Two groups on GMRS?

[JamesBrox]

This is from a FB group discussion I'm a member of.....wanted to find out this group's opinion as well. 

 

Hello. As a new member and GMRS user I've been wondering about how other members of this group look at GMRS. From what I've gathered...there are basically two groups of users.

First group has been there a long time and wants GMRS to stay as a family radio service where someone can put up their own repeater for their own communications amongst their friends/families and have a good radio system without a lot of noise, interference or channels being tied up.

Second group wants to be able to use GMRS as a hobby radio service where they can carry on rag chew sessions across the country. They link their repeaters together so they can do this. Much like what gets done on amateur radio.

I don't have a dog in this fight. Just curious.

What's yall's opinion?

Thanks.

James (WRXU693)

[OffRoaderX]

According to the FCCs of these United States, GMRS is intended primarily as a short-range personal type service, however "some people" often feel the uncontrollable urge to do their long-talker 'rag-chew' shenanigans wherever they can - like a dog peeing to mark its territory. Just like the dog-pee, "some people" stink it up for everyone else.

..Can't wait to see "some people" reply here.. You will know them when you see them.

[JamesBrox]

3 minutes ago, OffRoaderX said:

According to the FCCs of these United States, GMRS is intended primarily as a personal service, however "some people" often feel the uncontrollable urge to do their long-talker 'rag-chew' shenanigans wherever they can - like a dog peeing to mark their territory. Just like the dog-pee, "some people" stink it up for everyone else.

..Can't wait to see "some people" reply here.. You will know them when you see them.

I respect your POV and what the FCCs intended but who wouldn't like to see how far they can reach? Just asking.   

[OffRoaderX]

16 minutes ago, JamesBrox said:

I respect your POV and what the FCCs intended but who wouldn't like to see how far they can reach? Just asking.   

Nothing wrong with that, and we all do it, but that is very different from "rag chewing", aka talking for several minutes at a time without unkeying the mic, for hours on end, about nothing - basically, talking to hear themselves talk, or just to try and demonstrate to everyone how smart they think they are, how many fancy and expensive radios they own, how long they have been in "the business" (implying they cannot possibly be wrong about whatever they are talking about), and listing how many different jobs they've had working on complicated and technical things ... You know, just like the long-winded, overly-complicated, multi-paragraph off-topic posts that you you see in this forum every day..

 

[WRQC527]

7 minutes ago, JamesBrox said:

to see how far they can reach?

Sounds like what amateur radio is for. I have dual citizenship in amateur radio and GMRS. But I've never had the urge to use GMRS for any longer range than what my local GMRS repeater provides, which is (I'm guessing) maybe 100 miles at most. 

[marcspaz]

My personal opinion, we don't need Ham Radio 2.0 or Ham Lite. 

I think there MUST be a place for people who just want to talk to their family and friends without a bunch of bureaucratic steps and unnecessary roadblocks.  FRS is a wonderful service for exactly that.  For families that may need a bit more (maybe coverage of the family farm, for example), amateur radio may be too strict for the family needs but GMRS is a great next step.  The reduced audience is considered a plus, too.

 

13 minutes ago, JamesBrox said:

I respect your POV and what the FCCs intended but who wouldn't like to see how far they can reach? Just asking.   

 

Linking repeaters over the internet and tying up limited channel allocation is a bad idea, but I love seeing how far I can reach... radio to radio.

[JamesBrox]

2 minutes ago, OffRoaderX said:

Nothing wrong with that, and we all do it, but that is very different from "rag chewing", aka talking for several minutes at a time without unkeying the mic, for hours on end, about nothing - basically, talking to hear themselves talk, or just to try and demonstrate to everyone how smart they think they are, how many fancy and expensive radios they own, how long they been in "the business", and how many different jobs they've had working on complicated and technical things ... You know, just like the long-winded, overly-complicated, multi-paragraph off-topic posts that you you see in this forum every day..

 

Point taken. Now I see where you're coming from. 

[marcspaz]

6 minutes ago, OffRoaderX said:

how long they have been in "the business" (implying they cannot possibly be wrong about whatever they are talking about), and listing how many different jobs they've had working on complicated and technical things

sadly, I am guilty of this... but I am getting better. 

[JamesBrox]

7 minutes ago, WRQC527 said:

Sounds like what amateur radio is for. I have dual citizenship in amateur radio and GMRS. But I've never had the urge to use GMRS for any longer range than what my local GMRS repeater provides, which is (I'm guessing) maybe 100 miles at most. 

Ok. So that's what I'm asking. If you're reaching out 100 miles (guessing).... then why use gmrs?    

[OffRoaderX]

6 minutes ago, marcspaz said:

sadly, I am guilty of this... but I am getting better. 

accepting you have a problem is the first step in not being part of the problem.

[JamesBrox]

10 minutes ago, marcspaz said:

My personal opinion, we don't need Ham Radio 2.0 or Ham Lite. 

I think there MUST be a place for people who just want to talk to their family and friends without a bunch of bureaucratic steps and unnecessary roadblocks.  FRS is a wonderful service for exactly that.  For families that may need a bit more (maybe coverage of the family farm, for example), amateur radio may be too strict for the family needs but GMRS is a great next step.  The reduced audience is considered a plus, too.

 

 

Linking repeaters over the internet and tying up limited channel allocation is a bad idea, but I love seeing how far I can reach... radio to radio.

That's cool. I like that intent too. So I assume you only use (scan) gmrs simplex channels then?

[OffRoaderX]

4 minutes ago, JamesBrox said:

Ok. So that's what I'm asking. If you're reaching out 100 miles (guessing).... then why use gmrs?    

My personal best in my Jeep is 93 miles to hit a repeater (over 150 miles if you count the guy I was talking to that was also using the repeater).. I did it once, and used the airwaves for about 45 seconds to do so.. But I still use GMRS to talk with all of my friends/acquaintances using their GMRS and FRS radios, within a mile or so of me, while offroading.. Something that is impossible to do legally with a ham radio and ham radio license.

[marcspaz]

1 minute ago, JamesBrox said:

That's cool. I like that intent too. So I assume you only use (scan) gmrs simplex channels then?

 

Not at all.  I love the repeater coverage we have in the DC Metro area.  I intentionally refuse to use linked repeaters, thought.

[WRQC527]

2 minutes ago, JamesBrox said:

Ok. So that's what I'm asking. If you're reaching out 100 miles (guessing).... then why use gmrs?    

I'm not. But that's probably the farthest I could get from my home in Orange County CA to perhaps San Diego. My wife is not an amateur radio operator, but as you know, she is covered by my GMRS license so we can communicate if I'm on, say, Mt. Baldy, with no cell service. Also, I look at GMRS as a "utility" service, if you will, versus amateur radio as more of a hobby service.

[JamesBrox]

3 minutes ago, OffRoaderX said:

My personal best in my Jeep is 93 miles.. I did it once, and used the airwaves for about 45 seconds to do so.. But I still use GMRS to talk with all of my friends/acquaintances using their GMRS and FRS radios, within a mile or so of me, while offroading.. Something that is impossible to do legally with a ham radio and ham radio license.

Got it. But my situation, the gmrs bug is not taken ahold yet in my county. Therefore, I have no choice but to be that guy "some people" and reach out to other counties (known repeaters) just to see if my radio is working correctly and then talk about the weather.

[marcspaz]

1 minute ago, JamesBrox said:

Got it. But my situation, the gmrs bug is not taken ahold yet in my county. Therefore, I have no choice but to be that guy "some people" and reach out to other counties (known repeaters) just to see if my radio is working correctly and then talk about the weather.

 

I wouldn't worry about it, bud... just use the radio however you enjoy.  I have met 25-30 new people over the GMRS service that I am becoming friends with.  People I would have likely never met if it wasn't for strangers being willing to have some minor conversation with a stranger on the other end. 

 

Again, just my opinion, while I have an opinion... people should be able to enjoy the service however they like.  We just need to be considerate to others and stay inside the rules and intent of the service, because as a civilized society, that is what we have agreed to do. 

[WRKC935]

Here's a slightly different take on it. 

Repeater owners and their desire.  Meaning if YOU have a repeater and don't want people getting on it and rag chewing all the time holding in it transmit for hours at a go then tell those folks that are acting in that manner to vacate YOUR repeater.  Now of course, if it's NOT your repeater, then you really don't have a dog in the fight.  Not your repeater, not your choice. 

We as repeater owners make the decision on who uses it, how it's linked, if at all.  And what sort of discussion can take place on the repeater.  After all, it's our equipment and our decision.  While I would like to keep all my repeater users happy, it's not a realistic goal.  Meaning there are ALWAYS going to be those that want to claim this or that about proper use, linking, IDing of the repeater and the list goes on. 

I look at it like this.  If I don't like the way someone is using MY gear, I will simply get on the air and ASK them to not operate in that manner on my repeater.  If that's not sufficient to get them to either act in a manner that's more acceptable, I can ban them from the repeater.  And since my repeater is 3 miles from my house, I of course can drive over, and turn the thing off.   Same thing with the linked repeater.  If I don't like what's coming in from elsewhere, I can open my phone and drop the link.  Easy as that. 

Point is this,  if you own a repeater or a system of repeaters, you have the final say within the limits of the FCC regulations or what's said on it and how it's used.  If you are a guest on someone else's repeater, then it's their show, and you are only along for the ride.  Demanding that a repeater owner deal with some issue that YOU find to be a problem when they don't see it as such is a sure fire way to get banned from their repeater completely.

 

[WRUU653]

3 hours ago, JamesBrox said:

First group has been there a long time

Or not. I wouldn’t say I’ve been here a long time but I still agree with the sentiment that GMRS is intended for shorter distances and more user friendly for family and friends. As @OffRoaderX mentioned it is stated as much by the FCC. I also see nothing wrong with seeing how far you can reach, I think we all do that (my personal best on GMRS to date,70 miles. Yesterday ). As for linking GMRS repeaters across vast distances, I see no need to use up GMRS frequencies for this. Different uses for different radio services.

Like @marcspaz I have also made friends over GMRS and this encouraged me to also get my ham license, or duel citizenship as @WRQC527 calls it (I like that ). That way I can play in both sandboxes. I see them as different. I would encourage those that want more than GMRS is intended for to do the same. Take a test, join a broader service and link away. Just my thoughts.

[axorlov]

It's a free country. If you don't want to listen to linked repeaters, then you do not. If you want to listen to rag chews and join in, then you do. Ride your own bike and let others decide what do they want.

 

[WRHS218]

I , too, have "dual citizenship" (stealing that term). I got the ham ticket because I wanted to be able to use radios for short range communications while off-roading in the desert and mountains. I had never even heard of GMRS until about ten years ago. It really fit what I wanted from a radio service better than other services. Most of my friends and family had no interest in taking a test and really didn't care about radio in general. I am not a fan of linked GMRS repeaters so I don't listen to or use them. If I want to have a conversation with someone I'll use a phone or jump on 2m (I don't do that either). I will ride my own bike and ignore "some people" that don't like the suit of the card I have in my spokes.

[WRUE951]

On 9/10/2023 at 2:41 PM, OffRoaderX said:

Nothing wrong with that, and we all do it, but that is very different from "rag chewing", aka talking for several minutes at a time without unkeying the mic, for hours on end, about nothing - 

you get a lot of 'non stop rag chewin'  in your area and i feel sorry for you.  Was up in Rancho area last week for two days and i had to turn my scanner off,  Same two Mexican guys non stop..  and Long winded...  Then i got up into San Diego for the rest of the week and another couple of Mexican guys, same long winded non stop BS..  Might not be as boring if they spoke english....      

 

[WRUE951]

On 9/10/2023 at 2:58 PM, OffRoaderX said:

My personal best in my Jeep is 93 miles to hit a repeater (over 150 miles if you count the guy I was talking to that was also using the repeater).. I did it once, and used the airwaves for about 45 seconds to do so.. But I still use GMRS to talk with all of my friends/acquaintances using their GMRS and FRS radios, within a mile or so of me, while offroading.. Something that is impossible to do legally with a ham radio and ham radio license.

There is two GMRS repeaters on El Paso Peak, near Ridgecrest, that looks as far as Acton, Victorville -South and Long Pine - North. Thats probably hitting a bit close or over 200 miles end-to-end.  GMRS can pack a punch if you have good LOS.      Same guy has a Papa and WIN Systems repeater at the same location..   

[UncleYoda]

The "don't listen to them" idea ignores that they are tying up one of the frequencies that is also used for high power simplex.  Also, I cannot block by tone on any of my GMRS radios.  Even my dual band HTs don't have that.

[WRQC527]

You know what's weird? I'll tell you what's weird. Thanks for asking. There was a time when CB radio was supposed to be for short range comms. Then DXers got hold of it to see how far they could talk. Like amateur radio. Then along comes GMRS. It was supposed to be for short-range comms. Then DXers got hold of it and and linked their repeaters so they can talk all over the country. Like amateur radio. With all the amateur radio bashing that goes on here, why do so many people want GMRS to be like amateur radio? 

[WRUU653]

1 minute ago, WRQC527 said:

You know what's weird? I'll tell you what's weird. Thanks for asking. There was a time when CB radio was supposed to be for short range comms. Then DXers got hold of it to see how far they could talk. Like amateur radio. Then along comes GMRS. It was supposed to be for short-range comms. Then DXers got hold of it and and linked their repeaters so they can talk all over the country. Like amateur radio. With all the amateur radio bashing that goes on here, why do so many people want GMRS to be like amateur radio? 

... and if they want amateur radio why not go and get it?

 

2 minutes ago, WRQC527 said:

You know what's weird? I'll tell you what's weird. Thanks for asking

 thank you for the laugh, got to clean up this coffee now.