WRVD377

To give you my exact test: 1 handheld in my front living room at a window to an identical handheld in my truck. In town Midwest smaller town. 1.3 miles was my max. Same handhelds with Retevis RT97 antenna 20 - 25' agl, 2.25 miles max. I did not retry after I went from 5.79W @ 25' and 6.5dB antenna to 25.6 W @ 37' and 11.9dBi (-2.15 ish for dB). In my case, such that it is with lots of obstacles. 6 foot above ground to 25' above ground only netted me 1 mile more range with same 5W handheld with +19 feet repeater antenna. Now if both handhelds were 2.25 miles on opposite sides you could have 4.5 miles of possible total range vs 1.3 miles. All I learned was my power output had little effect compared to my antenna height for getting range.

Would it be easier to put a tower in town with the repeater to cover the town? Like a 40' push up mast. Then link it to a repeater elsewhere via the node linking if outside of town was needed.

I saw while reading cable pin outs on my RIm-Maxtrac and the RIM lite v2, of which, I am not sure any of that would need changed, when buying it for a known Radio setup. I suspect the USB output is already setup to be understood as a common sound device. Have not messed with that yet. Then I read the build here is on the Debian-stretch armv71 platform. First, I have to figure out how to test my node without being on the Midwest region. I may just get a RT97s and Rim lite v2 and put them in the shed 30' away from other repeater and 10' lower on solar power and see if I can get a node for it and link them to do my testing. Or wait for the other person in the area to put up his and help him get it running and attempt to link them.

I see allstarlink has a couple variants, this is why I asked if another hardware platform could be done: x86/amd, debian-strecth os. Which I see some Arm based hardware also support. Keep in mind I know that is a lot of work too. Thus, I would be a gunnie-pig if needed.

Nice link!

Oh, I get the extra work, thus why I would suggest one of each hardware platform, likely one a Linux known version and the one on Pi Arm version. Not sure the GPIO pin out on the USB style linking cables, guess I would need to read up on that and so I will try to read about that. I am not worried about me, I have a few more Pi 3's sitting around.

Only reason I am asking is because I have had 3 - Pi 4 on Backorder since October 2022, Last time I asked for another update was Jan, 2023 and was told they don't have a clue and the supplier can't tell them. The was Newark. Mouser has none also. I know the Pi 4 is not listed as ready for mygmrs, but they could free up my Pi 3 devices. But if the supply chain is this horrible, is it better to look at x86 low end devices that maybe an image could be made for one.

Any chance the Pi devices could be ported over to other devices that can be bought? Just an example, not suggesting this should be the device. wo-we Mini PC with AMD Excavator A9-9400 up to 3.2GHz, Radeon R5 Serie wo-we Mini PC with AMD Excavator A9-9400 up to 3.2GHz, Radeon R5 Series Supports 4K@30Hz HD Dual Display, 8G DDR4 128G M.2 NVME SSD,2* HDMI 2.0,Dual Band WiFi, Gigabit Ethernet, USB 3.1 - Newegg.com Amazon.com: Libre Computer Board ROC-RK3328-CC (Renegade) Mini Computer with Gigabit Ethernet and USB 3.0 (4GB) : Electronics

I know I am impatient and a pain. From a technical standpoint do we have a test node for new installs to test how things work? Guess I should add more detail. For those of us with no Allstar, app_rpt, Viop, ect background and having read what we can in forums and web sites, it leaves a few holes. So as some examples: "Not intended to bash anyone here." I can download and deploy a Pi image though many don't even know what your talking about. If they make this step or the preconfigured SD card, the next step is connecting to what? Directly to a hub even when most non ham allstar background people barely get past making a Pi work. So that leaves conversations about forums that say you may need to tune audio if you get this far. Ok great for an allstar / app_rpt person. Not great for most others. For me now, I have a node and thanks Rich. However, due to my IT background I would rather have a non-hub (regional live link) more a test region. Then with commands I found in forums that were wrong before they were right, I think. May have mess up the link to a hub. I like alot the direction to make the RT97s with all the right up front parts to fully deploy a repeater to get people into a very simplistic newbie deploy. But could they also have a test region (global) hub and node(s) in that config? For learning how it works before diving hard into a live hub? If they can even find the commands (like me)? Could maybe some of us premium members be connected to a test node and region to help newbies with no background in Linux and allstar, maybe only for a preconfigured set of devices? Does anyone see my point? Thanks, Royce

Rpt.conf - AllStarLink Wiki If it is the PI doing it, is this the file and settings your looking for? I am not connected yet so I can't test myself. I have a RT97 not an s. so I can't see the setup. And a Motorola GR1225, which before attempting to link up had its own setting.

I think a junior premium, and a premium seems like a good idea. no ads, or limited. Top account Access to static data to better help setup stuff and help others. So meaning something along the line of, top account sees docs on predefined setup for nodes, independent nodes details that help get people going to get a location talking to each other even if they are not on the full net. Like my work I don't care about badges or shiny trinkets. Seems to me the more we can get areas connected even if only local to start the more we could then attempt to place more hard core nodes on the net. I may be wrong there, but here I have a repeater and 7 people that followed the sites rules and 1 that did not. I am currently the only one with a posted repeater that is absolutely in the wrong place. I am willing to make it so we can get more people, but clearly it is not the best option. Thus why I talk about how can we local link and drive more interest if that is possible. I know of 3 others that want to put up repeaters.

Understood. My day job is IT also, and don't want to talk about it or the burn out from it either. I did try to buy things from the store but not available. Sorry I went direct for my GR1225 link cable, which I should have this week. I did make a Pi 3 from one of your other posts, but I could not buy that either from the store or I would have. So I am kind of in a little mess, getting my repeater online on the net as I am having to do it piece meal with IT background. To be fair, remove this from the site and message me direct, if you find it appropriate. Just letting you know what I am doing to bring my unit online in an area that is not on the grid. No bad intent here. Thank you, Royce

Hello Rich, I never knew this is a one person operation. Now that I know that I am glad I am a supporting member as I can't imagine how hard it is to keep up with all the questions, updates, upgrades and just keeping things running. I am thankful for the work you have been doing. I too would volunteer to help when I can, if I can. I guess I would need to know what you need help with. It would have to be things that do not require a work like schedule. But I could figure out days or times I could work on stuff. Again thank you, Royce

I think I see some of my confusion. One vendor shows elevation pattern the other shows Azimuth. So thanks for the writing everyone has done such that I finally caught that. GP-6NC: Is my red line correct for how they word where the antenna is? DB404: Did I assume correctly on antenna placement for two types of deployment methods? If I got those correct, then does the length of either type antenna change much of anything. GP-6NC is 10', DB404 is 5'.

I have a RT97 that for sure does not have CWID. My Motorola GR1225 on the other hand does have it built in but morse code style. If you wanted another model to compare. From the store sound like one can link it to the mygrms net, if one can get the parts.

Thanks. Looks like it had just enough bits/sec to upload it. As always, the video is humorous and to the point of the things that most people observe. Nice point on cross compare, possible missing points for some and differences. Glad you had the facts on where it was built, certainly better than the guessing. Though specs to some degree matched quite well when one reads the manuals or available data. Anyhow thanks for your efforts and simplicity it has been why I kept looking into GMRS, setting up a repeater and reading till I can't stand it.

My meaning was it looks a lot like a RT97s, oddly. I wonder if that is who is making it for them? Interesting cable and antenna when one reads the specs and owners manual. Will be interesting to see a review of it compared to RT97 / RT97s.

Repeater Tagged "Repeater" (midlandusa.com) Midland repeater: MXR10 Looks like something we have seen before.

I think I read somewhere that a person can put one antenna higher than the other in order to make that work and not get the desence. Again I am not an expert but I did find video about it in all my reading. That person claimed vertical separation rather than horizontal less feet and was not specifically about GRMS. Antenna Isolation (commscope.com) Isolation between the repeater receiver and RF sources (repeater-builder.com) Site noted in video. Anyone correct me on this area as needed.

Hi Terry, Even if you look at a Bridgecom, when I asked, the answer is no also. But I have a thought the others can beat me down about. What if you placed 2 antennas, and 2 repeaters and both ends of the freq range and diff PL's far enough apart? As the Retivis Is sealed does it matter where mounted other than power source / lightning? Does that not fix the issue at a less cost than a towers monthly cost?

Nice to have many of you folks to answer. When I asked, it was mostly related to my fish bowl issue. Is dipole from a hole or typical single pole "omni" ground plane 5', 10', 16' better do to the way it sends out the signal. I am not sure, but overall if you don't have altitude, seams range is better with single pole omni, again I don't know.

On a like question, You know how many antennas give you a radiated emissions pattern. E-plane some call it. Is there an easy way to determine how to mount it to point the best pattern the direction you want. Meaning an Optek, if I read it right likely am not, appears to have a pattern that is best 180 degrees from each other, but from what mount point or mark on the hardware. My old Microwave days was easy, it was two hands, 1 vertical and 1 horizontal, and an ohm meter till you had them aligned. Spread your finger out both planes and hit them both from both sides 1 mile apart. Round dishish shape antenna, easy to know which way radiation was going.

Thank you

Since I have little to no knowledge of what is best for a repeater. I initially used what I could find that was "gmrs tuned". Optek UH-2401. Now after many forums search's I find that maybe a Dipole might be better. If a person tried to look for the best universal direction output, best gain, and working on antenna altitude, but may not be able to fix that much. Are my assumptions from my reading even close to reasonable? If I had the money, ASP705K might be the best answer. DB420-B May be next best. DB408-B Then this. DB404-B Then this. Compared to the radiated energy of a Optek UH-2401 like antennas. Am I missing ground plane / grounding complications? Other things I am too stupid to know? Keep in mind altitude is not an option more that 20'9" change to 33'2" mast. Hills North and South. My assumption is DB404-B in elliptical layout should be better than Optek UH-2401 like antennas. Is this reasonable understanding? Thank you, Royce