I doubt this exists....

[Destro]

Pretty sure this isn't a thing, because I haven't heard or seen anyone talking about it. But, is there such a thing as "signal booster" type thing for HAM or GMRS?

What I mean is like, those WeBoost type things for cell phones.

Like if you had an antenna on the roof that goes to some type of like router type thingy. So you could walk around your house with a HT and not have to be connected to the actual cable.

I'm sure it's not possible, because if it was, I bet someone would have already invented it.

[WRYS709]

Install one of these and walk around using your HT

[SteveShannon]

5 minutes ago, Destro said:

Pretty sure this isn't a thing, because I haven't heard or seen anyone talking about it. But, is there such a thing as "signal booster" type thing for HAM or GMRS?

What I mean is like, those WeBoost type things for cell phones.

Like if you had an antenna on the roof that goes to some type of like router type thingy. So you could walk around your house with a HT and not have to be connected to the actual cable.

I'm sure it's not possible, because if it was, I bet someone would have already invented it.

I have a Wilson Electronics cell phone booster. That’s what they were called before assuming the marketing name of WeBoost. They are really just a small repeater. That’s necessary for cell phones because you can’t attach an external antenna. Nobody really makes one for ham or GMRS because it’s unnecessary. It’s unnecessary because an external antenna does the same thing at much less cost. 
 

[Destro]

8 minutes ago, SteveShannon said:

I have a Wilson Electronics cell phone booster. That’s what they were called before assuming the marketing name of WeBoost. They are really just a small repeater. That’s necessary for cell phones because you can’t attach an external antenna. Nobody really makes one for ham or GMRS because it’s unnecessary. It’s unnecessary because an external antenna does the same thing at much less cost. 
 

Yeah, I get that. But it would be nice not to have to be plugged in to the antenna all the time while wandering in and around the house.

 

[SteveShannon]

29 minutes ago, Destro said:

Yeah, I get that. But it would be nice not to have to be plugged in to the antenna all the time while wandering in and around the house.

 

So buy one of the small repeaters, like the Retevis 97 series and mount it in your attic with the antenna on your roof. You won’t be able to access another repeater with it, but you’ll get greater range.

Or get a ham radio that includes crossband repeat and talk to it on one band with your handheld. Whoever you want to talk to would be on the other band. 

[marcspaz]

So two things. If you are trying to boost signal remotely for a handheld, I would highly recommend putting an inexpensive repeater in your house, as Steve mentioned. That is actually a great idea. I did it for many years and was very happy with it.

 

The device type that you're talking about is typically referred to as a passive resonator. They don't work more than a couple of feet. If you are going to be wandering around the house, it won't help you. An active resonator is about as expensive as a repeater. So you may as well just buy the repeater.

[SteveShannon]

41 minutes ago, marcspaz said:

The device type that you're talking about is typically referred to as a passive resonator. They don't work more than a couple of feet. If you are going to be wandering around the house, it won't help you. An active resonator is about as expensive as a repeater. So you may as well just buy the repeater.

The one I have from Wilson is active. It works well and with the addition of a small power supply and by replacing the external antenna with a Yagi and the in-cab antenna with another directional antenna I can use it to improve coverage at my cabin. 

[WRKC935]

Well, for GMRS,,, yes, there is such a thing.  

It's called a BDA,  would be purchased for the specific band split you need.  

Public safety uses them all the time.  And they are required in many structures by fire code.  

BUT, they ain't exactly cheap.  I do almost exclusively 700/800 BDA's.  Only worked on one that was UHF.  But that cabinet was 23000 If memory serves.  Then you have the antenna system and the rest of it, plus installation.  It's not something easy to install.  Figure 40 to 60 grand for a complete system installed.

 

[WRYZ926]

Cross band repeater works well for amateur radio. I use cross band repeat all of the time. I set my HT to an open 70cm frequency and then set the B side of my base radio to the same frequency and the A side to my local 2m repeater frequency.

But that will not work for GMRS. Your best bet for GMRS is a small repeater like Steve mentioned.

And NO you can't cross band repeat from GMRS to amateur radio bands legally.

[WSEZ468]

If you have a spare low wattage FRS capable HT laying around take a look at the Surecom SR-628 duplex repeater controller. Set the HT to a FRS channel on 1/2 watt with ctcss code and a dummy load instead of an antenna. 
do the same with the HT you want to carry then you can use any channel you want on the base station.

[SteveShannon]

22 minutes ago, WSEZ468 said:

If you have a spare low wattage FRS capable HT laying around take a look at the Surecom SR-628 duplex repeater controller. Set the HT to a FRS channel on 1/2 watt with ctcss code and a dummy load instead of an antenna. 
do the same with the HT you want to carry then you can use any channel you want on the base station.

That’s pretty clever if it doesn’t desense.  Have you tried it?

[WSEZ864]

15 hours ago, WRKC935 said:

Well, for GMRS,,, yes, there is such a thing.  

It's called a BDA,  would be purchased for the specific band split you need.  

Public safety uses them all the time.  And they are required in many structures by fire code.  

BUT, they ain't exactly cheap.  I do almost exclusively 700/800 BDA's.  Only worked on one that was UHF.  But that cabinet was 23000 If memory serves.  Then you have the antenna system and the rest of it, plus installation.  It's not something easy to install.  Figure 40 to 60 grand for a complete system installed.

 

That would be perfect for talking to the kids across the yard!

[WSEZ468]

Yes I use it all the time and I’ve found that FRS8 does not desense on any of the usual GMRS frequencies I use and the low wattage combined with the dummy load antenna and ctcss limits interference to other radios.

[WRTC928]

On 9/22/2025 at 8:59 AM, WSEZ468 said:

If you have a spare low wattage FRS capable HT laying around take a look at the Surecom SR-628 duplex repeater controller. Set the HT to a FRS channel on 1/2 watt with ctcss code and a dummy load instead of an antenna. 
do the same with the HT you want to carry then you can use any channel you want on the base station.

I'm having trouble visualizing how you do this. Can you clarify, or maybe provide a diagram?

[WSEZ468]

Components needed,

Surecom SR-628 duplex controller 

1- SR-628 cable to match base radio 

1- SR-628 cable to match 1/2 watt fixed radio

1 or 2 dummy load to replace the fixed radio antenna and preferably the mobile radio antenna also

2 low wattage HT’s and 1 base station 

The base station and antenna are connected as usual and the SR-628 cable will receive audio from the base station and PTT it when the the 628 receives audio from the fixed HT

The other 628 cable connects to the fixed HT and receives audio from it and activates PTT on it when it hears audio from the base station 

the base station can be set to any band and frequency but both HT’s should be on low power (hence FRS) and have the same ctcss tones programmed to avoid unintended base station transmitting

so you push PTT on your mobile HT the fixed HT receives that, triggers the 628 which triggers the base station and visa versa

some settings experimentation is needed

and full control of the 628 can be done through DTMF codes from the mobile HT

Regular monitoring of the system is highly recommended