gortex2

How big of a mast are you looking to use ? Our SAR team purchased the mast here on ebay - http://www.ebay.com/itm/ANTENNA-TRIPOD-29FT-ALUMINUM-PORTABLE-TOWER-MAST-KIT-NEW/361384099911?_trksid=p2047675.c100009.m1982&_trkparms=aid%3D888007%26algo%3DDISC.MBE%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D20131227121020%26meid%3Dc8638571b9a64db4b78809ad1b1b3bc3%26pid%3D100009%26rk%3D1%26rkt%3D1%26sd%3D360908000786
 
It works awesome and is light enough to carry up a trail. As for cable I tried various options from RG213 to 1/2" superflex. When all said and done we had the best luck with RG142. The loss for 30' is not enough difference than the 1/4" superflex hard line and holds up much better. I liked the 1/2" and 1/4" hard line but after both were kinked in half on the first deployment i knew they wouldn't work.

They do and I have tried. a couple got it when the fees dropped but thats it. A few have also went for there HAM ticket instead. I guess part of the issue is our VHF and UHF Public Safety repeaters work so well in addition to the P25 trunking system we use folks dont understand the benefit. In addition being all volunteer and buys all our gear ourselfs already costs a member upwards of $1000.00. I'll keep hinting to them all about it and hope someday more will jump on the boat. 
 
Until then I'll just keep installing repeaters until i run out of frequencies ! 

Antenna Porn
 
Andrew DB408-B
180' of 7/8 Hard line
4' Side arm
 
Now all I need is some good weather, my climber and a few friends!
 

This topic is an interesting one for the reason I operate multiple GMRS and Part 90 VHF and UHF repeaters for our regional SAR Teams. Sometimes something as this can also be a learning tool and educational. Many SAR teams have no clue about radios and buy what a "friend" tells them and its normally a CCR. On my team we have multiple members who have a GMRS license and one of my repeaters is hosted by the team. Team members with the license use this to chat when they want. The repeater is also at a large recreational area and is open to the public. Every radio our team owns has the channel in case of a civilian calling for an emergency. Being we operate on multiple formats in our area the repeater is quiet most of the time. I have found internally the repeater has actually been a good way to get folks to buy the GMRS license as a way to talk to the other members who use it. 
 
Lastly as others have said what the sense of having a repeater up with all the costs of a proper install at a tower site just to sit idle. I have invested thousands of dollars on the gear and hope it gets used. If i want privacy we I go to one of my P25 repeaters and run secure if its really important. 

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. 

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. 

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.