top of page

GMRS Radio

The Pinewood Lake & Pole Hill community has setup a GMRS Radio system to help communicate with our neighbors when other means of communication are down. Through the generous efforts of several of our community members, a repeater is now setup on the top of the mountain overlooking Pinewood Reservoir. This repeater now allows for reliable communication throughout our neighorhood.​
Community Net

Join us every Thursday evening at 7PM MST on repeater channel 15, to test your radio, practice communicating on your radio and ask questions. 

Need help connecting?
We have volunteer radio experts ready to help.
Send an Email to
radios@plwag.org
​

Radio FAQ's

​

What is GMRS Radio? 

  • GMRS "General Mobile Radio Service" is a land-mobile radio service designed for short-range two-way voice communications. It requires a license 

 

Do I need a license?

  • Yes, to operate a GMRS radio you need an license from the FCC, but no exam is required. The license costs $35, and covers everyone in your household.

 

How do I get a license?

 

What radio do I need?

 

How do I use my radio?

  • ​The radios are really easy to use: turn it on, select a channel, and press the button on the side. 

  • Your radios will work out of the box. If you have two radios, you can select any channel from 1 to 22 on both radios and communicate with each other. The radios are open to the public, so if someone is already on that channel, switch to another.

 

How do I access the Repeater?

  • We are using GMRS Repeater Channel 15 using frequency 467.5500 MHz. On some radios this may be listed as Channel 23, as it's the next channel after the GMRS / FRS Channels.

  • If you want to use our repeater, there is a special tone that needs to be input in order for it to work. We don't publish this tone to keep people outside of the community off the repeater. So reach out to communications@plwag.org and one of our friendly neighborhood radio operators will help you get your radio setup.​

 

Who can I talk to?

  • Every Thursday evening at 7PM MST, we run a community NET. The evenings NET Operator will start the evening off with a brief announcement about what the NET is for and then will ask operators from East & then West of the dam to call in with their callsign. When you are ready, press the button on the side of your radio and say your call sign and name. The NET Operator will acknowledge you or ask you to repeat. Don't be afraid, our goal is to make talking on the radio as comfortable as a phone.

  • Also, you can use the radios to talk to anyone. While it's private to our community and a few people in the surrounding areas, if you are at home and a family member is walking around the reservoir, you can chat with them.

 

How far can my radio really work?

  • There are a lot of factors that impact a GMRS Radios range. Line of Sight, Power, Antenna Length all contribute to how far a radio can reach. GMRS Handheld Radios have a small antenna and a max power of about 5 watts, which allows them to reach up to 1 or 2 miles, with no obstructions, and the quality of the audio degrades the further you are from the other radio. 

  • However, with the repeater, this changes substantially. As long as you can hit the repeater, it can magnify your radios reach a lot further. Here is a map showing the estimated range of our repeater within our community. The pin is about where the repeater is located and everything in green should be able to reach it.  We have tested radios in the area, and the range is actually larger than shown, so please contact us to do a free radio test with our radios if you have any questions!

​

As a member of our community, your involvement is crucial in making a difference. Together, we can create a safer environment for our families and preserve the natural beauty of our surroundings.
bottom of page