Leaderboard

Welcome to the group WRKP558 from fellow LEO. Like you, We have 6 adult kids 30-50 yo and G kids from 2-27 yo. I been teaching the teen G Kids GMRS and they are eating it up but some are shy to talk sometimes. You would think after playing with the FRS for years camping they would have gotten over mike fear... Must be the call sign mind sets that raise the bar knowing anyone can report them. We are working on our repeater adventure now. As for antenna, It has been suggest to look at DB404-B about $300 verse the $40 DYI. This forum is always good for suggestions which I consider as helpful. Jack

Something else you might consider is asking why there are no repeaters in your area? It’s quite possible that there are not enough, or even any, GMRS users other than yourself. So, I would suggest that unless you have your own needs for a repeater you might want to reconsider your project. On the other hand, if you do have a need, and then would also welcome other local users, should there be any, then that well seem to be a reasonable validation of the plan.

Welcome to the group.

Did you realize that post is 3 1/2 years old, and was in sarcastic jest?

Maybe is time for me to get my HamRadio certification....?

A 4? Where did you get these antennas from? If these antennas indeed had a 4:1 SWR, like you claim, all my XPR 6550s would've probably be blown long ago, and not have simplex radio-to-radio range of almost 3 miles, ground to ground ... I have a bunch of those in service, and these (and IF these are genuine Motorola) they should read around ~1.67 : 1 at ~462.6 Mhz... You really need a better SWR meter, that sw33 thing is a dog... My choice is NanoVNA v2.0, with N connectors. Its not an HP/Agilent, etc, but at the cost, and size, is good enough to suit most light duty stuff. G.

two CDM750, a 29 dollar programming cable, a 10 dollar repeater link cable, a used UHF duplexer, a few feet of RG213 cable, two 10 feet metal pipe sections, and a Laird FG4500 UHF unity antenna atop those 20 feet. That will give you one of the best FM GMRS repeater options, for a fairly modest price tag. G. EDIT: Forgot the 20 Amp 12VDC power supply.

Hello Mike. The primary reason I have my GMRS license is as means for family communications. Mobile to mobile, mobile to home, around home and more. It also serves as source of emergency communications for and with the family and neighborhood. Basically it serves as a utility service for me. Yes, I do use it to communicate with other GMRS’r too, mostly while mobile, occasionally from home. I have my ham license for a variety of reasons. As a hobby and means to experiment and learn. As a means to connect with others in a fun way, both local and world wide. As a means to help with civic events and perhaps be prepared to help the community during a time of natural disaster or other local or national emergency. It also serves as a means to connect with others with like interests. No one in the family has interest in amateur radio. The have not the interest to study for it, invest in it, nor interest in ‘talking radio’ with others. Both work for me exactly the way I want them too. GMRS is utility. Ham is hobby and personal interest. Hope that helps. Michael WRHS965 KE8PLM

Do you have an SWR meter, an antenna analyzer, or a NanoVNA? The antenna system is the first thing to check in my view. The antenna system includes everything from the connector that connects the feed-line to the radio all the way to the tip of the antenna. You need to know that that is working correctly. Checking the SWR is the simplest thing to check. Case in point. Over the last 6 weeks I have been doing quite a bit of testing. One day I was talking 50 miles with nice clear, clean signal. The next day I could barely reach 5. What changed? I was using the same antenna, adapters, radio, location, power, etc. Something had to change. Yep, one of the connector-to-coax connections had failed. Yes, the connectors were still on the cable and looked fine, but when I hooked up the antenna analyzer in place of the radio it told a different story. There it was plain as day, a super high (off the chart) SWR. Fiddled around, took a gamble on which connector I thought it might have been, replaced it, checked cable again and all is good with the world. And the cable was a high-priced pre-manufactured one. For all my subsequent tests I started the day by hooking up my analyzer first. If you do not have at least an SWR meter, I recommend obtaining one. More times that not, it is the simple things. Michael WRHS965 KE8PLM

You should be able to set the tones in the 3170. In the software look for "Operator Selectable Tones". That should pop up a window that lets you enter up to 16 tones, yes it allows split tones too for each entry. Yeah, its a bit limiting but better than nothing. Pick the ones that are fairly common. Normally I never enter a decode tone in my radios so I don't care if the repeater uses the same one as the RX, a different one or none at all on the TX output. Next program one of the side keys or front side function keys for "Operator Selectable Tones". When you press that key you should be able to scroll through the list of tones you entered in to the table. The radios can be modified for FPP, remove a surface mount part and check the box in the software, but you need the full numeric keypad for that. Those radios are not easy to find. When you do they are pricey even used. The most common ones have just the front panel function keys. When I looked at all of the crazy button press combinations, twisting the selector knob on top, for FPP I quickly concluded it was easier to leave he radio as is and just use the software.

To add onto Berkinet's post, you should also consider what you may wish to do in the future, plus how you plan to mount the system, as well as the region where the repeater will be used. Will the repeater be strictly in one spot, or will you need portability for camping and such? Do you plan to link your repeater to the internet? No-matter what, do your research. Plan out everything and then reevaluate that plan a couple times so your ready when you finally make purchases.

Define inexpensive. In all honesty, you should expect to pay a minimum of $500 to get things up and running. It is not just the radio. You need all of the following: Repeater (receiver + transmitter and power supply)duplexerduplexer tuningantenna, mast or support, and coaxlocationThe Retevis RT97 sells for $400 (plus tax if applicable). But, you'd still need an antenna, coax, etc. They have a package deal: repeater, coax and antenna, for $475 (plus tax).

if you just want to key up on a frequency and get a reading, get one of these: https://www.amazon.com/Mcbazel-Surecom-Digital-125-525Mhz-Antenna/dp/B01D86IKIQ/ref=sr_1_9?dchild=1&keywords=swr+meter&qid=1611736284&sr=8-9 or something like it anyway. the vna is "harder" to use, but you're smart enough to want to do it right? The nanoVNA you calibrate (simple procedure) for a frequency range, then hook up an antenna with the SWR trace enabled and you can read it through the entire range instead of just what you're keying up from the transmitter. nanovna = a little more work on the front end, much easier if you're checking multiple bands.,

So for the 5th wheel I would use a standard base style antenna. I run the Laird omni. Its only 20" tall and I use the provided brackets on my ladder on the back of the MH when i get on site. I have also used it on my fiberglass flagpole but found I didn't gain much range even going up 15'. Its the FG4500 below is one place that stocks them. https://www.theantennafarm.com/catalog/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=1096&products_id=1057 I have a 25' piece of RG213 that is N Male on both ends. I connect it to the antenna and drop it down behind the ladder. I run it to my compartment that has a GR1225 currently. It works really good at campgrounds and the NASCAR tracks I frequent. I used it at JJ2020 but other than me on it I never heard another jeeper. https://www.theantennafarm.com/catalog/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=342_343_1438_1411&products_id=6843 I really want to swap out to the RT97 mainly because I dry camp at the NASCAR tracks and the GR is a power hog. I pull the fan power when I am not on AC but still at 10 watts it uses more power than I want. My hope is to swap to the RT97 also so I can jsut wire it to a switch and power on, vs swapping from power supply to battery every time I use it. You could probably use the same antenna with a 3' jumper if you can carry it to a high place and strap the antenna to something to keep it up. An old camera tripod may be perfect for that combo. Not sure how much battery you would need. Remember the more you talk the more battery needed.