it up as a hobby, but it's important to have realistic expectations that it's not like amateur radio, where they might find far more repeaters and strangers to strike up conversation with. There's a handful of 'why won't strangers answer me' threads around the internet, and, well, it is what it is. 

I'm licensed in both, and each have a separate purpose. There's a very lively ham repeater network in my area, but there's no way it would be practical to use for general family/friends communications, and vice-versa.

I do hope OP does get some friends in on it, maybe organize a formal simplex net or something if you're within range. I think having some real-life friends and something to chat about other than weather or radios is what makes the hobby interesting. The local ham net I join in is much more social in nature, and I think that's why it's so busy. Truth be told a lot of the random contacts I hear on amateur is a lot of "Hey, this is XXXXX in YYYY city, it's 52º right now." "Oh hey XXXXX, this is ZZZZZ, yeah, it's a little cloudy here in _____. 73, signing off." (Bonus points if they're both on Echolink and nobody's actually using a radio.)

[DownEastNC]

56 minutes ago, kb2ztx said:

MY point was people jump on here and say i can't hear folks, can't get repeaters cant find friends. Thats not what GMRS was ever intended for. Yes some areas have groups but 95% of the GMRS systems are for a certain user group. Ever since this entire merge with FRS its gotten worse and worse. I dont know why people think they can go buy a radio and start calling for people to answer. If your looking to get into clubs or chat with new users great but most of the areas that wont happen. I have GMRS to talk to my users on MY repeater. I also use GMRS (more FRS) on Jeep rides to talk to the guy in front or behind me and thats it. I dont expect to just jump on the radio and call up folks. 

I'll be blunt. I made the conscience decision to invest into GMRS for the freedom and to engage with other like minded folks. If I wanted a hall monitor correcting my behavior or some sort of strict regimentation I'd go get a ham ticket. Also, it's important to note that many of us live in the outskirts, the boonies, the sticks where there isn't any radio traffic. We would relish the opportunity to "call up" a pal and chat a bit. As long as we're being respectful to others and yielding the channel when necessary, I see nothing wrong with using the radio in that fashion. Besides, it's good practice for that SHTF scenario that the marketing folks so succinctly suggest the equipment is good for.