gortex2

Dont use LMR400 or youll be asking for trouble. If this is a slow project wait and get some heliax.

One thing to try is a common TX tone from the repeater. I have 3 repeaters on a the same frequency but use a different input PL for each repeater. This used to be done in the LMR days as a "poor" mans voting system. It would allow a PD to have a north and south repeater but the units could hear either when in range. The way i set mine up i can hear all three from my control station at home and depending on the area depends on which tower i pick in the radio. This also allows me to listen so if someone is on one of them I dont cover with my traffic.

You really need to read the control card with software. The labels on the chassis are great when new, but i have a chassis that shows VHF and has all R1 UHF modules installed. Someone could of done the same on that unit. Can he read it and send you screen shots ?

I have been successful in putting a BNC rubber buck in the back window of a car with a short cable to the VXR. It is out of sight and performs well. The VXR is only 4 watts anyway so it is just acting as a portable at this point. If you did a quarter wave on the center of the roof with this configuration and stay away from your mobile TX frequency you may be ok for what you are trying to do. I would limit your mobile to lowest power you can go and reliably get into the repeater. I use a CDM1250 and have low power at 10 watts. That will help your decense greatly. If money is not a factor using a tuned ceramic filter inline with the VXR is another way to clean up the signal but then you are limited to one channel only.

It could have been UHF. In addition many public safety agencies have VHF units on V TAC 36 as that gives the separation needed. Our SAR team has one on V TAC 36, one on our TAC channel and one on GMRS all in pelican cases however are all labeled on the outside of the box with our team name in paint.

I wont get into a rules argument however have installed many of these mobile repeaters/extenders in vehicles over the years. The biggest issue you will have is with the VRM being decensed by the mobile radio. This is extremely difficult in "IN BAND" configurations such as uhf uhf. I have done many in cross band configuration and work very well. In UHF the issue i ran into was frequency separation. Using a mobile on 462/465 and the VRM on the 462 may get you enough seperation but i think you will still see poor performance. If your 20' from your car all is fine but if your inside a building with your car in the parking lot it will have issues. You also need to seperate your antenna as far as possible. The last system i did in band was a mobile on 453/458 and the VRM on 465. We still had issue on high power so switched to 800. As for the VXR1000 its a solid little unit and is great for what you want to try. The nice thing about the vertex is the channel change. So in reality if you had someo ther channels outside the FRS band in your mobile and portable you could use it for both services, vs just locking it to one channel.

Location is key. A $20,000 repeater system isn't going to do any good in a garage behind your house (well unless your on a mountain top). I have put repeaters in a shelter on a mountain with an antenna bolted to the wall that cover much better than predicted or expected but height is everything. As for repeaters I would say Quantar or the MTR2000. With that said all of my repeaters are GR1225 with good duplexers and filtering. Powered down and pushed into a expternal amp seem to be pretty solid and reasonably priced. Antenna and Feedline will be almost as important as the location. Spend the money to get the best bang for your buck so to speak, but dont skimp. I run 7/8" hardline on all my repeaters and a few are only 25' up a tower, but i also like the idea of the same parts so spares will work anyplace.

I built a VHF one for our local SAR team in a small pelican box. We utilized 2 ICOM portables that we had with battery eliminators. 20 W duplexor from ebay and a 7AH gel battery. We use the repeater for standby events and other uses. Only issue we have had is heat. We now leave the lid open some if we cannot get it in the shade. I wanted to find some data type radios just to make it even more error proof. Right now they need to turn on both radios and controller, hence errors happen. The data radio idea is flip a switch and leave. Keep us posted on the outcome. I was thinking a similar project for when i go camping in an ammo can.

No idea but just sent the check to the FCC to renew this week....

Awesome picture....looks about identical to my pile behind my barn. I think i have antenna's from 30MHZ all the way to 900MZ and at least 2 towers laying in the pile ! Of course mine is currently burried in the snow !

If you want an antenna to last a lifetime spend a bit more and buy a DB404. I run these on all my repeaters and have yet to have an issue including when they are iced over or not. I also use one as a portable antenna on my mobile repeater and being all aluminum holds up better than any fiberglass stick i have ever tried.

There is a few controllers that came as options with the 1225. The basic internal controller is the best i have found. I have mine set for ID only and they work fine. There was a Zetron controller that many added to give phone interconnect and other features. Personally unless you need a special feature stick with the basic programming. Using the internal controller is the best. To change to an external controller you need to reprogram it for external control.

I would track down the land owner and talk to him. We have done this for Search and Rescue events and 99% of the time they are fine with it. Most of our stuff is temporary for a few days but never really discussed a permanent site.

I highly recommend you DO NOT use LMR400 for a repeater. Get some hard line. There are lots of info out there on the issues with LMR400 on duplex operations. I have tried it a few times with mixed results.

Spend the money on the mobile duplexer and you should be fine. I have mine tuned to the middle frequency and can go up and down without much degradation. There is some but 99% of the time i am in the middle. The only time i had to go to the bottom of the list was at a NASCAR race and i was only using low power anyway.

Guess it depends on how you set it up. I have a live feed for SAR in my area. The scanner does scan some GMRS channels as we use them...I am guessing a single live feed of a repeater is not gonna happen, but so far mine have been fine.

Cool news to hear...wish there were more REACT teams around. Dont think there are any in NY any longer...

What are you using to link the repeaters ? I have 4 repeaters in multiple counties and would like to look into this.