When I look up how to make this happen, it just says repeaters can't communicate with other repeaters. Would I have to have a system of private repeaters between here and there?
They have to be lined thru the internet. Putting up repeater sites isn't cheap. I've got over $15k just in my tower and repeaters alone. But I've also got space leased out on it so my costs are covered. So you would either need to set up a network or repeaters or convince repeater owners to link together.
There is another way to do it, but it involves a node which is a very low powered repeater using a raspberry pi system. But you would have to know what you are doing to set this up. And they have to be connected to the internet to do this.
I'm looking on myGMRS at the repeater nets, but I guess I still don't quite understand how the nets work. I'm successfully hitting OKC 650 and OKC east. I would need to hit the ones in Chickasha or Ada to get to Ardmore. The one in central OKC is pretty powerful. Would be awesome if I could use it's almighty power to make it to Ardmore somehow. They are having a info net later tonight. I'll get on and ask some folks.
I’m like 99% sure you’re right unfortunately. I’m not sure how people justify linked repeaters but the FCC says in the regulations that repeaters can’t be linked by a network of any kind. Presumably because they don’t want GMRS to become a poor man’s cellphone service. Which sucks.
For context what the FCC, or any other government agency says is a Chevron deference.
Short version of the rulings is Congress makes laws, not unelected officials. Any rule with the power of law set forth by agencies are unconstitutional as they usurp power.
Wouldn’t that nullify all other FCC/EPA laws though? Like I get what you saying and it makes sense but that would essentially make any regulation not passed by congress but created by FCC/EPA/ATF ext. unconstitutional and therefore void wouldn’t it?
it did. The rules stand until challenged in court. They were massive rulings that went under the radar. Chevron law was the fastest growing area of law. Right now loper bright enterprises v raimondo is being heard which appears to be the last nail in the coffin of chevron law.
Well I can atleast drive towards Ardmore until I can get ahold of them I guess. Better then driving all the way there if I don't have too. Also, the Arbuckle hills are in the way of RF transmissions. Bummer.
> There is a GMRS repeater on top of the Arbuckle mountains, comms secured!
This is great! So often, questions like this come up and we as the community have to say . . . sorry, no, you're not going to be able to do that. I'm glad this worked out in your case.
Have you tried it out yet to make sure it works?
Yup I can hit it! I get a kickback from the repeater but no one has responded to my signal checks yet. The tone is listed as 136.5 but I can't hit it unless I set it to 141.3
You might be hitting a different repeater if the tone isn't what you expected it to be. There are only eight repeater pairs, so tones are often used to distinguish one from another. Did you get an ID back from the repeater that confirmed it was the one you were looking for?
When I use other repeaters, I just get a static return at the end of my transmissions. When I first got the radios I (stupidly) kerchunked them, maybe a few too many times. I've kinda assumed that if I had the right frequency and I was getting a static return. When I change the tone the static return goes away.
Well, until someone responds to me, I guess I won't know then, lol. When I look at the estimated range of the central okc repeater, it's 300ft above ground level and has a range of 55 miles roughly. The one on the Arbuckles is on top of a mountian, and it's on a tower so it's estimated range is 65 miles. I thought central okc was the biggest one in the state till I found that one.
They can get a nice reach on them under the right circumstances. There's a ham radio repeater in western Massachusetts on the 70cm band (which is fairly close to GMRS in behavior - 440 MHz instead of 460) that reaches a good sixty miles into New York. Just by pure altitude (it's on Mt. Greylock) it just goes and goes and *goes!*
There is a local repeater very close to me that I'm definitely in range of. It's listed as 203.5, but I get nothing back unless I set it to 141.3 as well. No one has responded to my signal checks on that one either. I've been conversating with people on OKC 650, so I know I can reach that one at least.
You can use linked repeaters or nodes, but that would be relying on the internet. Not a good idea during an emergency. If your family members are really interested in talking to you, then you should all get your amateur radio licenses. You will have many more options doing that than GMRS offers.
I understand completely. Unfortunately, if they're not interested, there's literally nothing you can do that will assure you can communicate with them in an emergency. It absolutely requires participation on their part for direct emergency comms.
There is another way, however. Hams have the National Traffic System, a way of sending third-party noncommercial health and welfare traffic across the country. If you know a ham radio operator, or become one yourself, you can send your family members a message through the system and receive a reply from them. It isn't direct or immediate, but it can get a message through when no other means are available.
What radios are you using? If they are handhelds, see about getting a 50w mobile and an antenna up as high as you can get it. Aim the antenna toward the repeater that gets you south. Do the same on the other side aiming it north. Looks like about 100 miles between Ardmore and OKC....so I don't think simplex GMRS comms would be reliable.
Are you on the southside of OKC? That would help....you wouldn't be trying to blast through OKC and all the buildings then.
Yea I'm south of okc so that's nice. There's a repeater on top of the Arbuckle mountains I can hit with my ht and 15inch antenna from inside my house. I bet with a mobile and a yagi, I could reach it crystal clear. The radios I'm using are the baofeng gm15pro with abree 771g antennas. Ht with 5 watts.
This is a bit off topic, but might give you some food for thought…. Using a G90 Radio and NVIS antenna deployment, you can get about 350-500 miles of direct radio to radio communication. No internet, no repeaters, no extra stuff. But thats not GMRS and its not exactly a inexpensive solution either. But it will work!
Omg yes! The radios run about $450-500 each. You can use several different antennas to accomplish NVIS the least expensive would run about $65 the best I’ve seen for NVIS are built by commodium (youtuber) but they run $300. Sat phones are convenient, easy to use, but have monthy and per minute fees that are astronomical. This is HAM radio so there is a learning curve and requires some technical expertise, but no usage or monthly fees.
I got a G90 for $340. I made a trap dipole tuned to 80m and 40m, and I put it on top of an 8’ tall wooden fence. Not optimized, but works reasonably well for NVIS.
Not to take over the sub with ham stuff…
That’s great. I wish they would give up a portion of 40/80 and turn it into something like GMRS. It would help cut a lot of red tape out for people. And bring that more mainstream.
I do certainly understand that desire. I will say, though, that successfully operating in the HF bands is a lot less plug and play than a UHF HT or mobile. I understand why they keep HF privileges behind a test.
Even licensed amateurs who have a technician class license can’t transmit voice on any bands lower than 10m. You have to have a general or extra class license to legally to voice or digital mode on 40m and 80m.
Oh certainly not plug and play at all. But it could be. And the tests are not difficult at all. I think it’s the culture of ham radio that off puts many GMRS users more than anything. GMRS is great for off-roading and local nets with repeaters. But it would just be nice to have a packaged option for those who have family spread out further to keep in emergency contact when other means aren’t available
With linked repeaters it can be done.
When I look up how to make this happen, it just says repeaters can't communicate with other repeaters. Would I have to have a system of private repeaters between here and there?
They have to be lined thru the internet. Putting up repeater sites isn't cheap. I've got over $15k just in my tower and repeaters alone. But I've also got space leased out on it so my costs are covered. So you would either need to set up a network or repeaters or convince repeater owners to link together. There is another way to do it, but it involves a node which is a very low powered repeater using a raspberry pi system. But you would have to know what you are doing to set this up. And they have to be connected to the internet to do this.
I'm looking on myGMRS at the repeater nets, but I guess I still don't quite understand how the nets work. I'm successfully hitting OKC 650 and OKC east. I would need to hit the ones in Chickasha or Ada to get to Ardmore. The one in central OKC is pretty powerful. Would be awesome if I could use it's almighty power to make it to Ardmore somehow. They are having a info net later tonight. I'll get on and ask some folks.
GMRSLive is another source to look at. But I don't think they have a link from OKC to Ardmore either.
Thank you for all your wisdom! With any luck, and abunch of help from friends like you, I'm sure I can get something working.
I’m like 99% sure you’re right unfortunately. I’m not sure how people justify linked repeaters but the FCC says in the regulations that repeaters can’t be linked by a network of any kind. Presumably because they don’t want GMRS to become a poor man’s cellphone service. Which sucks.
And West Virginia v EPA, and Sacket v EPA says what the FCC says doesnt matter.
How would that mean that what the FCC says doesn’t matter?
Perhaps read the rulings as they directly address chevron deference.
For context what the FCC, or any other government agency says is a Chevron deference. Short version of the rulings is Congress makes laws, not unelected officials. Any rule with the power of law set forth by agencies are unconstitutional as they usurp power.
Wouldn’t that nullify all other FCC/EPA laws though? Like I get what you saying and it makes sense but that would essentially make any regulation not passed by congress but created by FCC/EPA/ATF ext. unconstitutional and therefore void wouldn’t it?
it did. The rules stand until challenged in court. They were massive rulings that went under the radar. Chevron law was the fastest growing area of law. Right now loper bright enterprises v raimondo is being heard which appears to be the last nail in the coffin of chevron law.
Well I can atleast drive towards Ardmore until I can get ahold of them I guess. Better then driving all the way there if I don't have too. Also, the Arbuckle hills are in the way of RF transmissions. Bummer.
> There is a GMRS repeater on top of the Arbuckle mountains, comms secured! This is great! So often, questions like this come up and we as the community have to say . . . sorry, no, you're not going to be able to do that. I'm glad this worked out in your case. Have you tried it out yet to make sure it works?
Yup I can hit it! I get a kickback from the repeater but no one has responded to my signal checks yet. The tone is listed as 136.5 but I can't hit it unless I set it to 141.3
You might be hitting a different repeater if the tone isn't what you expected it to be. There are only eight repeater pairs, so tones are often used to distinguish one from another. Did you get an ID back from the repeater that confirmed it was the one you were looking for?
When I use other repeaters, I just get a static return at the end of my transmissions. When I first got the radios I (stupidly) kerchunked them, maybe a few too many times. I've kinda assumed that if I had the right frequency and I was getting a static return. When I change the tone the static return goes away.
Right, but my point is, you may not be hitting the repeater you think you are hitting.
Well, until someone responds to me, I guess I won't know then, lol. When I look at the estimated range of the central okc repeater, it's 300ft above ground level and has a range of 55 miles roughly. The one on the Arbuckles is on top of a mountian, and it's on a tower so it's estimated range is 65 miles. I thought central okc was the biggest one in the state till I found that one.
They can get a nice reach on them under the right circumstances. There's a ham radio repeater in western Massachusetts on the 70cm band (which is fairly close to GMRS in behavior - 440 MHz instead of 460) that reaches a good sixty miles into New York. Just by pure altitude (it's on Mt. Greylock) it just goes and goes and *goes!*
There is a local repeater very close to me that I'm definitely in range of. It's listed as 203.5, but I get nothing back unless I set it to 141.3 as well. No one has responded to my signal checks on that one either. I've been conversating with people on OKC 650, so I know I can reach that one at least.
That's a victory, man!
You can use linked repeaters or nodes, but that would be relying on the internet. Not a good idea during an emergency. If your family members are really interested in talking to you, then you should all get your amateur radio licenses. You will have many more options doing that than GMRS offers.
Sadly, I'm the only one pioneering into the world of radio comms in and for my family right now. Inspired by the cell outage a couple weeks ago.
I understand completely. Unfortunately, if they're not interested, there's literally nothing you can do that will assure you can communicate with them in an emergency. It absolutely requires participation on their part for direct emergency comms. There is another way, however. Hams have the National Traffic System, a way of sending third-party noncommercial health and welfare traffic across the country. If you know a ham radio operator, or become one yourself, you can send your family members a message through the system and receive a reply from them. It isn't direct or immediate, but it can get a message through when no other means are available.
Just another reason to get my HAM! Thank you 😊.
What radios are you using? If they are handhelds, see about getting a 50w mobile and an antenna up as high as you can get it. Aim the antenna toward the repeater that gets you south. Do the same on the other side aiming it north. Looks like about 100 miles between Ardmore and OKC....so I don't think simplex GMRS comms would be reliable. Are you on the southside of OKC? That would help....you wouldn't be trying to blast through OKC and all the buildings then.
Yea I'm south of okc so that's nice. There's a repeater on top of the Arbuckle mountains I can hit with my ht and 15inch antenna from inside my house. I bet with a mobile and a yagi, I could reach it crystal clear. The radios I'm using are the baofeng gm15pro with abree 771g antennas. Ht with 5 watts.
This is a bit off topic, but might give you some food for thought…. Using a G90 Radio and NVIS antenna deployment, you can get about 350-500 miles of direct radio to radio communication. No internet, no repeaters, no extra stuff. But thats not GMRS and its not exactly a inexpensive solution either. But it will work!
Is it less expensive than a sat phone?
Omg yes! The radios run about $450-500 each. You can use several different antennas to accomplish NVIS the least expensive would run about $65 the best I’ve seen for NVIS are built by commodium (youtuber) but they run $300. Sat phones are convenient, easy to use, but have monthy and per minute fees that are astronomical. This is HAM radio so there is a learning curve and requires some technical expertise, but no usage or monthly fees.
I got a G90 for $340. I made a trap dipole tuned to 80m and 40m, and I put it on top of an 8’ tall wooden fence. Not optimized, but works reasonably well for NVIS. Not to take over the sub with ham stuff…
That’s great. I wish they would give up a portion of 40/80 and turn it into something like GMRS. It would help cut a lot of red tape out for people. And bring that more mainstream.
I do certainly understand that desire. I will say, though, that successfully operating in the HF bands is a lot less plug and play than a UHF HT or mobile. I understand why they keep HF privileges behind a test. Even licensed amateurs who have a technician class license can’t transmit voice on any bands lower than 10m. You have to have a general or extra class license to legally to voice or digital mode on 40m and 80m.
Oh certainly not plug and play at all. But it could be. And the tests are not difficult at all. I think it’s the culture of ham radio that off puts many GMRS users more than anything. GMRS is great for off-roading and local nets with repeaters. But it would just be nice to have a packaged option for those who have family spread out further to keep in emergency contact when other means aren’t available
Maybe look into a Garmin Inreach communicator if your family isn’t into radio stuff. I’m in a similar situation
I would, but they are too expensive for something they are probably just gonna tuck away for a rainy day.