GMRS repeaters

[pgp1958]

Hello, I'm new to GMRS and have a question about repeaters.

1. What is DPL, example 043 DPL was shown for a repeater I was looking at.  

2. Are all the GMRS repeater transmit  frequencies  always, +5Mhz from the frequency listed

 

[WRQC527]

14 minutes ago, pgp1958 said:

Hello, I'm new to GMRS and have a question about repeaters.

1. What is DPL, example 043 DPL was shown for a repeater I was looking at.  

2. Are all the GMRS repeater transmit  frequencies  always, +5Mhz from the frequency listed

 

1. It's a sub-audible tone your radio transmits when you press the PTT button that tells the repeater to activate. Otherwise the repeater would activate every time anyone transmitted on the repeater input frequency even if they weren't trying to use the repeater. It's sort of like the security code on your credit card. Except without the fraud. 

2. Yes.

 

[pgp1958]

Ok it the PL tone. The repeater I was looking a had dpl 043, but the lowest tone on my radio is 67.0 Hz.  How do I address that ?

 

[pgp1958]

Ok on my radio its under DCS.  I think I'm figuring it out

Next issue is , I saw a post on this site saying permission is need to use repeaters ??

How do I go about getting that permission. ??

[SteveShannon]

33 minutes ago, pgp1958 said:

Ok on my radio its under DCS.  I think I'm figuring it out

Next issue is , I saw a post on this site saying permission is need to use repeaters ??

How do I go about getting that permission. ??

One of the menus on the top of the page is called “Repeaters”.  If you go there and find the repeater you’re interested in and select it, there’s a place to click to request permission to use it.

 

Edited November 20, 2023 by Sshannon
Added screen shots.

[SteveShannon]

2 hours ago, pgp1958 said:

Hello, I'm new to GMRS and have a question about repeaters.

1. What is DPL, example 043 DPL was shown for a repeater I was looking at.  

2. Are all the GMRS repeater transmit  frequencies  always, +5Mhz from the frequency listed

 

CTCSS is a sub audible tone (it’s really not sub-audible; it’s removed by filtering in the receiver) that causes squelch to open.  It’s also referred to by some as PL, Which stands for Private Line.  Don’t be fooled; there’s nothing private about it.  Anyone with no tones set can hear everything transmitted on that frequency.

DPL is a digital code that serves the same purpose.  It’s also called DCS or DTCSS.  Same warning, expect no privacy.

[WRWE456]

Repeaters are usually owned by individuals or clubs. Some are intended for public use but some are for private use and that is why it's good to ask for permission. Some people put them up for extending their range on their own property like a farm for example and do not want random people using it.

[pgp1958]

Thank you everyone for responding!!

Thanks for the info on requesting permission.

Different terminology,  CTCSS DTCSS I  knew about, first time seeing DPL.  On my radio I  found DCS but no RCS.  

Next item I'm not sure about,  if the repeater requires an input and output DPL and the repeater shows the same tone i.e. 043 for both TX and RX.  If I select 

DCS 043 will  that be used for both TX & RX?

Thanks

 

 

[SteveShannon]

1 hour ago, pgp1958 said:

Thank you everyone for responding!!

Thanks for the info on requesting permission.

Different terminology,  CTCSS DTCSS I  knew about, first time seeing DPL.  On my radio I  found DCS but no RCS.  

Next item I'm not sure about,  if the repeater requires an input and output DPL and the repeater shows the same tone i.e. 043 for both TX and RX.  If I select 

DCS 043 will  that be used for both TX & RX?

Thanks

 

 

I don’t know which radio you have or what software you’re using so I’ll give you a generic answer:

Some software has a field called Squelch Mode. The usual three choices are:

1. TSQL, for Tone Squelch.  In this mode the radio sends a tone and requires one to open squelch.

2. TONE, which sends the tone or DCS code, but doesn’t check for one on receive.

or

3. NONE which neither sends nor expects a tone. 
 

Sometimes repeaters use split tones which can be either two different CTCSS tones or two different DCS codes. 
 

Once in a very long while a repeater owner will even use DCS for either transmit or receive and CTCSS for the other.

 

[pgp1958]

Ok that makes sense !  I get it now , and I want to thank everyone for their input.

Your a great group of people !!