HFU HF Underground

Loggings => VHF/UHF Logs, including satellites and radiosondes => Topic started by: ChrisSmolinski on November 27, 2018, 2046 UTC

Title: GMRS 462.725 MHz 2040 UTC 27 Nov 2018
Post by: ChrisSmolinski on November 27, 2018, 2046 UTC
Hearing two guys trying to troubleshoot repeater issues. I could not hear them on the input frequency.
Title: Re: GMRS 462.725 MHz 2040 UTC 27 Nov 2018
Post by: R4002 on November 28, 2018, 0048 UTC
Were you able to decode a CTCSS / PL tone?  I presume it was 141.3 Hz (the standard GMRS "travel tone" that apparently is the de facto standard PL tone for GMRS repeaters) but it you were able to get a tone you could presumably find out which repeater using some Googling
Title: Re: GMRS 462.725 MHz 2040 UTC 27 Nov 2018
Post by: ChrisSmolinski on November 28, 2018, 1038 UTC
I didn't notice a tone, but I wasn't paying attention. I heard mentions of locations near York, PA (not far from here) so I assume they're out of that area. I may monitor it later today. I haven't checked much for FRS/GMRS activity but have always been meaning to, so I was listening yesterday afternoon. We're in a fairly rural area, so I am not sure if I'll hear much local activity, but I do recall years ago hearing some hunters.
Title: Re: GMRS 462.725 MHz 2040 UTC 27 Nov 2018
Post by: R4002 on November 28, 2018, 1453 UTC
I would certainly check the FRS/GMRS frequencies for hunters and the like, as well as the MURS channels and of course the VHF marine band.  While some of the more organized hunting clubs are switching to FCC licensed business radio frequencies (at least around here) there are still plenty that are still using VHF marine gear. 
Title: Re: GMRS 462.725 MHz 2040 UTC 27 Nov 2018
Post by: Rob. on November 28, 2018, 1536 UTC
Also itinerant business frequencies. Lots of radios come programmed off the shelf with those and you'll hear a lot of activity on them.

https://wiki.radioreference.com/index.php/Common_Itinerant_and_Business

Title: Re: GMRS 462.725 MHz 2040 UTC 27 Nov 2018
Post by: R4002 on November 28, 2018, 1554 UTC
^He's right.  I have two banks in one of my portable scanners dedicated to the itinerant frequencies + FRS/GMRS/MURS and other common frequencies.  I'll often hear 4-5 different users on 464.500 MHz and 464.550 MHz at once (all with different CTCSS and DCS tones/codes of course).  I won't duplicate the list because the link provided on the RadioReference Wiki is pretty much dead on.  Just add the FRS frequencies and MURS.  UHF is more popular in urban areas but you'll hear plenty of VHF activity as well, especially on the itinerants and MURS.  There's a local tower crane company that use 151.625 MHz and 158.400 MHz as their primary truck-to-truck and coordination frequencies (110 watts on 151.625 MHz!) and the traffic I'll hear on 151.625 is basically just like CB channel 19.  There's another construction company or highway maintenance contractor that uses 151.625 as well (with a different PL tone) and I'll often hear these users talking over each other.  There's another trucking company located somewhere around here that uses 151.940 MHz - MURS channel 3 - with a CTCSS/PL tone as a "private channel" adjunct to regular CB.  The company had somebody install Baofeng UV-5Rs with magnetic mount antennas on top of the cab.  I know this because I actually had a QSO with one of the truckers on MURS 3 who was shocked that I had found his "private company channel" :D

The main UHF itinerants and FRS are the worst when it comes to users walking all over each other without realizing it.  Just like on-site business radios default to the itinerant frequencies, FRS radios default to channel 1 462.5625 MHz and a lot of the time folks see no reason to change to another channel.



Title: Re: GMRS 462.725 MHz 2040 UTC 27 Nov 2018
Post by: ChrisSmolinski on November 28, 2018, 1926 UTC
Thanks for the frequency list. I plugged in the FRS/GMRS frequencies, as well as the first half of the list (got lazy, will do the rest later) into my R-7000 (I forgot it can scan memories).  Already getting some hits.

I should dig out the PRO-163 scanner and use it instead, it would probably be more flexible for setting up banks of channels, and likely scans much faster than the R-7000.
Title: Re: GMRS 462.725 MHz 2040 UTC 27 Nov 2018
Post by: R4002 on November 29, 2018, 1404 UTC
Plug the Pro-163 into that discone and scan the FRS/GMRS/MURS and itinerant frequencies and you'll be surprised what you hear.  Your range with the discone is probably pretty impressive, plus you'll be able to decode CTCSS and DCS with the Pro-163 (I believe that radio has that capability).
Title: Re: GMRS 462.725 MHz 2040 UTC 27 Nov 2018
Post by: ChrisSmolinski on November 29, 2018, 1622 UTC
Plug the Pro-163 into that discone and scan the FRS/GMRS/MURS and itinerant frequencies and you'll be surprised what you hear.  Your range with the discone is probably pretty impressive, plus you'll be able to decode CTCSS and DCS with the Pro-163 (I believe that radio has that capability).

Just programmed it with the list from Σ. Not too much happening, but again I am in a fairly rural area.
Title: Re: GMRS 462.725 MHz 2040 UTC 27 Nov 2018
Post by: R4002 on November 29, 2018, 2120 UTC
How far away is your nearest shopping mall/shopping center? 

Title: Re: GMRS 462.725 MHz 2040 UTC 27 Nov 2018
Post by: ChrisSmolinski on November 29, 2018, 2123 UTC
Quote
How far away is your nearest shopping mall/shopping center? 

About ten miles.

I am hearing some GMRS/FRS activity this afternoon.
Title: Re: GMRS 462.725 MHz 2040 UTC 27 Nov 2018
Post by: R4002 on November 29, 2018, 2230 UTC
Sweet.  You’ll notice ebb and flow, especially on the itinerant business frequencies.