Considerations about linking GMRS repeaters.

[chrismol1]

Baofengs FM broadcast with interrupt is its best feature. Listen to your tunes while not missing a call.

 

[RFI-EMI-GUY]

My wife likes to watch procedural crime shows from Europe. Always with subtitles or poor dubbing. Anyway, this one show was in Russia and there were these two detectives staking out someone and using BaoFeng's. They lost communications with each other because the second guy was using the flashlight feature. I thought it was funny they included that bit. Maybe also BaoFeng haters...

 

[mmckenna]

Baofengs FM broadcast with interrupt is its best feature. Listen to your tunes while not missing a call.

"Dammit Control, I was just listening to the new Justin Beeber, tell the RP to wait a few minutes!"


Back on topic, I think a well built GMRS system with simulcast sites would be pretty dang awesome.
But, expect the current situation to linger because of prices. I don't agree with hogging up all 8 pairs...

 

[ke6ats]

As far as linking GMRS repeaters, I can see some benefit in some instances. But just linking everything, everywhere is IMHO stupid & beyond disruptive. “Just because you can, doesn’t mean you should”. Stop it!!!

 

[ke6ats]

As far as linking GMRS repeaters, I can see some benefit in some instances. But just linking everything, everywhere is IMHO stupid & beyond disruptive. “Just because you can, doesn’t mean you should”. Stop it!!!

As an addendum, this kind of crap, the hams trying to make GMRS exactly like the ham bands (i.e. “this is a directed net”), the big E, & listening to my local dispatch & LEOs who have apparently been given no instruction on how to communicate via radio are the reason I’m about ready to have a fire sale on my equipment & move deep into the woods. It just seems impossible. (Truly sorry for the rant).

 

[RFI-EMI-GUY]

As an addendum, this kind of crap, the hams trying to make GMRS exactly like the ham bands (i.e. “this is a directed net”), the big E, & listening to my local dispatch & LEOs who have apparently been given no instruction on how to communicate via radio are the reason I’m about ready to have a fire sale on my equipment & move deep into the woods. It just seems impossible. (Truly sorry for the rant).

Please let us know when you have that big fire sale. I love buying radios on the cheap!

 

[jeepsandradios]

The real cost in simulcast is the site access to be honest. You can get quantars, gps and comparators pretty cheap on ebay now. Its the tower site and antenna systems that cost the most. If folks wanted to do it they could. and if they would work together they could have a nice system.

On the ham side I offered a like new Quantar to a local ham and got told nope they will keep fixing there old unit. Most are scared of real commercial gear.

 

[tweiss3]

The real cost in simulcast is the site access to be honest. You can get quantars, gps and comparators pretty cheap on ebay now. Its the tower site and antenna systems that cost the most. If folks wanted to do it they could. and if they would work together they could have a nice system.

On the ham side I offered a like new Quantar to a local ham and got told nope they will keep fixing there old unit. Most are scared of real commercial gear.

This is the truth on both fronts. I started conversations or reached out to a few sites and either got no response or was told they would call me back and it's been silence since.

Secondly, yes, some are afraid of newer equipment. Drives me nuts. Sure, we have 1-2 full spares of all the main components, but still running crystal tone boards is problematic if it were to die.

 

[AK9R]

Its the tower site and antenna systems that cost the most.

Tower real estate is a big problem for both amateur radio and GMRS repeaters. Here in the (relatively) flat lands of central Indiana, 1000 foot broadcast towers are not unusual and we are fortunate to have a few ham repeaters on those 1000-footers. But, those are grandfathered deals and I'm skeptical that any new ham or GMRS group could get access unless they had an inside track with the tower owner.

If, moving forward, GMRS repeater owners are stuck with only being able to get their repeaters on 150-250 foot towers, simulcast might make sense. Simulcast would definitely make more sense than tying up all 8 GMRS repeater channels with linked repeaters just to get geographical coverage from "low" towers.

 

[albeham]

I see that a lot of you don't like the linking and see them as against the FCC rules. I have read a lot about them linking
and it goes on and on. Why would you want to do that?

I say file a complaint with the FCC and see what happens, let the Enforcement Agents work it and let us all know.. and hopefully we can put this to rest. I would not rely on some letter that came from the FCC that was not from the Enforcement group and to many " I knows" or even the Non-FCC types talking about, but what's the real truth..

Waiting.. watching

 

[RFI-EMI-GUY]

Tower real estate is a big problem for both amateur radio and GMRS repeaters. Here in the (relatively) flat lands of central Indiana, 1000 foot broadcast towers are not unusual and we are fortunate to have a few ham repeaters on those 1000-footers. But, those are grandfathered deals and I'm skeptical that any new ham or GMRS group could get access unless they had an inside track with the tower owner.

If, moving forward, GMRS repeater owners are stuck with only being able to get their repeaters on 150-250 foot towers, simulcast might make sense. Simulcast would definitely make more sense than tying up all 8 GMRS repeater channels with linked repeaters just to get geographical coverage from "low" towers.

I concur but add;
Since simulcast is not a readily available option due to cost and complexity, the same limitations of tower real estate that you mention, has made the multicast linking an attractive alternative for Amateur radio and GMRS. I also live in flat lands Central Florida and know that it is impossible to get roof top or even short tower space without having a tremendous monthly budget for site rentals.

 

[RFI-EMI-GUY]

I see that a lot of you don't like the linking and see them as against the FCC rules. I have read a lot about them linking
and it goes on and on. Why would you want to do that?

I say file a complaint with the FCC and see what happens, let the Enforcement Agents work it and let us all know.. and hopefully we can put this to rest. I would not rely on some letter that came from the FCC that was not from the Enforcement group and to many " I knows" or even the Non-FCC types talking about, but what's the real truth..

Waiting.. watching

For one to get the FCC enforcement bureau to "roll" would require one to have a demonstrated intentional interference complaint. The FCC has already spoken about the fact that GMRS is self regulated in frequency coordination. That is, there is no frequency coordination and you must work it out with your neighbors. Complicating this is the fact that no mechanism of licensing a repeater by site exists, so one party cannot prove they have incumbency over the other. It would be far better for the GMRS operators to work this out amongst themselves rather than have armchair "FCC experts" meddle or expect the FCC to "do something". If it comes to the FCC "doing something" it may be a terrible future for GMRS. I suggest all to read the NPRM and comments leading to the 2017 major rule changes.

 

[smittie]

I suggest all to read the NPRM and comments leading to the 2017 major rule changes.

I do not mean to be lazy but could you provide a link to the relevant NPRM?

 

[RFI-EMI-GUY]

I do not mean to be lazy but could you provide a link to the relevant NPRM?

You should check the FCC website, especially for comments.

 

[mmckenna]

I do not mean to be lazy but could you provide a link to the relevant NPRM?

Short answer:
FCC really wanted to make GMRS a license by rule, no repeater, low power type radio service.

Enough GMRS users spoke up and helped head that off.

GMRS may not be so lucky next time, especially if the service turns into a mess and users (especially repeater owners) can't play nice together.



In other words, if GMRS becomes an enforcement headache for GMRS, things may not stay the way they are.

It's also super important for those that like their current flavor of radio service to pay close attention to FCC notifications and if they see something that concerns them, SPEAK UP. Don't assume that someone else will.

 

[smittie]

You should check the FCC website, especially for comments.

So, I went and looked at the FCC web site to see if I could find what you were referring to. I did not find it nor did I find what appears to be a starting point to find it. Hence the request for a link where one should go to stay current on what the FCC is considering.

 

[smittie]

It's also super important for those that like their current flavor of radio service to pay close attention to FCC notifications and if they see something that concerns them, SPEAK UP. Don't assume that someone else will.

I would love to speak up at the appropriate times. I'm still figuring out how to do that.

 

[RFI-EMI-GUY]

So, I went and looked at the FCC web site to see if I could find what you were referring to. I did not find it nor did I find what appears to be a starting point to find it. Hence the request for a link where one should go to stay current on what the FCC is considering.

It is a very confusing site, which is why I included a copy of the document from my hard drive in my reply. I am as lazy as you in retracing my steps on www.fcc.gov

 

[celestis]

GMRS may not be so lucky next time, especially if the service turns into a mess and users (especially repeater owners) can't play nice together.

Do you know what the FCC did to the 3.5 GHz band? If you want to use that band you have to register your base station with a database that automatically grants it a channel and if the base station loses the link to the database the base is not allowed to transmit until the link is restored

Perhaps if the handful of high and mighty repeater owners who felt they "own" a frequency felt the FCC would unironically force this on the GMRS freqs they'd cut the crap

 

[PreferredCustomer]

Well Hams are idiots. You don't see many GMRS hot spots.

"

You don't see many GMRS hot spots."

Not yet, at least.