taco6513 Posted January 7, 2020 Report Share Posted January 7, 2020 I have a AT-5888UV that has cross band repeater function. I was wanting to be a part of a net last night.My HT wasn't receiving the signal. I am using a high number DCS tone. and a low power setting on boththe mobile and HT. Also What are good channels on UHF to use on this application? ThanksKI5GXD Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jones Posted January 7, 2020 Report Share Posted January 7, 2020 The 431.0-433.0 MHz and 435.0-438.0 MHz segments are a NO-NO by FCC law for FM. (Part 97, subpart 39) Stay out of those areas. 420-432 and 438-442 is used for amateur television, so that's no good either. Ideally, you would want to be somewhere between 442.025 and 446.075 on an .025MHz step. Just listen first, research the repeaters in your area to make sure you are not close in frequency to any of them, and you'll be fine. For instance, for my cross-band at home, I use 443.325, with a DCS tone to keep others out. It crosses to my local 146.820 VHF machine about 20 miles away. Keep in mind that the national simplex calling frequency for 70cm FM is 446.000, so you'll want to stay clear of that also. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WRAK968 Posted January 7, 2020 Report Share Posted January 7, 2020 Also note that crossband repeat is NOT ALLOWED on GMRS (Repeaters are not allowed on MURS anyways, but crossbanding both MURS and GMRS is also not allowed) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lscott Posted January 8, 2020 Report Share Posted January 8, 2020 Also note that crossband repeat is NOT ALLOWED on GMRS (Repeaters are not allowed on MURS anyways, but crossbanding both MURS and GMRS is also not allowed)Also you can't crossband between the Amateur Radio service to GMRS or MURS either. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gman1971 Posted January 8, 2020 Report Share Posted January 8, 2020 You could just do a simple GMRS simplex repeater with two radios (one mobile and one portable, for example). Have the portable radio RX and TX on low power on freq #1, then have another radio, a mobile, set to RX and TX on high power on freq #2. You set freq#2 to whatever GMRS channel you want to reach far away, and set freq#1 to whatever your portable is. Use a repeater controller to connect the portable to the mobile and two antennas. If you use low enough power on the freq#1 side (potentially adding a 10dB attenuator inline with the portable to antenna) you won't need any cavities and it should work rather nicely. G. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lscott Posted January 8, 2020 Report Share Posted January 8, 2020 You could just do a simple GMRS simplex repeater with two radiosOr do a "parrot" repeater. This is where you TX and the controller will record the message. When you're done it then re-transmits the message. This of course slows down the communication, and some find them annoying to use, but are simple to setup using one radio and fairly cheap. There are several YouTube videos where a guy did this putting the guts in an ammo can with a battery and charge controller connected to a used solar panel. He used the metal ammo can for the ground plane required by the antenna. Stuck it on a mountain top in a very remote area. Had it there for about a year or so running before having to service it. The repeater controller he used should be like this one. https://www.argentdata.com/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=98 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gman1971 Posted January 8, 2020 Report Share Posted January 8, 2020 That too. Parrot has the advantage of only needing 1 radio. G. Or do a "parrot" repeater. This is where you TX and the controller will record the message. When you're done it then re-transmits the message. This of course slows down the communication, and some find them annoying to use, but are simple to setup using one radio and fairly cheap. There are several YouTube videos where a guy did this putting the guts in an ammo can with a battery and charge controller connected to a used solar panel. He used the metal ammo can for the ground plane required by the antenna. Stuck it on a mountain top in a very remote area. Had it there for about a year or so running before having to service it. The repeater controller he used should be like this one. https://www.argentdata.com/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=98 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Downs Posted January 8, 2020 Report Share Posted January 8, 2020 Or do a "parrot" repeater. This is where you TX and the controller will record the message. When you're done it then re-transmits the message. This of course slows down the communication, and some find them annoying to use, but are simple to setup using one radio and fairly cheap. There are several YouTube videos where a guy did this putting the guts in an ammo can with a battery and charge controller connected to a used solar panel. He used the metal ammo can for the ground plane required by the antenna. Stuck it on a mountain top in a very remote area. Had it there for about a year or so running before having to service it. The repeater controller he used should be like this one. https://www.argentdata.com/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=98I believe that was guerilla communications on youtube. Sent from my SM-G892A using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Downs Posted January 8, 2020 Report Share Posted January 8, 2020 Sent from my SM-G892A using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RCM Posted January 8, 2020 Report Share Posted January 8, 2020 I have a AT-5888UV that has cross band repeater function. I was wanting to be a part of a net last night.My HT wasn't receiving the signal. I am using a high number DCS tone. and a low power setting on boththe mobile and HT. Also What are good channels on UHF to use on this application? ThanksKI5GXDI do that sometimes with an Alinco DR-605. I find a clear frequency between 433.000 and 435.000 MHz. That segment is listed in the band plan as "auxiliary and repeater links." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marcspaz Posted January 8, 2020 Report Share Posted January 8, 2020 I do something similar to RCM. I like 445.000 through 447.000, which is coordinated for auxiliary and control links, repeaters and simplex. RCM 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jones Posted January 8, 2020 Report Share Posted January 8, 2020 Also note that crossband repeat is NOT ALLOWED on GMRS (Repeaters are not allowed on MURS anyways, but crossbanding both MURS and GMRS is also not allowed)Very true, but the OP was posted in the Amateur Radio (Ham) section of the forums. n4gix, RCM and Downs 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kipandlee Posted January 9, 2020 Report Share Posted January 9, 2020 one of our setups uses the ADS-SR1 ( "parrot" repeater ) works great i like the units voice mail function allowing users to record messages for later retrieval comes in handy on occasions Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lscott Posted January 9, 2020 Report Share Posted January 9, 2020 If you want to do an "in-band" repeater you will need two radios, a duplexer and a controller as the main components. You can buy a cheap UHF duplexer at this site. If you supply the two frequencies they will tune the filter at no extra cost. Also don't forget to get any N to whatever RF adapter you will need to connect to the radios and the antenna. www.409shop.com/409shop_shopcat.php?&usercat=4942 If you want to know how well these cheap Chinese duplexers work a guy did some testing on one here. http://www.repeater-builder.com/antenna/pdf/chinese-mobile-duplexer-measurements.pdf Then use a simple repeater controller like this one. https://radio-tone.com/product/rt-crc1-repater-controller-full-duplex/ I see ad's for the "Surecom" controllers but have read a lot of bad or poor reviews. The one above seems to be OK. Also don't forget to get the right radio interface cables with it. kipandlee 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gman1971 Posted January 9, 2020 Report Share Posted January 9, 2020 If you want to do an "in-band" repeater you will need two radios, a duplexer and a controller as the main components. You can buy a cheap UHF duplexer at this site. If you supply the two frequencies they will tune the filter at no extra cost. Also don't forget to get any N to whatever RF adapter you will need to connect to the radios and the antenna. www.409shop.com/409shop_shopcat.php?&usercat=4942 If you want to know how well these cheap Chinese duplexers work a guy did some testing on one here. http://www.repeater-builder.com/antenna/pdf/chinese-mobile-duplexer-measurements.pdf Then use a simple repeater controller like this one. https://radio-tone.com/product/rt-crc1-repater-controller-full-duplex/ I see ad's for the "Surecom" controllers but have read a lot of bad or poor reviews. The one above seems to be OK. Also don't forget to get the right radio interface cables with it. I've had good luck with surecom controllers, but then again I only have 2, so the sampling is very small, perhaps I got just 2 which were good? Mine are battery operated too, so I can use them on the go. They are the only ones I've tried that will work on Anytone radios, all others I've tried will cut the first 1/2 second or so of the transmission. G. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lscott Posted January 10, 2020 Report Share Posted January 10, 2020 I've had good luck with surecom controllers, but then again I only have 2,Which ones have you used? I've been looking at reviews on these on and off for a while and I'm not likening the comments I've read, to many negative ones. Yes I've seen the comments about the first half second being cut off. That's happen to me with radios with VOX operation or a VOX headset so seeing it mentioned with the controller isn't a concern. All it means is the electronics needs enough audio signal level to detect long enough to ensure somebody is really talking so the radio TX isn't tripped randomly. What gets me are reports about out and out failures or the audio is fine for a while then for no reason is distorted. Some reports the controller will no longer switch the TX radio on etc. One guy said power cycling his would fix the audio distortion problem on his for a short while then mess up again. Then there are people like you who say they have no issues. From those that don't report issues to the frequent ones who do I begin to question the manufactures quality control. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gman1971 Posted January 10, 2020 Report Share Posted January 10, 2020 I have two Surecom 629s, usb and battery powered. So far they haven't let me down and I've tried a bunch of radios on them... including a TM-V71a Kenwood, a TH-F6a, Alinco MD5, BF-1801.... Distortion has happened when the input was too strong, if you max out the volume on the TM-V71a, for example, then you'll hear a mess, but you set volume back to 1/2 way and audio is fine. At least that has been my experience. Also an excessive input level could be too much for the controller to handle over time (guess). so perhaps setting the volume to a level that opens up, and can be heard is all you really need? G. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lscott Posted January 10, 2020 Report Share Posted January 10, 2020 I was looking at the 628’s, not the 629’s, originally. Now I’m not sure. I just purchased a Kenwood TK-2000 package with programming cable and software new on eBay for $50. I was going to experiment using that radio and a Baofeng BF-888 with an MFJ-916 duplexer to make a simple low power VHF/UHF cross band repeater. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gman1971 Posted January 10, 2020 Report Share Posted January 10, 2020 I read the same things about the other models so I settled for the 629 which is also battery operated, therefore you can take it on the go if need be. G. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lscott Posted January 11, 2020 Report Share Posted January 11, 2020 Maybe I should take another look at the 629's. gman1971 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
n4gix Posted January 14, 2020 Report Share Posted January 14, 2020 I've tried many times to participate in nets via cross-band and found it most unsatisfactory. Why one may reasonably ask? Simple, if the hang time on the remote repeater is long, it's difficult to get an word in edgewise! For some reason a lot of people won't wait for the repeater to drop before keying up, especially during a round of check ins.. Go figure! RCM 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marcspaz Posted January 15, 2020 Report Share Posted January 15, 2020 Yes... a repeater to a repeater is usually not a good time. Plus, there is delays in key up times, leading to a word or 3 missing from the start of your transmission. gman1971 and RCM 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
n4gix Posted January 15, 2020 Report Share Posted January 15, 2020 Oh, not to forget the heating taking place on one's cross-band radio from the 'extended keyup times'... RCM, marcspaz and gman1971 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RCM Posted January 21, 2020 Report Share Posted January 21, 2020 Yes... a repeater to a repeater is usually not a good time. Plus, there is delays in key up times, leading to a word or 3 missing from the start of your transmission.Don't get me started on that! There are some lids around here that I have no clue what their legal callsign is, because I have never heard the first half of it! marcspaz 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RCM Posted January 21, 2020 Report Share Posted January 21, 2020 Oh, not to forget the heating taking place on one's cross-band radio from the 'extended keyup times'... Agreed.I just saw a discussion on another forum where most of the participants are 100 percent convinced that a portable "repeater" consisting of a Chinese dual bander in an ammo can with a battery, crossbanding from GMRS to 2 Meters, and a few Chinese dual band HTs to access it, is an awesome setup that can't possibly have any technical problems. And the illegality of it is just a minor technicality and not worth discussing beyond saying nobody will really notice nor care. To those guys a couple of commercial UHF rigs, a simple controller and a pair of antennas with feedlines is way too complicated to even consider. Downs, jimndfw and marcspaz 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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