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You just got your GMRS license, now you want your own repeater?

coryb27

By coryb27
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berkinet Newbie

berkinet

Posted
Posted

The in-vehicle repeaters are useful for extending the range of a hand-held and little more. It's what public safety does with them.

With the caveat that the "extension" effectively allows the hand-held to act as a remote microphone for the mobile radio in the car. And, the mobile radio itself may work through another repeater. Of course, in many cases the mobile is down around 10mHz and talks directly to the dispatch center.  In other words the in-vehicle repeater is not connecting two local hand-helds.

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coryb27
coryb27

Why does every new license holder want to setup a repeater? I would like to shed a little light on some of the important things to consider if you recently got your GMRS license and now want your own

shaine
shaine

I am fortunate that a local amateur radio operator has a repeater available. It is done properly on a 400 ft tower. The repeater covers the entire county and portions of adjacent counties.   My initi

PastorGary
PastorGary

Staff Memo - The subject of this thread is important enough, for newly licensed user reference, to pin it to the top of this posting area.

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gman1971 Experienced

gman1971

Posted
Posted

I don't think anyone here disputed portable or mobile repeaters... I use them on all my cars...

 

If Racine is anything like Madison WI (in terms of terrain), then you DO need repeaters to get any decent range, the terrain here is just too rough/hilly with a lot of dead spots for just simplex portable-portable operation.

 

G.

  • 4 weeks later...
STTScott Newbie

STTScott

Posted
Posted

I've noticed that, too. It just seems to me that it makes more sense to find a repeater nearby. And if there ain't one nearby, well then tough turds or try to find local traffic on your radio's own power and go from there. Personally, to me, making your own repeater station is a major PITA if you're not knee-deep into this hobby with deep-ish pockets.

 

Just my $.02.

 

Scott

WRJX210

n4gix Collaborator

n4gix

Posted
Posted

Personally, to me, making your own repeater station is a major PITA if you're not knee-deep into this hobby with deep-ish pockets.

 

Scott, I could not agree more! Unless you have the $$$'s to rent space on a tall tower (200' or more), then it is an exercise in futility.

gman1971 Experienced

gman1971

Posted
Posted

With 40-60' AGL you can have some decent performance for a family repeater network.

 

Also while height is very important, its not the only thing you'll need to have a decent usable range... high quality radios, preselectors, cavities, duplexer, coax, connectors, and most importantly a good antenna, will make a huuuuge difference in how well the repeater works, and that is applicable whether its placed at 40 feet or 200 feet.

 

G.

 

Scott, I could not agree more! Unless you have the $$$'s to rent space on a tall tower (200' or more), then it is an exercise in futility.

1URFE57 Newbie

1URFE57

Posted
Posted

This pandemic makes me spend more time with radios lately and speaking of Repeaters I just put up one last weekend, got a cheap XPR8300 off Ebay and I have EVX-R70 on the way for a cheap too this is not a high end setup like Heliax cable, Celwave duplexers, hundred foot tower and so on I bet anyone would laugh and shake their head if they see it... :D...All I want is to cover my usual route of 10 miles around town but right now I got 18 miles which is good I think. 

gman1971 Experienced

gman1971

Posted
Posted

Nice... 18 miles is not bad for a home setup... terrain helps a lot... here in Madison WI reaching 18 miles is very difficult without some elevation... XPR repeaters are bargains in a box... the R70 is basically an 8400 with different firmware... :)

 

Congrats.

 

G.

1URFE57 Newbie

1URFE57

Posted
Posted

Nice... 18 miles is not bad for a home setup... terrain helps a lot... here in Madison WI reaching 18 miles is very difficult without some elevation... XPR repeaters are bargains in a box... the R70 is basically an 8400 with different firmware... :)

 

Congrats.

 

G.

Thanks! I agree with terrain dependant with regards to coverage on the North side I only managing 7 miles max due buildings and elevation while in the South side of the repeater 16-18 miles since this is an less building elevation is lower and mostly plain along a Toll way. I have received my EVX-R70 and another good buy very clean unit likes new I will alternate this with the 8300, my next project will be the MTR's I know SLR's are the future but it's too expensive at the moment.

gman1971 Experienced

gman1971

Posted
Posted

Yes, SLR is where its at.. these have the same amazing receiver as the XPR5550e mobiles... which is darn good.. but the XPR8x00 repeater is not bad either.

 

G.

 

Thanks! I agree with terrain dependant with regards to coverage on the North side I only managing 7 miles max due buildings and elevation while in the South side of the repeater 16-18 miles since this is an less building elevation is lower and mostly plain along a Toll way. I have received my EVX-R70 and another good buy very clean unit likes new I will alternate this with the 8300, my next project will be the MTR's I know SLR's are the future but it's too expensive at the moment.

1URFE57 Newbie

1URFE57

Posted
Posted

Yes, SLR is where its at.. these have the same amazing receiver as the XPR5550e mobiles... which is darn good.. but the XPR8x00 repeater is not bad either.

 

G.

I totally agree these XPR repeaters are flooding ebay right now with different price range, Ok I'm putting the R70 today for a test run its funny that Motorola skip built-in CWID on this one... :rolleyes:

gman1971 Experienced

gman1971

Posted
Posted

How is the R70 running? Is it all good to go now?

 

G.

 

I totally agree these XPR repeaters are flooding ebay right now with different price range, Ok I'm putting the R70 today for a test run its funny that Motorola skip built-in CWID on this one... :rolleyes:

1URFE57 Newbie

1URFE57

Posted
Posted

How is the R70 running? Is it all good to go now?

 

G.

R70 works great but less the built-in CWiD but other than that happy with the repeater, CPS 16.8 and Clone Editor 5.5 are identical in nature but some of the setting and menu in the CPS are not in the Clone Editor. I will take some photo of my antennas just for laughs!... :lol:  :lol:

 

IronArcher Newbie

IronArcher

Posted
Posted

Newer guy here.

I’ve done tower climbing before (for a wireless internet company).

If there was anyone around me that needed a climber for a fraction of the claimed cost (not debating that price, I just have no idea what climbers charge. I got $100 per climb (yes, it was for a friend)) I would consider getting certified.

Never knew they charged that much

gortex2 Veteran

gortex2

Posted
Posted

Newer guy here.

I’ve done tower climbing before (for a wireless internet company).

If there was anyone around me that needed a climber for a fraction of the claimed cost (not debating that price, I just have no idea what climbers charge. I got $100 per climb (yes, it was for a friend)) I would consider getting certified.

Never knew they charged that much

 

The issue is insurance costs for tower work. I am guessing if you have to pay for insurance which pretty much any commercially owned tower will require you will charge more than $100

n4gix Collaborator

n4gix

Posted
Posted

Newer guy here.

I’ve done tower climbing before (for a wireless internet company).

If there was anyone around me that needed a climber for a fraction of the claimed cost (not debating that price, I just have no idea what climbers charge. I got $100 per climb (yes, it was for a friend)) I would consider getting certified.

Never knew they charged that much

Back in the 80's I charged $8/foot for a climb plus any hardware I supplied. I carried a $2 million dollar liability policy.

1URFE57 Newbie

1URFE57

Posted
Posted

No R70?? how come? 

 

are the GM300 good?? They must be... nice nice!!

 

G.

R70 running ok but its back in the box as a spare I miss the CWiD in the XPR and the GM300's are just fun to setup, iCOM F221/221-S are good for rpt setup as well but interface cable are not as cheap as the motos. 

1URFE57 Newbie

1URFE57

Posted
Posted

Very nice. GM300, are those hard to program, what do you use? I am mostly into XPR and EVX radios... most of the older stuff I haven't messed with it much... if at all.

 

G.

I have two GP300 that I usually use I might add the XPR handies in my collection but I'm on the market for new HF radio so they have to wait. I also has TYT MD380 for DMR but I don't use it anymore I got iCOM F621TR in the truck very cheap since they're not as popular as the F221s and the F500s and of course the famous Baofengs... :lol:...That's the thing with old school stuff they need old school hardware too some uses DOSBox but I prefer a real serial port.

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