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Posted

I noticed while programing some Repeater Channels into my radios that in 2M it's +/- 6MHz, 1.25M is -1.6MHz(didn't see any +1.6MHz on the list) and 70cm(kind of like GMRS) is +5MHz.  So RX(transmit to the Repeater) is the frequency that's given then you off-set that by the given MHz for your TX frequency. Do I have that right? Of all the radio stuff Repeaters has to be the one thing that I have trouble with in regards to TX an RX.  TX will ALWAYS be the one with the off-set, + or - whatever it is and RX is the listed Frequency.  I think I've got my head wrapped around it. 

Also, just to add, "Uplink" is the Freq. I TX(send) to the Repeater and "Downlink" is the Freq or RX the Repeater sends back to me. If they'd just say RX or TX instead of Uplink and Downlink it'd be a lot simpler for me to understand but I think I've got it. 

Posted

It’s frequency based. For VHF such as 2 meters it’s actually 0.600 MHz offset and it can be either plus or minus. 
For UHF such as GMRS or 70 cm it’s 5.00 MHz and for the ham frequencies it can be plus or minus, but for GMRS the FCC put the repeater input frequencies in the regs. 
The frequency that’s given is always the frequency that the repeater transmits and your radio receives. For the frequency your radio transmits you apply the offset. 
You uplink (transmit) to the repeater and you downlink (receive) from the repeater. You really will pick it up. You’re doing great. It’s just that the fire hose is so big right now. 
Edited to add: most of the better ham radios automatically select the correct offset value based on frequency, but sometimes you have to override the direction. 

Posted
1 hour ago, WSAA635 said:

I noticed while programing some Repeater Channels into my radios that in 2M it's +/- 6MHz, 1.25M is -1.6MHz(didn't see any +1.6MHz on the list) and 70cm(kind of like GMRS) is +5MHz.  So RX(transmit to the Repeater) is the frequency that's given then you off-set that by the given MHz for your TX frequency. Do I have that right? Of all the radio stuff Repeaters has to be the one thing that I have trouble with in regards to TX an RX.  TX will ALWAYS be the one with the off-set, + or - whatever it is and RX is the listed Frequency.  I think I've got my head wrapped around it. 

Also, just to add, "Uplink" is the Freq. I TX(send) to the Repeater and "Downlink" is the Freq or RX the Repeater sends back to me. If they'd just say RX or TX instead of Uplink and Downlink it'd be a lot simpler for me to understand but I think I've got it. 

Every once in a while you may stumble across an "odd split" repeater frequency, rare but they are out there.

If you end up getting some commercial grade radios the programming is a bit different. For those they don't assume any kind of offset. You have to enter in BOTH the discrete transmit and receive frequencies.  None of mine have any entries for an "assumed" offset, unlike many Ham grade radios.

https://wiki.radioreference.com/index.php/Offset

Posted

I guess I've got everything programmed properly. I was getting automated returns from some of the local Repeaters and I even got a call back from a YL that said I had a weak  signal with a lot of static, go figure, I'm using my BF-F8HP Pro from inside the house. I'm sure it's only pushing 5 or so watts. At least the HAM Repeaters are in operation, no deal for the Shaw Butte GMRS Repeater, it's still down and out. 

Posted

There are a lot of variables to take into account. But it doesn't surprise me about you having a weak signal with an HT inside the house. Metal buildings, metal roofs, old wood lath and plaster walls with chicken wire, bad electric wiring, etc can play havoc on radio signals. And the cheap Amazon LED light bulbs can be very noisy too.

Posted
2 minutes ago, WSAA635 said:

I guess I've got everything programmed properly. I was getting automated returns from some of the local Repeaters and I even got a call back from a YL that said I had a weak  signal with a lot of static, go figure, I'm using my BF-F8HP Pro from inside the house. I'm sure it's only pushing 5 or so watts. At least the HAM Repeaters are in operation, no deal for the Shaw Butte GMRS Repeater, it's still down and out. 

Good job getting that all configured! And congratulations on your new call sign KM7BVY.

Posted

I went outside with my longer 771 antennas on 3 of my radios(AR-5RM, BF-F8HP Pro, and UV-K61) and the 3" antenna on my UV-5R and the longer antennas hit about 5 or 6 of the programmed repeaters, the UV-5R hit about 3 which I think is still pretty good for being in the 'burbs and miles away from the White Tanks. 

I can't wait to give 6M a try with the RT-880. If I could get 15 or 20 miles Simplex I'd be happy since 6M should skip a bit and not have to totally be Line of Sight like VHF/UHF is.  I'm so glad I got my HAM Tech. License. This opens up a lot more Frequencies to play with vs GMRS/MURS. 👍

Posted
4 hours ago, WRYZ926 said:

And the cheap Amazon LED light bulbs can be very noisy too.

They aren't cheap Amazon LED light bulbs but the LED fixture in my hallway bathroom from Home Depot? Great Googley Moogely! Traffic comes in to my HT clear as a bell, all day and night. But let somebody go in that bathroom and turn the light on? White noise on HT. Big time! The first time it happened, I thought the radio had failed or the antenna broke.

 

Posted
2 hours ago, WSAA635 said:

I can't wait to give 6M a try with the RT-880. If I could get 15 or 20 miles Simplex I'd be happy since 6M should skip a bit and not have to totally be Line of Sight like VHF/UHF is.  I'm so glad I got my HAM Tech. License. This opens up a lot more Frequencies to play with vs GMRS/MURS. 👍

That's where my head is right now, too. I'm very much looking forward to it. I've been watching Mike over on Ham Radio Tube and am currently obsessed with his G90 "Go-Box." As we plan to RV full time in the not too distant future, a Pelican case with a HAM radio in it and a portable antenna solution seems ideal.

 

Glad you figured out the whole idea of "offsets." I'm embarrassed to admit how long it took me to figure them out.

 

Posted

6M is still VHF, it's just low VHF 50.0 to 54.0 MHz. 6m is generally good for local communication but is definitely hit or miss when it comes to long distance coms. It isn't called the magic band for nothing.

Too bad the Xiegu G90 does not have 6m capabilities. I have a couple G90s and they work great for a 20 watt radio. I get comments on how my audio sounds all of the time. And I have worked stations with it and good resonant antenna that guys running a 100 watt radio with a not so good antenna don't hear.

My next project is to mount a 15" portable monitor, TYT TH-7800, mini PC, and a couple of 10 AH batteries into an Apache 5800 case for portable WINLINK.

Posted
45 minutes ago, WRYZ926 said:

I have a couple G90s...

Permission to ask a potentially stupid question? Why would one have a "couple" of G90's? I understand redundancy. "One is none, two is one" kind of thing, but outside of that, what don't I know? Go easy, I'm new.

 

Posted
33 minutes ago, WSJI648 said:

Permission to ask a potentially stupid question? Why would one have a "couple" of G90's? I understand redundancy. "One is none, two is one" kind of thing, but outside of that, what don't I know? Go easy, I'm new.

 

One for a go box and one for the car or one for the house, etc.

You can never have too many radios. 

Posted
44 minutes ago, WSJI648 said:

Permission to ask a potentially stupid question? Why would one have a "couple" of G90's? I understand redundancy. "One is none, two is one" kind of thing, but outside of that, what don't I know? Go easy, I'm new.

 

The main reason why I have two of them is that I bough one and then won the second G90 during Radioddity's 12th Anniversary drawing last year. And yes one stays in the shack while the other one is in my go box for portable use. I actually have more HF radios than I need. I have the two G90 radios along with an Ion IC-7300, Yaesu FTDX10 (with bad USB port) and a Xiegu X6200. The X6200 is nice for QRP ad keeping things small and light.

Posted
2 hours ago, SteveShannon said:

One for a go box and one for the car or one for the house, etc.

You can never have too many radios. 

Radios are like guns or fishing poles, etc, etc, you can never have enough.

I have two VHF/UHF radios in the shack, one is for daily use while the other is dedicated for WINLINK. I will be putting the second one along with a mini computer into a go box. I also have a 50 watt GMRS radio along with a spare 20 watt GMRS radio at home along with multiple amateur band and GMRS hand held radios. Plus I have dual band and GMRS radios in my Ford Escape, Ford F150 and my Honda Pioneer 500 SxS.

I might end up putting one of the G90s into one of my vehicles. I haven't decided yet. 

Posted
13 hours ago, WRYZ926 said:

My next project is to mount a 15" portable monitor, TYT TH-7800, mini PC, and a couple of 10 AH batteries into an Apache 5800 case for portable WINLINK.

Why not use a small solar power station to power your radio? Add a small solar panel to the mix and you'd have unlimited power as long as you could get some sun light.

Posted
1 hour ago, WSAA635 said:

Why not use a small solar power station to power your radio? Add a small solar panel to the mix and you'd have unlimited power as long as you could get some sun light.

That is always an option. I would like to keep everything self contained into one case if all possible. I am also trying to avoid any unnecessary holes in the case if possible.

I have enough room to mount a 15" portable monitor and the remote faceplate of my radio into the lid of the Apache 5800 case. The 5800 has standoffs in the lid for mounting stuff. 

I'm still in the planning stage right now with the setup. I did buy some 1/8" x 1" aluminum stock to mount the monitor and faceplate to the lid. I need to get the radio main unit and mini pc mounted and then see how much room I have left. The Beelink S13 runs off of 12v DC.

 

PS; sorry for the thread drift.

Posted
35 minutes ago, WRYZ926 said:

That is always an option. I would like to keep everything self contained into one case if all possible. I am also trying to avoid any unnecessary holes in the case if possible.

I have enough room to mount a 15" portable monitor and the remote faceplate of my radio into the lid of the Apache 5800 case. The 5800 has standoffs in the lid for mounting stuff. 

I'm still in the planning stage right now with the setup. I did buy some 1/8" x 1" aluminum stock to mount the monitor and faceplate to the lid. I need to get the radio main unit and mini pc mounted and then see how much room I have left. The Beelink S13 runs off of 12v DC.

 

PS; sorry for the thread drift.

Sounds great!

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