Because a repeater can only support one conversation at a time, it is important that you refrain from monopolizing its time.If all parties talking are close enough to communicate without the repeater, then you should move to a simplex frequency. You can check by pressing the reverse button on your radio, or whatever key sequence swaps the input and output frequencies. But which simplex frequency? Many seem to default to using the national FM calling frequencies—highlighted in the table below—but the calling frequencies are not meant for long QSOs, so they should not be the first choice. They may be appropriate for the type of communications characterized by short, disconnected tidbits (such as a talk-in) and for emergency and traffic alerts, but not much else. Given the reccomended spacing between channels used in California, the national ARRL band plans, and the NARCC band plans used in Northern California, we are left with the list of simplex frequencies shown in Table 1. The bands listed here may have different band plans in other states (and in Southern California), so please check the appropriate sources when travelling outside of this area.

Channel	10 m ARRL NARCC	6 m ARRL NARCC	2 m ARRL NARCC	1.25 m ARRL NARCC	70 cm ARRL NARCC	33cm ARRL NARCC	23 cm ARRL NARCC	13 cm ARRL NARCC
1	29.600	51.50	146.400	223.400	441.000		1294.000	2305.000
2		51.52	146.415	223.420	446.000		1294.025	2305.025
3		51.54	146.430	223.440	446.500		1294.050	2305.050
4		51.56	146.445	223.460			1294.075	2305.075
5		51.58	146.460	223.480			1294.100	2305.100
6		51.60	146.475	223.500			1294.125	2305.125
7		52.00	146.490	223.520			1294.150	2305.150
8		52.02	146.505				1294.175	2305.175
9		52.04	146.520				1294.200	2305.200
10		52.50	146.535				1294.225	2305.225
11		52.525	146.550				1294.250	2305.250
12		52.54	146.565				1294.275	2305.275
13		53.00	147.405				1294.300	2305.300
14		53.02	147.420				1294.325	2305.325
15		53.52	147.435				1294.350	2305.350
16		53.90	147.450				1294.375	2305.375
17			147.465				1294.400	2305.400
18			147.480				1294.425	2305.425
19			147.495				1294.450	2305.450
20			147.510				1294.475	2305.475
21			147.525				1294.500	2305.500
22			147.540				1294.525	2305.525
23			147.555				1294.550	2305.550
24			147.570				1294.575	2305.575
25			147.585				1294.600	2305.600
26							1294.625	2305.625
27							1294.650	2305.650
28							1294.675	2305.675
29							1294.700	2305.700
30							1294.725	2305.725
31							1294.750	2305.750
32							1294.775	2305.775
33							1294.800	2305.800
34							1294.825	2305.825
35							1294.850	2305.850
36							1294.875	2305.875
37							1294.900	2305.900
38							1294.925	2305.925
39							1294.950	2305.950
40							1294.975	2305.975
41							1295.000	2306.000

2 Meter Note: Because of concerns over interference from adjacent channels, other states use a channel spacing of 20 kHz, while southern Nevada uses 30 kHz and Alaska uses 60 kHz. The channel spacing for each state is shown in the offset map that is part of the ARRL Repeater Directory. This means that the available simplex frequencies will be different in Southern California and in other states. Note: For the purposes of amateur radio operations, Northern California is defined with the following boundary: North: California–Oregon border East: The Nevada state line and southward along the summit of the Sierra Nevada range to Tehachapi pass. Thence Southwest to the ridge line of the Sierra Madre range near Frazier Park, thence westward along the ridge line to the Pacific Ocean at a point between Santa Maria and San Luis Obispo near Pismo Beach. West:The Pacific Ocean to the radio horizon.