WRUR259

Nice little radio.

That is pretty cool.

Thank you. In a perfect world, you are correct. However, FRS HT’s can’t do offsets - at least none I know of.

Yes, TYT has a nice mobile unit capable of cross banding as well. The whole purpose for two radios was to give a single band user a single band experience using typical offsets - ie UHF in, UHF out. The VHF only acts as a bridge between the two or the “connecting cable”. However, this bridge has a mountain of potential, using offsets as well it can link repeaters. Crap, I was supposed to be done here. It just consumes me going when my head starts building something.

Yes, and as Sshannon pointed out, this concept belongs in ham where one can use the lower frequencies in the 70cm and 2m bands so this horse is already dead. I had already considered the potential ramifications and possible solutions for a “mixed bag” of canned frequencies that were going to be addressed later in the thread, along with linking independent repeaters but at this stage, it’s all moot. I’m absolutely sure that many hams are already doing what I envision, but I dreamed it up myself and I realize that the best path forward for me is to get my ham license. Thanks for your input, and please have a blessed day.

Well, they could. However I do appreciate the concerns you have brought to light in such a diplomatic fashion. You sir, are a shining example to us all and your statement is worthy of consideration. With that, I will end my input on this subject and I appreciate you kindly pointing out to me the error of my ways. This was intended to be a thinking exercise, but I see now see how it can be interpreted. You have a wonderful day.

Thank you for your engagement. Hope you’re doing well!

The receiving radio will be set to low power, as the only transmission taking place from this radio will be a low powered MURS signal in the VHF band the 20 feet or so to the transmitting radio upon receiving the 467.xxx signal. The transmitting radio will then receive the VHF signal and send it out on the UHF band on the corresponding 462.xxx channel. This channel could be set on high power, or could be routed through a UHF amplifier like the Btech unit for an even higher output - up to 50 watts! Even setting an HT such as the UV-25D to high power without the amplifier could yield and output of 18-20 watts. This is a relatively inexpensive portable option that can be deployed with ease, but it can be improved.

Hi tep182. Welcome to the thread. I hope you’re doing well.

I just started a thread on this concept if you want to check it out. It might make for interesting conversation.

Disclaimer: I know, I know “not approved equipment blah blah blah”. This is a concept, so any keyboard Karens out there can keep it to themselves. We’re not children here and we don’t need to be preached to by your highness. So to begin, a simple repeater would of course have to be based on two radios able to match the same frequencies. To keep costs down, and to not have to worry about desensing, insertion loss, or multiple antennas in a limited space, these radios would have to be placed apart. Far apart. Like 20, 30 or even 50 feet apart. One HT of coarse will be the receiving unit, the other will be the transmitting unit. The interface between the two radios I will dub the “MURS bridge”. This bridge is where that added functionality will come from, but more on that later.

I’m a tinkerer. I have a curse that had always kept me digging deeper once an interest infected me. I was like this with PCs, then Linux, solar, now radios. I love to conceptualize and figure out how to get the most performance out of bare necessities. I’m new to GMRS, thanks to the many entertaining videos posted by Notarubicon (Props dude, I’m a huge fan). So on with the concept. In the event of SHTF or total disbandment of a certain three letter government agency, wouldn’t it be nice to be able to reach out farther over the air using a relatively high powered repeater that you didn’t have to sink $1000 into? The technology is readily available. I’m referring to HT’s with cross band repeater capabilities. These little gems are awesome with features that will align them with some mobile rigs. The Leixen UV-25D is fine example of such an HT. It will cross band from UHF to VHF, VHF to UHF, or both ways. The flexibility here is unbelievable, and radios such as these or the TYT UV-8000 series of radios being the foundation of such a repeater would bring features to a repeater that simply don’t exist in even high end setups. I intend on outlining how this setup would work, be implemented, go over the strengths and weakness I think such a system may have, and touch on added features that would come from such a setup in posts to follow. I welcome any feedback, positive or negative along the way. Ideas are strongly encouraged as this is how we all learn.

Disclaimer: I want to start off by stating on the record that the concepts I want to put forth are for entertainment and information only. I do not advocate for using any equipment mentioned in the following post(s), nor do I advocate for using said equipment in any mentioned manner. Therefore, if any individual builds such a setup and runs it, I will not be responsible for any repercussions brought to said aforementioned individual in the event the black coats show up to said individual’s residence to seize said equipment or to haul said individual’s ass off to the pokey. With that being said, on with the show.

Hence, I don’t advocate for it. However, theoretically one could use the cross band repeat function on one radio to receive GMRS high, then transmit say, a low powered MURS signal to the other radio (cross banding as well) which would in turn transmit a higher powered GMRS low output. Not saying it’s kosher, just relatively cheap and effective. Can be done for under $300 with higher output. Again, I do not advocate for running this type of setup.

Two Leixen UV-25D’s in ammo cans with cheap UT-72 antennas 40+ feet apart could work pretty well for a lower cost portable solution. Set everything to low power but the final output, which pushes close to 20 watts. Not that I would advocate such a thing.