Mobile GMRS Repeater

[WSCT237]

Group,

I am looking for recommendations for a 'mobile' GMRS repeater setup, primarily for when I am camping, hiking, mountain biking. My brother, I and our wives primarily boondock camp (dispersed camping) often times with no cell reception. The goal would be to have a mobile type repeater I can rapidly deploy and set up communications quickly for a variety of reasons. I have solar panels to charge my battery system. 

I've read several places online and stumbled across two prime choices.

1. Retevis RT97L Up to 25W GMRS Repeater Set
2. FieldLink Xtreme SRPT-03 Repeater
   • This option you will need to purchase a radio and an antenna
   • This is a 'simplex' repeater
3. Thinking about this (or something similar) to deploy the antenna: Yescom EZ GO 30ft Telescopic Flag Pole Kit

Has anyone used these? Is there something better? Pros / Cons.

Best Regards,

Jason WSCT237

[WRUE951]

21 minutes ago, WSCT237 said:

Group,

I am looking for recommendations for a 'mobile' GMRS repeater setup, primarily for when I am camping, hiking, mountain biking. My brother, I and our wives primarily boondock camp (dispersed camping) often times with no cell reception. The goal would be to have a mobile type repeater I can rapidly deploy and set up communications quickly for a variety of reasons. I have solar panels to charge my battery system. 

I've read several places online and stumbled across two prime choices.

1. Retevis RT97L Up to 25W GMRS Repeater Set
2. FieldLink Xtreme SRPT-03 Repeater
   • This option you will need to purchase a radio and an antenna
   • This is a 'simplex' repeater
3. Thinking about this (or something similar) to deploy the antenna: Yescom EZ GO 30ft Telescopic Flag Pole Kit

Has anyone used these? Is there something better? Pros / Cons.

Best Regards,

Jason WSCT237

 

[WRUE951]

I'm using two Maxon 8402 radios in a FAT 50 Ammo Can with a homebrew J-pole.  Works great, Have talked 90 miles with it up in Mammoth area.  (Lake Crawley)  The Maxon's can be daisy chained and activated as a repeater in the CPM..  No de-sense problems.  Rock solid, sounds/works as good as my Hytera Repeater.  You wont be able to do this with Wouxun Radios due to their poor shielding  (de-sense)   

[WSCT237]

8 minutes ago, WRUE951 said:

I'm using two Maxon 8402 radios in a FAT 40 Ammo Can with a homebrew J-pole.  Works great, Have talked 90 miles with it up in Mammoth area.  (Lake Crawley)  The Maxon's can be daisy chained and activated as a repeater in the CPM..  No de-sense problems.  Rock solid, sounds/works as good as my Hytera Repeater.  You wont be able to do this with Wouxun Radios due to their poor shielding  (de-sense)   

WRUE951,

Thanks for that info. I plan on using higher quality radios for sure. Can you send me some pictures of your setup? I am really curious to see what you are doing! 

[BoxCar]

An alternative for a "higher tier" box ready repeater is the BTech unit. The alternative is to purchase a used commercial unit that has been retuned to a GMRS channel..

[WRYZ926]

You are going to be hard pressed to beat the Retevis RT97L for a light weight and very portable repeater. That being said. a used commercial UHF repeater tuned/programmed for GMRS is going to out perform any consumer grade GMRS repeater.

I wouldn't bother trying to use two Wouxun KG-100G radios as a repeater. They do not have the duty cycle for repeater use, they will run hot. And there is the desense issues to deal with. You can buy a B-Tech or Bridgecom GMRS repeater for what you will spend on two KG-100G radios and a good duplexer. The B-Tech and Bridgecom repeaters while not as good as a commercial repeater, will still outperform two KG-1000G radios.

[WRUE951]

2 hours ago, WSCT237 said:

WRUE951,

Thanks for that info. I plan on using higher quality radios for sure. Can you send me some pictures of your setup? I am really curious to see what you are doing! 

 

2 hours ago, WSCT237 said:

WRUE951,

Thanks for that info. I plan on using higher quality radios for sure. Can you send me some pictures of your setup? I am really curious to see what you are doing! 

Yup, when i get to RV Storage..   the radios are mounted in a Fat 50 Ammo Can with an aluminum Face Plate  (top of can) i had made at www.SendCutSend.com using their on-line drawing tools.   Duplexer is mounted to one side of the box and a power connector using an Anderson chassis mount..   Pretty simple...   Been thinking of taking everything out of the box and mount the apparatus in a small storage compartment in the RV..  

[SteveShannon]

If money is no object and you want a really nice portable repeater (I mean really nice!), the Hytera HR652 would be my choice:

https://www.atlanticradiocorp.com/products/hytera-hr652-compact-repeater

I didn’t need a portable repeater so I just recently ordered the HR1062. It’s a 1U rack mount repeater with a full 50 watt at 100% duty. 
Both of them do DMR or analog and they are very easy to configure (but they don’t use chirp ).  I opened the box at 8:15 last night and had it working within an hour.

[WRUE951]

Just now, WRUE951 said:

 

Yup, when i get to RV Storage..   the radios are mounted in a Fat 50 Ammo Can with an aluminum Face Plate  (top of can) i had made at www.SendCutSend.com using their on-line drawing tools.   Duplexer is mounted to one side of the box and a power connector using an Anderson chassis mount..   Pretty simple...   Been thinking of taking everything out of the box and mount the apparatus in a small storage compartment in the RV..    There aren't too many radios that you can daisy chain without need of a controller..   The Maxon Radios are good commercial radios, the same radio used in the Bridegroom Repeaters..   I got mine on a sale at RFWiz.com a few years back..  $340 each.. 

 

[WSCT237]

4 hours ago, SteveShannon said:

If money is no object and you want a really nice portable repeater (I mean really nice!), the Hytera HR652 would be my choice:

https://www.atlanticradiocorp.com/products/hytera-hr652-compact-repeater

I didn’t need a portable repeater so I just recently ordered the HR1062. It’s a 1U rack mount repeater with a full 50 watt at 100% duty. 
Both of them do DMR or analog and they are very easy to configure (but they don’t use chirp ).  I opened the box at 8:15 last night and had it working within an hour.

Steve,  thank you as well. That repeater looks great. To be honest, a little more heavy duty than I need. Currently looking for a part time light duty set up for when I'm camping. I have a GMRS radio in my truck, and several HTs. 

When I go to put a repeater on my property, I'll definitely be looking at the HR1062!

[WSCT237]

4 hours ago, WRUE951 said:

 

Thanks for the ideas. You've got my wheels spinning. 

[WRTC928]

I have the Retevis RT97L and for a ready-to-deploy solution, it's hard to beat. It has plenty of power for any reasonable distance if you get the antenna high enough, it's dead-simple, and rugged enough for any practical use.

[WRUE951]

5 hours ago, SteveShannon said:

If money is no object and you want a really nice portable repeater (I mean really nice!), the Hytera HR652 would be my choice:

https://www.atlanticradiocorp.com/products/hytera-hr652-compact-repeater

I didn’t need a portable repeater so I just recently ordered the HR1062. It’s a 1U rack mount repeater with a full 50 watt at 100% duty. 
Both of them do DMR or analog and they are very easy to configure (but they don’t use chirp ).  I opened the box at 8:15 last night and had it working within an hour.

I have one and i got it for less then $1000 of monies on Ebay.. It was listed by seller 'Like New' but when i got it, it was wrapped in original box and sailfin wrapping..  It was also never programed and still in that condition.. I'm 99% positive it was never deployed.   It came out of a school district.  I bought almost 5K worth of radios from this guy (Mobiles & Repeaters) , all were in top condition and everything came in original packaging.   My friend in New York got 6 RD982's from the same seller all in top condition. .He is using those for Linking   ..   Not sure what i will end up doing with the HR653.. I don't want to use it for my portable repeater because i want to keep if in 'New Condition'  At some point i'll probly have a repeater sale to coup some money back but right now Ebay is not allowing any Hytera Equipment for sale post..  They claim they will be ending this soon..    

[NCJeb]

Fwiw, not that I have any experience with them nor the $$$ to try currently, but I know Midland also has self-contained mobile repeaters, and at least from one partnership they did, they’re deployed in the wilderness of Baja California running on solar and exposed to the elements. Plus they literally sell with a 12v vehicle plug in the box so…there’s an option maybe?

https://midlandusa.com/collections/mxr10-midland-repeater/products/midland-mxr10-repeater

[WSJX263]

7 minutes ago, NCJeb said:

Fwiw, not that I have any experience with them nor the $$$ to try currently, but I know Midland also has self-contained mobile repeaters, and at least from one partnership they did, they’re deployed in the wilderness of Baja California running on solar and exposed to the elements. Plus they literally sell with a 12v vehicle plug in the box so…there’s an option maybe?

https://midlandusa.com/collections/mxr10-midland-repeater/products/midland-mxr10-repeater

Personally myself, I wouldn't purchase anything from Midland. They are extremely over priced for what you get.

And they aren't made in the USA like a lot people think. Their corporate offices are USA based.

These Retevis Repeaters are very good repeaters. I know someone who has one. And they work great. https://www.amazon.com/Retevis-High-Power-Waterproof-Compatible-Raspberry/dp/B0F1G2FC7T/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3PZNSCDQMFT4G&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.qQOrfy8cya8yi3axaBetbOyn7Rg2OyTRuhHxuEx-hQ1bKVW6YbY1zBKGbH1pCDznwY3ROXI3PVudDzYxTwoQdQfL1rlQWTu5A2JyOV1bRogybYYC8MLuw_rxVYjL1Z5o8rX-2ZgBWuuimIVHGCg4DwcIHssifO3AyQP8Ao0i765XsGtCJJ2Agk0mtCcRItiwqBrE2FSaFeYvlV5cl9RJnzc9Tlj9tRotctdMvpvNnYI.staH3_Xbm7xFci42og6SCBxdTsGKDHPav1KQvHQBAEU&dib_tag=se&keywords=retevis+repeater+rt97l&qid=1762089733&sprefix=retevis+re%2Caps%2C417&sr=8-1

[WRTC928]

5 hours ago, WSJX263 said:

Personally myself, I wouldn't purchase anything from Midland. They are extremely over priced for what you get.

And they aren't made in the USA like a lot people think. Their corporate offices are USA based.

These Retevis Repeaters are very good repeaters. I know someone who has one. And they work great. https://www.amazon.com/Retevis-High-Power-Waterproof-Compatible-Raspberry/dp/B0F1G2FC7T/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3PZNSCDQMFT4G&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.qQOrfy8cya8yi3axaBetbOyn7Rg2OyTRuhHxuEx-hQ1bKVW6YbY1zBKGbH1pCDznwY3ROXI3PVudDzYxTwoQdQfL1rlQWTu5A2JyOV1bRogybYYC8MLuw_rxVYjL1Z5o8rX-2ZgBWuuimIVHGCg4DwcIHssifO3AyQP8Ao0i765XsGtCJJ2Agk0mtCcRItiwqBrE2FSaFeYvlV5cl9RJnzc9Tlj9tRotctdMvpvNnYI.staH3_Xbm7xFci42og6SCBxdTsGKDHPav1KQvHQBAEU&dib_tag=se&keywords=retevis+repeater+rt97l&qid=1762089733&sprefix=retevis+re%2Caps%2C417&sr=8-1

I have that one and it indeed works as advertised. I have no complaints.

[BIGHOSS]

RED'S Engineering SRPT-03 is a good simplex repeater. I have one and built a To-Go-Box for it. They do make a larger adapter that works with the RT-95 so it pumps it up to about 20-25 watts 

[WSFN703]

Big Hoss beat me to it.

If you are looking for something very basic, but also cheaper, then a simplex repeater can work.  We have one we deploy at the ranch when we go down.  Here's a review I did on my Red's SRPT-03 build.  A Retevis may be in our future but this one works fine for the limited amount of use we demand of it.  We simply check in on it.  No long conversations or jack-jawing.  I did the whole build for about what just the Retevis unit costs.  

[TerriKennedy]

For mine exploring I use a UV-82HP w/ extended battery pack and a NA-771 antenna in combination with an Argent Data ADS-SR1 parrot repeater. If you're underground and can hear the parrot playing back your transmission, you know you can hit it. Likewise, if the people topside can hear themselves back, then communication between the underground group and topside is confirmed.

Out in the open, parrot repeaters are a bit of a nuisance if there are other people on the channel who don't know that there's a parrot operating.

It makes a nice setup and the parrot box velcro'd to the radio with an appropriately trimmed interface cable is quite stable, even on uneven ground.

Info on the repeater here: https://argentdata.com/product/ads-sr1-simplex-repeater Note that this is product that has been available for many years. They did some development on a followup, the SR2, but it seems to have tried being "all things to all people" and development seems to have stalled as the company pursues other projects.

[WRUE951]

18 hours ago, TerriKennedy said:

For mine exploring I use a UV-82HP w/ extended battery pack and a NA-771 antenna in combination with an Argent Data ADS-SR1 parrot repeater. If you're underground and can hear the parrot playing back your transmission, you know you can hit it. Likewise, if the people topside can hear themselves back, then communication between the underground group and topside is confirmed.

Out in the open, parrot repeaters are a bit of a nuisance if there are other people on the channel who don't know that there's a parrot operating.

It makes a nice setup and the parrot box velcro'd to the radio with an appropriately trimmed interface cable is quite stable, even on uneven ground.

Info on the repeater here: https://argentdata.com/product/ads-sr1-simplex-repeater Note that this is product that has been available for many years. They did some development on a followup, the SR2, but it seems to have tried being "all things to all people" and development seems to have stalled as the company pursues other projects.

Someone here fires up a Parrot Repeater every once in awhile..  Kind of fun to listen to the response from folks that have no clue what a parrot repeater is..  He fires up on Ch 3 and or 7..  which is not legal on GMRS or FRS 

[SteveShannon]

3 hours ago, WRUE951 said:

Someone here fires up a Parrot Repeater every once in awhile..  Kind of fun to listen to the response from folks that have no clue what a parrot repeater is..  He fires up on Ch 3 and or 7..  which is not legal on GMRS or FRS 

Which regulation(s) are being violated?

[LeoG]

It's technically a repeater on a non repeater channel?  Just chucking that out there.  I bet there nowhere where it says that though.

[SteveShannon]

Just now, LeoG said:

It's technically a repeater on a non repeater channel?  Just chucking that out there.  I bet there nowhere where it says that though.

Technically, it doesn’t fit the definition of a repeater.

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).

[LeoG]

Yes, I said it wasn't in the books.  But other than receive on one channel and transmit on the other it can be used to extend communications of mobile and HTs.  And as long as the parrot repeater isn't transmitting more than 5 watts on those particular channels.

[WRUE951]

1 hour ago, LeoG said:

It's technically a repeater on a non repeater channel?  Just chucking that out there.  I bet there nowhere where it says that though.

A parrot simplex voice box is not classified as a repeater and hence that's where  95.319 comes into play .    The FCC defines a repeater as an amateur station that simultaneously retransmits the transmission of another amateur station on a different channel or channels. This definition emphasizes that the repeater must be capable of receiving a transmission from another amateur station and retransmitting it, with both the receiver and transmitter being active at the same time, even if there is a slight delay between reception and transmission. The term "simultaneously" refers to the concurrent operation of the receiver and transmitter, not the exact timing of the signal information. Repeater transmitting frequencies are limited to appropriate segments of the 29 MHz and higher frequency bands.

 

https://www.arrl.org/news/fcc-clarifies-what-constitutes-an-amateur-radio-repeater