Base station cannot use repeaters

[UncleYoda]

The omission of base station from the allowed types for 467 MHz main channels is not an oversight, it's policy.  Not what we would like but that's how it is.

The Licensing Division advises that this is not an oversight. Repeaters (or mobile relay stations) by definition extend the communication range of mobile and handheld units.

And folks, that means thousands of users are breaking the rule, despite how they try to rationalize it.

[marcspaz]

I have tried to explain this before, at least the way I understand it... the station type is defined by its use.  This is why you never ask cops for advice.  You need to consult lawyers and judges.

 

The rule very specifically says that a base station is a station at a fixed location that communicates directly with mobile stations and other base stations.  Therefore, the act of using a station to communicate through a repeater changes the 'station type' to a Control station.   A Control station is a station at a fixed location that communicates with mobile stations and other control stations through repeater stations, and may also be used to control the operation of repeater stations.

 

So, using a radio at your home to communicate through a repeater is not a rule violation.

 

The only defined hardware type is a Mobile radio, with handheld radios being a sub-type, with the definitions as follows:

Mobile station.   A station, intended to be used while in motion or during halts at unspecified locations, that communicates directly with base stations and other mobile stations, and with control stations and other mobile stations through repeater stations.

Hand-held portable unit.   A physically small mobile station that can be operated while being held in the operator's hand.

 

 

All other references are to station types, which are defined by how they are used... for example:

Base station.   A station at a fixed location that communicates directly with mobile stations and other base stations.

Control station.   A station at a fixed location that communicates with mobile stations and other control stations through repeater stations, and may also be used to control the operation of repeater stations.

Fixed station.   A station at a fixed location that directly communicates with other fixed stations only.

Personal Radio Services station.   Any transmitter, with or without an incorporated antenna or receiver, which is certified by the FCC to be operated in one or more of the Personal Radio Services.

Repeater station.   A station in a fixed location used to extend the communications range of mobile stations, hand-held portable units and control stations by receiving their signals on one channel (the input channel) and simultaneously retransmitting these signals on another channel (the output channel), typically with higher transmitting power from a favorable antenna location (typically high above the surrounding terrain).

 

 

You will notice that even a repeater is defined by the job it does, rather than physical characteristics.  That is because you can easily build a repeater with 2 mobile radios, as an example.

[UncleYoda]

Y'all are all welcome to operate under your own interpretations, just don't expect to me to follow it.  Caveat emptor.

[marcspaz]

Zero pressure from me... I just hope its a useful tool for you.

[Radioguy7268]

A mobile radio that sits on your desktop and has a power supply is NOT necessarily a Base Station.

As Marc eloquently stated above, it's the operation that counts, not the configuration.

A Base radio operates on the lower 462.xxx frequencies.  A Control station may appear very similar to a Base, but a Control Station transmits on the 467.xxx frequencies, and listens on the lower (base side) of the pair.

[OffRoaderX]

Related: Is there a IGNORE THREAD option?

[marcspaz]

Just now, OffRoaderX said:

Related: Is there a IGNORE THREAD option?

 

Too late... you're committed now!

[Socalgmrs]

Errrgggg.  Such stupid stuff people like to bring up for nothing.    What about using a repeaters hand mic  to talk as a base station. Omg my head blew up.  Can we get back to people wanting to be spoon fead information?   

[tcp2525]

57 minutes ago, Socalgmrs said:

Errrgggg.  Such stupid stuff people like to bring up for nothing.    What about using a repeaters hand mic  to talk as a base station. Omg my head blew up.  Can we get back to people wanting to be spoon fead information?   

Really? What else could we possibly talk about? I think it is a well thought out question that got an extremely thought out and well composed answer. I know it doesn't fit the normal theme of ganging up on newbies asking the same old questions that they could easy find by doing a search. After all, we're discussing GMRS and we've reached the limit of all things GMRS.

[WRUU653]

1 hour ago, marcspaz said:

Base station.   A station at a fixed location that communicates directly with mobile stations and other base stations.

And since repeaters and HTs aren’t listed my mobile mounted in the house isn’t a base station. Rather it is a mobile at rest.

[WRHS218]

1 hour ago, Socalgmrs said:

Can we get back to people wanting to be spoon fead information?   

Does this include sporks?

[LeoG]

If you are a non mobile station that communicates with another non mobile station that is a fixed station.  As soon as that fixed station communicates with a mobile unit it becomes a base station in definition.  And as soon as that same fixed/base station communicates with a repeater it is by definition a control station.

The only one that seems to have limitations is when you operate a fixed to fixed station where you can't exceed 15 watts.  Sounds like a specialty unit that has an antenna pointed at another antenna to communicate specifically with that station.  Most likely LOS on towers so 15 watts would be more than adequate to maintain good quality communications.

[AdmiralCochrane]

1 hour ago, LeoG said:

If you are a non mobile station that communicates with another non mobile station that is a fixed station.  As soon as that fixed station communicates with a mobile unit it becomes a base station in definition.  And as soon as that same fixed/base station communicates with a repeater it is by definition a control station.

The only one that seems to have limitations is when you operate a fixed to fixed station where you can't exceed 15 watts.  Sounds like a specialty unit that has an antenna pointed at another antenna to communicate specifically with that station.  Most likely LOS on towers so 15 watts would be more than adequate to maintain good quality communications.

BINGO