SteveShannon

I second the suggestion by WRQC527. Removing the receive tone allows you to receive everything transmitted by the repeater on that frequency and is a great way to diagnose whether you have the correct receive tone programmed. If you remove the receive DCS/DTCS/DPL Code and suddenly can hear the repeater then either the tone was wrong or the polarity was wrong. You said you can hit the repeater. Do you mean that others hear you re-transmitted by the repeater? If so then you’ve already done well.

I’m just trying to understand, not argue, but I’m aware it could feel like I’m arguing. I feel like I’m just not getting it. If the duplexer on my RT97 prevents the integral transmitter (at 467 MHz) of the RT97 from affecting the integral receiver tuned to 462 MHz, why wouldn’t it prevent the transmitter from one RT97 (at 467 MHz) from affecting the receiver (tunes to 462 MHz) in another repeater, which is further away? Or are you talking about the transmitted signals adding together to form a different signal? That I could see.

But do you need the isolation that comes from vertical separation if you have duplexers on each of the two repeaters and a diplexer where they join to the antenna feedline? I guess I could believe that transmitting on both repeaters at once into a single antenna would cause each other interference.

No, that would not have allowed you to use the repeater at the same time as others. DCS works like CTCSS, but as far as I know you cannot use it simultaneously with CTCSS. It’s simply a digital alternative. You have to select which you want to use. If you’re using DCS to talk to your friend, you won’t be able If you have CTCSS set to get into the repeater. Also, just like CTCSS, anybody who doesn’t have a DCS code set will hear everything transmitted with a DCS Code.

I’m wondering if you even need two antennas. You would already have duplexers on both repeaters; maybe you can combine the feedline from the duplexers with a diplexer.

Those Cable TV enclosures are available to everyone! The real test will be what's on the inside.

It’s simply not possible to avoid a loop with two full duplex repeaters which communicate with each other, regardless of which frequencies they are on. Rpt 1 receives on B and simultaneously transmits on A, Rpt 2 receives on A and simultaneously transmits on B, where it’s received by Rpt 1 and retransmitted on A. It can only be done if one end breaks the loop by not simultaneously transmitting on the frequency that goes back to a full duplex repeater. EDITED: I’m mischaracterizing the problem The true problem is not that it’s simultaneously transmitting. The true problem is that everything each repeater receives is re-transmitted. Introducing a delay will simply make it sound like an echo. The solution must be to retransmit to the handheld in such a way that it’s not “repeated”. That’s why the back to back audio signal solution I described should work.The radio that communicates to the handheld is incapable of simultaneously receiving and transmitting radio signals.

If de-sensing was the problem, he wouldn't be able to use the repeater from his KG805, would he? He's only having problems with his friends trying to use his repeater.

Well, I wasn't sure. He says receive on either 462 or 467 and transmit on 467 and I thought he was describing the frequencies of what he calls a cross-channel repeater.

That’s what I described in the post I’ve quoted below from the first page. However, regulations require that the frequency on your second line be in the 462 MHz channels, not 467. 467 is only for transmitting to a repeater (for purposes of communicating through the repeater) or limited testing.

One thing to keep in mind is that any benefit derived from the lower frequencies of MURS apply equally to 2meter VHF. The only advantage MURS has is license free operation. Of course I still want a MURS handheld ?

First, make sure the box named SPECIAL DCS say STANDARD DCS. Then, in the drop down box for CTCSS/DCS ENCODE, scroll down past the numeric values until you get to the ones that start with D. Scroll until D654N appears. Select it, then OK.

It does. But it must be understood. If WRTZ750 is hoping for something that prevents overhearing messages (rather than simply not being interrupted) tones aren’t the solution.

Look on the internet for local clubs.

There are more than one listings above. I posted one on 12/3 that was correct for one radio, but would be wrong for another. It’s completely up to you to order the antenna that matches your radio.

And if you didn’t program in a receiver tone at all, you would hear everything transmitted by either group.

No. It’s configured with one set of frequencies.

Nope, you got it right. Some radios have a male center pin SMA connector (mostly the less expensive ones) and some have the a female connector on the radio. You must get the antenna that mates with the radio.

Yes; you're understanding it correctly. For most purposes you probably wouldn't want something like that (and those are pretty idealized images anyway). It's just like a light bulb. If you just put a bulb on top of a pole with no reflector and no focusing, it's a small speck of light, but if you add a reflector you get brighter light (gain) in one direction at the cost of less light (or even no light) in other directions. That's what a parabolic antenna might do, but that's the kind of antenna that's only useful for certain applications, such as fixed point to fixed point communications. Most of us want something with a lot less directionality. Many repeater antennas or mobile antennas radiate a pattern that's like a flattened ball, wide outward horizontally, but with less gain vertically (both up and down).

You can vote an answer up or down along the left hand side, but that's the only way I know. I'm just glad it helped. Yes, you can have areas near tall towers with high gain antennas that are dead-zones. Some antennas even have an RF downward tilt to minimize that area. One way to do that is with slightly out of phase antennas in a colinear array. They're pretty fascinating. The harness running to the antennas has very slightly different lengths of feedline to create a delay to some of the antennas in the array, causing a downward shift in the radiated pattern. Fortunately, the manufacturer does all the math. Steve

Somethings to keep in mind is that height above ground of an antenna has a huge effect on gain. Although gain patterns look pretty regular; gain is not. It can look like tendrils emanating in all kinds of directions. Here's an idealized picture from https://www.netxl.com/blog/networking/antenna-gain/: But here is a pattern generated from EZNec, an antenna simulation tool:

You bet. Did it answer your questions?

One thing that can really trip up an application is to load the software or plug in the interface cable before loading the factory software. If W10 thinks it knows what driver to use that can prevent the correct driver from being recognized. If that happens you frequently need to completely unload the software and delete the device from Device Manager and start over. Edited to add: The communications cable is the most important element. It must be working correctly or the CSP software has no chance of working. Installing the device driver for the cable will typically do two things: Create a device under the list of USB devices. The driver software installation instructions usually reveal what the name of the USB device will be. If you don't see that device in Device Manager, you need to stop and figure out why. Each step is crucial to the next. Then, a virtual com port will usually be created (not always, but if your software expects a com port, the virtual com port must be created first!!!) This will appear in Device Manager whenever the cable is plugged in and disappear whenever the cable is unplugged. It might not be numbered the same each time!!!! Only if the correct device appears under the USB devices AND the com port correctly appears should you start the software. If the virtual com port hasn't been created you will not see it when you go to select the com port in the software.

Theoretically radio waves would be radiated from a single point at exactly the same strength in all directions, forming a perfect sphere. That’s unity gain, or no real gain. However, in real life that sphere may take on other shapes, with more strength in a specific direction, or flattened at the top or bottom. But there’s just as much RF energy being emitted, so just like a water balloon, if you flatten it, the circumference becomes larger. That’s said to be gain in that direction. When there is gain in a direction, other directions suffer. Those may be directions that don’t matter. For instance, directly above or below the tower. The size and shape can be simulated using antenna simulation software or it may be estimated using past experience or it may be measured using a field strength meter. Most commercial antennas have some kind of published information.

I would expect it to do 15-22. He specifically mentioned 16 and 20 because you said those were the most utilized in your area.