What is a Repeater and How Do You Use One to Communicate?

[BoxCar]

Written for hams, but the principles apply to GMRS as well.

What is a Repeater and How Do You Use One to Communicate? – OnAllBands

73's all

K4BJW

[MacJack]

Good read..  This comment is IMHO....  

You do not need to get permission to use a HAM Repeaters, if you are a license HAM...  BUT GMRS Repeaters owners have to control or look over who on his GMRS Repeater, thus you need to get permission.  

As a ham and using DMR (digital mobile radio) having so much fun and it is the next step up from GMRS...  Get your ham license while it is still free from FCC.  Enjoy the adventure... not that hard, I'm 74 yo and my study buddy was my 12 yo grand daughter...  

MacJack 

[WyoJoe]

4 hours ago, MacJack said:

You do not need to get permission to use a HAM Repeaters, if you are a license HAM...

This isn't entirely true. There are "closed" repeaters that are intended to be used only by club members or members of specific groups (such as Search and Rescue).

This seems to be the exception for the most part; many ham repeaters are "open" to all licensed hams to use freely. In fact, for most that I'm aware of, use of the repeater is encouraged, likely to increase traffic and give people someone else to talk to. Unlike many GMRS users, most hams I've met like to talk to others whenever the opportunity presents itself.

[MacJack]

You are correct, I was speak in general hams, not special interest groups.  Thanks for weighting as some in the GMRS community are thinking about getting ham ticket and just want them to know the lay of the land.

MacJack

[WyoJoe]

5 hours ago, MacJack said:

You are correct, I was speak in general hams, not special interest groups.  Thanks for weighting as some in the GMRS community are thinking about getting ham ticket and just want them to know the lay of the land.

MacJack

I have a mountain just a couple of miles out my backdoor that has several repeaters on it, and of those, at least one of them is a closed "members only" repeater. This immediately came to mind during the discussion, so that's why I'm bringing it up.

[MacJack]

On 10/15/2021 at 7:09 PM, WyoJoe said:

I have a mountain just a couple of miles out my backdoor that has several repeaters on it, and of those, at least one of them is a closed "members only" repeater. This immediately came to mind during the discussion, so that's why I'm bringing it up.

Yes thanks for saying that....  I did not even bring up the exceptions.  O, yes same here for us, ours is a GMRS membership repeater with a fee.  The local repeater I use the most (which is down now) is by far the best, free, strong and friendly folks, followed by my own owe which is not that high.

MacJack