[MarinTeams] GMRS/FRS

Fri Sep 26 11:44:02 EDT 2014

I'm very to these radios, and neighborhood communication plans, but here
are my thoughts.....

Get your Technician License, and consider your General License.  I got both
in ~60 days this year, by using the study guides, and taking the online
tests.  I worked at it for 20-30 minutes a day on most days.

I've participated in a couple of neighborhood nets (one member is in Corte
Madera, and we pick her up here in San Rafael), and there is lots for me to
learn, to be effective in an actual emergency.

We are very lucky to have a wealth of knowledge around us, with very
professional, and friendly,and experienced armature radio operators like
Paul and Bill.  Both of whom are experienced in emergency planning for our
Marin cities and neighborhoods,  so I would definitely join the "group" so
you are not an" isolated community group" in Corte Madera in an emergency.

When I studied, I used the following materials;

I used different study guides (Technician & General) by Gorden West, the
first was ;
Technician Class 2014-18 FCC Element 2 Radio License Preparation
<http://www.amazon.com/Technician-2014-18-Element-License-Preparation/dp/0945053797/ref=sr_1_14?ie=UTF8&qid=1411745068&sr=8-14&keywords=Ham+Radio>
 by Gordon West, $19 on amazon.
And I used http://www.qrz.com/ for practice tests.  I'm sure they are all
very similar, but this site continues to insert you "wrong" answers into
the question pool until you get it right.

I also purchased a slightly different Radio, I got the UV_5RA ~$30 on
amazon, it is a great radio for this purpose.

Good luck,

Steve

On Thu, Sep 25, 2014 at 6:54 AM, Luke Teyssier <luke4tamvalley at gmail.com>
wrote:

> I agree. If you get a technician license, you can talk on ham radio and
> have all the others at the same time.
>
> Then, if you buy the Bao-Feng UV5R handhelds for $50 on Amazon or Ebay,
> you can talk on 2 meter, 70 cm, _and_ also talk on FRS and GMRS
> frequencies. While you are not allowed to do FRS/GMRS on non-approved
> radios normally, you can during an emergency.  You can also get the
> commercial frequencies that Marin county fire uses, too.
>
> Marin county fire and many CERT teams have a strategy of:
> - FRS at the immediate structure for the immediate team
> - GMRS at the neigborhood (good luck with this one in the valleys)
> - 2 m in the vicinity
>
> RACES seems to be planning:
> - 2m in the neighborhood
> - NVIS regionally (80m sky bounce)
>
> Technician is about two weeks of studying in your spare time a couple of
> hours a day, and a saturday to take the test. Well worth it.
>
> Be sure to get the free "No nonsense guide"
>
> http://kb6nu.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/09/2011-No-Nonsense-General-Class-License-Study-Guide.pdf
> and take the free hamexam.org tests until you can ace them every time.
>
> Luke
>
> On Sep 24, 2014, at 10:18 PM, geoirishbox via MarinTeams <
> marinteams at mailman.qth.net> wrote:
>
> > I am not fond of gmrs radio as there is no prohibition for chaos.  I
> think better develop ham radio licencees to create real networks.  Just
> listen to CB radio and experience chsos.  Get a technician license and join
> Bill Smith Marin wide network with radio discipline and have fun too.
> >
> >
> > Sent from my T-Mobile 4G LTE Device
> >
> > <div>-------- Original message --------</div><div>From: Lee&John Howard <
> leejohn7 at gmail.com> </div><div>Date:09/12/2014  11:09 AM  (GMT-08:00)
> </div><div>To: Pauldavmd at aol.com </div><div>Cc: "
> MarinTeams at mailman.qth.net" <marinteams at mailman.qth.net>
> </div><div>Subject: Re: [MarinTeams] GMRS/FRS </div><div>
> > </div>Paul
> > My wife Lee and I have been working hard to establish neighborhood
> response
> > teams in Corte Madera and Larkspur. Most have elected to use these radios
> > to communicate within themselves, between neighborhoods, and to a higher
> > level of coordination.
> > I'd like very much to talk with you about this, as would I'm sure a
> couple
> > of folks in our effort far more radio-wise than I.
> > Let's find a way to talk about this.
> > John Howard
> > 891-8406
> > Corte Madera
> >
> > On Fri, Sep 12, 2014 at 10:58 AM, Pauldavmd--- via MarinTeams <
> > marinteams at mailman.qth.net> wrote:
> >
> >>
> >> To  all,
> >>
> >> I have been involved  in setting up a GMRS/FRS disaster plan with a
> group
> >> of neighbors in the lower  Mt. View and Linden Lane area in San Rafael.
> If
> >> any of  you are involved in a similar activity in your area and would
> like
> >> to
> >> share  ideas, please let me know.  Bill Smith suggested  that this
> would be
> >> helpful for all of us.
> >>
> >> Thanks in  advance!
> >>
> >> Paul  Davidson
> >>
> >> WB6YHT
> >>
> >> WQRK275  (GMRS)
> >>
> >> Email:  _pauldavmd at aol.com_ (mailto:pauldavmd at aol.com)
> >> ______________________________________________________________
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> >>
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-- 
Capt. Steve Hill, KK6JTW
o 415.453.4390
c 415.847.7270

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