Help with VXR-7000 Repeater setup

[briancs]

Hello, I was recently given a working vxr-7000 repeater and need to reconfigure it. I have access to programing and have added the repeater Freq, I am new to this and not sure really what I should be looking for to ensure it all properly configure. If someone has some experience with this repeater and can offer some help with what fields need to be set or even provide a working config file for me to compare to that would be great. 

I have everything in place and connected just want to ensure the config is properly done.

Thanks for any help sent my way

Brian

N4wzy

[WyoJoe]

7 hours ago, briancs said:

Hello, I was recently given a working vxr-7000 repeater and need to reconfigure it. I have access to programing and have added the repeater Freq, I am new to this and not sure really what I should be looking for to ensure it all properly configure. If someone has some experience with this repeater and can offer some help with what fields need to be set or even provide a working config file for me to compare to that would be great. 

I have everything in place and connected just want to ensure the config is properly done.

Thanks for any help sent my way

Brian

N4wzy

Do you have a programming cable and the necessary software for programming the repeater? Assuming you have a suitable computer and the aforementioned software and cable, the programming of the repeater is pretty simple. The CE-27 software is needed, but I used the -d switch for the executable to allow it to enter "dealer" mode. In my case, the executable file is CE27Win.exe, so I ran it as "CE27Win.exe -d" to access the dealer mode. I believe this was required to allow me to set the repeater to wide band. It's probably obvious that since the executable file is an exe extension, it is intended to run on Windows. I actually use mine in Linux with WINE set up for Windows compatibility.

The next thing you'll want to do is to read the programming from the repeater and then save the original file. Immediately rename the file to something else so the original file does not become corrupted. I usually include the date that I saved the file in the file name so I can see when the file was created.

Once you've renamed the file, you can edit the table to enter the values you want to use. You have 16 channels to choose from, and can add CTCSS and/or DCS codes for the transmit and receive frequencies, adjust power levels, set wide/narrow options and simplex/duplex options, among other things as desired. Once you have it set as desired, save it again, then write it to the repeater.

Here's how I have mine programmed currently:

I am using a duplexer tuned to the 462.625/467.625 frequency pair, so as you can see, most of the channels are programmed for that pair's Tx and Rx frequencies. I did this to give me a lot of options for tones and power settings. Channels 15 and 16 are one step above or below, just in case I need to set the repeater to a different frequency pair which should work okay with the duplexer.

The first eight channels are set for either high or low power for each of four CTCSS decoder (receive) codes. If desired, encoder codes can also be set, but mine are set to "off" (no code used). Channels 9-12 use DCS  for decoder codes instead of CTCSS, and again are programmed for high and low power for each of the DCS codes used. The CW-ID option is set for all channels because I've programmed my call sign into the repeater and set it to ID every 15 minutes. This can be configured in the CW-ID section of the "common" menu. I don't recall whether or not I changed any of the other settings, but the settings shown are working for me.

I hope this helps.

[briancs]

Wow thanks so much. I have the software and cable and have access to and config file and have been pocking around. I am going to ask a silly question, I thought that the RX Freq should be the low 462. and the 467 TX. After seeing yours it would appear I have them backwards. When I programed my Wouxun they looked like this and again sorry new at the repeater side of things.

Name	Rx Freq. Tx Freq. Offset Shift Dir. Op. Mode Tone Mode						CTCSS	Tx Power	Scan	Comment
GMRSr15	462.55000	467.55000	5.00 MHz	Plus	FM	Tone	141.3 Hz	High	Skip	GMRS Main Repeaters
GMRSr16S	462.57500	467.57500	5.00 MHz	Plus	FM	Tone	141.3 Hz	High	Skip	BSR EARS Neighborhood Safety - GMRS Repeaters
GMRSr17	462.60000	467.60000	5.00 MHz	Plus	FM	Tone	141.3 Hz	High	Skip	Prepper/Emergency
GMRSr18	462.62500	467.62500	5.00 MHz	Plus	FM	Tone	141.3 Hz	High	Skip

[briancs]

And if I have the Freq reversed that may also mean I have the duplexer connect backwards as well. I currently have the receive antenna connector to the Low side of the duplexer and the Tx connector to the High side of the duplexer. The upside other than looking at programing I have not yet tried to send or receive anything.

[wrci350]

You mobile or HT radio transmits on the 467 frequency and receives on the 462 frequency.

That means the repeater has to RECEIVE (from your HT or mobile) on 467 and TRANSMIT (back to your HT or mobile) on 462.

So the high side of the duplexer goes to receive, and low side to transmit.

[tweiss3]

Repeaters are opposite of general programming, the TX frequency of a radio is the RX frequency of the repeater, and the RX frequency of the radio is the TX frequency of the repeater, for GMRS that mean repeaters listen on 467, and transmit of 462. In other radio services, the TX could be above or below the RX frequency, but it's laid only one way in the GMRS regs.

[briancs]

Everyone has been great, and it's making more sense now thank you so much.

 

[briancs]

Another question, under common there is a RX adjustment, TX adjustment and TX power adjust. Any advice on these configs?

[gman1971]

7 minutes ago, briancs said:

Another question, under common there is a RX adjustment, TX adjustment and TX power adjust. Any advice on these configs?

Do you have a screenshot of what kind of adjustments are available?

 

[briancs]

Again thanks to everyone, I have it on and doing some low power testing TX and RX seem good. Cwid works great. here a few screen shots of some settings I am not sure about. One other thing when I saved the settings it force me into Narrow band and it will not let me save in Wide but it seem to work.

[gman1971]

Hi there, those are the radio alignment parameters, and you'll need at least a signal generator for some, but the rest a service monitor will be required.

G.

[OffRoaderX]

I have never messed with any of those settings on my 7000.. For me, those are in the "if you dont know what they do, dont F with them" category..

The only other thing you might want to enable is the Courtesy Blip, aka the RRB or Repeater Roger Beep.

The narrowband thing is a PITB .. To get around it you have to set your computer clock back to something like 2003 before you open the software - then you can keep your wideband setting.

[wayoverthere]

I will say that vertex has done a pretty good job of having the help file give some explanation of what the settings do...not always in plain English, but if not, it's in technical terms that will give you a start on reading up what they mean.

On the wide vs narrow thing, narrow will get along better with midland's radios that are stuck with narrow only, and other radios will be fine if you also set them to narrow. On being forced by the software, some versions (like the one for the vx handhelds and mobile), I can set my system time to something well before 2013 (when the narrowband directive went into effect), and open the cps and it will let me program wideband no problem. I use dates in the filename since the date in the file properties looks way old due to changing the system time.

[WyoJoe]

5 hours ago, OffRoaderX said:

I have never messed with any of those settings on my 7000.. For me, those are in the "if you dont know what they do, dont F with them" category..

The only other thing you might want to enable is the Courtesy Blip, aka the RRB or Repeater Roger Beep.

The narrowband thing is a PITB .. To get around it you have to set your computer clock back to something like 2003 before you open the software - then you can keep your wideband setting.

I didn't have to change any clock settings to enable wide band on my repeater. I just created a desktop short cut to the application and added the "-d" switch to the filename string in this format: <filename>.exe -d

That's what worked for me, though your mileage may vary...

[OffRoaderX]

6 hours ago, WyoJoe said:

I didn't have to change any clock settings to enable wide band on my repeater. I just created a desktop short cut to the application and added the "-d" switch to the filename string in this format: <filename>.exe -d

That's what worked for me, though your mileage may vary...

I always use the -d switch, and it does nothing for the narrowband mandate, the only way around it on the version I am using is to change the clock.  

[alexd51]

On 2/12/2022 at 10:15 AM, OffRoaderX said:

I always use the -d switch, and it does nothing for the narrowband mandate, the only way around it on the version I am using is to change the clock.

You can also use the /m and that will get you on the manufacturer mode, or like i like to call it "God Mode" it will ask you for the password to get into manufacturer mode ansho-bango is the pass.

If you get the European version of CE27 then you can change to wideband. Just a word about the European version, they mislabeled the upload and download to radio, they inverted them. Download means sending the codeplug to the radio and upload means downloading the codeplug to your computer.

[alexd51]

CE27_Setup_USA_1_08

On 2/12/2022 at 10:15 AM, OffRoaderX said:

I always use the -d switch, and it does nothing for the narrowband mandate, the only way around it on the version I am using is to change the clock.

What version are you using? CE27_Setup_USA_1_08? or CE27_Setup_EXP_1_08? The /m works with the EXP version never tried with the USA version.
You can find either version if you have a Motorola tech account but they don't give access to any John Doe even though the VXR 7000 is already a out of life product. They should make it public but of course they wont. Thank God for a good friend that is a Tech and provided me with a copy of the EXP....Hint, Hint

[WyoJoe]

1 hour ago, alexd51 said:

CE27_Setup_USA_1_08

What version are you using? CE27_Setup_USA_1_08? or CE27_Setup_EXP_1_08? The /m works with the EXP version never tried with the USA version.
You can find either version if you have a Motorola tech account but they don't give access to any John Doe even though the VXR 7000 is already a out of life product. They should make it public but of course they wont. Thank God for a good friend that is a Tech and provided me with a copy of the EXP....Hint, Hint

I'm not sure which version it is other than 1.08, which is what it tells me in the "about" tab on the software. The installation file was CE27 for Windows (CE27win.exe). I don't remember now if it was the US or Export version that I installed, as it looks like the program disk I received has both on it (Export is in a separate folder), each with an executable file of the same name.

Whichever one I'm using allows me to set the repeater to Wideband, so it may be the Export version, but I'm not sure.

[alexd51]

On 2/20/2022 at 4:08 PM, WyoJoe said:

I'm not sure which version it is other than 1.08, which is what it tells me in the "about" tab on the software. The installation file was CE27 for Windows (CE27win.exe). I don't remember now if it was the US or Export version that I installed, as it looks like the program disk I received has both on it (Export is in a separate folder), each with an executable file of the same name.

Whichever one I'm using allows me to set the repeater to Wideband, so it may be the Export version, but I'm not sure.

If you start the software in manufacturer mode it doesn't matter what version you have it will let you do whatever you want with your repeater.

[m4f1050]

Sorry to revive old thread...

I just bought one of these off of eBay, when I received it, plugged in to LMR600 cable and a Tram-1486 antenna.

Right as soon as I power it up, it flashes FE on the channel display.  Any ideas???

I would also like to know how to program a normal channel and also a repeater to use it as a base/station.

Thanks!

[OffRoaderX]

17 minutes ago, WRUS599 said:

Right as soon as I power it up, it flashes FE on the channel display.  Any ideas???

Its probably best to create a new thread with your issue, but IIRC, FE indicates an error.. are there any numbers scrolling/flashing after FE ?

[m4f1050]

-- Removed --

[m4f1050]

Just now, WyoJoe said:

Quick question....  I see that you have CTCSS on RX but none on TX, is this normal or you have it set like this on purpose?

[SteveShannon]

1 minute ago, WRUS599 said:

Quick question....  I see that you have CTCSS on RX but none on TX, is this normal or you have it set like this on purpose?

Requiring a tone for the receiver of a repeater is normal to limit what gets re-transmitted. 
Having no tone on the repeater transmit side is simply a choice. 

[m4f1050]

On 10/7/2022 at 7:17 PM, Sshannon said:

Requiring a tone for the receiver of a repeater is normal to limit what gets re-transmitted. 
Having no tone on the repeater transmit side is simply a choice. 

Gotcha.  CTCSS can be found receiving anyways.  The one that's harder to find is the transmiting one, you have to be near someone transmitting to it.