GMRS Repeaters for Emergency Communications Use

[gortex2]

12 minutes ago, MichaelLAX said:

So your family members won't contribute to your repeater expenses?!?

My family and friends do. It was all the others that wouldn't which is why I moved it to a private repeater. I specifically moved my HAM stuff to P25 to eliminate the "entitled" folks also. 

You just don't get it do you. 

[Lscott]

2 hours ago, gortex2 said:

I specifically moved my HAM stuff to P25 to eliminate the "entitled" folks also.

Used P25 radios are expensive. I can buy 2 or 3 NXDN radios for what some people want for just 1 P25 radio. I'm still looking for an affordable TK-5220 VHF P25. I have 2 of the UHF TK-5320's and 1 of the TK-5220's now that didn't break the bank. In general LMR VHF radios are selling for more than the UHF models.

https://forums.mygmrs.com/gallery/image/254-tk-5320-1jpg/

 

[gortex2]

And to some point that's why I went P25. Only folks who are serious about the quality of the network spend the money. It eliminated all the CCR stuff that was always static and dropping out. Even DMR is suffering from poor hot spots and poor radios. Back when MARC started the TRBO network the repeaters sounded great. All was on it was MSI radios. As the CCR work and others linked and added to it it changed the level of acceptance. Not saying its all bad but different user experiences for sure. 

I'll also admit pretty much everyone who uses my P25 stuff is in public safety so its simpler to use one radio in a vehicle than a stack. And they are disciplined in radio use in a different field. 

NXDN is interesting. I was with a shop when ICOM and Kenwood released the first radio. We sold a ton on 6.25khz which was crazy at the time. Most were on site comms for hospitals and jails. I just ended up with a Kenwood NX700 that has NXDN but from what I've read its changed a bit. I'll probably surplus it as what I needed the radio for is 1 VHF analog channel. I hate to waste a radio with that much capability. 

[Lscott]

35 minutes ago, gortex2 said:

And to some point that's why I went P25. Only folks who are serious about the quality of the network spend the money. It eliminated all the CCR stuff that was always static and dropping out. Even DMR is suffering from poor hot spots and poor radios. Back when MARC started the TRBO network the repeaters sounded great. All was on it was MSI radios. As the CCR work and others linked and added to it it changed the level of acceptance. Not saying its all bad but different user experiences for sure. 

I'll also admit pretty much everyone who uses my P25 stuff is in public safety so its simpler to use one radio in a vehicle than a stack. And they are disciplined in radio use in a different field. 

NXDN is interesting. I was with a shop when ICOM and Kenwood released the first radio. We sold a ton on 6.25khz which was crazy at the time. Most were on site comms for hospitals and jails. I just ended up with a Kenwood NX700 that has NXDN but from what I've read its changed a bit. I'll probably surplus it as what I needed the radio for is 1 VHF analog channel. I hate to waste a radio with that much capability. 

I think more public service and first responders are going with NXDN since the cost of the SU, Subscriber Units as the radios are called, seem to be cheaper than the P25 stuff, judging from what I see sold used on eBay where I get my stuff. For P25 I think a lot of that is up on 700/800 MHz tied in to large regional trunking systems, and those tend to be encrypted anyway. If you don't need access to those systems I don't see why you need P25. I'm not very knowledgeable on the public safety stuff so I could be way off base on this.