CrossBand Repeater

[taco6513]

I have an extra radio that is capable of crossband repeat. Do I need to get the repeater

operators permission to set up a crossband link to extend coverage into my town?

Thanks

KI5GXD 

WRCW870

[Jones]

For ham personal use, it wouldn't be necessary, but if you intend to let other hams in town use your cross-band, then yes, as a courtesy, I would ask permission of the repeater owner. Also make sure to set up proper security in the form of CTCSS or DCS to access your link, as to avoid causing interference to the repeater.

 

For GMRS, cross band is of course, illegal.

[marcspaz]

What are you looking to extend? HT use?

 

Typically using a repeater that is open to the public doesn't require any special permission from the owner. Depending on your setup, they would have no way of knowing anyway.

 

That said, cross-band repeat into another repeater is a massive PITA. You have significant delay during the switching process and you can't talk until the repeater drops and your cross-band repeater drops out of transmit mode. You likely won't hear the first couple of words of others and if you start talking too soon, people may not hear your first few words.

[taco6513]

I have set up a mobile antenna at the tower site. Set the radio to 25 watts on both sides. I have gone to the trouble of setting up a separate TX & RX frequencies on the UHF crossband side. Also have split tones.

I has to change frequencies several times because of interference. The interference traced down my PL tone and was broadcasting a strong signal. I was using split tones then also. So they didn't cause

interference to the actual repeater.

 

OK with that said, I am getting a choppy signal from the crossband radio to my portable. Doesn't happen all the time. I think it is the signal quality of the station transmitting to the actual repeater.

I am thinking a better antenna would help or move the antenna from the building to the tower at some higher level, or is there a setting in the crossband radio I can set or adjust?

 

Thanks

KI5GXD

WRCW870

[Lscott]

One thing you need to be sure of is the TX frequency is not harmonically related to the RX frequency. For example if the TX frequency is 146 MHz you don't want your RX frequency anywhere close to 438 MHz for example, which is the third harmonic. The tiny amount of harmonics generated, all radios have some, could be enough to break the squelch on the RX and cause interference. This is a common error most people make setting up a cross band repeater.

 

You could have some other unrelated problem but this issue should be addressed none the less.

[quarterwave]

Sounds like your TX is eating your RX. In other words, the receiver is not selective enough in that environment to handle whats going on. Try it with the power down to half where you are now and see if the same occurs. 

[taco6513]

The Repeater TX frequency in 146.760Mhz. This would be the receiving frequency on the crossband radio.

The Crossband TX frequency is 434.425Mhz. The receive frequency is 446.225Mhz.

I have not transmitted over the crossband link at this time. I am using as a monitor like and  time time.

I have the TX power set to 25 watts on UHF. Carrier squelch with a tone of 89.6HZ (custom tone)

 

Thanks

KI5GXD