South Tecas GMRS needs a boost in interest

[ssugarek1956]

WSBC912, Steve-O here.  I recently set up a GMRS base station with 35 ft. antenna after purchasing a few walkies, and love to work with them. I am considering setting up a repeater, too, but there is a BIG catch to it. I am located in South Bee County near Skidmore, and am pretty much the lone wolf in these parts, as GMRS activity is sparse to non-existent. In fact, a quick look at the map on this site shows that any kind of interest or network coverage basically drops off of the end of the Earth once south of San Antonio, the only repeaters being private and guarded like Fort Knox. There are several in Corpus Christi, but sadly, they are too far away at 50 miles. I am looking to make contact with any interested GMRS user to try to fill the huge communications void between CC and SA. Basically in the Bee-Karnes-Live Oak-Refugio-San Patricio county areas, and any adjacent counties, too. Like many of you, I have concerns about SHTF communications if the towers go down, and a well-placed series of operators that can run on DC power for a while would be a valuable communications asset.

If any of you that subscribe to MyGMRS might be interested, I would love to talk to you, please post a  reply. I have nothing to sell, and the advice is always free!

[WRWE456]

Welcome to the forums Steve! While I don't live near you I'm sure someone around may. What radios did you get?

As you may or may not know GMRS is primarily intended as a bring your own contacts kind of service for families or friends staying in touch. Camping off roading etc. That's why the license covers your family. Do you have friends and or family near by that you can get to join you in having emergency comms set up? May be your best option for someone to talk to.

50 Miles may be doable depending on terrain with the right antenna.

[ssugarek1956]

In reply to your question, I have an RT95 Retevis base connected to a Retevis 144/430MHz Amateur Dual-Band Base Antenna, aout 35 ft tall, mast mounted, an RA25 mobile, and four walkies, 3 Baofeng and one Tidradio. I live about 15 miles from Beeville, TX in a farming community, no nearby relatives and am disabled. Cell phone service is weak at best, but my worry is that if the cell towers go down, or if the grid is compromised due to a domestic or international threat, I personally need a way to communicate, and moreso the lack of repeaters and users in this area needs to be increased to fill the gap between San Antonio and Corpus Christi.. GMRS could be a vital tool in lieu of CB, which is too noisy, and Ham, which is too costly.

[59Moots]

Based on my neighbor who supports and maintains cell towers in remote locations throughout the Rocky Mountains, those systems are redundant in supply of back up power from batteries and generators.  I experienced a 7.0 earthquake in Anchorage Alaska and never lost cell service as I was worried my house was going to collapse around me.  I wonder to what degree of abuse, strain, adversity many of the unhardened amateur supported GMRS repeaters are likely to survive given "grid compromised due to domestic or international threat" compared to the comms systems that have been designed to meet a perticular threat level.  I'm not convinced from what I read here that many GMRS stations/repeaters would be sufficiently grounded to survive even a lightning strike.  In a true emergency, a satellite communication like is going to be the most reliable and dependable method to call for help when everyone else is outside attempting to use their emergency HTs that were never going to cover the needed distance without a repeater.  GMRS is a tool, but a vital one - maybe not in remote locations where you're tied to an amateur repeater that maybe can't even take a lightning hit.  Just an opinion from the peanut gallery.

[WRWE456]

I would assume you have the GMRS version of the RT95? However the 144/430 antenna is a ham antenna GMRS is 462/467 MHz. They have a GMRS specific version that should work better. https://www.retevis.com/ma09-high-gain-gmrs-omni-directional-base-antenna-us

[ssugarek1956]

1 hour ago, WRWE456 said:

I would assume you have the GMRS version of the RT95? However the 144/430 antenna is a ham antenna GMRS is 462/467 MHz. They have a GMRS specific version that should work better. https://www.retevis.com/ma09-high-gain-gmrs-omni-directional-base-antenna-us

 

1 hour ago, WRWE456 said:

I would assume you have the GMRS version of the RT95? However the 144/430 antenna is a ham antenna GMRS is 462/467 MHz. They have a GMRS specific version that should work better. https://www.retevis.com/ma09-high-gain-gmrs-omni-directional-base-antenna-us

Yes, I have the GMRS model antenna, about 20 watts coming from the radio.

[ssugarek1956]

1 hour ago, 59Moots said:

Based on my neighbor who supports and maintains cell towers in remote locations throughout the Rocky Mountains, those systems are redundant in supply of back up power from batteries and generators.  I experienced a 7.0 earthquake in Anchorage Alaska and never lost cell service as I was worried my house was going to collapse around me.  I wonder to what degree of abuse, strain, adversity many of the unhardened amateur supported GMRS repeaters are likely to survive given "grid compromised due to domestic or international threat" compared to the comms systems that have been designed to meet a perticular threat level.  I'm not convinced from what I read here that many GMRS stations/repeaters would be sufficiently grounded to survive even a lightning strike.  In a true emergency, a satellite communication like is going to be the most reliable and dependable method to call for help when everyone else is outside attempting to use their emergency HTs that were never going to cover the needed distance without a repeater.  GMRS is a tool, but a vital one - maybe not in remote locations where you're tied to an amateur repeater that maybe can't even take a lightning hit.  Just an opinion from the peanut gallery.

It's basically a matter of generating interest in the area, the equipment is solid.

[nokones]

Yes, please do put up a repeater and hopefully it will cover the Beeville Area and the old Chase Field when I visit the area.

Most of the repeaters in Corpus Christi area are private only repeaters.

You might want to look into being a member of the Texas GMRS Club.

[WRXB215]

4 hours ago, nokones said:

You might want to look into being a member of the Texas GMRS Club.

TexasGMRS.net