Rookie Repeater Issues

[WSIZ700]

Hello and thank you for reviewing my questions.  I appreciate anything you would like to share.  
I purchased two Rocky Talkie 5w communicators.   Unfortunately the range is short of where I need them to reach for my purposes.  I believe connecting to a repeater will help.  
I located a repeater in my area and got approval to connect - check. 
I used the Rocky Talkie frequency chart and programmed each/both of my handhelds with the proper channel code - check. 
I used the input and output tone listed and referred back to the Rocky Talkie chart and input the code associated with the freq in each handheld - check. 
I assigned W-wide band to each handheld - check. 
So why can’t the handhelds communicate with each other?  We are standing right next to each other and get no voice in either.  
What am I doing wrong/missing?

Key info -

Both units use same FCC call sign (family)

Freq 462.600Mhz = Rocky Talkie Repeater Ch17

Input and Output tone 100Hz = CTCSS code 12 

[RoadApple]

The "Repeater Channels" will use a +5mhz offset (Duplex) for transmit (TX) meaning that for repeater CH 17 your radio will TX on 467.600Mhz and receive (RX) on 462.600Mhz.  This should work as desired when talking thru the repeater which listens RX on 467.600Mhz and retransmits or "repeats" the signal on 462.600Mhz. 

But if you are out of range of the repeater and are trying to talk directly between the 2 Rocky Talkie radios directly (Simplex) on Repeater CH 17 without the use of the repeater, then your TX & RX will be on different frequencies thus they can't communicate.

If, for example, you switch your radios to regular Channel 17 rather than Repeater Ch 17 the radios will be set to TX and RX on the same 462.600Mhz frequency and they should communicate with each other as desired.

Also, you only need the CTCSS tone on the TX to activate the repeater.  It really isn't needed on RX, so it might be easier to remove the CTCSS tone from RX for now.

[OffRoaderX]

• Use channel "Repeater Channel 17" or "Channel 25" not regular channel 17, with the correct transmit tone.
• You have to be close enough to the repeater for them to work — just because you can hear it does not necessarily mean it will hear you and work.
• Your two radios must be at least ~50 feet away from each other when testing.
• Disable/turn-off the receive tone on both radios for now — the RX tone is optional and at this point in your process may only serve to create confuckulation.

[WSIK532]

Is this for Amateur?   

I thought there was only 8 GMRS RPT channels? 

[RoadApple]

3 minutes ago, WSIK532 said:

Is this for Amateur?   

I thought there was only 8 GMRS RPT channels? 

GMRS.  You are correct that there are only 8 designated repeater channels. GMRS channels 15 thru 22 exist as simplex channels and in most GMRS radios there are also 8 pre-programmed "Repeater Channels" 15 thru 22 where the RX is the same but the TX on all the repeater channels is offset by +5Mhz

[OffRoaderX]

8 minutes ago, WSIK532 said:

Is this for Amateur?   

I thought there was only 8 GMRS RPT channels? 

We are talking about GMRS, and there are only 8 Repeater Channels but they can have whatever number/name you want to call them. They are generally referred to as Repeater Channels 1-8 or, or starting after channel 22 - Channels 23-30, or labeled as their shared simplex channel names "Repeater 15 - 22"..

..and in the GMRS world we never need to use the term "offset".. On a GMRS radio one does not have to think or care about the "offset".. This term is usually only used by "some people", for unknown reasons .... actually we know the reasons, but I am far too nice to repeat them here.

[LeoG]

You are not to nice.  You are just maintaining great restraint.

[RoadApple]

1 hour ago, OffRoaderX said:

..and in the GMRS world we never need to use the term "offset".. On a GMRS radio one does not have to think or care about the "offset".. This term is usually only used by "some people", for unknown reasons .... actually we know the reasons, but I am far too nice to repeat them here.

Well, tie me to an anthill and smear my ears with jam!  Sorry, I really did not mean to sound like "some people" or upset any gods, regular folk or GMRS queens.   Like many GMRS users, I occasionally use CHIRP to program my radios, and I was just using the same term as used in the "Duplex" section of the CHIRP documentation and other GMRS radio manuals as well as the actual programming menu (#26) of my own GMRS radio (TIDRADIO GM-5R). 

Shame on me.  I'll try to be much more careful in the future!!!

[OffRoaderX]

1 hour ago, LeoG said:

You are not to nice.  You are just maintaining great restraint.

That Terry dude has really made me reflect on my behavior in a life-changing way.

[WSIZ700]

Thanks everyone!  Helpful.