Getting started?

[cavelamb]

Got my license.
Got may gear and set up.

Spoke kindly into the microphone, "Hello, hello, hello, all you boys and girls out there in radio land!"
and added my call sign...
Nada.
"Is there anybody out there?"
more nada.

So what are considered polite hailing techniques?
And channels that are commonly used for hello, and driving?

CQ CQ CQ?

[OffRoaderX]

GMRS isn't H.A.M. radio or Grindr and its primary purpose is not for "hailing" or "making contacts" with strangers. The main purpose of GMRS is to talk with other members of your "group" - ie; while out adventuring/off-roading/hiking/ect, so it is not surprising that you're not finding strangers to talk with.

Many people commonly use Ch19 while driving for traffic reports, etc, but its use is not widespread.

[marcspaz]

I have to echo the same sentiment. GMRS is a "Bring your our contacts" service. If you're looking for random people to talk with, my own opinion is that you picked the wrong radio service.  Amateur radio (Ham radio) is a better option, for sure.

 

I spend a good amount of time on GMRS with people I'm friends with in the area or when we're offloading, camping, etc., but very rarely ever have a stranger just start chatting. 

 

As far as trying to reach random people while driving, channels 19 and 20 seem to be the most popular around the country... be it simplex or if you're near a repeater.  That said, I wouldn't expect much of a response. 

[WRQC527]

1 hour ago, OffRoaderX said:

H.A.M. Grindr

Is this making anyone else hungry? 

[cavelamb]

I bought a couple of Midland radios.
A small MXT115 for the car and an MXT400 for home.
Home antenna is a Nagoya UT-72Gl 20-Inch - complements of the forum.

I don't really do the "Hello, hello, hello, all you boys and girls out there in radio land!" thing.
But it's fun to contemplate.
Scanning, but so far no traffic in Waco.

There is one repeater on the map that I should be able to reach(?)
WRPU646 near Executive Airport, McGreggor.
It's 10 miles away
That's right next door to SpaceX

I set channel 21 (462.700 Mhz) for 142.6 Hz tone for input as per the map data.

Haven't heard a mumblin' words yet

I did check my TX/RX with a small FRS handheld.
That works,

[SpeedSpeak2Me]

The two mobile rigs will work okay, but have to set up the mag mount properly.  Since it is a 5/8λ antenna it will need a ground plane at least 1/4 the diameter of the wavelength.  So 64cm (wavelength) / 4 = 16cm (6.3") in all directions from where the antenna is placed.  Usually dropping it in the center of a 16" pizza pan will work.  Keep it away from walls, especially if you have aluminum siding.

Better case would be to get the antenna outside, even if slapped on an AC unit.  Best would be an actual base station antenna (UHF commercial) at least 20-30' up, with quality low-loss coax (i.e. LMR400 or LMR400UF).

As an example I am using a Browning BR-6155 base antenna, that has its base about 24' AGL, fed by 50' of LMR400, and driven by only 15w.  I can talk on repeaters over 60 miles away, on low power (about 5w).

Also, it is possible no one is being chatty on that repeater tonight.  I'd program a few more into your rigs, say out to the 50 or 60 mile mark.  You might be able to hear or use the "Temple Canyon Ridge" to the south, or the Nash Forreston to the north.

[KAF6045]

12 hours ago, cavelamb said:

There is one repeater on the map that I should be able to reach(?)
WRPU646 near Executive Airport, McGreggor.
It's 10 miles away
That's right next door to SpaceX

I set channel 21 (462.700 Mhz) for 142.6 Hz tone for input as per the map data.

Channel 21 is a SIMPLEX channel. The corresponding repeater channel would be #29 (in those radios that used a linear scheme) OR will have a notation near the number -- something like "rp21", "21r".

For the MXT115 (I don't have the manual for the 400) you have to /enable/ repeater mode -- see page 23 of the manual (in short: MENU, ^/v until rP is shown, MON/SCAN to select, ^/v for ON, MON/SCAN to confirm). When active, you will have channels 15rp to 22rp available. Set the input tone on 21rp, NOT 21

[cavelamb]

KAF6045, WRXH535

copy all.
Thanks.
That will help a lot!
 

over

[cavelamb]

10 hours ago, SpeedSpeak2Me said:

The two mobile rigs will work okay, but have to set up the mag mount properly.  Since it is a 5/8λ antenna it will need a ground plane at least 1/4 the diameter of the wavelength.  So 64cm (wavelength) / 4 = 16cm (6.3") in all directions from where the antenna is placed.  Usually dropping it in the center of a 16" pizza pan will work.  Keep it away from walls, especially if you have aluminum siding.

Better case would be to get the antenna outside, even if slapped on an AC unit.  Best would be an actual base station antenna (UHF commercial) at least 20-30' up, with quality low-loss coax (i.e. LMR400 or LMR400UF).

As an example I am using a Browning BR-6155 base antenna, that has its base about 24' AGL, fed by 50' of LMR400, and driven by only 15w.  I can talk on repeaters over 60 miles away, on low power (about 5w).

Also, it is possible no one is being chatty on that repeater tonight.  I'd program a few more into your rigs, say out to the 50 or 60 mile mark.  You might be able to hear or use the "Temple Canyon Ridge" to the south, or the Nash Forreston to the north.

 

Again,
Thanks, Speed.
Very much appreciate the help.
I'm a babe in the woods, but hopefully learning something.

At that height would 60 miles still be line of sight?
 

[SteveShannon]

45 minutes ago, cavelamb said:

 

Again,
Thanks, Speed.
Very much appreciate the help.
I'm a babe in the woods, but hopefully learning something.

At that height would 60 miles still be line of sight?
 

It depends on your terrain and how your signal is affected by the ground you’re on. 
Distance to horizon can be calculated here:

http://www.ringbell.co.uk/info/hdist.htm
 

Generally speaking the distance between two antennas that can just barely see each other at a particular height will be twice the distance to the horizon.  

[KAF6045]

2 hours ago, cavelamb said:

At that height would 60 miles still be line of sight?
 

I've been using https://www.everythingrf.com/rf-calculators/line-of-sight-calculator but, while the input can be feet or meters, the results seem to only be km.

60 miles requires a very tall antenna tower for LoS (Presuming you are on a Florida beach at sea level, a 1000ft tower only gets you 60km : ~37 miles [I'm ignoring radio horizon which tends to bend over the line of sight by a small amount]). Now, if you are standing on the top of a 1000ft skyscraper, and the target is also on such a skyscraper, you each have a 37 mile line of sight to the horizon for a 74 mile communication range.

 

[WRUU653]

One more line of sight tool for you @cavelamb,  map and terrain tool. 

https://www.scadacore.com/tools/rf-path/rf-line-of-sight/

[cavelamb]

Bookmarked alla those.

But I think I need to start with setting my radio up correctly.
Momma always said that would help.