Repeater Review

[quarterwave]

Not that any review is needed, nor am I new to radio gear, but I thought I would share for those out there wanting to setup repeaters. 

 

I recently acquired a 6 year old MTR2000 that the owner abandoned at a tower site. The site owner sent a registered letter to inform them to pick it up or he would junk it and the antenna (next time they climb). Got a letter back that they no longer needed it, and the site owner could junk it for them. He called me and here we are. 

 

So I reprogrammed it, dropped the power to 50 watts, and added my old 3 can Motorola duplexor, hooked it up to my existing 10dB fiberglass stick on my little 50 foot tower...and it's on the air. The good thing is these are just about bullet proof, it has the circulator option, and it has a Zetron panel too. Can't ask for much more. 

 

It replaces my 20 year old repeater I built from 2 Motorola M120's and a MRE1032 Controller. 

 

This old repeater will now see new service as an additional channel at another site later this year. it will be open to the public, the MTR2000 is not. 

 

Not a high profile operation by any means, but the right equipment works well and lasts, if you take care of it. 

 

Q

[PastorGary]

Mark - Thanks for the reminders about the Motorola MTR2000. Let us know how the old system works out at the new location and please list it at the main MyGMRS website or update the info.

[JohnE]

who did your TCXO's ? those are good radios just have to check the freq now and then as they tend to drift a little. I know even w/properly aged crystals they needed to be checked annually.

I have one in the shop I'm trying to get my boss to dive up. aslo trying to get my hand on these 3 MSF5000's I came across at a site I go to alot.

[quarterwave]

MTR2000, not MSR2000. 

[JohnE]

WOW,  I read it wrong.  nice score.

[quarterwave]

Yeah, first time I ever got that lucky....they paid close to 10k to have it installed new. Best thing is, if I ever need to go commercial with it, I can reprogram for narrow and she's ready to go. 

[dcbaden]

Good to know about the MTR2000.

 

Is there any special licensing needed to set up a repeater, or is it done under my GMRS license?

I'd like to do this but I'm finding Part 95 very confusing.

 

Can't make heads or tails of wattage and antenna height either.

 

Any help is appreciated.

 

 

[PastorGary]

Good to know about the MTR2000.

 

Is there any special licensing needed to set up a repeater, or is it done under my GMRS license?

I'd like to do this but I'm finding Part 95 very confusing.

 

Can't make heads or tails of wattage and antenna height either.

 

Any help is appreciated.

Most everyone on the planet finds Part 95 for GMRS confusing including the people who wrote the statutes.

 

In any event, as long as you have a GMRS license you can put up a repeater system with a 50 watt max output. The ERP is not covered under FCC reg's, so high gain antennas are allowed.  No system ID is required in code but EACH USER must ID with call sign at the beginning and end of their transmission string to comply.

 

You can go to 199.9  feet from ground level to tip of antenna without lighting or alternating paint on the tower, but IF you are within the direct landing or take off pattern of an airport, in some cases you will need to follow FAA marking regulations. [ CFR 95.51 ]

 

You can get to any statute by following the menu here:  http://www.ecfr.gov

I'll repost that part of the statute here:

 

 

§ 95.51   Antenna height.

[a] Certain antenna structures used in a GMRS system and that are more than 60.96 m (200 ft) in height, or are located near or at a public-use airport must be notified to the FAA and registered with the Commission as required by part 17 of this chapter.

The antenna for a small base station or for a small control station must not be more than 6.1 meters (20 feet) above the ground or above the building or tree on which it is mounted.

 

[ A repeater system is NOT a small base or control station station.]

[dcbaden]

Awesome. 

Thanks for your response.

 

Is coordination an issue?  There's only one other repeater nearby, so I'm thinking that I could just pick another channel.

 

Here are my plans, any critique is welcome:

 

Buy an old Kenwood TKR repeater from ebay and a Chinese made duplexer, both tuned for the channel pair I intend to use.

Mod the repeater to work on 12V so that I can connect it to my shack power supply and/or backup batteries.

Hoist a commercial UHF antenna cut to 46x.xxx

test, test, test... enjoy

[PastorGary]

David - No coordination is required under GMRS Part 95 reg's.  It's first come first served... and it usually works out well that way except in the most populated urban areas.

 

Good luck with things.

[dcbaden]

 

David - No coordination is required under GMRS Part 95 reg's.  It's first come first served... and it usually works out well that way except in the most populated urban areas.

 

Good luck with things.

Great. Thanks again.

[quarterwave]

Part 95 gets easier over time...I have been around it for a long time, and I am used to Part 90, so it was easier for me. I used to deal with some squirrly stuff in 90, and I handle my employers wide area VHF system and tower sites....Part 90 licensing will make your hair fall out. 

[PastorGary]

Part 90 licensing was an issue for my group because we respond into 6 different states, so I took advantage of the Itinerant licensing that was quick, no coordination and we have yet to encounter an interferance issue with other itinerant operators while on our disaster field operations.