How to find other GMRS friends in my area

[WRYE806]

I’m new to gmrs and have been scanning the channels all day everyday since Friday and haven’t heard anyone. I guess there aren’t any gmrs  people in Fayette county Tennessee. I’m also too far out to hit the repeaters in Memphis. I guess I’ll just have to save my radios and license for road trips. But anyway, I’ll keep scanning and listening. I’ll also keep reading the forums. If anyone is in my area, give me a shout.WRYE806 

[OffRoaderX]

Welcome to the forum, but, if you are using GMRS to find new friends you have chosen the wrong hobby. GMRS is more for communicating with existing friends while driving, hiking, etc.  For finding new friends/talking to strangers, ham radio or the Grindr app might be a better choice.

[H8SPVMT]

3 minutes ago, WRYE806 said:

I’m new to gmrs and have been scanning the channels all day everyday since Friday and haven’t heard anyone. I guess there aren’t any gmrs  people in Fayette county Tennessee. I’m also too far out to hit the repeaters in Memphis. I guess I’ll just have to save my radios and license for road trips. But anyway, I’ll keep scanning and listening. I’ll also keep reading the forums. If anyone is in my area, give me a shout.WRYE806 

Same here in Summerville, SC.  I listen mostly as there id no one around here either so, I just the scan feature.

BUT HEY, GMRS isn't like CB's.  Although I get to use mine when we're off roading in the Jeeps...

 

[WRYE806]

7 minutes ago, OffRoaderX said:

Welcome to the forum, but, if you are using GMRS to find new friends you have chosen the wrong hobby. GMRS is more for communicating with existing friends while driving, hiking, etc.  For finding new friends/talking to strangers, ham radio or the Grindr app might be a better choice.

Thank you for that information. I was into cb radios for about 30 years and it finally got to the point that I didn’t want my family listening to all the garbage and foul language on cb, so I got out. I’m now retired and 71 years old and got interested in gmrs radios on a recent road trip with one of my children. So I bought my license so that we would all be legal and bought a couple of handhelds and my son in law is planning on buying some. We were hoping to be able to communicate across the county, but the only repeaters in my county are Police and Fire and EMA. Having served on the Fire Department, I know better than to try to use those. Anyway, I thank you for your input.WRYE806 

[OffRoaderX]

3 minutes ago, WRYE806 said:

We were hoping to be able to communicate across the county, but the only repeaters in my county are Police and Fire and EMA

Sounds like a perfect opportunity for you to be a pillar of your community and put up a repeater for you, and everyone to use.

[WRYE806]

23 minutes ago, H8SPVMT said:

Same here in Summerville, SC.  I listen mostly as there id no one around here either so, I just the scan feature.

BUT HEY, GMRS isn't like CB's.  Although I get to use mine when we're off roading in the Jeeps...

 

I’m glad gmrs is not like cb. But I’m still gonna scan the channels, and I take mine everywhere and leave the other radio with my wife just in case I can talk farther than 2 miles. And I do plan on using them for every road-trip as well. Anyway thank you for your reply.

[WRYE806]

4 minutes ago, OffRoaderX said:

Sounds like a perfect opportunity for you to be a pillar of your community and put up a repeater for you, and everyone to use.

Not sure I’d even know where to begin, or if I could afford it. Ha ha! But it is a thought, and deserves consideration. Just not sure I’d live long enough to enjoy the investment.

[WRUU653]

Welcome @WRYE806. I took a look at the map, you may give Munford 7250 a shot. Good luck. 

[marcspaz]

2 hours ago, WRYE806 said:

Not sure I’d even know where to begin, or if I could afford it. Ha ha! But it is a thought, and deserves consideration. Just not sure I’d live long enough to enjoy the investment.

 

With used equipment and a high spot to place it, it can be done for under $1,000. I have even seen some legacy repeaters donated to people who have a good place to put them.

 

Elevation is key and there are a bunch of people here who have had incredible success putting up repeaters. I'm sure if you get serious about it, several people can help guide you.

[PA141]

You did not mention anything about your radio/antenna.  Raising your antenna if possible should increase your range.  This is the best bang for your buck improvement.  Make sure you use a decent coaxial cable such as LMR400, otherwise the improvement in height could be offset by the loss with a longer cable of a smaller diameter or unknown quality.

Make some noise and see if you can get a response.  I suspect during commute time would be the highest chance of finding someone who is also just scanning like you.  If everyone is just listening, making a contact is not likely

[AlexWRXZ642]

Get on your local repeater and call out every 30 minutes or so asking if anybody is monitoring and wants to have a chat. Usually it works. I'll have a chat with you.

[WSDV257]

Not much traffic up here in northern mi.  I ask for radio checks just to get someone to answer.  just no  answers. Like to know how well I transmit and receive.  to much of a newbie?  who knows.

[RayDiddio]

33 minutes ago, WSDV257 said:

Not much traffic up here in northern mi.  I ask for radio checks just to get someone to answer.  just no  answers. Like to know how well I transmit and receive.  to much of a newbie?  who knows.

I get no replies on any of the repeaters near me.

My solution was to tune in the repeater on my scanner to hear the radio.

[Guest]

Have you listened to the repeater at different times to see if any one is on?   Maybe catch a net?  

[gortex2]

Not everyone uses GMRS to talk to others. If someone calls on my one open repeater I dont answer them. If I want to chat with random folks there are other services for that. I can say for sure my repeater is theo nly one in 50+ miles and you hear nothing in my area on GMRS other than some hunters on the FRS stuff in the fall and once in a great while a coulple jeeps heading down the highway together. 

 

[Guest]

On 8/7/2023 at 6:05 PM, WRYE806 said:

I’m new to gmrs and have been scanning the channels all day everyday since Friday and haven’t heard anyone. I guess there aren’t any gmrs  people in Fayette county Tennessee. I’m also too far out to hit the repeaters in Memphis. I guess I’ll just have to save my radios and license for road trips. But anyway, I’ll keep scanning and listening. I’ll also keep reading the forums. If anyone is in my area, give me a shout.WRYE806 

It’s the same where I live now, no traffic at all I did hear some construction worker’s yesterday but that’s about it. Previous state I was in there was talk all day and night. At the time I was using a UV-5r out of the box with no adjustments. There are a couple repeaters in my area but for whatever reason there is no traffic. Requesting permission to the repeater close to me resulted in no response from the owner. Only bought the latest radios for a potential SHTF scenario so my daughter and I can communicate. Other than that I’m done with this whole thing. 

[Guest]

20 minutes ago, WSEP300 said:

It’s the same where I live now, no traffic at all I did hear some construction worker’s yesterday but that’s about it. Previous state I was in there was talk all day and night. At the time I was using a UV-5r out of the box with no adjustments. There are a couple repeaters in my area but for whatever reason there is no traffic. Requesting permission to the repeater close to me resulted in no response from the owner. Only bought the latest radios for a potential SHTF scenario so my daughter and I can communicate. Other than that I’m done with this whole thing. 

Remember gmrs is bring your own friends while doing an activity. So after all that, getting your daughter - radio is the proper why to use gmrs. Repeaters mean very little in the gmrs world.  

[Guest]

3 hours ago, WRXP381 said:

Remember gmrs is bring your own friends while doing an activity. So after all that, getting your daughter - radio is the proper why to use gmrs. Repeaters mean very little in the gmrs world.  

Thank you. I have no friends so there isn’t any reason to move further in the GMRS world, but if she will, I’ll teach my daughter what I’ve learned to date. 

[LeeBo]

On 8/7/2023 at 8:12 PM, H8SPVMT said:

Same here in Summerville, SC.  I listen mostly as there id no one around here either so, I just the scan feature.

BUT HEY, GMRS isn't like CB's.  Although I get to use mine when we're off roading in the Jeeps...

 

Howdy, neighbor.

Well, Greenville here.  But close enough.

[WRVC250]

Regarding not finding friends via GMRS... I think OffroaderX's comment to be quite humorous; but not my experience. I have found quite a few new people that I can now call friends since I got my license. 

[marcspaz]

14 minutes ago, WRVC250 said:

Regarding not finding friends via GMRS... I think OffroaderX's comment to be quite humorous; but not my experience. I have found quite a few new people that I can now call friends since I got my license. 

 

I have made several new friends due to my involvement with GMRS as well, but it truly is a "bring you own contacts" type of service. With roots in business and family purposes, it never really was for socializing with strangers or making new friends.

 

While that is an anomaly among us radio dorks, it doesn't account for much activity, nor much of the growth in user base.

[LeeBo]

I haven't met anyone in person in the couple of months I've had my license due to all the meet-and-greet events that local clubs schedule conflict with plans I've already had made.

I'll make it there one day. 

[TrikeRadio]

I knew, just from reading the title of this thread that @OffRoaderX would be the first to reply.

[WRUU653]

7 hours ago, TrikeRadio said:

I knew, just from reading the title of this thread that @OffRoaderX would be the first to reply.

I think he might own stock in that app as he is always promoting it.

[AdmiralCochrane]

Follow the money