Newbie to GMRS

[GT20]

Howdy all,

Recently got a Rugged grm45 hooked up in my Gladiator, got my license and heading to the desert soon. I hear all the "cool kids" are using gmrs these days. Looking forward to learning from the folks on this forum. Now if I can just get a response from somebody and confirm I am transmitting. Hearing some crazy old guys talking on Sat night over ch 20. No response to my radio check requests. I'll keep trying or maybe connect to a repeater to see if I have better luck. Any suggestions?

Thanks,

GT20 

 

[WSEZ864]

Channel 20 (462.675) may be a repeater output channel for one of your local repeaters, so if you hear them on 20 and try to talk to them, you're only transmitting simplex and not transmitting on the true duplex repeater input (467.675).

IOW, they may be on a duplex repeater channel ("RPT20" on many radios) and you're only working the output frequency. I'd suggest looking up the GMRS repeaters near you on those frequencies and trying to reach them there. You will probably need to program in a CTCSS to open the squelch on the repeater.

Good luck and welcome aboard!

[GreggInFL]

Welcome!

[SteveShannon]

38 minutes ago, GT20 said:

Howdy all,

Recently got a Rugged grm45 hooked up in my Gladiator, got my license and heading to the desert soon. I hear all the "cool kids" are using gmrs these days. Looking forward to learning from the folks on this forum. Now if I can just get a response from somebody and confirm I am transmitting. Hearing some crazy old guys talking on Sat night over ch 20. No response to my radio check requests. I'll keep trying or maybe connect to a repeater to see if I have better luck. Any suggestions?

Thanks,

GT20 

 

Welcome!

[GT20]

Thanks for the warm welcome!

GT20

WSGT362

[Socalgmrs]

Welcome. 2!things. Don’t go out into the desert alone. The hats outdoors rule number 1.   2nd thing gmrs is a bring your own friends kinda deal not a listen and talk to others.   
 

as for hering guys talking yes probably on a repeater.  Or a base station with much better antenna and more power then your  jeep set up.  

[dosw]

18 hours ago, GT20 said:

Howdy all,

Recently got a Rugged grm45 hooked up in my Gladiator, got my license and heading to the desert soon. I hear all the "cool kids" are using gmrs these days. Looking forward to learning from the folks on this forum. Now if I can just get a response from somebody and confirm I am transmitting. Hearing some crazy old guys talking on Sat night over ch 20. No response to my radio check requests. I'll keep trying or maybe connect to a repeater to see if I have better luck. Any suggestions?

Thanks,

GT20 

 

If you are hearing crazy old guys talking on Sat night over ch 20, you're hearing a repeater. They won't hear you if you call out on simplex. You would need to figure out what repeater they're using, program your radio with the correct TX PL/CTCSS/DCS tone to access the repeater, and then retry.

 

Step one: Find the repeater listed here in mygmrs, hopefully.

Step two: Set your radio to repeater mode for that repeater's frequency/channel.

Step three: Set the PL tone you learned from finding the repeater listed on this site.

Step four: Call for a radio check.

[WRUU653]

23 hours ago, GT20 said:

Howdy all,

Recently got a Rugged grm45 hooked up in my Gladiator, got my license and heading to the desert soon. I hear all the "cool kids" are using gmrs these days. Looking forward to learning from the folks on this forum. Now if I can just get a response from somebody and confirm I am transmitting. Hearing some crazy old guys talking on Sat night over ch 20. No response to my radio check requests. I'll keep trying or maybe connect to a repeater to see if I have better luck. Any suggestions?

Thanks,

GT20 

 

You may be hearing this repeater, as previously mentioned you will need to put the tones in your radio for repeaters.  You might not reach it from your location, keep in mind a repeater can reach out further than you might just due to its height, power and antenna. Mostly height. If you haven't used the repeater page before just know that you have to sign in there separate from the forum even though it's the same sign in to see the tones. Welcome and good luck.