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Neighborhood Watch

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sean128

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Hey everyone,

I am currently a volunteer with my local Neighborhood Watch, and I am currently looking at sing FRS/GMRS as a way for the volunteers to communicate on.

Basically, we would use GMRS to run Nets, similar to the Ham Radio nets that are in operation around the country.

Does the FCC still allow repeaters to be used on GMRS?? Or should I look into other modes, such as CB radio??

Thanks,

Sean
 

62Truck

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Sean,

Yes the FCC Still allows repeaters. How big of an area does your group cover? And also every one in the group would have to apply for their own licenses for GMRS.

Another option would be murs. Murs is license free and is basically a VHF version of CB.
 

LtDoc

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Another method of communicating would be simply to use the telephone. Lots cheaper.
- 'Doc
 

LtDoc

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... why not? Do you really think everyone is going to keep a radio turned on all the time? I just don't think I'd count on that happening.
- 'Doc
 

62Truck

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... why not? Do you really think everyone is going to keep a radio turned on all the time? I just don't think I'd count on that happening.
- 'Doc

Do you really count on every one having their phone with them? Or it being charged? Some people don't have a phone.

if you go with some cheap murs radio's its cheaper then using a cell phone.
 
Joined
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I'm not bashing anyone but how exactly does a Neighborhood Watch work? We have it in my city but no one really does anything with it. It's more of a "see something suspicious, report it" kind of thing that everyone does. We don't actually have "officers" or anything like that.

So coming from my experiences with it I'd have to know what exactly it is that your group is doing and how large of an area they cover before I could say what radio service would be best.
 
D

DaveNF2G

Guest
So something is going down and you are supposed to call everyone on a phone and explain what is happening. REALLY?

Is this Neighborhood Watch or Neighborhood Gossip?

Neighborhood Watch groups (the real ones) report their observations to the police, not to all of the neighbors.
 
D

DaveNF2G

Guest
... why not? Do you really think everyone is going to keep a radio turned on all the time? I just don't think I'd count on that happening.
- 'Doc

I don't understand why a real NW group needs radios. The idea is to stay in your home and report anything suspicious to the police. All any member needs is a phone (and a scanner so they know if there is a particular reason to look outside).
 

nonperson

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I'm not bashing anyone but how exactly does a Neighborhood Watch work? We have it in my city but no one really does anything with it. It's more of a "see something suspicious, report it" kind of thing that everyone does. We don't actually have "officers" or anything like that.

So coming from my experiences with it I'd have to know what exactly it is that your group is doing and how large of an area they cover before I could say what radio service would be best.

Depending on your neighborhood and the participants it could vary. The basic concept of it is to observe and report all suspicious activity in the neighborhood. Some do nothing more than look out their windows and others organize roving volunteer patrols in personal vehicles.
Some get organized to the point of forming their own independent non-profit group for tax donation purposes and some align with the national organization. In FL some county sheriff's offices provide marked volunteer patrol cars complete with radio transceivers connected to the SO's dispatch center and amber lights on the roof. However some of those programs may not be linked with any specific neighbor hood watch group.
Also depending on how organized they get they may appoint anything from a block captain(s), treasurers, secretary president or what ever.
 
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nonperson

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I don't understand why a real NW group needs radios. The idea is to stay in your home and report anything suspicious to the police. All any member needs is a phone (and a scanner so they know if there is a particular reason to look outside).

Like I said above some groups organize differently. Some maintain phone lists of their respective members and call each other (after notifying the authorities) to alert them to what ever may be afoot.
 

sean128

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Our program covers a area of about 4-5 square miles (we are just north of Boston). We would mainly use radios to keep in contact with ourselves, and we would give a handheld radio to one of the Patrol officers in case he needs to get into contact with us.
 

redneckcellphone

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so the people you would talk to on the radio with the nets or that someone is breaking into the house next to yours is gonna be up to 5 miles away? call the police when you see something suspicious. but as to a repeater even if everyone is licensed for gmrs you would need the repeater to be on higher ground than where everyone is to even get that distance
 

fratermus

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My neighborhood has both Neighborhood Watch (stay at home and call police if you see anything) and Crime Watch Patrol (volunteers patrolling the area, calling police if they see anything). I have experience with both.

We have used bubblepacks during annual block parties for National Night Out; the entire street is blocked at both ends and it helps to have folks in group comms.

We never used them for patrols because our team was small so only one person was patrolling at a time. I would think for small areas with concurrent patrollers a bubblepack radio would be useful for coordination. It's easier to hit a PTT in a dark car cabin at night than dial a phone number.

I can imagine a scenario where the neighborhood had a channel to monitor and the various watch groups used it. Another tool to improve neighborhood awareness and cohesion. I do include 462.5625 in my scanner bank. Mainly I hear traffic from passers-by on the nearby highway who have not changed anything on their bubblepack radios. :)
 

scannerfreak

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Guys, let's stick to the OP's questions and not turn this into a debate about how a neighborhood watch program should or shouldn't be ran. Unless he specifically asks for this info it's off topic to what he asked. I have deleted several off topic posts.
 

nonperson

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Our program covers a area of about 4-5 square miles (we are just north of Boston). We would mainly use radios to keep in contact with ourselves, and we would give a handheld radio to one of the Patrol officers in case he needs to get into contact with us.

Have you all considered Nextel or similar PTT phones? Do you all have a liaison officer with your local LE agency? If you do see if they could assist you in any way with your communication needs and options. Maybe with citizen's patrol radio service or something like I mentioned above about FL?


Different frequency bands work better than others in certain environments and terrains. So what is the neighborhood like. Is it only single family homes in a subdivision? Are you in close proximity to a metropolitan area or industrial park?

Guys, let's stick to the OP's questions and not turn this into a debate about how a neighborhood watch program should or shouldn't be ran. Unless he specifically asks for this info it's off topic to what he asked. I have deleted several off topic posts.

I intended my above responses to answer the other poster's question and maybe give the OP some ideas to consider for his neighborhood watch program and communication needs. :)
 

ermin

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Dec 21, 2007
Messages
360
Location
Jacksonville Florida
Hey everyone,

I am currently a volunteer with my local Neighborhood Watch, and I am currently looking at sing FRS/GMRS as a way for the volunteers to communicate on.

Basically, we would use GMRS to run Nets, similar to the Ham Radio nets that are in operation around the country.

Does the FCC still allow repeaters to be used on GMRS?? Or should I look into other modes, such as CB radio??

Thanks,

Sean

Hello Sean

Why don't you see if your city (or county) has a community watch program? Our city does and we use a city vehicle and their radio system to communicate on. When I lived in county jurisdiction we had the same type setup with them. It was called C.O.P. Community Observers Patrol. We had a county car and a channel on the county system.

Otherwise try a Motorola high end GMRS radio. I use a few at work and get almost 3 blocks out of them in flat South Florida.

73

Ermin
 

sean128

Member
Joined
Jan 12, 2007
Messages
20
Have you all considered Nextel or similar PTT phones? Do you all have a liaison officer with your local LE agency? If you do see if they could assist you in any way with your communication needs and options. Maybe with citizen's patrol radio service or something like I mentioned above about FL?


Different frequency bands work better than others in certain environments and terrains. So what is the neighborhood like. Is it only single family homes in a subdivision? Are you in close proximity to a metropolitan area or industrial park?



I intended my above responses to answer the other poster's question and maybe give the OP some ideas to consider for his neighborhood watch program and communication needs. :)

We are currently in the process of sitting up a liaison I believe. The city is made up of 2 Train stations, small businesses, several parks/playgrounds, and home to almost 60,000 people (estimate).
 

sean128

Member
Joined
Jan 12, 2007
Messages
20
Hello Sean

Why don't you see if your city (or county) has a community watch program? Our city does and we use a city vehicle and their radio system to communicate on. When I lived in county jurisdiction we had the same type setup with them. It was called C.O.P. Community Observers Patrol. We had a county car and a channel on the county system.

Otherwise try a Motorola high end GMRS radio. I use a few at work and get almost 3 blocks out of them in flat South Florida.

73

Ermin


We don't currently have a COP program. Just a city crimwatch (our version of a neighborhood watch). Several people have shown interest in such a program.
 
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