Community Radio
GMRS (General Mobile Radio Service) was brought to life in the Stateline area roughly three years ago by Daniel Larson (KD9SAZ) and Jamie Cook (W9JTC). Their goal was simple: give the public and families in our community an accessible way to get on the air — no amateur license required.
One of the early priorities was establishing SKYWARN on GMRS, opening the door for anyone in the area to participate in storm spotting, training, and severe weather reporting. Even those without a GMRS license can listen in during activations, making it a valuable tool for public awareness and preparedness.
In 2024, the GMRS repeater was turned over to Stateline Amateur Radio Services (SARS) and has since been relocated to the SARS first commercial tower site, where it is now live.
Perhaps the best part? GMRS has proven to be one of the most effective paths we’ve found for introducing people to amateur radio. Over the past year, we’ve seen firsthand how GMRS operators catch the radio bug and go on to earn their amateur radio licenses — and we love to see it.