SteveShannon

When the PL-259 and SO-239 connectors were first introduced, they were called UHF connectors, but now UHF runs from 300 MHz to 3000 MHz and the PL259 and SO-239 are not very good connectors for that high of frequency. The losses for almost everything in radio increase at higher frequencies. Some PL259 and SO239 connectors have a lot of insertion loss above 300 MHz. N connectors solve that problem. Unfortunately, almost every manufacturer sold in the US puts SO-239 connectors on their radios. Most manufacturers of UHF antennas make antennas with N connectors as well as SO239. It's a little confusing, but PL259 is the PLug and SO239 is the SOcket. The numbers came from the military. In an ideal world, GMRS radios would have N female connectors on their backplanes. Fortunately, Messi & Paloni (M&P) and probably Times Microwave (as Amphenol) have developed higher frequency SO239 and PL259 connectors that are supposed to be good for frequencies in excess of GMRS. I buy cables with connectors, but I have cut them to custom lengths. But to me this is a hobby and doiing things like this are enjoyable. DXEngineering will make up cables with whatever connectors you want to any length you want. The tools required for the Times Microwave are pretty pricey but you can get by with just a decent crimper and utility knife if you're very careful. M&P can be done with just a soldering iron and wrenches.

There are lots of different types of LMR cables and RG cables. Generally speaking larger diameter cables have less attenuation. Times Microwave makes the genuine LMR cables and for distances like yours LMR-400 is typically considered the minimum. There are several companies that manufacture cables that are very similar in quality to LMR-400 as well. Messi &Paloni is one I like. You probably want to steer clear of the knockoff brands from China, such as the KMR400. I haven’t tried it myself so I can’t definitively say it’s bad, but I also haven’t heard anyone brag about it. RG213 is good cable for the right application (lower frequencies and/or shorter distances). If you only had to go 20 feet the difference would not matter as much. But hang onto it. You always need a few jumpers.

Resistive losses in coax cable work in both directions.

It really does. Thank you!

I see. You’re right; i misunderstood the question and I agree that it’s probably the receive tone. @WSBC264 - I usually recommend leaving the receive tone empty at first. That way you receive everything. Once know your transmission is going through the repeater you can always put the receiver tone in.

So at 450 MHz RG213 loses 5.2 dB in 100 feet, so in 60 feet you’re losing a little more than 3.12 dB. That’s half of your power. That also affects your measurement of SWR if you’re measuring right at the radio because you truly are not measuring the power that reaches the antenna and the reflected power measurement is much lower than it truly is. Try temporarily shortening your cable and measure the SWR right at the antenna.

Disregard the following advice. I was wrong. 20 isn’t a repeater channel. 15-22 are simplex channels. 28 (or RP20 on some radios) is the repeater channel.

There’s no reason to spend a ton of money. 20 acres, if square, is 933.4 feet on each side and only 1320 diagonally. You should be able to do that with FRS or MURS handheld radios if the land is flat (and Gillette mostly is.)

20 acres is 1/32 square mile.

Or Old Milwaukee; I never even knew about Burgie. When I went to college the second time (having failed to graduate but succeeded in finding my perfect wife the first time around) we drank animal beer: Schmidt.

I feel so old! I can remember when we paid $5.65 for a case of beer.

Is it possible that your first sentence has an error?

I am assuming that you are running a ham radio type controller on the repeater. You’re right; it’s an older Yaesu DR-1, but I think I was wrong when I said the repeater would interrupt a transmission in order to ID. After thinking about it I think it waits until a person releases the PTT to ID. But I was correct in believing that a user cannot interrupt the ID while it’s being transmitted.

I don’t think you have a problem. You’re posting so you’re logged in. Your login name is GuitarMan44.

Ours is a Yaesu

On our repeater the ID has priority. If you’re talking when it has to ID it will interrupt. I’m surprised to hear that’s not standard.

Have you tried them? Do they do what you want? If yes, then you don’t have to upgrade. If no, then perhaps you either need to upgrade or change to a different service.

Might as well have been burn before reading.

Yeah, I got it wrong. I’ll edit my comment.

It’s much easier and less embarrassing to act cryptic rather than having the moral fortitude to admit his mistake and take his lumps.

What’s the difference whether the repeater is powered off or jammed? The end result is exactly the same. The only way to prevent it is to not have a repeater.

Good eye!

It doesn’t matter that one is DCS and the other is CTCSS. In either case squelch is opened up and audio from any present signal is reproduced.

Good job! Thanks for letting us know.

One of them needs to change frequencies. Are the other seven repeater pairs occupied?