Repeater Issues/Cannot Figure Out how to Access My Local Repeater

[maddogrecurve]

Good Evening,

 

I am new to GMRS, and have the B-tech GMRS V-1 radio, I have a local open repeater here in Portland but I do not know how to hit it.  It has an input and output frequency and the channel that I hear the repeaters' automated message is the output frequency, the input frequency is not aligning with my channel 14 which is 467.712.  The input frequency of the repeater is 467.700.

The output frequency  is 462.700, can someone please help me?

 

Thanks

 

wrmQ982

[WyoJoe]

You probably need to access the repeater from a different channel than Channel 14. Channel 14 is one of the interstitial channels and not a repeater channel. On most of the repeater capable radios I'm familiar with, the repeater channels are usually set up for channels 23-30, inclusive. I suspect you would want to use channel 29 (on my radios that is the default channel for a "700" repeater (467.700 input, 462.700 output), with the appropriate tones for the repeater programmed into that channel.

I have a UV-82 which is very similar to your V-1 radio. The CTCSS xmit tone can be changed using menu option 13 on my UV-82. It may be the same on your model, but I don't know for sure. You may need to enter a CTCSS tone on transmit to open the squelch on the repeater. The repeater information should provide the necessary tone frequency if you need one.

 

[wayoverthere]

49 minutes ago, maddogrecurve said:

Good Evening,

 

I am new to GMRS, and have the B-tech GMRS V-1 radio, I have a local open repeater here in Portland but I do not know how to hit it.  It has an input and output frequency and the channel that I hear the repeaters' automated message is the output frequency, the input frequency is not aligning with my channel 14 which is 467.712.  The input frequency of the repeater is 467.700.

The output frequency  is 462.700, can someone please help me?

 

Thanks

 

wrmQ982

If my memory serves me, you want REPT21 (as @WyoJoe said, it's probably programmed in channel 29) for that one.  Repeater output frequencies are the same as the simplex channels, with the input frequencies 5mHz higher, and the REPTXX channels in your radio should be pre-programmed to account for that.  REPT21 should receive on 462.700, and transmit on 467.700 (the repeater's input frequency).

on tones, i believe the menu item  you want will be called T-CTC (aka PL or CTCSS) or T-DCS (aka DPL or DCS),  depending which type the repeater is using.  if it's expressed in hz, it's CTCSS/PL; if it's a 3 digit number, or 3 digits followd by I or N, it's DCS/DPL.

[maddogrecurve]

1 hour ago, WyoJoe said:

You probably need to access the repeater from a different channel than Channel 14. Channel 14 is one of the interstitial channels and not a repeater channel. On most of the repeater capable radios I'm familiar with, the repeater channels are usually set up for channels 23-30, inclusive. I suspect you would want to use channel 29 (on my radios that is the default channel for a "700" repeater (467.700 input, 462.700 output), with the appropriate tones for the repeater programmed into that channel.

I have a UV-82 which is very similar to your V-1 radio. The CTCSS xmit tone can be changed using menu option 13 on my UV-82. It may be the same on your model, but I don't know for sure. You may need to enter a CTCSS tone on transmit to open the squelch on the repeater. The repeater information should provide the necessary tone frequency if you need one.

 

Thank you for the answer!  There are no tones listed on the repeater.  Maybe I am missing something?

[maddogrecurve]

35 minutes ago, wayoverthere said:

If my memory serves me, you want REPT21 (as @WyoJoe said, it's probably programmed in channel 29) for that one.  Repeater output frequencies are the same as the simplex channels, with the input frequencies 5mHz higher, and the REPTXX channels in your radio should be pre-programmed to account for that.  REPT21 should receive on 462.700, and transmit on 467.700 (the repeater's input frequency).

on tones, i believe the menu item  you want will be called T-CTC (aka PL or CTCSS) or T-DCS (aka DPL or DCS),  depending which type the repeater is using.  if it's expressed in hz, it's CTCSS/PL; if it's a 3 digit number, or 3 digits followd by I or N, it's DCS/DPL.

Thank you very much!  I will contact the repeater owner and see what he says.  He has no codes/tones listed.

[WyoJoe]

18 minutes ago, maddogrecurve said:

Thank you for the answer!  There are no tones listed on the repeater.  Maybe I am missing something?

Often there are tones in use, but they are not listed so you have to contact the repeater owner to get them. This is normally done in conjunction with getting permission to use the repeater. On some repeaters, they may use so-called "travel tones" which basically means CTCSS 141.3. These repeaters are usually open and available to people traveling through the area, hence the term "travel tone."

[maddogrecurve]

On 6/30/2021 at 12:02 AM, WyoJoe said:

Often there are tones in use, but they are not listed so you have to contact the repeater owner to get them. This is normally done in conjunction with getting permission to use the repeater. On some repeaters, they may use so-called "travel tones" which basically means CTCSS 141.3. These repeaters are usually open and available to people traveling through the area, hence the term "travel tone."

The owner told me that I have to program the 5khz offset, which I think I did, so I will try it on my way home, but I don't know how I will know if I reach the repeater or not.  My programming cable has not worked on this radio so I have never had it hooked up to my PC yet...Ugggghhhh..

[mbrun]

The owner told me that I have to program the 5khz offset, which I think I did, so I will try it on my way home, but I don't know how I will know if I reach the repeater or not.  My programming cable has not worked on this radio so I have never had it hooked up to my PC yet...Ugggghhhh..

GMRS offset is 5MHz. Perhaps that is the issue.


Michael
WRHS965
KE8PLM

[wayoverthere]

6 hours ago, maddogrecurve said:

The owner told me that I have to program the 5khz offset, which I think I did, so I will try it on my way home, but I don't know how I will know if I reach the repeater or not.  My programming cable has not worked on this radio so I have never had it hooked up to my PC yet...Ugggghhhh..

My understanding is that the v1 (like my 50x1) already has all the channels hard coded, with rept15-rept22 already having the appropriate 5mHz offset set for you. Choose the right one for the repeater's frequency, set the tones, and as long as you're within range you should be good to go.

One downside of how they did the hard coding is that anything you save (or add via computer) beyond the base 30 will be rx-only.