coryb27

I have not had any issues with Comscope, I can't say that for RFS, several have shorted internally.
 
That cable job was to cure some issues with a paging transmitter next to me getting into the amp, it did solve the issue. I am sure i could have used something smaller but i had a ton of 1/2 on hand.

I never read to the bottom of this thread, just wanted to share my 1/2" Heliax plumbing job on this part 90 DMR repeater
 
http://mwgmrs.com/mygmrs/jumpers.jpg

I just have to ask, why would you set up a repeater if you have no idea how to program it or how it works? I highly recommend reading my post here. https://forums.mygmrs.com/topic/1402-you-just-got-your-gmrs-license-now-you-want-your-own-repeater/

https://mygmrs.com  click on the map link

Because its live on the site that was a link to test.
 
Try this https://mygmrs.com/map/#/

I just have to ask, why would you set up a repeater if you have no idea how to program it or how it works? I highly recommend reading my post here. https://forums.mygmrs.com/topic/1402-you-just-got-your-gmrs-license-now-you-want-your-own-repeater/

The purpose of Digital Private Line (DPL Tone) is so many "user groups" can share the same channel without causing harmful interference to each other.  The technology is extremely proficient at its intended purpose. 
 
The radio still receives a signal from a radio that doesn't have a matching sub-tone.  The radio just discriminates between received signals and only opens the squelch when your selected code is detected.  You can literally have 280 groups on one channel, all having different conversations, and not interfering with each other.  Go to a major public event (like a Boy Scout Jamboree) and suddenly, 22 channels is no where near enough.  Enter DPL on a modern FRS/GMRS combo radio and now you have the ability to have the equivalent of 6,160 channels.  Even at a major event, the likelihood of interference due to things like splash, inter-modulation, etc, is almost zero.  Especially when you are only using 0.5 watts of power.
 
 
 
I see your point, I just disagree.  "Familiar" and "intuitive" are words used to describe ease of ability to naturally understand how something works.  That understanding ONLY comes with experience and repetition.  No one is born familiar with anything and no one is born "intuitively" knowing how to do anything but suck and poop.  Everything else is a learn skill.
 
 
 
I already answered that question above (my first 2 paragraphs in this post)
 
 
 
How you handle any harmful interference you may cause is up to you.  If you don't want to use DPL.... don't use DPL.  By no means is the feature "ruining" the radio service.  It is extremely beneficial to the radio community and has been for 70 years.

Its not the tone/CTSS creating the potential issues you mention, it's stupid people that are too lazy to invest 3 minutes of their life to read the directions and learn/understand how their equipment works that are the problem..

I dont understand why you are so dead set on solid state filters? If it was possible people would have been doing it long ago, that 10W toy repeater you linked to is no better then a couple HT's in a box. Yes it may use some type of solid state filter but i am guessing the loss and electrical efficiency are what limits it to 10W. I would bet it is just a notch filter, this would be like using a "mobile notch duplexer" vs "4 cavity pass reject duplexer" The mobile duplexer is smaller and cheaper but the performance loss of using such a duplexer reduces the repeaters overall effectiveness. The single largest factor with notch type duplexers is the inability to exceed 70dB isolation between the RX and TX.  BTW I license part 90 frequency in the 452 range, it took months to get a repeater pair because of the waiting list, no such thing as underused or open spectrum. You want a good preforming repeater, purchase a quality pass / reject duplexer.
 
Just my $.02

I just have to ask, why would you set up a repeater if you have no idea how to program it or how it works? I highly recommend reading my post here. https://forums.mygmrs.com/topic/1402-you-just-got-your-gmrs-license-now-you-want-your-own-repeater/

It was really a minor issue that I noted for other potential customers and I have already made my decision about doing business with them in the future.  Since at least one other reader found this information useful, I'd say It is you that is making the ado about nothing
 
EDIT: I might add, if you don't like my post: My post, my choice. You don't have to read it, or do business with me. And I didn't engage you in a discussion. You were not compelled to read it, or reply to it.

Of ourse I don’t. But, that was not my point. I do not think a simple business relationship gives someone the right to engage their customers in a religious discussion. BTW, I would feel the same even if I held the same religious views as them, which, for all you know, I might.

I just have to ask, why would you set up a repeater if you have no idea how to program it or how it works? I highly recommend reading my post here. https://forums.mygmrs.com/topic/1402-you-just-got-your-gmrs-license-now-you-want-your-own-repeater/

You are asking a lot for 150 bucks, quality components and engineering cost money. The small profit margin would require every GMRS license holder in the US to purchase several 150 dollar radios just to recover the engineering costs let alone the rest of the expense of bringing a product to market. Its simple economics and GMRS is to little of a market share to invest in.

I have seen 3 of these radios, one with this issue, the TX frequency was so far off the repeater ignored it. These radios seem to be hit and miss with quality and the components do not match from unit to unit.
 
Corey

I will limit my comments since @marcspaz has for the most part already said what I would have said.
 
Assuming, for discussion's sake, your assessment of GMRS and CB is correct, it seems the real issue is your expectations and understanding of the radio services available to hobbyists. By your own definition, if GMRS is for talking to people on the same license, and nobody in your area has that need, what is the issue? If you have that need, then go ahead and setup those on your license with appropriate equipment to meet that need. But, don't claim GMRS stinks just because others aren't using GMRS in your area. (With the caveat, as @marcspaz notes, that you do not have some equipment issues). BTW, even if there were GMRS users in your area with the desire to talk to people on the same license, what makes you think they would or should want to talk to you?
 
As for CB. Again assuming you are correct in stating the purpose of CB is to talk to people on different licenses, while CB has the ability to skip and allow communications over fairly large distances, it is generally intended for communications with others in the local vicinity and is particularly adapted for mobile communications. If you are in an area where there is no CB traffic, then that's just how it is. That is not, per-se, a problem, it is a fact.
 
But, there is another option: Amateur Radio. This service would seem to check all of your boxes - in particular, a very active community and lots of options to join in. Depending on your choice of equipment, you can communicate around the block or around the world. The technicians license is not at all hard to get, and would give you a wide range of local communications options. The general license is a bit harder, but would, literaly, open up the world to you.
 
My suggestion, stop bemoaning the way things are and asking the world to change and go find a way to change yourself (and maybe your expectations).

Please keep in mind, this is not meant to be belittling or to start an argument, but more to help you find something that will help with a hobby.
 
 
 
At one point, I was homeless.  I spent years on welfare with a young family.  I can relate to being tight on cash and don't look down on or judge people based on their income.  However and unfortunately, hobbies are for people with expendable cash and free time.   Your career options based on your degree and the state of the economy are not really relevant to that fact. We have to adjust our spare time and entertainment into what we can afford.  If getting $400 together is tough for you, I would recommend staying away from anything beyond an inexpensive radio that operates on a spectrum that is in use around you.
 
 
I have to disagree with a good portion of this.  Especially about the "purpose" of CB and GMRS.  Depending on what service you are talking about, the purpose is non-commercial exchange of messages, wireless experimentation, self-training, private recreation, "radio sport", contesting, and emergency communication.  Meaning, these services are provided for users to incorporate a common communications platform into your life and life activities, such as the aforementioned.
 
If lack of radio contact is truly your experience, its not the bands or the service you are using.  There is a very high likelihood that there are some significant flaws in your radio and/or antenna setup, and I will explain why.
 
I live in Virginia most of the year, but I own a home in Hollywood and have family all over all over Florida, including Jacksonville, Daytona, Fort Lauderdale, Miami, Winter Springs, Tampa, St. Pete, and Clearwater.  CB and amateur radio are alive and well.  I can't speak to GMRS yet, as I haven't been down there since I got my license, but I will be there to check on my house and visit family very soon... so we'll see.
 
In fact, CB is doing so well in Florida that, while I am in Virginia, West Virginia and Pennsylvania, I talk to guys all over Florida.  (one skip hop is about 1,200 miles)  When I am local, there is no shortage of people to chew the rag with while cruising down i-95, RT 301, i-4, etc.
 
My best recommendation would be to get online and join local clubs.  Find people who are close to you and are in the hobby.  This will give you a new group of friends with like interests and likely introduce you folks that are technically skilled and able to help you get the most out of your equipment.
 
Also, many radio clubs in and around each other have events that are like flea-markets, but its all two-way radio related.  You can find great deals on some equipment that will run fine.  I flip radios all the time because I get board with them or they don't have some feature I thought they did when I bought it.
 
Just my humble opinion.  Hopefully some of the things I mentioned will help you find the camaraderie with some local folks and help you enjoy the hobby.   

You are asking the same question that this entire topic is about, I have also provided an answer to your question and here it is again. Echolink is HAM, this is GMRS. Most of the HAM linking systems are based on Asterisk using the Allstar network. Asterisk is the same system that is being used to link GMRS repeaters using the network here at MyGMRS or one of the other GMRS networks that has been set up. Some allow simplex nodes some don't. The MyGMRS network is repeaters as they are more useful. I would suggest you go back an read whats already been posted as your question has been answered already. As well this forum has a topic dedicated to just this... Below is the link you could have found by reading my other post or simply using the forums search box at the top of the page. I don't mind helping or answering anybody's questions so long as you first attempt to find the information on your own. Answering the same questions over and over because people don't want to take the time to look is annoying and a big turnoff.
 
https://forums.mygmrs.com/topic/295-repeater-linking-discussion/

It's not just wanna-be repeater users either. I was running some tests with two of my radios today. Some guy got on and told me I needed to be "OFF HIS FREQUENCY" by 6:00 PM because him and his friends have a conversation every Monday through Friday starting at 6:00 PM on that frequency.
 
I was a hot second away from using a very poor selection of words to remind him that these are "public" airways and no one has priority unless there is emergency traffic and if the frequency was in use... he could just pick another one.
 
Best part... I listened in on the 6:00 PM convo... they are talking about what they like on their salad. What restaurants have the best salads and salad bars. Dude was going to be in such and such a place tomorrow and wanted to know if anyone know where he can get a good salad... especially with good ranch dressing.
 
Glad they consider a dinner salad priority traffic and tell others to get off "their" channel. Good grief.

As long as the duplexer covers that frequency range you can tune it any way you like. I have tuned a duplexer to work like a combiner for 2 transmitters. Works great as long as you include isolators in your design.

As long as the duplexer covers that frequency range you can tune it any way you like. I have tuned a duplexer to work like a combiner for 2 transmitters. Works great as long as you include isolators in your design.

In VERY general terms, more cavities = more isolation. Larger cavities generally have a better efficiency - ie: less loss through the duplexer for equivalent isolation achieved.
 
As Berkinet mentioned, the higher quality duplexers involve a combination of bandpass and reject technology. Lower cost "notch" style duplexers are usually limited to 65 to 75 dB of isolation between transmit & receive. Notch duplexers suffer in high power use, and they won't filter out other nearby transmitters very well (They are designed to only "notch out" the transmit frequency of the machine they're used on).
 
Good duplexers have high isolation, low loss, low noise, and can handle high power. They'll also use quality components, and will be built to handle large swings in temperature without de-tuning.

I build repeaters, tune duplexes, transmit combiners and I have no idea what you are trying to say here.... What?

Sounds like a kid I once heard say he put 7.5" pistons in his 6 cylinder Mustang engine to get higher compression for his supercharger... and now it runs 9 seconds in the quarter. I never laughed so hard in my life.

Well, since it is usually better to learn how to fish than to have to buy fish... Try starting with the Wikipedia. Another excellent source for repeater information is Repeater-Builder.com. Here is a page from them on duplexers.
 
But, to get you started... very basically, each cavity performs one of two functions. It either:
Filters out everything except a specific frequency (a notch filter) Filters out just a specific frequency (a band-pass filter) As you add more cavities (I.e. the more times you filter the signal) the effect of the filter becomes more pronounced. The low cost, so-called mobile, duplexers consist of only notch filters - 3 for receive, 3 for transmit. The transmit cavities (attempt to) filter out any signal other than the transmit frequency. The receive cavities do the opposite, filtering out everything except the receive frequency.  Adding a band-pass filter will boost the effectiveness of the duplexer. For example, a receive band-pass cavity would be turned to attenuate the transmit frequency.  Note that most high-end and commercial duplexers consist of both types of cavities.