GMRS/FRS Call-out Exercise

A GMRS/FRS call-out exercise is planned for May 30 to give neighborhood radio operators an opportunity to connect with local ham radio operators. The goal is to increase the scope of our communication network. During an emergency, the potential exists for FRS/GMRS operators to relay messages beyond their local neighborhood through ham operators and this exercise will experiment with that concept. 

The general plan for the exercise is to have ham radio operators announce their presence on a GMRS radio channel at a specific time and ask for check-ins from FRS/GMRS stations. Any GMRS or FRS operators who hear the call are encouraged to respond and confirm their ability to contact the ham station and thus identify a potential means of relaying information in an emergency. 

The exercise will start at 12:00 noon on Saturday, 5/30. At that time, ham radio operators will make a call on FRS/GMRS Channel 3 (no tone) and will ask for check-ins. If you hear the station, please respond with your name and neighborhood. The ham operator will keep track of the check-ins and pass the information along to a central location where a comprehensive set of information will be compiled. The results of the exercise will be presented at a future SWP champions meeting. 

If you’d like to further facilitate improving our neighborhood connectivity, and periodically receive notices regarding radio-related issues, please consider joining the SWP radio registry.