-
To anyone looking to acquire commercial radio programming software:
Please do not make requests for copies of radio programming software which is sold (or was sold) by the manufacturer for any monetary value. All requests will be deleted and a forum infraction issued. Making a request such as this is attempting to engage in software piracy and this forum cannot be involved or associated with this activity. The same goes for any private transaction via Private Message. Even if you attempt to engage in this activity in PM's we will still enforce the forum rules. Your PM's are not private and the administration has the right to read them if there's a hint to criminal activity.
If you are having trouble legally obtaining software please state so. We do not want any hurt feelings when your vague post is mistaken for a free request. It is YOUR responsibility to properly word your request.
To obtain Motorola software see the Sticky in the Motorola forum.
The various other vendors often permit their dealers to sell the software online (i.e., Kenwood). Please use Google or some other search engine to find a dealer that sells the software. Typically each series or individual radio requires its own software package. Often the Kenwood software is less than $100 so don't be a cheapskate; just purchase it.
For M/A Com/Harris/GE, etc: there are two software packages that program all current and past radios. One package is for conventional programming and the other for trunked programming. The trunked package is in upwards of $2,500. The conventional package is more reasonable though is still several hundred dollars. The benefit is you do not need multiple versions for each radio (unlike Motorola).
This is a large and very visible forum. We cannot jeopardize the ability to provide the RadioReference services by allowing this activity to occur. Please respect this.
Disappointed with gmrs traffic
- Thread starter pallen444
- Start date
What you'll hear on GMRS is very dependent on where you are. GMRS is very active in some parts of the country, but not active in other parts. And, what any one individual hears on GMRS at their location has very little impact on what you might hear where you are.
A few months ago, I actually scanned all the repeater outputs and locally here it was virtually dead. Had a couple of decent band openings where UHF opened up and some repeaters from 150 or so miles were popping in early mornings that had some activity. I think honestly a couple were from Indiana and I'm about 30 miles east of St. Louis so that's a pretty good trip.
in the 90's prior to cell phones becoming the norm, we had a repeater here and honestly it was usually in use off and on all day and night but since cellphones not much happening.
The wider area coverage one here, still up and running, you have to get permission to use, and he's a stickler for what kind of equipment you're going to use on it. Funny thing is, it really needn't be part 95, he'll take any part 95 or 90 type radio but if you mention modified ham or CCR, I'm told he actually hangs up on you.
GMRS is totally dependent on where you live, just like localized CB, Ham, MURS or anything else is. Some places stuff used and other places not so much.
KF0NYL
Member
- Joined
- Oct 20, 2023
- Messages
- 251
- Reaction score
- 214
I was constantly hearing the Good Hope, Ill repeater every morning from around 8-10 AM last month. I live about 1 1/2 hours west of St Louis. We kept having issues with the Pacific Missouri repeater. We were hearing it ID. Another issue was when people using the Pacific repeater would transmit, they would key up our repeater in Mexico, Mo. I ended up having to change our PL tones since the Pacific repeater owner didn't want to work with me.
He told me that we should be using the tones set for us by the repeater council. I had to remind him that the council doesn't have anything to do with GMRS repeaters. And that is when he stopped talking to me.
mmckenna
I ♥ Ø
As one should.
I fight a 2 meter ham repeater here near St. Louis, trying to occasionally talk to the Mexico machine on 147.255. Tried and tried to get him to put a PL on the input, and he said no too many old guys use it that can't program a PL tone. GRRRRR. Seems people just aren't willing to try and do what's right anymore these days.
And while I 100% agree with not using those devices on GMRS, I usually try and explain to people it's not legal. While it's not up to him, me, or even you for that matter to educate on what is legal and what isn't, seems like at time the thing to do.
We have a few local GMRS repeaters with activity and both of them have nets one night of the week. Mostly about 25 check ins on both of them. Some of the users that use these repeaters don't get on the nets.
They both have traffic on them during the day and night.
Many of the users are hams that also have GMRS. A lot of the GMRS only users are working to get into ham radio.
Many times during the day the local GMRS repeater is busier than any 2 meter or 70 CM ham repeater. Plus it has great coverage for both mobiles and HTs and likely better coverage, than any ham repeater in this area.
They both have traffic on them during the day and night.
Many of the users are hams that also have GMRS. A lot of the GMRS only users are working to get into ham radio.
Many times during the day the local GMRS repeater is busier than any 2 meter or 70 CM ham repeater. Plus it has great coverage for both mobiles and HTs and likely better coverage, than any ham repeater in this area.
KF0NYL
Member
- Joined
- Oct 20, 2023
- Messages
- 251
- Reaction score
- 214
Is it the Waterloo. IL 2m repeater? We have had issues with that one in the past. The Waterloo 2m repeater is ran by the St Louis radio club and that repeater is not even listed with the repeater council in either state. Yes we looked into that.
The antennas for our 2m and 70cm repeaters are on the KWWR backup tower and are at 900 feet. Our GMRS repeater antennas are on the same tower at 400-450 feet. We get an average of about an 85 mile radius of coverage with the 2m repeater and about 35mile radius with the 70cm and GMRS repeaters.
We have a couple of club members that live in Centralia, Mo which is west of Mexico and they will occasionally hear a repeater in Kansas that is on the same frequency and same tones as our 2m repeater.
Traffic on our GMRS repeater goes in spurts. Sometimes it's busy and other times it's pretty quiet. We do a monthly GMRS net on the first Tuesday of the month following our 2m net. We average between 25-30 checkins on the 2m net and 6-15 on the GMRS net.
We didn't want to change our PL tones on the GMRS repeater as we were using 141.3 but we were having too many issues with the Pacific GMRS repeater and the owner didn't want to cooperate. The best solution was to change our tones.
In the greater Phoenix Area, there about six high level GMRS repeater sites that cover the area very well and are very active. Also, there are about the same amount of lower level GMRS repeater sites with various levels of activity.
As for simplex GMRS traffic throughout the Valley, it is very heavy traffic during the day and moderate traffic during the evening on both the 462 MHz Main and Interstitial channels.
There are 25-30 2M repeaters and about 15-20 70cm repeaters listed throughout the Valley. Two of the 2M repeaters are about the only active repeaters. One is usually active during the mid-morning hours and the one is a hit and miss anytime throughout the day. As for 70cm repeaters, one gets some P25 traffic and the rest not much at all.
There is very little simplex channel on 2M and essentially none on 70cm
As for simplex GMRS traffic throughout the Valley, it is very heavy traffic during the day and moderate traffic during the evening on both the 462 MHz Main and Interstitial channels.
There are 25-30 2M repeaters and about 15-20 70cm repeaters listed throughout the Valley. Two of the 2M repeaters are about the only active repeaters. One is usually active during the mid-morning hours and the one is a hit and miss anytime throughout the day. As for 70cm repeaters, one gets some P25 traffic and the rest not much at all.
There is very little simplex channel on 2M and essentially none on 70cm
Yes.
I'm not surprised. Which St. Louis radio club, do you happen to know?
I wonder if the fact they're "high level" has something to do with the activity? Seems like the better coverage stuff would attract more people.
Wow that's great! I guess there may be some GMRS stuff around here simplex but I don't honestly monitor enough on my outside antenna to check for it. Does all the interstitial traffic sound like GMRS or do you think some of it might be FRS?
We have several groups of people here that utilize a couple of 2 meter simplex stuff, a few of us on 1.25 meters and there is still a group that meets most evenings on 446.0.
On the Interstitial channels, more than likely that traffic is FRS. On the 462 Meg main channels, hard to tell, but could be FRS with portables and an occasional GMRS mobiles throughout the Valley, and on the trails probably more likely GMRS mobiles since the 462 Meg Main channels are being used.
Ok thanks. Just curious. FRS is still "thing" around here if I go to my outside antenna and scan, ya, there's still a bit of that going on including a couple of what sounds like maybe construction stuff. I don't ever hear callsigns however (which means nothing I know) but for the most part I hear kids out and about occasionally "Johnny it's time to come home now", and even some what may sound like people out walking around with their dogs or something talking to the significant other at home. I don't actually monitor enough to make too many determinations about some of it.
mmckenna
I ♥ Ø
So, where are you located, exactly?
What kind of radio, what kind of antenna?
That'll all play into what you can and cannot hear.
Don_Burke
Member
It's a personal radio service that is non technical in nature. I don't expect it to be very entertaining.
There is a lot of FRS activity around here, mostly businesses. Sometimes I try to figure out what business is using that channel and code and, once I have solved the puzzle, I lose interest pretty quickly.
What were you expecting from GMRS?
Sometimes it's more about the thrill of the chase, rather than what to do after.
Why are we talking about 2m amateur radio repeaters in a thread about GMRS traffic?
Started with the PL or lack thereof conversation sorry. all goes to bad radio practice and why people may get fed up and just not use the GMRS repeaters in their area.
Because Radio Reference. You must be new here.
