Repeaters

[Buffalo1]

I’m new to this gmrs hobby.  I have the uv-5r by baofeng. I have four units that I want to communicate with my daughter and grandson. I use these radios as walk-in talkies when we travel and when wE go hiking and camping.  Now I learn that you can use repeaters and communicate over lots of miles.  My grandson lives in Texas and I in New Mexico. Is it possible to link up with him via repeaters.  And I’m not a ham operator. Just gmrs.    Thank you and my apologies if my question is ignorant. I’m ignorant when it comes to this stuff but I’m interested in it now.   Thank you in advance.  If texting is easier. Richard at 817-578-5607 cell #.  

[Guest]

Welcome to the hobby and welcome to the forum !!!

In general terms, a single repeater will be able to help you with communication within your area. Those machines are often located at higher elevation so that they can help out when structure or mountains hinder simplex (direct) communication.

I am not familiar with your area, but I am certain that someone will jump in "any minute".

Yes, some repeaters are linked to each other and in some cases repeaters allow for links through alternative gateways such as Zello (in that case, you might connect to a repeater in a different state via a phone app and your counterpart is using a radio to reach the repeater).

As you are waiting for someone with local knowledge (closer to your home), keep reading the forum - you might find your solution

Again: Welcome !!!

[kidphc]

Welcome.

Unfortunately, the distance is pretty far. Depending on how far you are it would be cheaper to buy a house close by and live there. You didn't mention how far, unfortunately.

Sorry, not trying to be a jerk apologies if it sounds that way. Most really good repeaters are going to have a coverage of about 18-22 miles in a radius. Even those repeaters are up on towers with pricey antennas and gear. Then throw linked repeaters, everyone in the footprint of all those repeaters would be hearing the conversation, as well as tying up those frequencies.

Even amateur (ham) would have a tough time covering those distances reliably. Radio frequencies is subject to a lot of different things, like terrain, distance, atmospheric conditions.


Have you thought about ip radio like zello?



Sent from my SM-S901U using Tapatalk

[nokones]

The Southwest Community Radio System (SWCRS), which is part of the Tucson GMRS Club, has linked repeaters in New Mexico and Arizona.  I know SWCRS some how is linked with another system(s) because when they conduct their Tech Nets they are also linked with Stations in Texas, Colorado, and Utah. I'm not sure what repeaters/system in Texas they are linked up with but, it may be worth while to look into this and this just may address your question.

You might want to start with www.tucsongmrs.org

[WRXH357]

I'm a new user to GMRS myself so this might be wrong.  The short answer is yes, you could link to him by repeaters.  The problem is the repeaters need to be connected (hence networked (NET)) to each other.  As already addressed anyone with the same setups could listen to your conversation. 

If you listened to the guys through MYGMRS.com they just talk like they are on the phone to each other.    Those using the MidWest 169 hub will talk your ear off.  

[Buffalo1]

thank you all for your input.  being new means sometimes we ask stupid questions.. 55 years old and prolly my first set of walkie talkies as a hobby

[Socalgmrs]

58 minutes ago, Buffalo1 said:

thank you all for your input.  being new means sometimes we ask stupid questions.. 55 years old and prolly my first set of walkie talkies as a hobby

It’s not a hobby. It’s a radio service to use while doing a hobby or an activity.   Ham radio is a hobby.  Gmrs is a tool 

[SteveShannon]

41 minutes ago, Socalgmrs said:

It’s not a hobby. It’s a radio service to use while doing a hobby or an activity.   Ham radio is a hobby.  Gmrs is a tool 

I used to feel that way but I gradually realized that it’s not up to me.  It is a hobby for many. Just like Citizen Band many people use GMRS as a way to chat with people who they might not know. 

[WRHS218]

13 hours ago, Socalgmrs said:

It’s not a hobby. It’s a radio service to use while doing a hobby or an activity.

Why do so many people care how others use a radio. We can't really control what other people do, we can only control how we let their actions affect our mental well being.

 

13 hours ago, Socalgmrs said:

Ham radio is a hobby.  Gmrs is a tool 

Much like radio operators; some are hobbyists, others are tools.

[Socalgmrs]

Don’t really care about others mental well being. Plus what about my mental well being. You dont care about that.   What I care about is how crowded the gmrs frequencies are and not being used for what it’s meant to be used for.  Every one with a gmrs license agreed to use it as it was designed.  I know lost either choose not to read or can’t read when the sign up.  As proven by all the basic questions that are answered in the rules they swear they have read.  But That’s what I agreed to because I actually read what I saw I read.    It’s designed to be used while doing something not rag chewing for hours.  Not designed to have 10 repeaters in the same 50mile area all with rag chewers 24/7.  I care about facts, rules ect. Not feelings.  Gmrs is not a hobby.  If you want a hobby get off your rear and get a ham ticket.   When your trying to use a local repeater for evacuation animals and people in a fire, or looking for missing children and I’ve got a bunch of people chatting about the weather and the 10th hand held antenna they just got, things get old really fast.  Facts not feelings.  

[SteveShannon]

22 minutes ago, Socalgmrs said:

Don’t really care about others mental well being. Plus what about my mental well being. You dont care about that.   What I care about is how crowded the gmrs frequencies are and not being used for what it’s meant to be used for.  Every one with a gmrs license agreed to use it as it was designed.  I know lost either choose not to read or can’t read when the sign up.  As proven by all the basic questions that are answered in the rules they swear they have read.  But That’s what I agreed to because I actually read what I saw I read.    It’s designed to be used while doing something not rag chewing for hours.  Not designed to have 10 repeaters in the same 50mile area all with rag chewers 24/7.  I care about facts, rules ect. Not feelings.  Gmrs is not a hobby.  If you want a hobby get off your rear and get a ham ticket.   When your trying to use a local repeater for evacuation animals and people in a fire, or looking for missing children and I’ve got a bunch of people chatting about the weather and the 10th hand held antenna they just got, things get old really fast.  Facts not feelings.  

Actually those are all just your feelings. The rules do not prohibit using GMRS to chat about weather or antennas or kids first report card, but if you’ve determined that you must have sole access to radio frequencies for the many emergencies that you purport to swoop in and handle you’ve made a terrible choice in GMRS. One would think that the first emergency might have taught you that. 

[OffRoaderX]

19 minutes ago, SteveShannon said:

Actually those are all just your feelings.... One would think that the first emergency might have taught you that. 

It seems like in the morning his medications have not yet kicked-in because by evening his posts are usually not as rhee-tard-ted. One would also think that he would figure out that nobody likes him and he would go away, based on the constant corrections people post pointing out how virtually nothing he says is correct or helpful.

On the bright-side, he is a great example of someone with zero self-awareness, and even less social-grace or abilities.

[WSGT702]

16 minutes ago, SteveShannon said:

Actually those are all just your feelings. The rules do not prohibit using GMRS to chat about weather or antennas or kids first report card, but if you’ve determined that you must have sole access to radio frequencies for the many emergencies that you purport to swoop in and handle you’ve made a terrible choice in GMRS. One would think that the first emergency might have taught you that. 

Very well said. Here's a novel idea. Just use the radio and have fun!

[WRHS218]

3 hours ago, WSGT702 said:

Just use the radio and have fun!

fun: (noun) enjoyment, amusement, or lighthearted pleasure.

I just reread FCC 47 C.F.R, Part 95 Subpart E. There was no mention of fun or any of the defining terms for fun. It would seem that the federal government neither endorses nor encourages "fun". So how dare you sir!

[WRYZ926]

4 hours ago, OffRoaderX said:

It seems like in the morning his medications have not yet kicked-in because by evening his posts are usually not as rhee-tard-ted. One would also think that he would figure out that nobody likes him and he would go away, based on the constant corrections people post pointing out how virtually nothing he says is correct or helpful.

On the bright-side, he is a great example of someone with zero self-awareness, and even less social-grace or abilities.

Either that or he needs to go see his doctor again to get his medication doses adjusted. He's like a little kid - you never know what he is going to say.