Response from repeater owners?

[Blackmar401]

Do they ever respond? I have sent a request to all the open repeaters around my area and have got zero responses. One of them I am able to signal and it gets a couple seconds of static like a second after I release the ptt but won't transmit anything so I'm guessing it's split tone? The ctcss wasn't what was listed either. I just went right up the list until #30 got results.

[Extreme]

There is a repeater in my area with no ID when it's brought up, just the squelch break you describe, but it works just fine.  To know if it works I'd advise you get a second radio at a distance that cannot be reached via simplex and try to communicate with one another on the repeater channel.

[Blackmar401]

I tried a handheld in my house as a receiver then went out to my car and my wife tried and I only got the break.

[H8SPVMT]

One owner of a repeater has spoken to me plenty of times.

Several owners have responded to my request via email.

[JorgeBolivar]

I have asked myself the same question. Hope I can find anyone one of this days.

[gortex2]

One of the issues with the repeater listings is many are out of date. Many people come to mygmrs list a repeater and neve even install said repeater. Others list the repeater and loose interest. Some never even make it to the forums. Its really hit or miss. For me when I get a request I may reply right away, unless I'm busy with work then it may be a few days. I would think if its on the map view and been updated in the last year you have better luck than ones  that have not been updated recently. Just my opinion.

 

Do a search on the forums as this comes up often and similar answers are given. One that wasn't mentioned is just because its listed doesn't mean the owner wants folks on it. If its listed as open or travel tone thats different but there are repeaters listed that may not want others on it. I have one such repeater. It was listed so others know that frequency is in use.

[Blackmar401]

There are a few active repeaters that aren't listed. What's protocol there? Figure out the ctcss and ask permission over the repeater?

[gortex2]

There are a few active repeaters that aren't listed. What's protocol there? Figure out the ctcss and ask permission over the repeater?

 

It depends. Not everyone opens there repeater. If I was looking I'd wait for a call sign then contact them via FCC contact info and ask. I have multiple repeaters online that are not posted on the site as they are not open to other users. I know a few folks who have 

[OldRadioGuy]

I tried a handheld in my house as a receiver then went out to my car and my wife tried and I only got the break.

This is probably not a good test.

Your transmitter is too close to the test receiver which is desensitizing your wife's RX.

This is a common problem and the reason a repeater needs a duplexer to work. 

The huge nearby in-band signal makes the receiver turn its gain way down.

Of course the repeater signal is much weaker so will not be heard.

 

You really need to get your TX a couple hundred yards, (or better yet, a mile) from your test RX.

 

I did this same thing with a 5W radio and my wife could not hear me at all through the repeater.

But I got a reply from a guy 10 miles away who could hear me fine.

My wife downstairs could hear the other guy fine but her radio "plugged its ears" whenever I was transmitting.

 

Vince

[JCase]

I would agree with separating your tx and rx radios by 1 mile. I’ve found that I usually don’t have this issue with the big US brands of radios however the CCB radios with the exception of Wouxan always experience front end overload.

 

A responsible repeater owner will respond to all inquiries within a reasonable amount of time (usually within the first 48 hours but up to one week). Of course, these are the same responsible owners that keep their listings current, up to date, this is what I do as a responsible owner. If you’re not receiving a response, I’d move on since chances are if the system experienced an issue, say one serious enough to knock it off line, the chances of the owner correcting the problem and placing it back on line or even on line within a reasonable time period are very low. That’s not really the option that I want to rely on for my communication needs. Something to consider is all.

 

Although my current system is providing less than adequate coverage which I’m working diligently to resolve (I chose to start small and hopefully improve over time), I or one of my “control monitors” are monitoring the repeater 24/7 and if the primary system fails for any reason, it’s a quick and simple changing the coax connection and flip of a single switch and the backup repeater is up and running while repairs are made to the primary unit, with minimal down time and interruption. I can’t speak for anyone else, but this is the way I have chosen to implement my operation in order to ensure that everyone using my system can rely on, within reason, that it will be up and running when it’s needed.

[wayoverthere]

If you’re not receiving a response, I’d move on since chances are if the system experienced an issue, say one serious enough to knock it off line, the chances of the owner correcting the problem and placing it back on line or even on line within a reasonable time period are very low. That’s not really the option that I want to rely on for my communication needs. Something to consider is all.

 

I was listening to one of the nets Thursday night via zello, and they were discussing preparedness, and something along those lines is one aspect that came to mind. Since I don't have a good place to stand up my own repeater and would have to depend on others' equipment, I would want to have some idea that they've made efforts to have at least some basic backup plan (or not) to know how much I should plan around it.

[gortex2]

I can assure you most of the repeaters on the air in GMRS have no backup plans for power. There are some that are in coordinated shelters with power but I wouldn't depend on it. I know mine all have battery backup but its not going to last long. 

[mbrun]

I was listing to one of the nets Thursday night via zello, and they were discussing preparedness, and something along those lines is one aspect that came to mind. Since I don't have a good place to stand up my own repeater and would have to depend on others' equipment, I would want to have some idea that they've made efforts to have at least some basic backup plan (or not) to know how much I should plan around it.

I make zero assumptions that any repeaters will be up and available in a time of serious local emergency involving a grid-down scenario (especially long-term), unless the repeater was put up and maintained for that express purpose and eventuality. I know of no such system within radio range of me. The closest candidate (but one I cannot reach) lives on a hospital and is known to be powered by the hospitals main emergency backup system.

 

For most individuals, putting up a repeater is a technical and costly challenge. Add in the investment and maintenance costs for a quality long-term grid-down power backup system and suddenly the repeater, antenna and duplexer costs are dwarfed. Most will not invest in something that they receive no immediate benefit from.

 

For those with repeaters co-located on a commercial tower site, some maybe connected to the local UPS and emergency power generators. That is good, but other equipment may be given emergency power priority.

 

As I continue my personal GMRS and amateur radio journey, my focus is optimized simplex communications, such that operation is not reliant on repeaters. Working repeaters in a time of need will just be the sweet icing on the cake.

 

Wayoverthere, perhaps you have discovered a need and the opportunity for pulling local resources to support a mission of creating and maintaining that ideal local site that you and the community can count on during a time of need.

 

 

Michael

WRHS965

KE8PLM

[gortex2]

The other issue is many GMRS repeater owners don't or wont spend the money on true commercial gear. A $5000 repeater with duplexer and hardline up a tower can easily get to $10K in new hardware depending on what you use. A lot of the GMRS repeaters are done on the economical aka cheap design with LMR style cable, TRAM antenna and GR1225 or similar on a garage or house to cover a local area. These are fine for that purpose, but a true emergency repeater requires a lot. Going on the cheap if you were to drop a generator on site and know what your doing you can buy a new Generace for around $3K but then you need a tank or propane or natural gas source. That's a money fee on top of the equipment. Some locations have solar backups but that's only going to last so long for the hobbyist solar system. I use a small system mainly to keep batteries and repeater controllers up on a power flicker or short outage. Even at home where I have a standby generator my repeater location does not get backup power. Id rather have heat and water at that point. 

 

As was said earlier some may be at a commercial site and have some access to the backup systems but I wouldn't rely on any of it. As reference out of my 4 search and rescue repeater systems I maintain only 2 of them have standby emergency power. The others have a battery backup but nothing that will last 24 hours. 

[Blackmar401]

If I set up a repeater it would be ran off a solar charged battery not have a short term battery back up.

[JohnE]

KB2ZTX, agreed

I have several commercial sites that I maintain, only one of which has full back up power and one that has B/U for certain radios on the site. Only one of my three machines has full battery B/U for when the power goes out.

[AdmiralCochrane]

If I set up a repeater it would be ran off a solar charged battery not have a short term battery back up.

 

That would work if your duty cycle is very limited

[SteveC7010]

If I set up a repeater it would be ran off a solar charged battery not have a short term battery back up.

Solar is great until it snows and then it’s not. My neighbor across the street has an extensive whole-house solar array on his roof. Right now it’s buried under a foot of snow and ice rendering it inoperable. It’s no one’s fault. It’s just a drawback. But folks who install solar educate themselves about this and have multiple power sources available at all times.

 

I would suggest comprehensive research and planning be first and foremost when considering any robust system.

[Blackmar401]

That would work if your duty cycle is very limited

depends on how many batteries. I have 3 hooked up to 2×100w panels and can run a bunch of stuff off it. The controller actually just died last month after 3 years

[Blackmar401]

Solar is great until it snows and then it’s not. My neighbor across the street has an extensive whole-house solar array on his roof. Right now it’s buried under a foot of snow and ice rendering it inoperable. It’s no one’s fault. It’s just a drawback. But folks who install solar educate themselves about this and have multiple power sources available at all times.

 

I would suggest comprehensive research and planning be first and foremost when considering any robust system.

if you angle the panels right the snow doesn't last long. I'm looking at mine now and they are clear after getting snow for 2 days straight

[Blackmar401]

Solar is great until it snows and then it’s not. My neighbor across the street has an extensive whole-house solar array on his roof. Right now it’s buried under a foot of snow and ice rendering it inoperable. It’s no one’s fault. It’s just a drawback. But folks who install solar educate themselves about this and have multiple power sources available at all times.

 

I would suggest comprehensive research and planning be first and foremost when considering any robust system.

if you angle the panels right the snow doesn't last long. I'm looking at mine now and they are clear after getting snow for 2 days straight

[Extreme]

All is moot with EMP.

 

Sent from my Pixel 4a using Tapatalk

[Blackmar401]

All is moot with EMP.

 

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It would also be a moot point if an asteroid blew the planet to smithereens, however power goes out 99.999% of the time for reasons other than emp's and extinction level asteroids.

[JohnE]

 

It would also be a moot point if an asteroid blew the planet to smithereens, however power goes out 99.999% of the time for reasons other than emp's and extinction level asteroids.

:lol: :lol:

[wrku937]

I emailed a repeater owner before my last road trip. He responded within a couple of hours letting me know the repeater would be down during my time in the area. He was finishing up some upgrades and testing, but would let me know when it was back up.