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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?

I was hoping I'd get lucky, but I guess not. I have no idea where to even get it tuned properly so for now, it will be sitting on a shelf. Just for the heck of it, I attached a dummy load to ANT and connected my comet CAA-500 Mk II analyzer. I'm sure this is in no way an accurate test, and probably completely irrelevant, but the best SWR, which was about 1:1 at 50 ohms was 454.600 on the LOW port and HIGH was 468.200

I was initially using two Kenwood 880 radios. Now using one 880 as the RX radio and using an Icom F6011 as the TX radio. The SWR from the 6011 going directly to the antenna is very good. Around 1.2 and about 44 watts. When I put the meter between the 6011 and the LOW input of the duplexer, it is crazy high swr. With the meter between the ANT output of the duplexer and the antenna, swr isn't bad, but power drops to about 8 watts. A big difference from the 40+ going in. The duplexer is a chinese Fumei, tuned to 462-467. Never was tunned to a specific frequency. I just went back to using two antennas for now and working good. If I can ever figure out this duplexer, maybe I'll give it another shot

I'm sure many of you are getting tired of my questions, but I have one more, for now ? I was attempting to put together a portable repeater system, using two radios and two antennas. That part worked out fine, and the repeater was working. I decided to try adding a duplexer into the mix and just go with one antenna. Again, it seemed to be working ok, other than the duplexer absorbing more than half of the power from the TX radio. I was curious about the SWR between the TX radio (462.650) and the LOW side of the duplexer so I checked it and was surprised by the results. It was well over 20:1 (but between ANT output of the duplexer and the antenna, it was normal - about 1.2) Is that normal swr to have between a TX radio and duplexer? I disconnected everything for now, until I know for sure. Google was no help at all as I couldn't find any info on that specific configuration of TX to duplexer. Maybe I somehow fried the duplexer?

yes, I do have the original codeplugs from all of the radios. Not that I understand that Fleetsync programing though. Saved as a .SDT and a .DAT file. I couldn't find any frequencies in there though, showing what they were programmed at. Voltages all stay consistent when transmitting. I'll read through that Realingment section a few more times. Eventually it might make sense lol Even though these radios are listed at 450-490 MHz, they can still be programmed in the 420-450 MHz 70 cm bands?

Yeah, I'm up to 6 - 880's now. Well, 5 1/2 would be more accurate. Three of the 880's and 3 - 880H's I tried testing with two different power meters. One is the MFJ-847 and the other is the SW-33 (I don't see any other name on it) They are both pretty close in their readings, but I think the MFJ is a little more accurate. I have a dummy load, but it gives me worse SWR than the antenna does! Just on example of my tests. The 880H with that BNC connector gave me 18.1 watts and SWR of 1.38 on 462.650 and the other 880H was same SWR but 25 watts (25 was the max I got out of that radio and the most I got out of the "bnc" radio was 18.2 watts. With the same tests, I get much more power out of a couple of old Icom radios. F2821 and F6011. They are listed at 45 watts and put out around 42

I couldn't make heads or tail out of that when I tried looking up in the service manual. I was checking it for any voltage and also connected an swr/watt meter with zero results. Makes much more sense now. I actually picked up two of the 880H radios, and checking the power output, I'm barely getting 20 watts on high power Thought someone might have swapped the 880H boards with 880 boards, but when I opened them, they both had the 45w PA (although completely different from the RA45H4452M in the original 880H I started the thread with). What causes the diminished output. Just old radios? Kind of disappointing to not get the output I was hoping for

This is were the BNC is connected to on the board. I'll try doing some testing later.

I removed the voltage regulator and put in a new one. When I had the old one out,, I realized the board was pretty bad. Looked like part of the of foil on the board was folded over. I cleaned the board best I could, put in a different voltage regulator but no change (the fibers in the photo are probably from the qtip I used to clean) Meanwhile, I picked up another (very clean and working) TK880H, but this one has an N connector for antenna (did they ever come from Kenwood this way?) A wire with a bnc connector and a factory 15 pin plug. What would that bnc connector be for?

I did those tests and nothing at all on pin 1, 2, 3 0r 4 when set to Voltage AC. Went back to DC and did the same test. Keying the mic gives 0 on pin 1, 1.7 on pin 2, pin 3 is the 13.8 so no change there, and pin 4 was 1.5. Of course still Zero watts and zero SWR. I'll keep playing around with it. Maybe I'll get lucky