Maine GMRS

[WRXU496]

I just got a set of simple Baofeng GM 15 pros and got my GMRS license.  I'm in Maine and I never hear anything on the radio.  I never hear anything on the local repeaters or scanning through channels.  Is it just that nothing is going on or should I be hearing at least something?

[WRQI583]

It could be your radio or location. For your location, I believe you have two options for repeaters, Camden or Frankfort. I would have to say that Frankfort would probably be a closer option. Overall, it is pretty quiet. I used to monitor all 8 channels from my location, even put my call out on 462.55 in simplex mode, no tone,  and never heard anything. From my location, Woodstock is the only repeater that I can hit that comes in consistent and clear. Frankfort works but it depends on which way the wind is blowing whether I am able to get into it. Woodstock used to have quite a bit of activity on it but lately it hasn't. Frankfort for the most part is very quiet. I've only ever heard 2 other people on it and one them was trying to run some sort of net from what I could hear through the static. Overall, it is quiet. I thought it would be much busier seeing as how many people have gotten licenses in the past year or so.

[gortex2]

Similar in my area. I have repeaters and in 5 years at my new house I have yet to hear anyone on any of the GMRS only frequencies. Every once in a while I'll hear a hunter on FRS1 but that's rare. I use GMRS for what it was originally intended for so its all good for me. When I need to talk to folks its on the Jeep trails and the jeep is in front of me. Sadly many come to GMRS as a substitute to HAM or CB and think everyone is on it to chat. That's not always the case. 

[WRQI583]

People come to GMRS as a substitute because CB is too cluttered with DX and no locals and local bands on Ham are so dead. Both services are not what they used to be. I think I have been guilty of it myself. It is good for comms between friends and family. It has come in handy a few times when it comes to repeaters, and I even use it at least in the way of simplex between my wife and I because I live and shop where there are no repeaters or any that work reliably, but it does the job. I am thinking that either it is summer and everyone is so busy or everyone got licensed, jumped on, found it was dead, and did what they do with other bands, shut the radios off, tossed them in the closet and called it good.