How Do I or anyone establish contact without keying up the repeater

[mmckenna]

WTH is your problem? Are you trying to call me Moron? If so, you must be one yourself. Ok, I have to admit that my posts or thoughts about LEARN, or any Repeater Group does sound off the wall, which I guess that I alto apologize for.

Well, you do seem to be kind of obsessed with these guys, and one in particular.

If they are running a closed repeater, there's nothing you can do about that. You can't make them let you into their group. If they are not publishing info, then they've made it clear.

Maybe find another group? You've got a ham ticket. Have you researched any of the amateur radio clubs in your area? Many of them are actively looking for new members and would probably love to have you join them. Ham radio is a bit more open to social interactions, and you may find a group of people that you fit in better with. Trying to chase down these guys on GMRS isn't working out well, and it appears they've made it very clear that they are not interested in opening the group to outsiders.

Right Now, I feel as if I should apologize for having Cerebral Palsy, but maybe that's crazy.

I don't think you should. I think if I was in your place, I'd shift my focus and look for a different group that is willing to accept new users. That may be amateur radio. Maybe another GMRS club. Maybe spin up your own group. Maybe try CB radio. Maybe get some HF gear.
But I think focusing on one group on one repeater that has made it clear they are not interested is a waste of effort. Effort that could be better focused on creating your own group or joining one that is actively looking for new members.

Maybe find a cheap 10 meter radio and an old base CB antenna and see what you can do. That would give you much wider area of coverage and maybe a different group of people.

 

[cactus360]

Not putting down amateur radio at all. What I put down is the idea that many seem to think that amateur radio operators are some sort of first responders, when in actuality, they are nothing more than hobbyists, just like any other hobby.

You say your primary responsibility is using amateur radio, but then you say in the same post that you don't use amateur radios at all. You use their radios. So which is it? Again, are you so important to whatever agency because you are an amateur radio operator, or are you important to the agency because you have a bunch of other skills? It doesn't sound like the agency keeps you around because you're a ham (since you aren't even using ham radios), it sounds like they keep you around because of your other skills.

20 or 30 years ago, my opinion was completely different, because the technology was completely different. Amateur radio operators were useful to all sorts of agencies, simply because of amateur radio itself. If the Puerto Rican hurricanes and earthquakes happened 30 years ago, a bunch of guys with HF radios would be extremely helpful. Heck, I would call it darn near critical. But now, virtually every new cell phone on the planet can connect to satellites.

Being active and involved can take many forms. Sounds like you have your ham ticket so you can be of value to others in other ways.

Not sure how your disability limits you. Start slow, and at the very least you can get involved with a group by joining your local skywarn group as a spotter or radio operator. They can get you trained in severe weather training. Want to be more involved continue to AREA and RACES and you will likely get monthly training on operations and get certified in some basic ICS classes, and you can continue from there. You might be pleasantly surprised that you become interested and involved in a lot more things than radio. Trust me, emergency management officials and your community will find you very valuable if you are willing to learn even a few more skills than radio.

There is a good chance that your county amateur radio club / association already has information and links on how to get involved in Skywarn, ARES / RACES. An your county emergency management office probably has information how to get involved in the National Incident Management System and the ICS as a volunteer.

Best of Luck.