Radioguy7268

Motorola moved all the current model software over to a new website. For most folks, that's at myview.motorolasolutions.com.  Unless you want to go through all the steps to migrate your account over to Myview, only to find that they probably don't have the legacy # RVN4191 CP200 software ( I myself haven't checked lately), you're better off to do a google search and try find it on the web. The benefit there is that you would likely find a version that's been hacked to allow wideband. The last versions of the analog CP200/PR400 R05.18 software were narrowband only, and most GMRS folks want the ability to program 25kHz wideband.
Note: the more recent CP200d is a different animal, and uses different software for programming.
 

Just like the word "unreasonable" is arguably the most important word in the 4th amendment of the U.S. constitution, the definition of the term "Plain Language" is the key phrase in the FCC rules.   
Actually, the precise definition wording of section 95.303 as shown above poses a very interesting question as it is being presumed that all foreign languages, by definition, are not considered coded or secretive.  It says: "Foreign languages and commonly known radio operating words...".   It does not say; "Common Foreign languages and ..."
The public at large cannot be expected to understand the wide variety of foreign languages that may be broadcast over the air.  Clearly some recognized foreign languages are not at all well-known and in fact our own military has used this strategy expressly to create "secret communications"!
"CODE TALKER"
Wikipedia: "A code talker was a person employed by the military during wartime to use a little-known language as a means of secret communication. The term is most often used for United States service members during the World Wars who used their knowledge of Native American languages as a basis to transmit coded messages."
As @UncleYoda pointed out, it is the FCC's responsibility to make the rules clear.  At this point, I'm not sure they really are.
 

As was mentioned a single quarter wave is our best bet. I installed those on many machines over hte years for logging and highway departments. Yes it may get destroyed but they are $10 at most. Unscrew NMO and replace it when needed. 

Do not mount antennas with 50 watts or more ERP inside the cab within inches of your head.   Read up on Specific Absorption Rates and RF safety.
Also realize that transmitting at 50 watts to someone who is holding a 4 or 5 watt portable is overkill.
 

I am pretty old, and stuck in my ways, but I'm pretty sure that a "simplex duplex box"  that doubles as a "GMRS specific box"  requires about twenty some 8x10 color glossy photographs with circles and arrows, and a paragraph or two describing what each was to be used for.
I'm thinking your description is a simplexer with delayed audio being re-transmitted back out on the same frequency it was received on. But I'll wait for those photographs and a clear description of the function of each magic box.
Enjoy.
 

I am pretty old, and stuck in my ways, but I'm pretty sure that a "simplex duplex box"  that doubles as a "GMRS specific box"  requires about twenty some 8x10 color glossy photographs with circles and arrows, and a paragraph or two describing what each was to be used for.
I'm thinking your description is a simplexer with delayed audio being re-transmitted back out on the same frequency it was received on. But I'll wait for those photographs and a clear description of the function of each magic box.
Enjoy.
 

When I get a used radio and program it, I will often put in a common frequency and label it as "TEST" instead of "Channel 1"  That way, when I have the radio on my tuning bench, I know the frequencies (and codes) that are in the radio, and I know it hasn't been programmed to a customer frequency.
I don't believe you are actually seeing a Test mode - ie: Something the radio is locked into. I believe you are seeing someone else's old programmed name for the first channel in the radios. Especially if the two radios talk to each other already.
A Kenwood radio should drop into a  "Program" message when you have the proper cable & software, and try to read or write the radio. Some of the older Kenwood software required you to run a regular Comm port (not USB) and the software only allowed a choice of Comm1  through Comm4 for serial ports.  Trying to use a newer computer with old software can lead to some issues.

When I get a used radio and program it, I will often put in a common frequency and label it as "TEST" instead of "Channel 1"  That way, when I have the radio on my tuning bench, I know the frequencies (and codes) that are in the radio, and I know it hasn't been programmed to a customer frequency.
I don't believe you are actually seeing a Test mode - ie: Something the radio is locked into. I believe you are seeing someone else's old programmed name for the first channel in the radios. Especially if the two radios talk to each other already.
A Kenwood radio should drop into a  "Program" message when you have the proper cable & software, and try to read or write the radio. Some of the older Kenwood software required you to run a regular Comm port (not USB) and the software only allowed a choice of Comm1  through Comm4 for serial ports.  Trying to use a newer computer with old software can lead to some issues.

I'd also point out that in 2017, when Hurricane Maria blasted through Puerto Rico, many people were basically left to fend for themselves, and went weeks and months without grid power, running water, or even cellular service. This was especially bad in the inland areas up in the mountains, but was still an issue even in areas outside of Ponce & San Juan.
They aren't necessarily doing this for overall footprint, they're doing it to allow for localized reception in pockets and areas that aren't served by larger systems. They also want to maintain control and ownership of the repeaters, and not rely on someone else to keep a system powered up 24/7.
 

Hi @jerrym58, 
If you compare the topography of Oklahoma and Puerto Rico you'll notice the huge difference. In the center of Puerto Rico covering mostly all the island there is a mountain range called the "Cordillera Central" with mountains exceeding the 4Kfeet, so GMRS being UHF will be greatly limited.  Besides this,  throughout all the North, there are many small limestone/calcium carbonate mountains, so overall Puerto Rico is a mountainous island being small in overall area. I believe this is the reason there's so many GMRS repeaters, more repeaters are needed to cover the same area compared to OK.
Hope this is somewhat helpful.

Notice the word “dedicated” in my quote above. I think GMRS is great for regular community communications. But a repeater for the community is hard to dedicate to emergencies. People will use it to chat, kids will play with radios, and hobbyists will talk about antennas. The community has no legal way to reserve the frequency for emergencies. As a result some people will leave their radios off. How do you tell them to turn them back on? Remember, this is a ten mile radius community.

I don't think anyone really answered the OP's questions, although the information given is a bit lacking in details. A few questions that might help narrow things down.
1. What's your budget? Who will be in charge of decisions? Is this a centralized control, or left up to individuals that may or may not want to spend $$?
2. Do you plan to supply your own labor, or purchase a plug & play system?
3. Do you have ownership/control already of a location for the repeater?
4. Do you have a need to communicate with other existing radio users in the area? Will this be a private system just for your users? Or do you wish to share?
5. What is the elevation at this Community Center?  Do you have the ability to place an antenna and/or mast/tower at this location? What's the surrounding terrain like?
As far as a general shot at answers:
Bare repeater.  Used $500 to $1500   New $1000 to $5000  Need to allow for labor costs if you don't know how to program/install
Antenna & Duplexer system   New is the best option here, costs will vary greatly, but as little as $400, as much as $2500
Individual portables could be less than $50 or more than $500 depending on what folks might want. Bare bones GMRS repeater capable units are fairly cheap. Mobiles that mount in vehicles are more expensive.
LoRa  i'm assuming is LoRaWAN - which is effectively Long Range data bursts in the 900 MHz ISM band. Good for telematics & GPS, not so great for voice, but that begs the question of what's the primary use and purpose of this system?
If you're looking to do chit chat for local folks on a wide open community channel that anyone and everyone could join in on, then GMRS might be a pretty good choice. If you're looking for exclusivity or privacy, and you want to do tracking or data transmission, there might be better options.

I read about the rash of robberies happening to GMRS  users, so I started using FRS instead.
/s
 

I read about the rash of robberies happening to GMRS  users, so I started using FRS instead.
/s
 

Search up the Rodinia 2.3 chip used on some EVX & XPR Gen2 radios.  That is a 12dB SiNaD reading I'm quoting for that  -120 dBm - and it's easily achieved with those Rodinia receivers.  Fully quiet at -120 dBm. 
I'll agree that real world factors play into this stuff. Noise floor is the killer in most urban environments. There's a ton of trash and hash out there in the real world. Nobody is designing a commercial system around the theoretical basement level of what receivers can do.
Previous forum discussion on Receiver design
 

Yeah - the -120 dBm of the assumed average receiver is the true limiting factor.
Google up EME (earth moon earth) contests - people using the moon to bounce/reflect signals. I've heard of people making it with 2 watts or less, but they're jacking up the receivers with all types of high end pre-amps and using CW.  Voice would be problematic.
There are real world receivers out there in UHF radios (Think DMR Digital Vertex EVX & Moto XPR's) that will go down to -125 without spending too much money (and still have decent selectivity).  Those radio on a chip direct conversion receivers all the CCR folks love have some wild receive sensitivity, but they're also about as selective as a drunken politician spending someone else's tax dollars.
The original Apollo comm's with the moon were all UHF with Yagi antennas. People still heard "One giant step for mankind" although how clear it was is debatable. Then again, those Flat Earther's would point to the limitations of UHF radio signals as proof that the landing did not take place on the actual moon.
AI makes my eyes hurt.

I read about the rash of robberies happening to GMRS  users, so I started using FRS instead.
/s
 

I read about the rash of robberies happening to GMRS  users, so I started using FRS instead.
/s
 

I read about the rash of robberies happening to GMRS  users, so I started using FRS instead.
/s
 

I read about the rash of robberies happening to GMRS  users, so I started using FRS instead.
/s
 

Glass mount antennas suck for UHF. They are marginally better than using a portable inside a vehicle, and I do mean marginally. 800 & 900 MHz work better, but still not ideal.
I'd tell you to look for other options before spending money on a glass mount. A 6" UHF hatpin can be mounted in plenty of locations where it's barely noticed. Shark fin antennas made by Stico & others mimic factory FM antennas for the entertainment radio.

Glass mount antennas suck for UHF. They are marginally better than using a portable inside a vehicle, and I do mean marginally. 800 & 900 MHz work better, but still not ideal.
I'd tell you to look for other options before spending money on a glass mount. A 6" UHF hatpin can be mounted in plenty of locations where it's barely noticed. Shark fin antennas made by Stico & others mimic factory FM antennas for the entertainment radio.

Compander = Compression & Expander. The idea of a Noise Blanker - at  least as I understand how it was implemented in Low Band radios by Motorola - was a secondary receive circuit slightly off-set in frequency, and that would be used to compare desired signal vs. undesired noise (Figuring that most lower frequency "noise" would be wideband in nature, while the desired signal would be on-frequency).
 
In Compandering, Audio is compressed upon transmit, and expanded upon receive. This allows for a potentially better "envelope" of audio response to be compressed into a given amount of bandwidth. However, it requires more manipulation of the audio components of human voice. You give up a bit of audio purity when using Compandering. Better or worse is often up to the ears of the people using the system (and in my experience, how often the people using the system are pressing the outer edges of coverage/range).
 
There's already a ton written about this type of stuff out there on the internet, so the best way I could describe it is to say that if you're only concerned about quality of audio within your own fleet - give it a try & see how it works on your radios and in your system. If you like it, certainly use it for your system.
 
However, most GMRS radio systems and user groups aren't running Compandering, so your radios would sound "odd" sending out compressed audio to another radio that wasn't set to receive (and expand) the compressed audio. 

The power of the repeater isn’t nearly as important as the installation of the repeater.   Installed at a location that’s within range of the different handheld radios, with good cable and a high antenna it can greatly improve your communications reliability. 

There are 2 different radios being discussed here:
The M1225 LS model was built by Motorola as a UHF Trunking radio that had the ability to program conventional channels in addition to LTR (Logic Trunked Radio) channels. There was no add-on board in that radio.
 
The standard M1225 UHF mobile radio only did conventional channels out of the box. You could use an add-on Option Board (most made by Scholer-Johnson, but sold by others) to add LTR Trunking capability to the standard M1225.  Removing the board (or just disconnecting the flex cable to the LTR board) would revert the radio back to conventional mode.  The Scholer Johnson  add-on board would be in the top left rear of the radio under the housing & secured with 3 nylon screws.