New Repeater Finally Going Up

[ASRM]

After almost 2 years of scheming, dreaming and false starts (getting a new job, getting married, new home) I finally talked the wife into getting us up and on the air (well as soon as the gear arrives, I spend the day getting the attenna's up.

 

This will be for Woodford County IL, I coordinated with Gary in Pekin IL so we aren't interfering with other GMRS setups.

 

I am sort of excited since last time I was doing GMRS was back in the 80's with a little UNiden 25 watt repeater, that sadly died along with a rather expensive 12 db Sinclair ant in a fire

 

This setup will be using a Vertex VXR-7000 with a 9 db Comet antenna, I haven't the dough yet for a tower, so will be on a 20-30 foot mast attached to a dormer so I will be effectivly 40 foot above the ground though I am on one of the highest points in the county over looking the river valley into the metro area. I am expecting some decent HT coverage and rock solid mobile for 12 to 15 miles, the propogation map shows a lot further out, but not sure I trust it (I set it to the suggests I read here)

 

http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5817/21810066995_e642d9f1b7_b.jpg

 

I am hoping I can get by with just 1/2 hardline and someday get a tower so I can get 60-80 feet up.

 

My radios will be Motorola's I was told the HT's are not Part 95 so I am sad to hear that (Astro Saber's) 

 

My mobiles and base unit (to access the outer repeaters) is CMD1225's

 

I plan on getting a couple of those bubble pack Motorola's that have repeater capabilities to use around the property and figure they will cover around town, we are rural and our town is like a mile from the house and is just a stop light and a couple stores.

[WQWI949]

Very cool, Im new but very interested in gmrs and looking into setting up my own repeater as well. What is the name of the software your running to pull coverage? Looks neat and id be curious to check out my site with it. Anyways your setup sounds solid and im hoping I can get something up comparable myself, best of luck to you!

[ASRM]

Very cool, Im new but very interested in gmrs and looking into setting up my own repeater as well. What is the name of the software your running to pull coverage? Looks neat and id be curious to check out my site with it. Anyways your setup sounds solid and im hoping I can get something up comparable myself, best of luck to you!

 

I used this site, I made some adjustments based on a post here, it seems the settings make the propagation more conservative.

 

http://lrcov.crc.ca/main/

 

I am still working on the antennas and hardline, meeting with a local 2 way shop before I order anything else online. It's been 2+ years in the making.

[ASRM]

Well I finally got the system up, now to test and see how well it works, quick test with our portables, with stubby antennas and in the car was about 3-4 miles out and fine.

 

Now to install the mobiles and get some distance test and possibly get a local shop to test the line to be safe and sure.

 

http://i641.photobucket.com/albums/uu140/aussierescueil/Base%20antenna%202.jpg