New To GMRS

[vzqhsg]

I have a MXT575, and just got it installed this week.  I have been listening the past couple days.  I have tried to reach folks but get no response.  I'm looking for a place that might have tips for using your radio. 

Looking for things:

1. Are there listening channels as on the CB.

2. How do you communicate with others.  It appears you have to communicate the channels you will be on.

Any way if there is a place please let me know.

Thanks

[OffRoaderX]

Youtube is probably a good place to start, but here are some basics:

1. Channels 1-22 are listening & talking channels. There are no globally accepted channels like CB Ch9 or CB Ch19 on GMRS
2. To communicate with others, you tell your buddy/family member, etc to put their radio on the same channel as you, get within range, push the button, then talk. If you are looking to talk with strangers as a hobby, you bought the wrong radio.

To make things more confusing, GMRS repeaters share Channels 15-22, so if someone is talking on a repeater you will hear them on channels 15-22, but (generally/normally) they will only be able to hear you if you configure your radio to use that same repeater.

Again, Youtube is a great place to learn everything, but when you have a specific question, this place isnt too bad.

[marcspaz]

OffRoaderX gave some good advice. Based on what you wrote, I would start with videos that explain tone squelch and digital code squelch... as well as how to use a repeater. 

[marcspaz]

I almost forgot...  I wrote this in not to distant past, to describe tones and how they are used.  This may be of some help.

 

 

[vzqhsg]

One of the reasons I bought GMRS was to have a backup when off road.  It sounds like folks do not monitor the channels like the CB world?  Because of the range I was told by others that GMRS would be a better choice then using my CB.  I have been trying to get someone to respond to let me know if my radio is transmitting.  To date no one has answered.  So if I don't know anyone with a radio then the odds of getting a response is small or none? 

[marcspaz]

@vzqhsg  Welcome.  Yeah, GMRS is really a "bring your own contacts" type of service.  Unless you happen to be in a densely populated area with a good GMRS repeater presence, it can be kind of quiet.  The weird part (sort of) is, I found through casual conversation that there are a lot of people around here that listen, hear calls for contact/radio check/etc., but don't respond for their own reasons.

 

Do you have people you wheel with that have a radio to help you test?  The chances of a random person responding to a call may be small.  Having a friend help at least confirms the radio works and is configured right.

[OffRoaderX]

When you are off-road, nobody is going to be monitoring CB or GMRS to save you.... If there is nobody near you listening with a radio, then yah, you wont get a response.

[Hoppyjr]

Youtube is probably a good place to start, but here are some basics:

1. Channels 1-22 are listening & talking channels. There are no globally accepted channels like CB Ch9 or CB Ch19 on GMRS
2. To communicate with others, you tell your buddy/family member, etc to put their radio on the same channel as you, get within range, push the button, then talk. If you are looking to talk with strangers as a hobby, you bought the wrong radio.

To make things more confusing, GMRS repeaters share Channels 15-22, so if someone is talking on a repeater you will hear them on channels 15-22, but (generally/normally) they will only be able to hear you if you configure your radio to use that same repeater.
Again, Youtube is a great place to learn everything, but when you have a specific question, this place isnt too bad.

If only there was a YouTube channel where a brilliant host would provide useful commentary, wry sarcasm, and offered tips on how to get chicks…..

[back4more70]

7 hours ago, WRUZ229 said:

If only there was a YouTube channel where a brilliant host would provide useful commentary, wry sarcasm, and offered tips on how to get chicks…..

Ham Radio Crash Course!  Except the chicks part...

[Lscott]

7 hours ago, WRUZ229 said:

and offered tips on how to get chicks…..

You're better off spending your money on radio equipment than some woke Karens.

[WRWE456]

1 hour ago, Lscott said:

You're better off spending your money on radio equipment than some woke Karens.

No doubt!

[WRWE456]

As has been mentioned many times around here, GMRS is primarily intended for family's and groups of friends to stay in touch and as such many folks are not interested in chatting with strangers. That's what ham radio is good for. So ya you may have to bring your own contacts.

Now if you have a good size repeater that you can reach then you may find some folks that will chat with you or at least respond to requests for radio checks. I feel like there should be a sticky about this.

[WRXH357]

It's definitely an area thing if you listen to the broadcasts on MYGMRS Live Audio.  Those MidWest Hub folks chat it up like people at a water cooler.  

I was down along the MS/AL/FL areas along the Gulf.  There's people in that area who listen in or talk to whoever.  Some are the repeater owners so I guess they are tuned in quite a bit.   It's not as chatty as MidWest but they do get on the radio.

[WRQI583]

On 7/26/2023 at 9:10 PM, vzqhsg said:

It sounds like folks do not monitor the channels like the CB world?  

Actually, and I may be the ONLY odd ball out there, I monitor all the channels (no tone/simplex mode) especially when I am on the road running errands. I mainly hear kids doing their usual swallowing the microphone and slamming the call button a hundred times, and I hear a lot of businesses, schools, and flaggers. Outside of that, probably because of the poison going around, people think that the only way you can communicate is on repeaters (I would really appreciate it if Hams would stop spreading that poison). I cant tell you how much of a load of it that is. I can get up to 20 miles base to mobile where I live and I live in a hole, granted the up to 20 miles is not in all directions. I live in the rurals and 20 miles gets me to at least 3 different towns where major stores are. I could only imagine how much my signal would improve if I was up higher in elevation like 90% of everyone else on the radio is. But, I do monitor all the channels. Not as much at home but when I am in the shack I do keep them on scan. Sadly, I dont hear anyone either. Just some distant repeaters that I cant hit.

[marcspaz]

2 hours ago, WRQI583 said:

Actually, and I may be the ONLY odd ball out there, I monitor all the channels (no tone/simplex mode)

 

Same here. Never know.

[Guest]

2 hours ago, WRQI583 said:

Actually, and I may be the ONLY odd ball out there, I monitor all the channels 

14 minutes ago, marcspaz said:

Same here. Never know.

I always thought that monitoring is the fun part 

[WRUU653]

3 hours ago, WRQI583 said:

Actually, and I may be the ONLY odd ball out there, I monitor all the channels

Same here. Sometimes I even remember to turn the volume up.

[Lscott]

5 hours ago, WRQI583 said:

Actually, and I may be the ONLY odd ball out there, I monitor all the channels (no tone/simplex mode)

I do the same at home. Also use a CCR at work to monitor the channels and the local mall’s security staff. 

[vzqhsg]

Well if there are any folks in the Grand Rapids, MI area that have a group or would let me talk with them it would be appreciated.

 

I heard two guys talking yesterday, tried to get in on the conversation, but then they mentioned they were on a repeater and discussing adding a second repeater.  They either didn't hear me  or ignored me.  I was in Montana last two weeks and in the middle of  know were, heard a guy on channel 5.  I called to him and he responded.  Said I sounded clear and loud and figured he was about 5-7 miles out.  Will have to look at the YT sites to learn more. 

 

Thanks for you help. 

[vzqhsg]

On 8/1/2023 at 8:38 PM, WRUU653 said:

Same here. Sometimes I even remember to turn the volume up.

I monitor the channels as well. 

[back4more70]

GMRS was dead near me so I got my amateur license.  Now I have many, many more channels to hear silence on 

[StogieVol]

On 7/26/2023 at 9:10 PM, vzqhsg said:

One of the reasons I bought GMRS was to have a backup when off road.  It sounds like folks do not monitor the channels like the CB world?  Because of the range I was told by others that GMRS would be a better choice then using my CB.  I have been trying to get someone to respond to let me know if my radio is transmitting.  To date no one has answered.  So if I don't know anyone with a radio then the odds of getting a response is small or none? 

I got into GMRS for the same reasons. But I went to Youtube and learned how to set up repeaters around me and where I plan to travel. By setting up repeaters you can monitor channels and get more traffic to interact with or just listen to. I monotor 2 channels at a time on my radio and usually hear people off and on throughout the day.