Hams on GMRS

[axorlov]

40 minutes ago, Sshannon said:

And I like Frozen as well, and the song

Hey Steve, someone who has grandkids has a valid excuse, haha! I will not hold it against you. Enjoy what you enjoy and let me despise what I can't stand. It's a free country.

[MichaelLAX]

On 1/8/2023 at 6:54 AM, gortex2 said:

More and more in my travels I hear ham chatter on GMRS... 

I just find it odd.

30 minutes ago, gortex2 said:

Been trying to fix a fellow hams license. I log in daily to do payments. 

EXPOSED!  

[gortex2]

8 minutes ago, MichaelLAX said:

EXPOSED!  

Your point ? I said in the past I was a ham, and for many years. Just because I'm a ham doesn't mean anything. Its a service I use for a specific purpose. GMRS was never the place to be a "ham" until as of late. That's what this thread was started about. But some folks as your self can't understand the difference between the services. 

And as reference the ham came to me because I maintain many public safety and business license and am in the FCC system daily doing updates. You do realize some folks actually have paying careers in RF right ? 

 

[Lscott]

Another local wide area coverage GMRS repeater went up a short while back and was upgraded to a Quantar UHF repeater the last few weeks. My understanding is these are rock solid but finding replacement parts could be difficult.

https://www.repeater-builder.com/motorola/quantar/pdfs/quantar-v-u-8-brochure.pdf

Most of the traffic seems to be Hams holding GMRS licenses. I recognize the voices from another local Ham 70cm machine. I hope they don't crowd out the GMRS only users.

https://mygmrs.com/repeater/6646

[gortex2]

The Quantar are rock solid units. Parts are still plentiful if you know where to look. Many systems are still in service with these. Our SAR simulcast uses these extensively. 

[MichaelLAX]

8 hours ago, gortex2 said:

Your point ? I said in the past I was a ham, and for many years. Just because I'm a ham doesn't mean anything. Its a service I use for a specific purpose. GMRS was never the place to be a "ham" until as of late. That's what this thread was started about. But some folks as your self can't understand the difference between the services. 

And as reference the ham came to me because I maintain many public safety and business license and am in the FCC system daily doing updates. You do realize some folks actually have paying careers in RF right ? 

Like you said: you opened this can of worms!

It is clear to me that your chip on your shoulder about Hams on GMRS is clearly motivated by the fact that you receive remuneration from your "paying career in RF" and cannot be objective about this subject.

I don't receive remuneration from either and hence am not subject to this conflict of interest.

Similarly, that is why online influencers are required by law to disclose when they give a review of a product which was given to them or other compensation is received: "Affiliate link below!"

It all depends upon whose ox is being gored! But thanks again for your admission.

[OffRoaderX]

................................................. affiliate link below

[SteveShannon]

On 1/8/2023 at 7:54 AM, gortex2 said:

I know I am opening a can of worms but I'd really like to know a true answer on this. Why are there so many hams getting into GMRS vs staying on 440 ? More and more in my travels I hear ham chatter on GMRS. Yesterday I listened to a 30 minute conversation and about half way in realized it was on GMRS and not ham after turning my ham rig off and still hearing it. 

I don't get the lure to GMRS other than not having to follow certain rules ? I mean 440 had tons of repeaters pairs not used especially in rural America. If its truly because others in the family dont want to get a ham ticket ? I get that but rarely do I hear mom & dad or kid on the radio. Its always 2 or 3 hams (who sometimes give their ham call instead) babbling about this or that that happened on on xyz repeater or going to doctors or just nothing in general. 

I just find it odd.

Maybe I didn’t understand what you were asking when I answered earlier. 
I thought you were asking why hams also use GMRS. That’s the question I answered, thinking in terms of different services used differently.

Or are you saying that they’re taking over GMRS and bringing with them traditional ham activities in an effort to make it ham-light, such as calling CQ, using Q codes, and ragchewing on GMRS?

Steve 

[axorlov]

Anybody is allowed on GMRS. Even youtube influenzers are allowed, least hams. Anybody who has a new squeaky scratchy $35 bill in their pocket is allowed. 

[WRQC527]

As an unashamed ham/GMRS user, one thing I hear a lot that clearly differentiates ham radio from GMRS is the idea that old hams will make it a point of updating everyone, whether it's on HF or VHF/UHF repeaters, about their health status and that of their spouses. Strokes, heart attacks, oozing wounds, various surgeries, the entire spectrum of medical issues, are covered ad nauseum. GMRS doesn't normally include that kind of conversation. It can get depressing.

[WRUH396]

SUPER long-time CBer. VERY long -time ham and yes, now repeater owning GMRSer.

Besides just trying to be as cool as Randy, I wanted a way to be able to talk to my family without the internet or being at the mercy of some technocrat app like Facebook.  After all, The Zuck shut even my messenger down that I use with my children that drive to school nearly 30 miles from home.  Plus we live rural and cell coverage is just getting up to speed out here anyway.  Only one of my sons got his hammy-ham license and my wife and daughter have no interest at all.  They (The Facebook Police) would even look at or use AI to look at our private texts and shut My messenger down during elections, inauguration, J6, again as we (The US) began to support the proxy war in Ukraine and any time I mentioned the global warming coincidence AKA 'Died Suddenly'.  Now, most the time they would reinstate me after a week or so but this time they permanently suspended my account.  Long story short I needed or wanted a backup way I could communicate with non ham licensed family members that can't easily be shut down during your average TEOTWAWKI--SHTF event so now we use the encrypted Signal App and our family's GMRS repeater as a back up.

Well of course when I am doing serious testing or just want to let down what's left of my hair, it's GMRS and also of course most my friends are experienced licensed ham radio operators and yes, we do indeed talk 'Radio' and about everything including ham radio and ham frequencies.  IMO the best range tests should include and ongoing conversation to identify holes or lack of coverage.  And yes, I am sure some of the jargon bleeds into our GMRS conversations but those are the guys that will recognize problems with the signal or give me the best reports and ideas on how to make improvements.  The only real difference though that I think might stick out to GMRSers is our group tends to me a bit more anal about IDing to stay in compliance than most the other GMRS only users I know, not that we care though, it's just what we are used to.

Like other hams, I don't feel I must give anyone an explanation per se but if this helps pure GMRS guys understand when and why I personally use GMRS then I will share.  

Now to find that Affiliate Link for the Mossberg Parts mat...