More CHIRP questions and GSRM repeater

[hillman]

Hi, I'm in Millbury and there is a local GSRM repeater in town. I'd like to figure out how to program it into my radios via. Chirp. The owner of the repeater sent me this.

receive freq: 462.650
transmit freq: 467.650
receive CTCSS/PL: 203.5
transmit CTCSS/PL: 203.5

In CHIRP I can't figure out how to a receive freq. and a transmit freq. Or is that a problem with my radios? The Chirp settings only allow for one Frequency. Any thoughts would be appreciated.

 

[Uzi2]

It's GMRS, ( General Mobile Radio Service ).

You have to put in the 5mhz offset in the + direction so the radio will transmit 467.650 and receive on 462.650.

What radio are you programming?

 

[hillman]

It's GMRS, ( General Mobile Radio Service ).

You have to put in the 5mhz offset in the + direction so the radio will transmit 467.650 and receive on 462.650.

What radio are you programming?

Baofeng BF-888. I know, not supposed to use that because of the removable antenna. I'm not planning on using them for transmit, I've got others on order, but I want to listen and learn how to use Chirp on these. I got a bunch of them just sitting around so I'm playing with them. I do have a GMRS license.

So 462.650 goes in Frequency field, and the + goes in Duplex field? Offset field is a numeric field. It is set at 0.000000 so I'm assuming it's the Duplex field
.

 

[Uzi2]

Baofeng BF-888. I know, not supposed to use that because of the removable antenna. I'm not planning on using them for transmit, I've got others on order, but I want to listen and learn how to use Chirp on these. I got a bunch of them just sitting around so I'm playing with them. I do have a GMRS license.

So 462.650 goes in Frequency field, and the + goes in Duplex field? Offset field is a numeric field. It is set at 0.000000 so I'm assuming it's the Duplex field
.

That sounds right.

Set the offset field to 5.000000 and the duplex to +. Download to the radio and see if it opens the repeater.

Can you post a screen shot of the programming page so I can see the fields? I'm on an ipad and it's not chirp friendly.

 

[Uzi2]

??

 

[hillman]

Well, I uploaded to radio and immediately got some morse code. I assume that's good.

 

[Uzi2]

Well, I uploaded to radio and immediately got some morse code. I assume that's good.

Well, that shows the receive works, does the repeater open when you transmit?

If you have two radios, program them both and see if you can discern if you are going through the repeater.

Is there a courtesy beep or tone on the repeater or a hang time that the repeater stays open?

 

[hillman]

Well, that shows the receive works, does the repeater open when you transmit?

If you have two radios, program them both and see if you can discern if you are going through the repeater.

Is there a courtesy beep or tone on the repeater or a hang time that the repeater stays open?

I'm not sure how to check the stuff on the last line you wrote. I am very new at this. I heard no beep or tone before the morse code, which seems to be on about once an hour. 6 or 7 letters, I haven't been quick enough to catch it yet. Other than that I've heard no tone.

 

[Uzi2]

I'm not sure how to check the stuff on the last line you wrote. I am very new at this. I heard no beep or tone before the morse code, which seems to be on about once an hour. 6 or 7 letters, I haven't been quick enough to catch it yet. Other than that I've heard no tone.

Ok, a coutesy tone is a tone or beep that the repeater transmits when you or another station unkeys their microphone. Sounds like that repeater doesn't have one.

The CW( Morse Code) that you heard was the repeater sending out its ID( callsign) and those are often set to do that about once every hour, some do some don't.

"Hang time" is when someone opens the repeater by transmitting and the repeater stays on( open) for a few seconds after the station transmitting unkeys their microphone.

Since you have permission to use the repeater ( it's listed as an open repeater in the Mygmrs repeater directory, have you tried just keying up and giving your callsign and asking if anyone is around that can give you a radio check?

Often GMRS repeaters are very idle and very few users but there might be someone listening. Throw your callsign out there and see if anyone comes back.

If you have two portables, program them both the same for the repeater frequencies. Then key up one and listen to see if your voice comes through the other. If it does, then you are getting into the repeater.

I don't know how far you are from the repeater or how good its receiver is but if you know where it is located, maybe drive closer to it and see if you can hit it.

 

[hillman]

There is a tone when you end a transmission, and the repeater does stay open. I know it's listed as an open repeater but I emailed the owner just as a courtesy, kind of like hunting on private property I guess. I'm learning as I go. Is it common to identify yourself by the ID on GMRS frequencies/radios? Or just when you go through a repeater? And thanks for the post above, that clarified quite a bit for me.

 

[Uzi2]

GMRS is governed by Part 95 sub part E of FCC regulations. Look that up and it will give you the details of how often you should or must ID.
If I get on someone elses repeater I give my callsign when I begin a conversation and when I sign off the repeater.

Sounds like you are opening the repeater if it hangs open for a few seconds.

What tone are you getting on your portable when you key up? You might want to program that out of the radios as most people find it annoying everytime you transmit. It's also not very "tactical" as it gives away your location in the field.

I'm not talking about the subaudible PL TONE that the radio transmits to open the repeater......are you getting an audible tone from your radio when you push to talk?

 

[hillman]

I'm not talking about the subaudible PL TONE that the radio transmits to open the repeater......are you getting an audible tone from your radio when you push to talk?

There is a tone when you let go of the PTT button. It's not on any other channel, but all other channels are still factory presets. This is the only one I've messed with.

 

[Uzi2]

There is a tone when you let go of the PTT button. It's not on any other channel, but all other channels are still factory presets. This is the only one I've messed with.

Alright then, sounds like the repeater has a courtesy beep and you are in.

How many BF888s do you have? Just one?

 

[hillman]

Alright then, sounds like the repeater has a courtesy beep and you are in.

How many BF888s do you have? Just one?

I have 4. Got them for camping with the family, never really understood what they were until recently. My 9 year old takes one with him when he rides his bike around the neighborhood with a headset on so he can keep in contact.

 

[Uzi2]

I have 4. Got them for camping with the family, never really understood what they were until recently. My 9 year old takes one with him when he rides his bike around the neighborhood with a headset on so he can keep in contact.

Ok, then program 2 of them the same with the repeater frequency and see if they talk to eachother.

That will confirm whether or not you are in fact opening the repeater.

 

[hillman]

They do. Tested them with the boy. Success.

 

[ToddDubya]

GMRS is governed by Part 95 sub part E of FCC regulations. Look that up and it will give you the details of how often you should or must ID.
If I get on someone elses repeater I give my callsign when I begin a conversation and when I sign off the repeater.

Sounds like you are opening the repeater if it hangs open for a few seconds.

What tone are you getting on your portable when you key up? You might want to program that out of the radios as most people find it annoying everytime you transmit. It's also not very "tactical" as it gives away your location in the field.

I'm not talking about the subaudible PL TONE that the radio transmits to open the repeater......are you getting an audible tone from your radio when you push to talk?

I believe he's talking about the "Roger Tone". My Baofeng had that on by default and I wouldn't hear it. I was using the local repeater and someone jumped on and said "Whoever has the Roger tone on, would you please turn it off?" I had to ask if it was me, then figure out how to turn it off. I've heard other people use it and can confirm it is annoying AF.

 

[hillman]

Ok, does anyone know how to turn that off in CHIRP? I don't have it on any of the other channels, so I must have added it somehow when I programmed this one in, I am just not sure what setting that is. It's not at the beginning of the transmission, only at the end.

 

[Uzi2]

Ok, does anyone know how to turn that off in CHIRP? I don't have it on any of the other channels, so I must have added it somehow when I programmed this one in, I am just not sure what setting that is. It's not at the beginning of the transmission, only at the end.

You need to explore all the fields in the program screen. It's on there somewhere......most likely listed as Roger beep.

Look for something that says beginning or end or none.

 

[hillman]

I saw on several websites where the screen showed Roger beep at the bottom of the properties screen. I open mine up, it's literally not there. I'm experimenting.
Thanks for all the info!

 

[Uzi2]

I saw on several websites where the screen showed Roger beep at the bottom of the properties screen. I open mine up, it's literally not there. I'm experimenting.
Thanks for all the info!

No problem...I'm just working blind here from memory. If I could pull up CHIRP it would be better but I'm working handicapped on an ipad mini?

Ok, having just read one of my instruction booklets that came with the radios, it appears that the BF888 radio does not even have a roger beep. None of mine have it.
So, unless there has been some type of software build on CHIRP that has modified the programming parameters of the BF888, it's not there.

These are very basic radios with very few user functions. I like that fact. As a hand out radio, the user can't get into too much of a jam.

There is a beep that indicates channel changing and that can be switched from voice prompt to beep.
There is a battery low beep.
There is VOX ( voice operated transmit)
There is scan function
But no mention of a roger beep.

Curious now...... Could you have some European spec radio? I don't know.

 

[swatgig]

No problem...I'm just working blind here from memory. If I could pull up CHIRP it would be better but I'm working handicapped on an ipad mini?

Ok, having just read one of my instruction booklets that came with the radios, it appears that the BF888 radio does not even have a roger beep. None of mine have it.
So, unless there has been some type of software build on CHIRP that has modified the programming parameters of the BF888, it's not there.

These are very basic radios with very few user functions. I like that fact. As a hand out radio, the user can't get into too much of a jam.

There is a beep that indicates channel changing and that can be switched from voice prompt to beep.
There is a battery low beep.
There is VOX ( voice operated transmit)
There is scan function
But no mention of a roger beep.

Curious now...... Could you have some European spec radio? I don't know.

I think you were correct about a courtesy beep coming from the repeater. The way to check is to tune another radio to the transmit frequency and listen for a beep.