GMRS repeater access for non-members

[vagrant]

A licensed amateur can put up a repeater without coordination. I know you know that, but your point is valid how coordinating bodies / coordinators can be extremely problematic and how paper repeaters remain...protected.

As to licensing, not all clubs and members are bad. We encourage and welcome non members and unlicensed people to our meetings as well as encourage them to ask questions. At that point we do match them with the right people vs well meaning aloof operators.

We also offer classes and testing. It is a fun hobby and we love to share it. We also help with at least eight public service events each year.

 

[mmckenna]

I suspect many are run off.....

I agree. I've run into several a** h***s on amateur radio repeaters. Zero on GMRS.

As for repeater coordination (or lack thereof) I can't imagine how difficult it would be to set up our own multi site system on amateur radio. Regional repeater coordinators probably would pop a blood vessel. Much easier to set up such things on GMRS, especially since GMRS users have mostly mastered the usefulness of PL/DPL.

 

[mmckenna]

A licensed amateur can put up a repeater without coordination. I know you know that, but your point is valid how coordinating bodies / coordinators can be extremely problematic and how paper repeaters remain...protected.

I agree. See above. Some house cleaning needs to be done.

 

[RFI-EMI-GUY]

I agree. See above. Some house cleaning needs to be done.

Yeah here in Florida repeater coordination was very tightly held and run like a secret guild. A ham here took them on on legal grounds and ran them out and took over the coordination. He is an "ornery sort" so I guess that is why they backed off.

Truth be told a lot of ham repeaters exist on paper only because a) They were never built, b) The owner now SK or in "the home".

More importantly

c) The availability of good radio sites has become financially unfeasible. The commercial owners don't want hams on the site and charge a ton of money and require certified climbers (as they should).

This may be what is driving networking on the GMRS side. You need to have 4 mediocre sites multicasting so you can cover an area that the elusive Monster Golden Tower once provided.

 

[DeoVindice]

I agree. I've run into several a** h***s on amateur radio repeaters. Zero on GMRS.

As for repeater coordination (or lack thereof) I can't imagine how difficult it would be to set up our own multi site system on amateur radio. Regional repeater coordinators probably would pop a blood vessel. Much easier to set up such things on GMRS, especially since GMRS users have mostly mastered the usefulness of PL/DPL.

I've seen about the same. The GMRS repeater userbase tends to be polite, with some good technical conversations. I'd love if hams behaved like that.

Interestingly, the GMRS linked system in this area is built to a higher technical standard than the primary linked ham FM system. The ham system (I'm a dues-paying member, for the record) has frequent problems with open carriers, RFI/fan noise, months-long link failures, and more. I stopped using it after the audio became irritating to listen to, and it's not hard to see how newcomers would lose interest between technical issues, boring conversations, condescending operators, and traffic nets.

 

[Coffeemug]

Sounds like you LEARN’d a valuable lesson that night about just jumping on a repeater and got your fingers smacked by the owner.

There is enough BS in and around Philly dealing with radio nonsense, don’t add to the problem.

You're absolutely right about that! There is too much BS in and around the Delaware Valley, when it comes to Knuckleheads making a spectacle over Repeaters, whether Amateur Radio or GMRS. Besides, when I monitor on my scanner some of those some individuals sound like snobs anyway. Especially 820, I surprised that the commonwealth allowed him to be a Law Enforcement Officer. That individual sounds as he used his badge as get out of trouble card than the intended purpose. Well, I said all need to say.

 

[radioopperator]

Not a ham for a reason: Think of (MOST) but not all HAMS as being BITTER OLD COPS WITH BAD ATTUTUDES! Most armature groups are run as a Home owner association!!! Someone gets in charge so they can tell every buddy else what to do!!! Its a control thing. If you have never bean to a lot of Commercial two way radio sights around the US as I have? I can tell you the hams want to tell you how to install the radio gear but when it comes to installing their stuff its the most ********Engineered mess you ever saw! At lots of sights they have bean kicked out permanently because of this and they ask for one system and you go back next week and theirs is now 20 new systems installed and **** every ware! As for GMRS its harder to get in to most commercial sights unless you PAY! unlike the hams getting FREE sights but the GMRS people seem so far to take a little more pride and put a little more diligence into who uses the systems.

 

[prcguy]

Not a ham for a reason: Think of (MOST) but not all HAMS as being BITTER OLD COPS WITH BAD ATTUTUDES! Most armature groups are run as a Home owner association!!! Someone gets in charge so they can tell every buddy else what to do!!! Its a control thing. If you have never bean to a lot of Commercial two way radio sights around the US as I have? I can tell you the hams want to tell you how to install the radio gear but when it comes to installing their stuff its the most ********Engineered mess you ever saw! At lots of sights they have bean kicked out permanently because of this and they ask for one system and you go back next week and theirs is now 20 new systems installed and **** every ware! As for GMRS its harder to get in to most commercial sights unless you PAY! unlike the hams getting FREE sights but the GMRS people seem so far to take a little more pride and put a little more diligence into who uses the systems.

You are right about some hams being radio Karen's but they are just a tiny fraction of the hamster population. The vast majority of amateurs I know are wonderful helpful people. On the other hand in my area people on GMRS make the worst hams look like saints. They are extremely ignorant on anything technical and it seems the only reason they have a radio is to get a microphone to preach to a captive audience. For every bad ham you have seen I'll show you three on GMRS that are as dumb as a bucket of rocks and about as personable. The rest around here only speak Spanish on GMRS and appear to be knowledgeable and nice but I can't understand everything they are talking about.

Moderators....Moderators.........

 

[AK9R]

Going back to the original question, it seems that the OP wished it was easier for prospective users to get access to GMRS repeaters.

Have we addressed that?

 

[03msc]

It sounds like @radioopperator is classifying all hams (er, "most") into one category based on interaction with just a few. That's not fair, nor is your description how I know most amateur radio operators to be.

I am not saying you haven't experienced that. I'm saying it's unfair and incorrect to make a statement as if most (your word) are like that.

But, that's off topic from the OP here, as AK9R eluded to.

For most GMRS repeaters I think the best way to get access is to key up on them and talk. Properly ID, be courteous, etc. Most have them up for people to use them, especially if they are listed in directories like myGMRS or RepeaterBook (which does have a GMRS section). Yes, there are exceptions but, generally speaking, this should work.