Depending on the radio (or 'mode' that radio is in), Chirp is also 'locked up'.
On a TD-H3, for example, if you have the radio in GMRS mode, Chirp will enforce the rules for that radio.
If the radio is unlocked, it'll let you program whatever you want.
Are you sure it's not a linked repeater system? That seems like far and away the simplest answer here. What channel are you hearing them on?
You could hear them on, say simplex Ch20, but if you were trying to talk back on that frequency, even with the correct PL, you won't reach them if you're not going through the repeater close to you.
Not quite... if the repeater has an output tone, that tone can be used to squelch other traffic coming from not-that-repeater on that channel for your radio. But if it lists an output tone and you don't put it in your radio, you'll still hear the repeater. You'll also hear other traffic (simplex traffic, repeaters that share that frequency) that isn't related to the repeater you're trying to talk through.
What's the advantage of setting a repeater up using narrowband on a service that is primarily wideband? Other than potentially weeding out people who didn't read the notes closely enough?
Good coaching. I did not realize that was a thing, but I see it referenced in the 'notes' for the repeater.
Would that actually preclude the radio for getting through? Or would they come in over-modulated?
Correct, that's dulplex comms. If you want to test have your wife using it on the other side of the house or yard. Usually they just need a little bit of separation. Even if you only had 1 radio set to transmit on 467.xxx, if the other radio is listening on the appropriate *simplex* channel it'll still hear the re-transmission from repeater.
...unless it's desensing because they're too close.
I guess that must mean that the rest of us are liars
I haven't tested talking through a repeater on a handheld while listening on my mobile, but all of my H/Ts, from $18 Fegs to $100 Wouxuns do it. If they're listening on 462, and another HT is transmitting on 467 in the same room, I won't hear the transmission from the radio through the repeater on any of the other radios. I'll only get the kickback after I stop transmitting
Usually, unless otherwise stated, it's the "N".
They stand for "normal" and "Inverted"? I think? Don't quote me on that. But if the N doesn't work, try the I. I'm sure they're out there, but I haven't seen a GMRS repeater using an "I" tone.
So, when your radio is transmitting, it's desensing the other radio on the receive frequency it's listening to.
When you stop transmitting, you'll get the kickback on both because now it can 'hear' again.
Yup, that's essentially what it does. You can test it pretty easily with 2 hand helds, and turn the RX tone on or off on one of them. They'll usually show that they're receiving, but won't put any audio out to the speaker.
if you have good line of sight to the repeater, 5W will easily go deep into the double digits. If'n you don't, then all bets are off. You're well into "it depends on a TON of factors. Maybe it works maybe it doesn't" territory
I'm not familiar with this particular radio but in others, there's often a Repeater Tail or other "Tail" type setting you can play with that might be contributing.
just because it comes with a cable doesn't mean the radio is Chirp supported. What radio are you talking about? The thread's about an RB91 digital repeater, ostensibly. I doubt that's what you're trying to program in Chirp....
...relevance? If I posted about every hiker that went missing in Southern Utah this forum would have very little radio content left.
I mean, it's awful, but it's not exactly GMRS relevant near as I can tell