Repeater Activity Newport,TN 462.575

[WRNV967]

How does one get gmrs users to use a gmrs repeater that you have setup for any licensed gmrs users to use? Note that i have it as a open repeater for all licensed GMRS people to use freely no need to ask for permission. Have had some ask for permission and i have granted it too them.  Just not much activity. I have heard maybe one person using it one time and that's about it. I have talked to one other person on it that was trying to make sure he had his radio setup right. Other than that hardly any use. 

 

Do people just not use a GMRS Repeater much if it is a split tone repeater???

 

[wayoverthere]

6 minutes ago, kg4lhc said:

How does one get gmrs users to use a gmrs repeater that you have setup for any licensed gmrs users to use? Note that i have it as a open repeater for all licensed GMRS people to use freely no need to ask for permission. Have had some ask for permission and i have granted it too them.  Just not much activity. I have heard maybe one person using it one time and that's about it. I have talked to one other person on it that was trying to make sure he had his radio setup right. Other than that hardly any use. 

 

Do people just not use a GMRS Repeater much if it is a split tone repeater???

 

One factor may be equipment; split tones are no go for all except for the most recent iterations of the Midland mxt115 and mxt275 radios, and required software programming to get the mxt400's on split tones.  Depending on your user base (and their choice of equipment), that may be one barrier.

That aside, what is the activity level like on simplex? Are there just not a lot of active users?

[WRNV967]

I have heard some activity on simplex channels just not a lot. Mostly the Bubble Pack FRS junk. You figure it being close to tourist area of Pigeon Forge / Sevier you get some activity. And Covering a Couple of miles of interstate you would have some activity. I can see where the equipment they choose to use can be a barrier. With just the newer equipment doing split tones.  

[WRKC935]

Split tones are pretty good indication of a CLOSED repeater.  And of course some radios will not support the split tones.

I would go with a single PL tone, and I would be looking hard at 141.3 which is the 'traveler tone'.  But I would program up a radio and try bringing up any local repeaters with that configuration prior to reprogramming the repeater.  

 

[WRNV967]

Can't run 141.3 tone would love too but might interfere with the 462.575 Cades Cove repeater with 141.3 hz  travel tone. So i just did a multi tone repeater access tone today. Still got the split tone but added 203.5 hz on input tone and output tone for access for gmrs people that there equipment doesn't do split can have access . The only reason i did that so people that done had the repeater programmed wouldn't have to reprogram their radios and still have access and be able to talk to the other. Don't know if anybody has ever ran multi pl / dcs tones on a gmrs repeater before?