Flameout

The output power of my FR4000 is a little below specs of 10w/50w, at about 7.5 watts and 40 watts. Using the process in the attached photo, is it as simple as just increasing the numbers or is there much more to it? Would I do more harm than good by changing those settings? The other two photos are what it's currently set at. No idea if that is factory settings or someone else changed them over the years

I am using both a DB404 and a Comet CA 712 EFC. Both seem to be working well with a slight edge going to the Comet. Weird, but it seems to perform better, but it most cecertainly will not outlast the DB404. Maybe it's the 9 dBi gain over the 404's 5.9 that gives it better performance? Either way, both decent antennas

I'm not 100% sure when it says 50w at 100% duty cycle, but according to this, it is capable of it. Mine is only putting out about 40 watts before duplexer and about 26 watts after. I'm using the Icom duplexer that it came with. Not sure who makes it or if it's even a good one

Sorry I don't know the answer, but I have the same repeater, same antenna and same 1/2" hardline and was thinking about an amplifier and had the same question. Hopefully someone knows the answer. The one amp I was looking at (on ebay) was also 10w in. By the way, does your FR4000 transmit your CWID on a scheduled time? I tried everything and now I'm not sure they are even capable of that

I gave that a shot, but still not working. I either have a partially bad FR4000 repeater, the id-o-matic is bad or I'm missing some setting somewhere. Most likely it's me missing something. Either way, it's frustrating. I always considered myself somewhat tech savvy, but this has me stumped. The IC-FR4000 says it is capable of CWID, but some say it doesn't and others say it does

Would using the mic input of the FR4000 work for this. I think it would be pin 1 to pin 7 (mic), pin 2 to 1, 3 to 4, 7 to 6 and not sure of 8 and 11

I did a similar testing with my IC-FR4000, to be sure it was within the specs. No antenna on the RX side and a power meter and antenna on the TX side. A dummy load should be best to test and I have a dummy load, but it is a cheap $50 piece of crap from Amazon and was getting about a 1.70 SWR using it. I was getting a 1.03 SWR on low pwer and 1.11 on high (Comet 712EFC) You definitely got a heck of a deal on that repeater! There were just 2 of the RFS UHF duplexers for sale on QRZ for $100 each but they sold very quickly this is what my test looked like. Power was much lower going through a duplexer 20230608_131304.mp4

I appreciate you checking your radio. Unfortunately, it didn't work. Your RPT Log layout looks a little different than mine, unless it was just the way you copied the image? I added some of my screenshots. I know I have 120.00 (2 minutes) but makes it easier while I'm testing. Sure would be nice to not to have to bother with the ID-O-Matic but I'm starting to think there's a problem with my repeater or the software

Could someone help with where the pins from the ID-O-matic output would go on the accessory connector of the IC-FR4000? From what I gathered on the hamgadgets.com site, pins 5,6,9,10 and 12 aren't used, but I may be wrong. I would think pin 1 to 25 and pin 2 to 13, but he others I'm not sure off. I tried every combination I could think of to get the CWID of the FR4000 to work properly, but nothing is working so thought I'd try adding an ID-O-Matic board

I use a Commscope DB404 for my GMRS repeater and a Comet 712EFC for my GMRS base radio. I actually think my Comet outperforms the more expensive DB404

Thanks, I would really appreciate that. I know on my motorola GR500 repeater, I can set it to ID every fifteen minutes (for example) but only if there has been activity. If no activity at all, it never will ID but right after any activity and the user unkeys, it will ID, but only that initial contact. If there is say, a 10 minute conversation, it doesn't ID after each user stops talking. Right now, that is what it does on my Icom fr4000 - ID'S after anyone stops talking, regardless of how much time e has passed Thanks for the links to the files. I already have them and a few others though. I think I downloaded every file I could find lol The reason I just assumed it didn't ID like I was hoping is because of this post from a user that has the same problem

Ok, I'm now pretty sure the IC-FR4000 will not do the CWID at a timed interval without also doing it after each and every transmission. Could something like that ID-O-Matic be added to accomplish that? I've seen where the correct cables are available for motorola radios to use and id-o-matic but haven't found any information where they are used with an Icom. Is that something that would be connected to the rear accessory connector of the FR4000? I would think that only a few of the pins would be used, so I could probably make the correct cable, if I could find instructions

I found a way to get the CWID to transmit at a set time (every 120 seconds per my photo), but it also transmits the CWID each and everytime the repeater is accessed! The only time the cwid will transmit is if I select L-IN, L-OFF or Both in the RPT Log. Selecting the PWR ON setting doesn't seem to do anything. I just need to have it stop transmitting the CW with every key up of the repeater

Yes, using the CS3000 software. Would the red TX light come on when it is sending out the CWID? It never comes on other than when the repeater is being accessed. I have written different settings the radio no less than 50 times (no exaggeration) making slight changes. I have been testing with tones and without tones. The repeater itself is working great. About 42 watts into duplexer and around 31w after duplexer with good coverage in my area It does send out the CWID when the TOT is reached. I checked that box in the settings and set it to 15 seconds just for testing. I have since set it higher. I guess it's possible that there is something defective with that portion of the radio or I am just missing something. I kind of thought these were fairly popular repeaters back in the day, but I may now have the only one in existence lol

Sorry if some have seen this post on other forums, but thought I'd would try here on the slim chance that someone hasn't seen my other posts and might know how to get the IC-FR4000 to transmit CWID. Ideally I would like to see the .ICF file from someone that actually has their FR4000 transmitting CWID. The specifications say that it is capable, but instructions seem to be somewhere in the abyss. I found these instructions https://caraham.org/resources/Documents/Learning Conference 2013/ICOM/ICOM CWID repeater setup.pdf but following those steps did nothing. It seems to be a nice repeater for as old as it is, but I'm now wondering if that portion of it might just be broken.

Oh, now I'm not sure. I just assumed it did since there was 13.6v at the battery connection on the rear and when I removed the 110v to the power supply, it kicked over and ran on battery power

I'm a little hesitant to ask another question, as some seem to be bothered by them, but here goes. I have a wall mount GR500 repeater that works quite well and I was testing out the battery backup, which also works well. I was just wondering how to activate the "beep" to warn that the repeater is running on backup power. I can't find it anywhere in the software. This is from the repeaterbuilder page concerning this repeater The battery revert kit board generates an "On Battery" output signal (active low) that can be connected to the R1225 accessory connector, and optionally in parallel to an external repeater controller. If enabled in the R1225 RSS / CPS programming the "On Battery" signal causes a "beep" signal to be generated on the transmitter when you are running from the battery.

Ok, thanks for that info. I couldn't find any info other than it was showing specs for an internal and external speaker. Although an internal speaker would be nice, certainly ( not a deal breaker. I'll figure something out. I also had someone else tell my not to use high power. It gets very little use, but I will keep it on low (25 watt). Testing from the duplexer to antenna, on low power it was showing 1.03 SWR and 20 watts. On high power, it was 1.05 SWR and only 31 watts so that 11 watt difference isn't worth burning up this old radio prematurely (antenna is a CommScope DB404 and a 25' run ofLDF4-50 hardline)

I just picked up this old Motorola GR500 repeater and so far it works great. Pretty clean for its age and putting out about 24 watts on low and 43 on high. I was just wondering if that has a built in speaker? The on/off/volume has no effect other than turning the unit on and off and I always thought that since you can plug in a mic and use it as a base, that there would be a speaker

I was using a Comet ca-712EFC and it was working quite well, other than hitting the 1 repeater I wanted to reach. I finally broke down and bought the CommScope DB404. Maybe I was expecting miracles but it performs worse than the Comet 712 I currently have both antennas mounted with about 24' of Andrew Helax ldf4-50a feeding the DB 404 and 50' of ABR Industries ABR400-UF (25400F) for the Comet. Both mounted at approximately the same height and about 20-25' between them. The DB404 will certainly outlast the Comet but if I had to do it again, I would have just bought a second Comet and saved myself $300

Ok, thanks. I was thinking they were around that, per 100' but wasn't sure I was looking at the right info. The LLC-25400F will be MUCH easier to work with. That Wireman stuff is almost as bad as hardline

No RG8/U but there is Times Microwave LMR 400 but the Wireman stuff I have looks and feels a lot different than the 25' section of LMR 400 that I have.

I was trying to avoid having to ask yet another coax question here, but using the coax calculators that are out there really didn't help. None of them list the two types of cable that I have. Both are 50' sections with professionally installed PL259 connectors (I wish they were N, but they aren't) One is ABR Industries LLC-25400F RG-8/U 50 ohm Low loss High Flex Direct burial https://www.hamradio.com/detail.cfm?pid=H0-017172 and the other is Wireman CQ1000 LL400 50 ohm low loss https://thewireman.com/product/cq-rg8-low-loss-4xl-lmr400-equivalent/ Which would be better for GMRS? The antenna is a DB404 and using a coax calculator, what would be the equivalent to these, as none of the calculators show them

I have been known to break a rule now and again. I sometimes go over the speed limit, I have drifted through a stop sign or two and I have transmitted out of my allowed frequencies (I'm only a general licensed ham operator but have made a qso or two in the extras bands) However, this time I was transmitting into a dummy load. I know the duplexer needs tuned, and I attempted to do that using that antenna analyzer. It probably doesn't make sense, but it is now working much better since I attempted the tuning. Granted, it certainly isn't perfect. The SWR was awful on the gmrs bands, but I set the analyzer to 462.550 and 467.550 and was able to tune (using all six adjustments) to a very good swr and much higher power output. The two photos are after some duplexer adjustments. Reading went from off the charts to near perfect. I know I can't be this easy, but it's working better now

I tried something today and now I'm not sure what is what and what is even accurate. As I said earlier, I put my Comet analyzer on the duplexer and seemed to get the best readings around the 454.xxx MHz area. Well, today, I tuned the radio to different frequencies as I tested the SWR (on low power)going INTO the LOW side of the duplexer with a dummy load on the ANT port. At the frequency of 454.200, I was getting perfect SWR and at the GMRS frequency of 462.650, it was awful. Do these reading even mean anything or is using an antenna analyzer way off base?