GMRS Repeater Requests

[RadioSith]

I am new to G-world and am programing my 3 radios.  I have made a bunch of requests for entry/codes as aprt of my repeater setup.  I have had really good luck on most of these requests, but have 2 outstanding for a few weeks which have remained unsnswered.  Two questions.... 1)  What is the general etiquette on this?  The system doesn't allow any follow up until a decision is made, so not sure how to address these.  and 2) I am in Eastern Mass and am really interested ingetting access to CMA 725 in Paxton and greg WSDQ286 in Norton...they are both very spacious in their coverage.  Do any users have any inside info on these two assets and how to politely approach my problem.  If it's just the way it goes that some you get in and some you don't, so be it, but doesn't hurt to ask.  Thanks for the help.

WSFE  677

Milton, MA

[WRYS709]

44 minutes ago, RadioSith said:

I am new to G-world and am programing my 3 radios.  I have made a bunch of requests for entry/codes as aprt of my repeater setup.  I have had really good luck on most of these requests, but have 2 outstanding for a few weeks which have remained unsnswered.  Two questions.... 1)  What is the general etiquette on this?  The system doesn't allow any follow up until a decision is made, so not sure how to address these.  and 2) I am in Eastern Mass and am really interested ingetting access to CMA 725 in Paxton and greg WSDQ286 in Norton...they are both very spacious in their coverage.  Do any users have any inside info on these two assets and how to politely approach my problem.  If it's just the way it goes that some you get in and some you don't, so be it, but doesn't hurt to ask.  Thanks for the help.

WSFE  677

Milton, MA

Welcome!

Did you request access from the Maps here on myGMRS, or elsewhere?

Sometimes those requests are just ignored.  I try to make contact with users of those repeaters and just ask for permission, by going on the output frequency simplex.

 

[GreggInFL]

21 minutes ago, WRYS709 said:

Sometimes those requests are just ignored.  I try to make contact with users of those repeaters and just ask for permission, by going on the output frequency simplex.

I've had multiple requests pending for over a year.  If the repeater is listed as open, and I've had no response to a request for access, I just use it.  If the owner doesn't want me on it they'll let me know.

I'd do the same if it were my repeater; i.e. just turn it on and let it go.

[WRYS709]

4 hours ago, GreggInFL said:

 If the repeater is listed as open, and I've had no response to a request for access, I just use it.  If the owner doesn't want me on it they'll let me know.

Tell us your methodology to "just use it" and I will tell you mine! 

 

[WRHS218]

There are a few repeaters in my area that I have requested access. One of them I requested access twice in a year and a half (private repeater). The owner states that you have to give him certain information including a valid phone number so he can conduct a phone interview. Of course, I never heard from the owner. I don't care enough to look into it more. The rules for requesting access was a red flag but I tried anyway. On the other hand I have requested access on some other repeaters, not in my area, and received permission in a day or two.

If there is an open repeater listed, with tones, that requires you to request access and I don't hear from the owner I will just use the repeater. If questioned by the owner I will then ask permission on the air. That has never happened. I don't understand why there are still owners that have repeaters listed as open, with the tones listed, yet they still want you to request access. 

I don't tend to play well with others and my use of radio is to make quick contact with people I know for a specific purpose. If repeater owners go the route of drama I don't get mad, I just erase the info from my radio and move on. It is their machine so they can have their rules. On the HAM side, if some moron wants to critique my radio usage I just finish my transmission and ignore them.  I don't use radio, Amateur or GMRS, for meeting random basement dwellers in the darkest hours of the night so I don't really run into those type of repeater people very often.

Don't take it too seriously.

[GreggInFL]

14 hours ago, WRYS709 said:

Tell us your methodology to "just use it" and I will tell you mine! 

 

LOL.  Yeah, that one could be a problem.  Odd they would call it "Open" yet not provide the tones.  You could always brute force it; try all the tones and see which one works. 

[WRYS709]

15 minutes ago, GreggInFL said:

LOL.  Yeah, that one could be a problem.  Odd they would call it "Open" yet not provide the tones.  You could always brute force it; try all the tones and see which one works. 

Yes, that's my backup plan if Plan A does not work, but if they use a DCS tone, it is quite a feat to figure it out.

Plan A for me is to take my Baofeng UV13 up to the repeater, tune it to the input frequency and scan for the Tones when the repeater is being actively used by others.

[GreggInFL]

32 minutes ago, WRYS709 said:

Yes, that's my backup plan if Plan A does not work, but if they use a DCS tone, it is quite a feat to figure it out.

Plan A for me is to take my Baofeng UV13 up to the repeater, tune it to the input frequency and scan for the Tones when the repeater is being actively used by others.

That would work.  Hopefully the RX and TX tones are the same.

[WRYS709]

4 minutes ago, GreggInFL said:

That would work.  Hopefully the RX and TX tones are the same.

I rarely use Rx tones; I want to hear everything and rarely confront two repeaters on the same frequency.

[RadioSith]

On 12/20/2024 at 7:31 PM, WRYS709 said:

Welcome!

Did you request access from the Maps here on myGMRS, or elsewhere?

Sometimes those requests are just ignored.  I try to make contact with users of those repeaters and just ask for permission, by going on the output frequency simplex.

 

Thanks...I did make request through this site... with the little blue button in the repeater info.    90% of the requests I made responded ... only the two I mentioned did not.    There is no tone code listed for either and no luck on simplex. I guess my only option is to keep trying simples and also work through code list to see if I can guess it.   Thanks to you and all those who chimed in.  Cheers

[H8SPVMT]

On 12/21/2024 at 8:38 PM, RadioSith said:

Thanks...I did make request through this site... with the little blue button in the repeater info.    90% of the requests I made responded ... only the two I mentioned did not.    There is no tone code listed for either and no luck on simplex. I guess my only option is to keep trying simples and also work through code list to see if I can guess it.   Thanks to you and all those who chimed in.  Cheers

It is "easier to ask for forgiveness than to ask for permission" is a phase I have hear many times in the military and in these cases I think it is appropriate.

"Plan A for me is to take my (Make/Model radio) up to the repeater, tune it to the input frequency and scan for the Tones when the repeater is being actively used by others."  This will work ( Iam told by others) if you can 1. figure out how to it on your radio and 2. try it when the repeater is active with people using it.

I have wanted to do it just to see if it works but, my area is mostly crickets......

  

[WRYS709]

The radio you bring with you up near the repeater must have the abilty to scan and determine the Tone being used by others on the Input frequencies 

That is one reason I purchased the Baofeng UV-13 from AliExpress for $20 because it has that capability. 

[H8SPVMT]

18 hours ago, WRYS709 said:

The radio you bring with you up near the repeater must have the abilty to scan and determine the Tone being used by others on the Input frequencies 

That is one reason I purchased the Baofeng UV-13 from AliExpress for $20 because it has that capability. 

It  (scanning for codes) is now common for most all radio's to have this feature, as I understand it.  Interestingly, while my Midland MXT-400 has this feature to scan channels, my Operators Manual is moot about the feature to scan codes, which it can also. 

[WRYS709]

7 hours ago, H8SPVMT said:

It  (scanning for codes) is now common for most all radio's to have this feature, as I understand it. 

Yes, the Uv-13Pro was replacing and retiring my TYT-88UV (a Ham Radio that also has transmit capability on GMRS).