Teaching GMRS 101 - What would you want to know?

[marcspaz]

Hey folks, I've been invited to teach a GMRS 101 class to people who have no knowledge of radio services or how any of this stuff works.  I want to keep this brief, 30 minutes or less, and as useful as possible. I plan on helping attendees with getting an FRN and applying for their license and explaining common features and functions.

 

For our new operators (and our seasoned members, too), what would you want to see in a class? What would help you when starting your journey?  Any feedback would be appreciated. 

 

I will share the recording once we're done. 

[BoxCar]

Marc,

I'm sure you will get several good comments but, I would start with an admonishment that GMRS isn't going to bring the world to their doorstep. Give an overview of the coverage that can be expected with a 5W HH in the different terrains they most likely will be in. Talk briefly about increasing power doesn't always mean more coverage and how power only increases readability within your operating horizon. Ensure people understand line-of-sight coverage and how better and higher antennas function. Talk about the two services, GMRS and FRS sharing the same frequencies and stress the need for courtesy by the operators. Mention GMRS is a "bring your own contacts" service as there is little rag-chewing between operators.

[WRKC935]

Yeah,

add repeaters are EXPENSIVE, hard to support, and will either bring you constant complaints that the coverage doesn't go someplace specific they want it to or that no one will ever use the thing.  But it's usually both issues that arise.

Obviously need to cover radio operations, passing a conversation.  Waiting on others to break in.  Not trying to talk over the reset tone.  Roger beeps are for CB and not GMRS. 

[Guest]

1 hour ago, marcspaz said:

[...] I want to keep this brief, 30 minutes or less, and as useful as possible.

I plan on helping attendees with getting an FRN and applying for their license and explaining common features and functions.

What a great idea !!!

I guess the FRN and the license will fill 30 minutes for some participants easily 

On a serious note ...

• Pre-programmed - what are the advantages.
• Why Privacy tones are not private and what they really do.
• You might want to introduce the basic operation of the radio:
  • e.g. What to do if the display no longer shows the channel but rather a frequency
• Step by step sequence of the actual communication:
  • How to call, wait time, turn taking, simplex (as in only one can speak), reset, ...
• What are repeaters / How repeaters change the range
• Programming a radio
  • showcasing simplex vs repeaters

 

[WRUE951]

2 hours ago, marcspaz said:

Hey folks, I've been invited to teach a GMRS 101 class to people who have no knowledge of radio services or how any of this stuff works.  I want to keep this brief, 30 minutes or less, and as useful as possible. I plan on helping attendees with getting an FRN and applying for their license and explaining common features and functions.

 

For our new operators (and our seasoned members, too), what would you want to see in a class? What would help you when starting your journey?  Any feedback would be appreciated. 

 

I will share the recording once we're done. 

tell em to watch NotARubicon videos   

[WRUU653]

One of the most common things I can think of is explaining tones and programming for radios to use repeaters. 

[OffRoaderX]

Dont forget to discuss the merits of picking up chicks via the proper and legal use of both a quality belt-clip and a wrist-strap.

[Over2U]

Explain that the letters “PTT” on the microphone button stand for: “Push, THEN Talk”.

[Lscott]

1. Tell them not to waste their money buying CCR’s off Amazon for $25. Get a good quality radio.
2. When multiple people are on the same channel/repeater participating in a group discussion to use a simple round table operating format to keep things organized. Everyone gets a turn to talk.
3. In a round table, or just two, delay a few seconds before keying up. Give a breaking station time to jump in, ID, and joint the conversation.

[SteveShannon]

11 hours ago, marcspaz said:

Hey folks, I've been invited to teach a GMRS 101 class to people who have no knowledge of radio services or how any of this stuff works.  I want to keep this brief, 30 minutes or less, and as useful as possible. I plan on helping attendees with getting an FRN and applying for their license and explaining common features and functions.

 

For our new operators (and our seasoned members, too), what would you want to see in a class? What would help you when starting your journey?  Any feedback would be appreciated. 

 

I will share the recording once we're done. 

Marc,

Thanks for doing this.  I hope you have fun with it.  I don’t have anything of value to add. I know you’ll do a good job.

Steve

[WRQC527]

I would think it's important to explain the use cases for GMRS. There's quite a few disillusioned new users here who get a GMRS license and a radio and find no one to talk to on either simplex or repeaters, one of the reasons being that GMRS is not like amateur radio in that there's not oodles of people listening and calling CQ. But if you ask "seasoned operators" who use it for off-road trail comms, RV caravans, hikers and campers using it to keep track of each other, public service groups coordinating special events, etc, it's the greatest thing since cold ice cream. My two cents, which adjusted for inflation is about a penny. Thanks for putting this together.

[marcspaz]

9 hours ago, OffRoaderX said:

Dont forget to discuss the merits of picking up chicks via the proper and legal use of both a quality belt-clip and a wrist-strap.

LOL  I will make sure its covered in the first 3 minutes... but no one tells it like you do.  Cameo?

 

2 hours ago, Sshannon said:

Marc,

Thanks for doing this.  I hope you have fun with it.  I don’t have anything of value to add. I know you’ll do a good job.

Steve

 

Thanks, Steve.  Much appreciated!

[WRWE456]

I think you are going to need more than 30 min. LOL!

I would just echo the need to bring your own contacts thing. Seems to be one of the most asked questions around here. I just got my license and a radio but no one will talk to me. What am I doing wrong?

 

Sounds like a fun project. Good luck!

[marcspaz]

I very much appreciate all the feedback! It helps, for sure.

[WRXS495]

I'm just one of these type of people that could benefit from just about all these replies and much more, belt antics and all. Was gifted these "cheap" radios and have had much excitement and intrigue, gifting "cheap" radios to others to distribute my frustrations evenly. Doesn't matter really because the process has been educational, crunching the FRN, getting a better rig, watching the right tubes. An Ed Fong antenna and some EMT has me reaching Parker Ridge from the lower streets of Bakersfield. Scratchy, static, and still don't know what I'm doing. Yes, demystify the doings of repeater consistency, and yes bringing a crew with you would have been helpful. My work continues. Please include me willingly in any class coming up.

[WRUU653]

39 minutes ago, WRXS495 said:

gifting "cheap" radios to others to distribute my frustrations evenly

I like this idea

 

2 hours ago, marcspaz said:

I very much appreciate all the feedback! It helps, for sure

A worthy project Marc.

[WRPQ991]

Its hard to cover all GMRS radios, but the terminology is not standard. in and out tones are a big one. And repeater offsets. not all GMRS radios call it the same. And maybe a word on "Chirp" I've had alot of issues with it.

[WRXB215]

On 8/19/2023 at 7:06 PM, WRPQ991 said:

And maybe a word on "Chirp" I've had alot of issues with it.

I think Chirp has such a steep learning curve because they cover so many different manufacturers. Their online documentation really helps me.