MarkInTampa

There is ship traffic that causes occasional interference on the Tampa 575 repeater. It has a alternate input of 467.725 as well as the primary input of 467.575. The primary input (467.575) is part of the ITU standard for UHF vessel communications and the repeater overlooks the port of Tampa. The ship traffic doesn't key the repeater but does mix in with normal GMRS traffic so they shut down the primary input if it becomes a problem. FYI - ITU UHF standards for vessel communication coexists with two GMRS repeater inputs, 467.550 and 467.575 as well as GMRS channel 8 (467.5625)

You would think so... Repeater A has been around for 5+ years and is the dominate repeater in its area. Repeater B popped up about a year ago and almost instantly I notified the owner about the issue (within a day or two of it going up) and asked if could change the tone and he never responded. I tried to be a good trooper but if I accidently hit his repeater (and the repeaters networked to it) when using repeater A there isn't much I can do about it. I sent a link to the repeater A owner of repeater B's linked status page so if there is interference on their repeater they can at least see if it's a user of repeater B doing it. It doesn't happen often, the band has to be open just a bit then it becomes a bit of a problem or confusion to users on both repeaters. Folks on one of the repeaters or the other are hearing just one side of the conversation and wondering what's going on and from where I sit I hear both.

I sit between two repeaters on the same tone and frequency. 35 miles from repeater A, 25 miles from repeater B and the repeaters are around 60 miles from each other. Repeater A is up 400ft and hits me full scale. Repeater B is up around 50ft and is fully readable but just above the noise floor and is networked with far more (but very little local) traffic. They are far enough from each other that most of the time there is no issue except when you get folks trying to use one or the other when operating between them (like myself) or there is even a slight band opening. I do get a bit of heterodyning most of the time on repeater A on receive if repeater B is transmitting but not to bad. I have to bring up the system status page of repeater B on the web and drop my power to 5 watts to verify that I'm not keying it at the same time, 50 watts and I will. If there is a REALLY strong band opening I have talked on up 4 repeaters on the same frequency and tone with one being 160 miles away as long as nobody is using the other 3. Gotta love 141.3 and 4 squelch tails! There is somebody local out here that is running a encrypted DMR repeater on 462.700. It's driven at least 3 GMRS repeaters off that frequency because of interference. Its been reported by quite a few folks to the FCC but nothing has been done in the 1.5+ years its been on the air. Oh well, just subtract one frequency from being used, not much you can do about it. The City of Tampa also has a grandfathered GMRS repeater on 462.625 that ID's every 10 minutes but in two years I've yet to hear anybody actually use it. Its CTCSS decoder has been screwed up for years, it will repeat on the wrong tone (or any tone) one or two times (mostly at the beginning of a transmission) and then behave by not repeating on the wrong tone. It's also driven a few local repeaters from using that frequency. Subtract another frequency from being used.

I'll usually listen to the net with my 2nd VFO listening to the input frequency of the repeater. I'm 35 miles west of the repeater and find it interesting to see who I can hear on the input. If I can hear them I could probably talk simplex with them. For grins, I mapped out the check in's of one of last months net by callsign...

One of the local GMRS repeaters out here run a SkyWarn (storm spotter thing) every Tuesday. They run the same basic preamble that WRYZ926 posted, something like "This net is to test our equipment incase of an actual emergency. All licensed GMRS users are encouraged to check into the net, if you are SkyWarned trained or a CERT member please let us know your info when checking in". There are usually 25-35 folks that check in per week. It's actually a pretty good turnout for a stand alone repeater I think. A lot of the 2 meter nets have less check in's.

From the admin of GMRSLive posted today....

The squelch tail is set by going to "Common", select "Timer" and adjust "Repeat Hang On Time". Default is 2 seconds I think. The tail beep is set on the main screen channel setup under the option "Court Blip" (short for Courtesy Blip). It can be on or off for each channel. Here is a link to the manual if you don't already have it... https://www.motorolasolutions.com/content/dam/msi/docs/vertex-standard/manuals/vxr-7000/VXR-7000_OM_ENG_EU_E13671108.pdf

It should be opposite - TX on 462.625 and RX on 467.625 Also click on "Help" then the "Index" tab - Help in most older software it doesn't work but in CE27 it still does. It give a brief definition of almost all the settings.

I never used the icons to upload or download from the radio, read they were revered and others said it wasn't. I clicked on "Radio" on the top of the screen and "Upload" to send to the radio or "Download" to get the config from the repeater. Easy way to tell, by default when opening CE27 it opens in VHF band mode (at least mine does) and switches automatically to UHF band after reading the radio config.

Another one down....

The may be a stupid question, but.... The FCC page show that linking repeaters is not allowed but what about linking two or more base (fixed) stations that in turn key up a repeater? The repeater wouldn't be linked but the fixed station would be.

The FCC changed the GMRS operations page last week. Now shows this.....(https://www.fcc.gov/wireless/bureau-divisions/mobility-division/general-mobile-radio-service-gmrs#:~:text=You must cooperate in the,or through a repeater station)

What's even worse if you have folks kerchunking a repeater that is part of a networked system. They are not kerchunking one repeater but 5, 10 or however many may be part of the network. And if a remote repeater has a kerchunker they can affect a repeater in another state. I've got repeater input frequencies in scan mode on one VFO and the output frequencies in scan on the other VFO. I can set my clock by by a local kerchucker that keys every local repeater (and one networked) at 7:30am and I hear him key on both input and output. Guess he just wants to make sure he can hit the repeaters.

One more thing I can think of to at least try... Test to make sure the repeater is actually receiving and saving the data from the CPS. Since the repeater doesn't show frequency, just the channel number, the simplest way I can think to do that is to double click on channel 2 and it will turn grey (disabled) and save the config to the repeater. Then change the channel on the repeater and it should skip 2, if it doesn't it's probably not saving correctly to the repeater. Other than that - no idea

Since you can receive the repeater at 440.000 but the CPS shows 462.675, what happens if you add a channel on 439.xxx and another on 441.xxx just for testing? Does the repeater transmit on the programmed frequency then (440 being a upper limit maybe)? Weird problem, can't think of anything else.

If I had to guess, you have the wrong version of the repeater for GMRS or the frequency limits are set incorrectly. Try binging up the software in manufacture mode with the "-m" option instead of "-d" and read the radio configuration. The Windows shortcut target should be something like "C:\Vertex Standard\CE27 for Windows\CE27Win.exe" -m". The -m option will require the manufacture password, it is "ansho-bango". Once you read the config of the radio, go to "Common" on the top of the screen and then "TX Adjustment". Be VERY careful here and don't adjust anything, check to see what the highest Tx Frequency is set at. If it's below GMRS frequencies it's probably the wrong version of the repeater.

I don't think it's normal, but don't know for sure. I got my VXR-7000 really cheap ($100), set it up without a duplexer and tested it with a antenna on the output and no antenna on the input, it worked fine and I donated it to a local group that could use it.

Remove the duplexer, connect the antenna (or dummy load if you have one, you don't want to transmit without a antenna or dummy load or you can damage the transmitter) to the TX antenna jack on the repeater and try keying it with a HT with no antenna on the RX antenna jack within a few feet of the repeater. If it works, you have a problem with the duplexer or its connected backwards. If it still doesn't get RX, I'd think something is wrong with the repeater or your configuration.

I sent you a copy of a VXR-7000 config file I did to your email. Let me know if it didn't go through. Make sure you save a copy of the original config file on your computer just in case.

Pull the config with the software.

I've been getting more spam calls now than ever. The FCC supposedly cracked down on bogus caller-id but it's worse than ever. I looked up the FCC commissioner in charge of scam calls and found his home address. When I get another scam call from "American Solar", would it be illegal for me to setup a meeting under his name and address?

Most all Kenwood (or for that matter almost every commercial radio) software uses Windows, and some even use DOS. A Chromebook isn't gonna cut it. I use a HP Probook i5 that shipped with Windows 10 Pro and most importantly it has a built in 9 pin serial port that can be used with DosBox for old radios, a DVD drive for older software but is new enough (i5 processor) to run Windows 11 if you want. They can be had for around $100 on eBay or FB Marketplace.

eBay? Somebody is selling the CPS software with v1.06.01 firmware included for $25. https://www.ebay.com/itm/145634585726

It looks like the future of GMRSLive is up in the air. Not due to FCC but for other reasons. Change of Operations 7/24/24 – 9:30am We are turning 4 Years Old and with nearly 800 nodes connected I’m pretty much getting out of the radio hobby. It is supposed to be fun which it hasn’t been for a long time. I stopped using Amateur Radio because of the ‘Sad Hams’. To many people thinking they are better then everyone else. I found GMRS and it was fun. Not the crappy CB radio but good people to talk to and have a light hearted conversation. But.. To many people ruin the hobby. Some try to put digital some think they need to improve the network by adding everything from Zello to their toaster. They think they need to link it to everything. They think it is there job to add stuff so others can join, but those people could just join themselves. Why can’t they just get on the air and talk to people like it was designed to do? Why do they need to change things? GMRS is not for ‘Emergency Ops’! There are plenty of better ways to support that. If you can use GMRS to talk to friends and loved ones in a emergency that is great but you shouldn’t plan your life around it. I tried to protect the system and make it so everyone could enjoy it and would be safe for any age group. So you would know who was on. Those days are gone. I took so much grief from people over the few little rules we had. When the network started there were really no rules. Just have fun and enjoy. Then came the people that wanted to change things. They wanted what they wanted and screw everyone else. We allowed Zello in the beginning and even hosted a Zello link. It was a great tool along with IAX for people out of range of their normal connection to still be apart of the network. But then the SAD GMRS groups came along and started creating huge network groups on Zello that were not even members of the network. Has anyone else noticed Zello is mainly a bunch of people wanting to talk just like CB but don’t want to get a radio. It got so bad with the interference and not known whom was doing what we had to stop it. Why couldn’t they just use it as a tool for themselves and other users. Oh what a bunch of crying from a few. One person even told me they were ‘Required’ to have a Zello link for EOC operations. Huh??? But the users that had Zello and was using it in a positive manor didn’t see how others were using it. How do you stop one and let another? That is just on type of thing I had to put up with while Volunteering my time. The network became like Farmville on Facebook. First thing I did every morning was check to see if all was ok. I’d check multiple times daily, then before bed. For years it has it has consumed me. Pretty much dropping what I was doing to help someone with a problem. That is why I am stepping away from radio. I may use it every now and then but I’m going to find a different hobby and spend more time with the family. Maybe something to do with programing and doing computer stuff. I have enjoyed learning the C language. To accomplish this and keep the network running I have to change a few things… No more Banned list of users. If they have a GMRS License they can have node numbers. Anyone currently on the band list will be cleared and they can join. Changed my mind. Screw the people that didn’t want to play nice to start with. No more general support. The support email and contact will be for account issues and registration issues ONLY (like name changes and ports…). All other will not be addressed or returned. When we first started we had to help a lot of users that were new because there was nowhere else for them to go. Now there are plenty of talented people on our Facebook Group that can help. The network is self policing. You police your own nodes and or HUBs. If someone connects to you and does something you don’t like tell them or bounce them. You always have the option to Blacklist them. You connect and do as you wish with your own node. If you connect your toaster to it and it screws things up well it is your fault. If you connect something that isn’t working correct and you want to connect to someone else have at it, but be ready for that person to bounce you and block you. Yes you read right, Put Zello, DvSwitch or anything else you want online. I am not going to spend my time hunting anything down anymore. For those many people that have made this network what it is today I say Thank You . This is going to make more work for you but I’m sure you can keep things under control on your stuff. I am truly sorry a few have ruined it for the others. Life is just to short for me to be miserable anymore. But it was never an option to just shut it down completely. In the last four years the network has grown. For the first few years we ate the total cost. People asked to help with the cost and we always turned them down. Then with retirement in the future and the network getting bigger we allowed donation. We never requested them, and this is NOT a request now. The network is fine. If things ever come to it not supporting itself then we will simply turn it off. This is not and never has been a money making venture. Look around we have no paid advertising. We don’t ask for a thing. We don’t sell anything. No links to anything to make money. Look at other pages, many with affiliate links. Stores to sell stuff. Try to sell parts. Anything to make money. We just wanted the best network for others to enjoy. Don’t even think I’m giving up. I haven’t been beat. I’m just bored and want something else to do with my time. – Tony

The latest (last) version of the software is CE27 for Windows. It runs just fine on Windows 10 64bit (my programming PC). I got my programming cable from BlueMax49ers for $20 and it worked fine. There are a few tricks setting up the repeater such as how to get into maintenance mode to change the CWID and how to run wide band, do a search on these forums and you should get a pretty good idea on what to do.