LeoG

You are in perfect land if I recall.  Wide open at the top of a hill in barren county.  I on the other hand live in the land of trees and hills.  I live near a river so I am in a low location.  At about 1/2 mile or so you can get static and crackles because of all the different obstacles in the path of the signal.  I am talking about 5 watt HTs.

I hear that.  We've had a few storms that didn't necessarily take down the cell systems but took out the power.  Which can limit your personal options for communication.

Because I wanted a birthday gift that wasn't related to my business.  All my stuff is generally geared towards the woodworking business I have and this time around I decided I didn't want a new tool.  That I wanted a new toy.  On top of it, it's SHTF preparedness for me and my family.
I got the license because the Ef Sea Seas demanded that I have their permission paperwork to transmit into the open ether that they so happily decided was their property instead of just the nature of things.
And I figured it's only $35 for 10 years and no test so who cares.  The repeater owners want you to be licensed so before I could ask permission I needed the coveted call sign assigned to me from the powers above.
Generally I like playing radio.  I did when I was much younger and now the prices of worthwhile radios is squat.  When I was a kid some 50 years ago I remember a walkie talkie would cost $30-50 and you'd be lucky to get 100 yards out of it.  Now 50 years later that same $35 gets you a pretty descent radio that can transmit 1/3 mile easily, to 1-5 miles or better depending on conditions.
 
I did it for funz

My thinking is more along the lines that something is coming down and they don't want alternate means of communication to be in place.  Single repeaters are just that, somewhat localized.  The string repeaters cover large areas that are normally covered by more elaborate systems that when down effectively quash communication.
Ya, I'm one of those.

Tell us how you really feel. 😉

From the manual
 
Optional Connections
12V Vehicle Power Adapter
The KG-XS20G includes a 12V vehicle power adapter for use as an alternative to the
hardwire installation. Note: The KG-XS20G typically draws less than 4.5 amps of
power when in use on high power. Confirm that your vehicle’s accessory port uses a
minimum 10 amp fuse before attempting to use the 12V power adapter.

Really depends on how you look at it.  I have some 5W HTs that can go about 1-2 miles in my area because of hills and trees.  I have a repeater 17 miles away that I can reliably hit and talk with my families towns away from me.  As the crow flies 5-20 miles.  The signal is traveling much farther than from point A to B.
And like you said if you were on opposite sides of the repeater in simplex you can't communicate but with the repeater you can.  So you can double the range of the simplex or more in reality with the repeater between you at 180º straight line transmission.
But if you have a 20w simplex and a 20 watt repeater and you are next to the repeater you aren't going to have much more distance advantage other than the repeater is likely to have an antenna that is higher up.  That alone can give an advantage.
If you have a 5 watt HT and a mobile RT97S which is also 5 watts using an antenna on top of the vehicle you will likely see little to no advantage in distance if you are near the repeater talking to someone away.  But just like the 180º scenario you can double your distance if it's between you.

I sort of disagree with this.  The custodian didn't get a letter or a warning from the Ef Sea Seas.  He got an email from an employee at the Ef Sea Seas.  It is not the same thing.  He may have had a heads up on something that was going to go down but I don't think this was an official anything.

OOOOoooooooo K
I've been operating on RPT8 and CTCSS 100.0Hz on the repeater.  I noticed some morse code on that channel a few times indicating another repeater in the area.  It's very weak and likely out of range. But I can still hear it. 
So I dropped down to RPT7, same CTCSS and now I can hit the repeater inside my house.  On RPT8 I had to walk up the hill to hit it.  Now I can do it inside the house.  Ummmm.... why?
I did try to do voice but it couldn't pass it through.  But it really is significant that I could ping the repeater in the house on 7 vs having to go up on the hill to ping on 8.
And then we had some storms come through and wet everything.  I figured that might kill it off.  But I can still ping it in the house.

My thinking is more along the lines that something is coming down and they don't want alternate means of communication to be in place.  Single repeaters are just that, somewhat localized.  The string repeaters cover large areas that are normally covered by more elaborate systems that when down effectively quash communication.
Ya, I'm one of those.

I think the intentional service when they put it in there was to have a family system for camping, hiking and maybe on the farm communication.  And as with all nerds we go and try to innovate and expand and make it much bigger and better (?) than it was originally intended and the Ef Sea Seas didn't intend for it to be a communications platform, just a means for close communication.

My thinking is more along the lines that something is coming down and they don't want alternate means of communication to be in place.  Single repeaters are just that, somewhat localized.  The string repeaters cover large areas that are normally covered by more elaborate systems that when down effectively quash communication.
Ya, I'm one of those.

My thinking is more along the lines that something is coming down and they don't want alternate means of communication to be in place.  Single repeaters are just that, somewhat localized.  The string repeaters cover large areas that are normally covered by more elaborate systems that when down effectively quash communication.
Ya, I'm one of those.

Thanks Randy

Thanks Randy

Thanks Randy

Got a different mobile antenna.  I was running the Nagoya UT-72G and I picked up the Midland MXTA26 to see what that might do for the repeater.  With the Nagoya I was able to get 0.9 miles with the OEM antennas on the TD-H3s.  I brought two of them with me and had to get about 50-100 feet away from each other to talk to myself.  Did I mention it's no fun playing walkie talkie by myself? LOL
Then I picked up a pair of the Nagoya 771G antennas and did the same test a few days later and was able to get 1.3 miles out.  I also have a pair of Smiley rubber duck antennas that I didn't test with the Nagoya UT-72G on the repeater.  When I was using the Nagoya with the repeater I was able to push 6.4 watts into the antenna with an SWR of about 1.24
I put the Midland MXTA26 on the truck and did the SWR test and got a 1.01.  The repeater was pushing 7.8 watts into the antenna.  I took my walk using the Nagoya 771G antennas on both radios and passed the first hurdle at 0.9 miles and it was still clear sounding, quieting about 75-80%.  With the OEM antenna it was scratchy and crackly.  I went out to 1.3 miles and quieting was about 70% and voice was still clear.  I tried the Smiley antenna on the transmitting radio and it seemed to work about the same.
So I kept walking and got about 1.5 miles out and the Smiley antenna wouldn't connect with the repeater anymore.  Changed over to the 771G again and back in business.  I made it out to 1.8 miles which is nearly to my woodworking shop and I had to place the radios about 100 feet apart from each other before I could get the receiving radio to hear the repeater.  Desense is hitting hard now with the 5 watt radio being so close to each other and the repeater being nearly 2 miles away.  Scratchy sound 50% quieting or less, breaking up a bit but that could have been the desense.  Was far enough from the receiving radio it was difficult to hear it easily.
I was going to walk until it failed which I'm sure would have been pretty soon when one of the renters in my building just happened to be driving by and pulled up and asked if I needed a ride.  Hell ya, so I was able to get a ride back instead of needing to walk back.  Made my night.
So the Midland MXTA26 was a good improvement over the Nagoya UT-72G.  Same with the 771G vs the Smiley rubber duck over the OEM.  Both giving improvements over the previous.
It's a pretty clear path.  Still lots of houses and trees in the way.  The repeater antenna was about 85 ft above sea level.  The 0.9 mile reference is at 128 ft above sea level.  1.3 mile reference is at 150 ft above sea level.  1.5 mile reference is at 157 ft above sea level and 1.78 mile reference where I ended the test is at 161 ft above sea level.  So all in all a 76 foot rise in elevation from the repeater start point.

Even if they are gullible enough to fall for it, you don't shut the whole thing down when they are only complaining about a small part of the system.  You disconnect the offending part and continue on until notified otherwise.  Just to be on the safe side that this is an actual email from the Ef Sea Seas.

I also don't understand why they shut them down.  Just shut the linking system down and keep the repeaters working in the local area.  You fix the violation, not burn down the house.

I also don't understand why they shut them down.  Just shut the linking system down and keep the repeaters working in the local area.  You fix the violation, not burn down the house.

I also don't understand why they shut them down.  Just shut the linking system down and keep the repeaters working in the local area.  You fix the violation, not burn down the house.

I also don't understand why they shut them down.  Just shut the linking system down and keep the repeaters working in the local area.  You fix the violation, not burn down the house.

So if and when this is found to be fraudulent they'll need an investigation to find the guy who put this fake letter out and took the system down.

Yep, we have one of those on a repeater making it "popular".  But it is fun to hear some of his stories.  He did get in my way one time while I was traveling trying to contact a buddy in my hometown to see if we could connect.  Between him and whoever he was talking to they left no space between each other for someone to say excuse me, I'd like to use the repeater.  By the time they shut up I was at the range of another repeater and used that one.

Got a different mobile antenna.  I was running the Nagoya UT-72G and I picked up the Midland MXTA26 to see what that might do for the repeater.  With the Nagoya I was able to get 0.9 miles with the OEM antennas on the TD-H3s.  I brought two of them with me and had to get about 50-100 feet away from each other to talk to myself.  Did I mention it's no fun playing walkie talkie by myself? LOL
Then I picked up a pair of the Nagoya 771G antennas and did the same test a few days later and was able to get 1.3 miles out.  I also have a pair of Smiley rubber duck antennas that I didn't test with the Nagoya UT-72G on the repeater.  When I was using the Nagoya with the repeater I was able to push 6.4 watts into the antenna with an SWR of about 1.24
I put the Midland MXTA26 on the truck and did the SWR test and got a 1.01.  The repeater was pushing 7.8 watts into the antenna.  I took my walk using the Nagoya 771G antennas on both radios and passed the first hurdle at 0.9 miles and it was still clear sounding, quieting about 75-80%.  With the OEM antenna it was scratchy and crackly.  I went out to 1.3 miles and quieting was about 70% and voice was still clear.  I tried the Smiley antenna on the transmitting radio and it seemed to work about the same.
So I kept walking and got about 1.5 miles out and the Smiley antenna wouldn't connect with the repeater anymore.  Changed over to the 771G again and back in business.  I made it out to 1.8 miles which is nearly to my woodworking shop and I had to place the radios about 100 feet apart from each other before I could get the receiving radio to hear the repeater.  Desense is hitting hard now with the 5 watt radio being so close to each other and the repeater being nearly 2 miles away.  Scratchy sound 50% quieting or less, breaking up a bit but that could have been the desense.  Was far enough from the receiving radio it was difficult to hear it easily.
I was going to walk until it failed which I'm sure would have been pretty soon when one of the renters in my building just happened to be driving by and pulled up and asked if I needed a ride.  Hell ya, so I was able to get a ride back instead of needing to walk back.  Made my night.
So the Midland MXTA26 was a good improvement over the Nagoya UT-72G.  Same with the 771G vs the Smiley rubber duck over the OEM.  Both giving improvements over the previous.
It's a pretty clear path.  Still lots of houses and trees in the way.  The repeater antenna was about 85 ft above sea level.  The 0.9 mile reference is at 128 ft above sea level.  1.3 mile reference is at 150 ft above sea level.  1.5 mile reference is at 157 ft above sea level and 1.78 mile reference where I ended the test is at 161 ft above sea level.  So all in all a 76 foot rise in elevation from the repeater start point.