NW Montana GMRS

[F350]

I've been a HAM for a few months and I'm bored. I was a ham about 25 years ago and had the same concerns then.

Anyhow, the more I explore GMRS the more I am interested. I just added my GMRS license.

I've got a large UHF / VHF antenna and scan various frequencies, mostly GMRS / FRS, but I also scan EMS and the local HAM repeaters.

 

I'm in NW Montana (in the woods) and I hear lots of nationwide traffic on 462.600. The repeater identifies as WRHS264, but the only call sign I find is WRSH264 out of Kalispell.  That seems too far away for me to hear their signal so clearly. I can't find it on any repeater reference website.

I also hear CW repeater identification on 462.650, 462.725, & 462.6375. I don't see them listed anywhere either.

I'm interested in joining the net on 462.600 -- but I doubt my 25 watts will hit that repeater (if it's in Kalispell) and I don't know the tones for the other repeaters. I don't hear any traffic on them, anyway

Interested in GMRS. I would like to learn more about Simplex Nodes, Repeaters, and the local GMRS community.

 

Anyone else in NW Montana on GMRS?
 

-F350

[SteveShannon]

1 hour ago, F350 said:

I've been a HAM for a few months and I'm bored. I was a ham about 25 years ago and had the same concerns then.

Anyhow, the more I explore GMRS the more I am interested. I just added my GMRS license.

I've got a large UHF / VHF antenna and scan various frequencies, mostly GMRS / FRS, but I also scan EMS and the local HAM repeaters.

 

I'm in NW Montana (in the woods) and I hear lots of nationwide traffic on 462.600. The repeater identifies as WRHS264, but the only call sign I find is WRSH264 out of Kalispell.  That seems too far away for me to hear their signal so clearly. I can't find it on any repeater reference website.

I also hear CW repeater identification on 462.650, 462.725, & 462.6375. I don't see them listed anywhere either.

I'm interested in joining the net on 462.600 -- but I doubt my 25 watts will hit that repeater (if it's in Kalispell) and I don't know the tones for the other repeaters. I don't hear any traffic on them, anyway

Interested in GMRS. I would like to learn more about Simplex Nodes, Repeaters, and the local GMRS community.

 

Anyone else in NW Montana on GMRS?
 

-F350

I’m in Butte, so SW Montana, but as far as ham radio there’s a DMR repeater on 70 cm in Eureka. I assume you’re in that area, maybe Troy or Libby.  It’s networked to the Brandmeister network so you can literally talk to people all over the world.

https://www.dmr-montana.net/radio-site-data/eureka-dmr.html

Ham radio is much more active than gmrs in Montana although Billings now has gmrs repeaters. 

Good luck!

[Sparkey]

Kalispell area here just getting into gmrs. Working on getting repeater going. 

[WRUF605]

I'm in Eureka and willing to help with building a GMRS repeater. I don't have the knowledge on building one but, willing to learn!

[Extreme]

On 4/24/2022 at 10:23 AM, Sshannon said:

I’m in Butte, so SW Montana, but as far as ham radio there’s a DMR repeater on 70 cm in Eureka. I assume you’re in that area, maybe Troy or Libby.  It’s networked to the Brandmeister network so you can literally talk to people all over the world.

https://www.dmr-montana.net/radio-site-data/eureka-dmr.html

Ham radio is much more active than gmrs in Montana although Billings now has gmrs repeaters. 

Good luck!

I have some lots in Walkerville if there's interest in putting a GMRS repeater up there.  Not living there now but don't know why it couldn't be done.  Should provide hella range from there, overlooking the valley toward the Highlands, Fleecer Mtn, Pintlar, I-15 corridor and toward I-90 West toward Deer Lodge.

[SteveShannon]

26 minutes ago, Extreme said:

I have some lots in Walkerville if there's interest in putting a GMRS repeater up there.  Not living there now but don't know why it couldn't be done.  Should provide hella range from there, overlooking the valley toward the Highlands, Fleecer Mtn, Pintlar, I-15 corridor and toward I-90 West toward Deer Lodge.

I couldn’t commit enough time or capital support to doing that, but you’re right; that would seem like a great location.

Thank you for the thought. 

[WRWL548]

I am also NW Montana in Trego and I hear WRHS264 Repeater I was wondering if you found out anything else and the node they are using?

WRWL548/KK7LOX 

[SteveShannon]

7 minutes ago, WRWL548 said:

I am also NW Montana in Trego and I hear WRHS264 Repeater I was wondering if you found out anything else and the node they are using?

WRWL548/KK7LOX 

I'm sorry; I haven't.

[WSEI885]

I think if you could start a ham/gmrs club gmrs repeater in the great falls area it would be used for sure.   I live in az and we have multiple in the area.  We do tech net, kids net and area net check in.  WSEI885 

[SteveShannon]

55 minutes ago, WSEI885 said:

I think if you could start a ham/gmrs club gmrs repeater in the great falls area it would be used for sure.   I live in az and we have multiple in the area.  We do tech net, kids net and area net check in.  WSEI885 

Great Falls is way too far away from me (148 miles), but the significant metropolitan population would seem to indicate that an GMRS repeater might have traffic there. I’m not certain why none exists already, but as far as I know, none does. 

Our ham club has a guy who plans to put up a GMRS repeater here in the Butte area. We’re probably only between one third and one half the metropolitan size of Great Falls. 
 

[Extreme]

Does he have a location in mind for Butte?

[SteveShannon]

15 minutes ago, Extreme said:

Does he have a location in mind for Butte?

He does. He knows of a tower west of town he might be able to put an antenna on. 

[SteveShannon]

On 1/21/2023 at 12:34 PM, Extreme said:

I have some lots in Walkerville if there's interest in putting a GMRS repeater up there.  Not living there now but don't know why it couldn't be done.  Should provide hella range from there, overlooking the valley toward the Highlands, Fleecer Mtn, Pintlar, I-15 corridor and toward I-90 West toward Deer Lodge.

There’s a chain link fenced lot in Walkerville with what looks like an unused tower on it.  I don’t suppose that’s yours, is it? Otherwise, which lots do you have up there.  I doubt I could afford them without having some kind of plan, but I’d be stupid not to ask.

[Extreme]

No fence or tower on my lots.

An antenna on a 6' pole would be hella coverage from up there .  

[Extreme]

PM sent.

[SteveShannon]

I’ll try to take a look at it today, sightseeing, if for no other reason.

Our ham club already has a couple repeaters up 9700’ at an old forest service lookout site south of town which has fantastic coverage.  We’re working on getting some electrical improvements there.

[WSFQ484]

Id love to see a repeater around the Butte, Anaconda area. I just got into GMRS recently and I haven't been able to connect to anything just yet.

[SteveShannon]

6 minutes ago, WSFQ484 said:

Id love to see a repeater around the Butte, Anaconda area. I just got into GMRS recently and I haven't been able to connect to anything just yet.

There’s a guy here looking at putting one up north of I-90 west of Ramsay. I will give him my support. Welcome to the forum!

[WSFQ484]

3 minutes ago, SteveShannon said:

There’s a guy here looking at putting one up north of I-90 west of Ramsay. I will give him my support. Welcome to the forum!

That would be awesome. Ill give him my support as well!

[SteveShannon]

3 minutes ago, WSFQ484 said:

That would be awesome. Ill give him my support as well!

He lives in Ramsay.  In fact he just called me. I told him you were interested, Zach!

[WSFQ484]

12 minutes ago, SteveShannon said:

He lives in Ramsay.  In fact he just called me. I told him you were interested, Zach!

Right on! I appreciate it!