How can you tell. Simplex or repeater?

[WRTL303]

Hello.

I got my license this year. Wondering if someone can explain this difference for me. I can hear people talking on 462.550. I know this is channel 15 for simplex (taking radio to radio) but it's also repeater ch 1 output frequency. 

How can you know if the people talking are using the repeater channel or simplex channel? If they're on the repeater and I don't have the tone, they won't hear me. If they're on simplex but too far away, they won't hear me.  (If they're no fun at all, they'll hear me but act like they don't). How can I know which channel they're really on if I get no reply?

I understand that I would hear(Rx) them on both ch 15 & Rpt 1. What's the right channel to talk (Tx) back to them? If I do need a repeater tone, how would I know (or know which tone is needed)?

Any advice on this would be appreciated

Thanks 

[marcspaz]

The only way to know for sure is if there is a transmit tail after they stop talking.  Not all repeaters have a tail and some repeaters are designed to disable the tail if the radio it is repeating for issues a command to not transmit the tail after its transmission.  So, it gets kind of tough. 

 

If you have a radio that allows you to listen to the repeater input (instead of the repeater output as normal) and if you are close enough to any of the other people, you may hear them transmitting on the repeater input frequency, if they are using the repeater.

 

Also, some people talk simplex with CTCSS or DCS tones and may not hear you anyway... which makes it even tougher to tell.

 

Honestly, there is a near 100% certainty that if you hear them on simplex and you can also work the repeater, they are close enough to hear the repeater, too.  So, I usually start my replies on the repeater frequency and ask them if they are on the repeater.  If they aren't and I am hearing them direct, then I move to simplex, accordingly. 

[WRTL303]

Hi Marc, 

Thanks for a fast response. I noticed you from a forum about GMRS in South Florida. I live in the center of Broward county. I only found one repeater listed on the map that is near me. I hear people that have to be using another repeater since it's on a different frequency from the one listed. Do you have advice or know about other ways to find repeaters in this area( Hollywood/Pembroke Pines, Broward). I've checked about every webpage I could already and only found one repeater. Maybe you've had better luck.

Thank you

[back4more70]

Transmit on the repeater input frequency and call them idiots. If they clap back, they are on the repeater 

[marcspaz]

2 hours ago, WRTL303 said:

Hi Marc, 

Thanks for a fast response. I noticed you from a forum about GMRS in South Florida. I live in the center of Broward county. I only found one repeater listed on the map that is near me. I hear people that have to be using another repeater since it's on a different frequency from the one listed. Do you have advice or know about other ways to find repeaters in this area( Hollywood/Pembroke Pines, Broward). I've checked about every webpage I could already and only found one repeater. Maybe you've had better luck.

Thank you

 

 

There are a few repeaters in Broward... but they all have very limited range.  4 or 5 miles... tops.  I can reach just as far mobile-to-mobile.  Unless you happen to be on a handheld radio within 2.5-3 miles of the repeater and wanting to talk to someone that close to the repeater, it's not even worth trying.

 

If I retire down there, I will put up a wide coverage area repeater (30+ miles), but for now I don't spend enough time there to justify it.

 

 

[WRWH340]

On 7/28/2022 at 1:06 PM, WRTL303 said:

Hi Marc, 

Thanks for a fast response. I noticed you from a forum about GMRS in South Florida. I live in the center of Broward county. I only found one repeater listed on the map that is near me. I hear people that have to be using another repeater since it's on a different frequency from the one listed. Do you have advice or know about other ways to find repeaters in this area( Hollywood/Pembroke Pines, Broward). I've checked about every webpage I could already and only found one repeater. Maybe you've had better luck.

Thank you

Sorry for reviving an old post but I just joined and got my license a couple weeks ago. I'm in Hollywood and I'm also having a hard time reaching the local repeaters. Were you able to find them and access them? Thanks