What Is The Talk-Around Button? TalkAround On GMRS And Ham Radios Explained

In this educational video I explain what the "Talk Around" feature, also known on some radios as the "direct" feature. I explain how it works and why/when you would use TalkAround. The Talk-Around feature is common on both GMRS and Ham mobile radios, and some higher-end GMRS handheld radios, but not all radios have a "direct" or talk-around button.
If you want a high-end hand-held GMRS radio with feature talk-around, like the Wouxun KG-UV9G shown in the video, you can get one here: bettersaferadi...
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[@pamartin]

Sir, your condescending tone of voice and your cynicism has convinced me that I have found the correct channel to educate me further!! By the way, video clarity is excellent. Keep on.

[@craigdavidson2977]

Education is important. You should value the teaching.

[@albertbeauchesne2882]

I was thinking dry or facetious. Quite educating however.

[@JDGage]

He speaks out language, or maybe we speak his. Either way, love this guy.

[@brassmanbart5076]

New camera works fine. Thanks for deconfluculating the problem.

[@dirtroadjim5970]

thanks Randy seen your NOTARUBICON 4x4 Saturday morning NOV 12 with 50 plus jeeps .....you made my day :) JIM white willy

[@radiohobbyist13]

Talk around means that you go to the repeater site and "talk" on your radio while walking in circles "around" the base of the tower. I've done this many times so I know that it actually works. Of course if you do that for too long you may get dizzy and fall down.

[@johnfish1194]

i tried that on the same tower, and i fell into the trench you dug with your repeated circular wanderings, and fell to the depths of hell, or...The View television show, where i was subjected to all those people spewing their leftist vomit all over me as i was trapped for months, and it lowered my IQ so far, now i just mumble to myself and rock in the corner wearing depends. thanks for that.

[@W2IRT]

You could have had the perfect name for this video: "Talk Around - Find Out"

[@scottjohnson5449]

that poster over your right shoulder smacks of soft core S&M.... hahaha!!!! and yes thank you for un confuckulating how to use this feature!!!

[@RisingTidesAC]

Video quality is great Randy. It looks better than ever!

[@craigdavidson2977]

The NotARubicon Institute. Where the learning never stops. Randy, you should issue diplomas suitable for framing to your favorite viewers who have watched at least 25 videos. (affiliate link below)

[@craigdavidson2977]

I hear there is a job opening at the NotARubicon Institute.... I want to apply for the position of 'associate professor of advanced GMRS studies'

[@W2IRT]

@@craigdavidson2977 I came here to post *exactly* that.

[@MasterXUnicorn]

Really appreciate that you never waste our time!

[@lesgobrandon]

Bahahahaha the background pic 🤦‍♂️😂👍

[@threadripper979]

I remain surprised at how many don't recognize and appreciate Randy's comedic delivery of useful information. Sad hams need to go back to the old sad hams' channels.

[@adlucem9845]

One major problem with repeaters is the mass amount of traffic on them. Bubbas 3 man weekly net must not be interrupted.

[@kb6lcw99]

You have made my day posting this!

[@matthewlangley5565]

This feature really pizzed me off had all the other shizz programed and was hearing traffic on a repeater and they could hear me because this freakin thing was on.

[@michael-------7058]

So, since I have never used that button, does the talk around also transmit any tone that the repeater output would use? I.E. if I am expecting to hear channel 22 with a tone of 88.5 for my local repeater, will the Wouxun also transmit that 88.5 tone when using talk around? Hope that makes sense.

[@TheNotaRubicon]

Yes! That way the other radio will hear you.

[@philipstaite4775]

Good point, I was wondering what the appeal was for "talk around" rather than just switching down to the appropriate channel in the 15-22 range... That makes sense.

[@billruttan117]

@@TheNotaRubicon If the repeater in use had ‘split tones’, but I hadn’t bothered to set ANY tone for my receiver (CTCSS/DCS “OFF”) I suspect that the Talk Around feature would not work for me (assuming that the other person DID have the correct repeater output tone set on their receiver).

[@imahitu]

Noob here. Can someone explain how this is different than reverse function?

[@bettersaferadio]

@@imahitu Reverse swaps the input and output frequencies, hence the name, while talk-around forces both your TX & RX frequencies to the repeater output frequency (which just simplex on the same frequency). Reverse is useful for fox hunting & troubleshooting, but most GMRS radios don't have a reverse feature. The Wouxun UV9G PRO and UV9GX both do.

[@volvo09]

Love your meme in the background... That's one of my favorite!

[@ssh0111]

ROFLMAO Randy! You know how to disconfuctuate stuff real well and get away with it!

[@archiehenderson2744]

I noticed the video right off the bat. Looks great to me.

[@davidvelickoff6624]

Great video from one of my favorite KZbinrs! Is there a way to ask questions other than posting in the comments? I was wondering if you or anyone else knows if there is a way to hook Bluetooth speakers/headphones to your radio? I drive a lot and sometimes the road noise gets to be too loud to hear, even with external speakers. Just curious! Keep up the good work and great videos! This comment is from a real “Happy Ham” who thinks you represent GMRS splendidly!

[@DonzLockz]

Very good to know. I learnt something new today. ;)

[@Maine307]

i cant get enough of these vids! this guy is awesome. the terms he uses.. lol.

[@jimf1964]

So it’s not at all like a "reach around"? 😀

[@scottpenrod5386]

I'm just here to see what the sad ham says next.

[@hudefuk]

Dang, and I thought it was like a party line button.

[@ZacharySkaggs]

Thanks, Randy! I am embarassed to admit as a ham I thought my radio was broken one time when it turned out to just be the "Talk-Around" setting (to be somewhat fair to me, this radio had the option set by default for some reason and hidden deep in a poor UX abyss). I had to learn the "hard" way then, I'm glad you'll help others avoid my stupidity.

[@patthesoundguy]

The video quality is fantastic! You can offend "some people" even better than before with your clever shirts 😉 Your audio is great too as always. Very cool video I found it very informative, that button looks like it could be very handy.

[@barrykelly2722]

Good explanation for the reach around button.

[@thehebrewyisraeliteinstitu1868]

Is anyone having a problem switching from UHF TO VHF on the Baofeng UV - 5R8W? When I go to Menu setting #33 it shows only UHF and does not give an option for VHF at all.

[@Simon_Rix]

I see MORE nose hairs now

[@wushock92]

Excellent explanation. Also, the new camera is fantastic. Crisp focus and the depth of field setting you used was quite artistic and effective. You were crystal clear and the background was expertly blurred. Kudo, my good man. WRDN46Ø

[@jamieb9556]

Is talk around similar to a reach-around?

[@bettersaferadio]

Only when you're using a stubby rubber duck.

[@reggveg]

My ex is in non-stop talk-around mode.

[@W5KJD]

I found out what the Talk Around was for in the most stupid fashion, I read about it in the operators manual. I feel so silly now. Lol

[@scottcalloway2252]

is this available for tidradio H8? I can't find it in the settings available on ODMASTER

[@AntonioClaudioMichael]

super informative thank you @NotaRubicon Productions

[@ToddCMenard]

Excellent video, and your shirt rocks! The link takes me to your store however that specific shirt is nowhere to be found! Can you please update the link? Or pm me direct… “I want that” lol

[@sgrizzz]

very good explanation on how that feature works

[@DallasPirateMike]

Great Explanation…

[@EvolvingNaturally]

Very interesting. Wish we had gmrs repeaters in Canada. Maybe the ham operators have put a kibosh on gmrs getting any fancier here; you know, old boys club? So to speak. No offence to said "Sad hams".

[@patrickgerth4570]

That is a great feature for a GMRS radio. We use separate frequencies for simplex and repeaters. But we also have more bandwidth to utilize.

[@craigdavidson2977]

GMRS also has 14 simplex frequencies seperate from the Repeaters for a total of 22 channels

[@harrysteeletreo1]

I've been a Ham Ope....... wait, I just wanted to say how nice the new camera works........

[@TheBoatPirate]

awesome info. question: why isnt there a fart frequency for sad hams to listen to?

[@deriusnorris4463]

First comment... Lol

[@barneymm2204]

Um, REEEEEEEEEEEfresh

[@glennarrant3743]

Gee Randy I never how pretty😝 you were with the old camera N6JAI

[@Goalies_R_Weird]

What about the “circle back” button? How does that work? Lol

[@YouTubeMaster1611]

Great! I’m 50 years old and learned a new curse word……

[@stevenemert837]

Wow! I never knew! Thanks, Randy!

[@zebra5591]

Came here for the knowledge stayed for the shirts

[@concernedpatriot9314]

Falk around and find out buttons on mines bub 😼

[@snapperhead273]

wheres the reach around button?

[@danno02]

3rd comment!

[@barneymm2204]

Um, kinda?

[@wtfe86]

So, essentially, "talkaround" is a shortcut to the "regular" GMRS channel, with the same CTCSS/DCS tone as the repeater's output? For instance, if my favorite repeater utilizes 462.650 with a 141.3 Hz tone, using "talkaround" is the same thing as tuning my radio to GMRS 19 and using a 141.3 Hz tone. Right?

[@TheNotaRubicon]

Isnt that what I said in the video?

[@wtfe86]

@@TheNotaRubicon Could be - my attention was somewhat divided while I was watching. My apologies. I was just wanting to make sure I was understanding the concept.

[@wackojacko8559]

Nice shirt brother, I love it!

[@altongehringer9858]

Talk Around and find out!

[@jamesslick4790]

Very good explanation of "talk-around" (This concept applies in all other two way radio comms.)

[@guillermoflores122]

How do you spell that?

[@certinstructorron4050]

Well, interesting... Alien abduction... Just cut off, and no RANDY! It's OK... I'm a HAPPY HAM!

[@richardcorwin1828]

Thank you!

[@oznetyoutube125]

I'm struggling with understanding this "talk-around" feature..... In my mind the ( or another ) application for the "talk-around" feature would be as follows: ( Operator "A" ) would have one conversation routed through a Repeater via the appropriate Repeater receive frequency with ( Operator "B" ), while at the same time and on the same channel ( Operator "A" ) would have a second conversation over Simplex ( radio to radio ) with ( Operator "C" ). When addressing the Simplex receiver, isn't this where ( Operator "A" ) would then use the "talk-around" feature to reach the Simplex receiver ( Operator "C" ) ? Another words, isn't the "talk-around" feature a shortcut key to the pre-assigned Simplex channel's TX frequency ? Please note, I've been married to the same woman for a very long time, As so, I'm able to withstand all forms of "education" from "some people".

[@TheNotaRubicon]

Its a shortcut to the simplex channel while also transmitting any tone the repeater uses so the other person can still hear you. Dont over think it.

[@oznetyoutube125]

@@TheNotaRubicon Ah, Now that could cover reception gaps while in transit to HT to HT range. -- Why does everyone say that to me. 🙂 Called that one right, you did.

[@Trailryder42]

@@TheNotaRubicon I'm a newb. So I have to overthink all this crap to understand it. OzNet said "In other words, isn't the "talk-around" feature a shortcut key to the pre-assigned Simplex channel's TX frequency ?" You said "Its a shortcut to the simplex channel while also transmitting any tone the "repeater" uses so the other person can still hear you." Any tone the repeater uses....... "for what"? Gaining access to the repeater? Also transmitting the tone to gain access to the repeater negates pushing the Talk Around button to just transmit the standard non-RPT channel. I'm having a hard time understanding how, if the Talk Around button is just a shortcut to the standard Simplex channel, say.... from Duplex CH 023 (RPT-15) to Simplex CH 015, how the signal is accessing a repeater for it to "Get Around". Or,....... Did you mis-speak and meant to infer "while also transmitting any tone (such as a CTCSS privacy tone) that the "2 users radios" are using, so the other person can hear you" ? And a repeater has nothing to do with a transmission in a Talk Around scenario?

[@madness3482]

I recently found this channel last month I've used CB and FRS in the past .I now got my license WRVC552 . Thanks

[@LatitudeSky]

That ending.... "Without wasting the prescious resources of the repeater" followed by dead air, because the video ended. Haha dead air is exactly what you hear on most repeaters in my area. The prescious resource nobody uses. And when they do use it, guaranteed someone will say 'oh we better stop now in case someone else wants to use the repeater' but there never, ever is anyone else. There is no line. Hasn't been a pileup in years. Maybe a decade. Maybe more. As usual, Randy nails it without even being obvious.

[@Raptor-gd6sk]

👇👇👇👇👇👇👏👏👏

[@HolmesProspecting]

Clear enough where I got from 2:30 to 3:30 and learned all I needed to know. Made this comment. Closed the tab. Thanks!

[@minorityreporter9104]

Title lol🤣

[@JasonRasmussen]

May I inquire what camera it is?

[@TheNotaRubicon]

Lumix GH6

[@wam2610]

👍

[@Richard-Seekingwulf]

✨️🤣✨️🙌🏾🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

[@dennishrusecky7549]

You sir, are the standard that all others are judged by

[@JasonRasmussen]

He should be the FCC.

[@Yodie82]

Your much more Handsome with your new Camera!

[@RickMoreau]

Might I suggest the use of a Tiffen Black Pro-Mist Filter on your new camera. The ladies will love it.

[@TheNotaRubicon]

I have one, but its in the camera bag.. Cant have too many ladies coming at me at once.

[@hanginglow420]

" I talk around, round ,round i talk around "

[@jester5980]

Thank you for all that you do 🍻😎🇺🇸

[@paulseebach5978]

Do you press it once and then transmit? Then press agian to go back to the repeater? Or, do you press and hold like the transmit button?

[@TheNotaRubicon]

It depends on what the manual for your specific radio says, but it could do either.

[@bigjai]

Love the new camera Randy!

[@82ndAirborneVeteran]

Your shirts are great.

[@EMTRailfan]

Do the UV-5rRs have this magic talk-around button hidden in their labeling that I am not finding? I found the duplex [Reverse] button, which is sort of the same, but one of you are still talking through the repeater this way. I have repeater channels mirrored into their simplex form, but just pushing a handy little button would be a heck of a lot easier as you stated.

[@EMTRailfan]

EDIT: UV-5Rs

[@TheNotaRubicon]

No.

[@whenpigsfly3271]

The reverse function creates a half-duplex situation. If both people who are communicating go to reverse mode comms are blocked. If both people go Talkaround, then simplex results. They are two different methods. TA makes Tx and Rx the same frequency as the repeater downlink. Reverse flips Rx and Tx.

[@stahpit1971]

good info

[@applejacks971]

New camera has good color. I think it has a bit of fish eye, almost gives a 3-D effect. Just my opinion, its not my video, I don't make video's. I like the other camera better, but still excited to watch your videos regardless and will keep watching, always great stuff! Would it be safe to assume if someone utilizes the repeater whilst 2 radios are talking direct, the power of the repeater would walk on the direct radios (pending on distance the direct radios are from the repeater of course).

[@TheNotaRubicon]

Huh.. Using the same lens from the old camera....

[@W2IRT]

@@TheNotaRubicon Yes, but a different sensor, and the W/B calibration could be different? It looked a bit contrastier to me. Still very good, just different.

[@W2IRT]

Yes, the repeater will likely overpower your direct transmissions.

[@TheNotaRubicon]

Same size & ratio sensor in the new camera.. I did change the white balance, color and exposure though, so that would account for any color/contrast changes.

[@applejacks971]

@@TheNotaRubicon It looks good, great colors, great definition! Keep doin what you're doin, its working. Thanks for all the vid's, info, and fun channel!!

[@ke8mattj]

Oh crap, I forgot to get scheduled for my 10th booster. I need some more masks to wear also since we're required to wear five masks.

[@Bob-lt5hf]

That does not look like the KG-Uv9G ? Looks like the KG-935G like I own with both Talk Around ans the new Circle Talk features. :)))

[@bettersaferadio]

He was actually holding the newer Wouxun KG-UV9GX, but the affiliate link is for the older UV9G PRO (still very much a current radio though). :)

[@Bob-lt5hf]

My KG-935G has tne new Circle Talk feature. So when transmitting thru a repeater the radio will repeat or Circle Talk my message several times. Great feature for people who do not clearly understand your message.

[@pleasureincontempt3645]

With this new lens. I can truly see you in Ultraancient-Fidelity!