Yep, it is Christmas again...

[n4gix]

...and all of the toy radios are on the air. I have had a bunch of kids (and adults) clattering on GMRS 462.675 simplex this morning.

 

I simply played my voice announcement several times and... blessed silence was the result!

 

"All GMRS operators are welcome to use the WQWU626 repeater, covering most of northwest Indiana. Please be sure to use your licensed call sign when using this system."

[Hans]

I enjoy hearing all of the kids having fun. I know it is self-limiting and after the first or second set of batteries everything will quiet down. There was quite a bit of activity today.

[n4gix]

I didn't want them on the repeater output because later in the evening it would have interrupted the NSEA weekly net. But yes, just like last year once the batteries have to be replaced a time or two they will lose their appeal and be put under the bed or buried in the toy box.

 

I have to wonder just what kind of radios they were given though, since no FRS radio should ever work on any but the shared GMRS frequencies.

[Hans]

Yeah, the ones on outputs are annoying but likely aren't, by and large, children. In my area, that would be adults who purchased stuff they don't know much about to play radio. They usually disappear when they figure out that they have no one to talk to. If they don't give up completely or go full 11 meter -- breaker, breaker --, they will end up getting an amateur license or a GMRS license. Around here, very few persist in freebanding on GMRS outputs as there just aren't enough of them to talk to each other.

 

As far as the kids, I'm only hearing standard bubble packs. Mine are all grown and I don't have any grandchildren yet so hearing them on the air this time of year takes me back.

[jwilkers]

I forgot to listen....May have to listen later and call out saying I'll talk to any licensed GMRS operators.

 

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[SteveC7010]

I had a few kids fooling around for a hour or so on Christmas Eve. They started on 15, jumped to 18 for a few seconds and that was it.

 

My base in the house scans GMRS plus some 70cm ham frequencies. It's mostly silence up here.

[jwilkers]

There is a new family on one of the shared frequencies. That isn't a big deal. All I've heard recently. Fortunately, I rarely listen to those...they lean on the call tone too much.

 

AntiSquid Disclaimer: All posted content is personal opinion only and may not imply fact or accusation.