has anyone used a plc to control their repeater?

[WRXH658]

if so, how do I do it without distorting my audio?

[Sshannon]

A PLC as in programmable logic controller?

Quite a few people use repeatercontrollers like the ID-o-matic.  https://www.radiodan.com/idom/

 

[Lscott]

1 hour ago, WRXH658 said:

if so, how do I do it without distorting my audio?

You very likely can get a purpose built repeater controller for a lot less money unless you "happen" to have a PLC laying around someplace.

Otherwise the cheapest thing you likely can use is like the example linked to below.

https://www.robotshop.com/products/ardbox-plc-20-analog-modbus-industrial-arduino-module

[WRXH658]

i have a click plc and the software to program it. it keeps distorting the audio when it fires the push to talk output. does anyone have any input on how to get rid of it? the plc i have was less than $80 and i already have it from an old project. a regular repeater controller won't work on my set up do to the fact i have a csi cs800 (RX only) going to a btech gmrs 50v2. so everything is different from one to the other. as far as mic input ptt... i would have to modify the cables ....  plus, i would have to buy another component. i would like to make what i already have work but I'm stumped.

[Sshannon]

51 minutes ago, WRXH658 said:

i have a click plc and the software to program it. it keeps distorting the audio when it fires the push to talk output. does anyone have any input on how to get rid of it? the plc i have was less than $80 and i already have it from an old project. a regular repeater controller won't work on my set up do to the fact i have a csi cs800 (RX only) going to a btech gmrs 50v2. so everything is different from one to the other. as far as mic input ptt... i would have to modify the cables ....  plus, i would have to buy another component. i would like to make what i already have work but I'm stumped.

Can you provide a wiring diagram so we can see how you have it connected? I don’t understand why closing PTT would distort the audio. 

[WRXH658]

i don't have any info on hand. i could get some pictures later. i am using the speaker power to see that audio is there and it is pulling to much power to power the speaker. if i unplug the plc the audio is good as soon as i power up the plc its crap. how else can i get power the other radios ptt when receiving? gpio pins on the back of my radio is not in the program menu otherwise i would set up one of the pins as an output for ptt when RX is coming in but i don't have the option to set them up in my programing software. the software is something ham. its a csi cs800 50w mobile radio

[Sshannon]

1 hour ago, WRXH658 said:

i don't have any info on hand. i could get some pictures later. i am using the speaker power to see that audio is there and it is pulling to much power to power the speaker. if i unplug the plc the audio is good as soon as i power up the plc its crap. how else can i get power the other radios ptt when receiving? gpio pins on the back of my radio is not in the program menu otherwise i would set up one of the pins as an output for ptt when RX is coming in but i don't have the option to set them up in my programing software. the software is something ham. its a csi cs800 50w mobile radio

You might be able to enable VOX on the transmitting radio and let it just detect the audio from the receiving radio. 

[WRXH658]

I tried that and i have to yell at my radio the hole time to get it to come through and if I don't talk fast it keys up over and over. I gave in im tired of messing with it. I attached a few pics give you an idea I took it all down after I gave up on it and order one. I plan on using an aux cord from the speaker out put of the cs800 to the controller but I doubt its going to be that simple. the other radio should be plug n play and some setting maybe. after I get the repeater working I'm going to figure out a way to use a digirig and zello so I can hear and talk back on my repeater anywhere I have service. thanks for the input. I'm just tired of messing with it.

[Sshannon]

Honestly, using two radios which were not designed to be combined as a repeater would be quite a challenge anyway. While there are some high end radios that are designed to be combined into a repeater (Motorola is one) and work well, but almost everyone on this forum who has tried something similar with inexpensive radios discovers that problems with de-sense are difficult to overcome. 

[WRXH658]

well when IF i get it going i will let yall know.

[Sshannon]

Do you have a duplexer?

I have a Digirig.  They’re very nice, but they require connections to the mic and speaker jacks, which will already be connected to your other radio for use as a repeater. 

Also, I don’t know how you intend to bridge from the repeater through the DigiRig, to the internet. Will you be dedicating a Pi to talk to the Digirig and serve as the Zello node?

 

[WRXH658]

I plan to use splitters to split the audio of the RX radio and the mic of the TX radio. I want it to work as a normal repeater but i also want it to work as an internet radio through zello. I haven't figured it all out yet but that is my goal. I want to be able to key up my repeater anywhere I have service. and I want to be able to hear on it as well. at the same time I want it to be a conventional repeater. not sure how I would prevent zello from stomping on the RX radio and vis versa. but ill deal with that when it come I guess.

[WRXH658]

I do not have a duplexer. I am using 2 separate antennas. 462.700 467.700

[WRXH658]

7 hours ago, Sshannon said:

Do you have a duplexer?

I have a Digirig.  They’re very nice, but they require connections to the mic and speaker jacks, which will already be connected to your other radio for use as a repeater. 

Also, I don’t know how you intend to bridge from the repeater through the DigiRig, to the internet. Will you be dedicating a Pi to talk to the Digirig and serve as the Zello node?

 

so what all goes into setting up a digirig for what im trying to do? why can't I take an old lap top open up zello and plug in speaker output to the mic input.  the mic input into the speaker output? set the lap top to never sleep and set a changing background so the screen doesn't get burnt.

[Sshannon]

1 minute ago, WRXH658 said:

so what all goes into setting up a digirig for what im trying to do? why can't I take an old lap top open up zello and plug in speaker output to the mic input.  the mic input into the speaker output? set the lap top to never sleep and set a changing background so the screen doesn't get burnt.

A DigiRig is just a second sound card plus an interface for CAT control on radios that support it or PTT control for radios that don’t have CAT control. 
You could probably connect to your audio in and out from your computer but Zello needs PTT I would assume (I’m not knowledgeable about Zello).

The thing is that you’re trying to reinvent a bunch of stuff that folks have already done using raspberry pi and pi hat sound cards. I think that’s wonderful; I love people who want to make things, but it’s definitely not an easy path.

[WRXH658]

13 minutes ago, Sshannon said:

A DigiRig is just a second sound card plus an interface for CAT control on radios that support it or PTT control for radios that don’t have CAT control. 
You could probably connect to your audio in and out from your computer but Zello needs PTT I would assume (I’m not knowledgeable about Zello).

The thing is that you’re trying to reinvent a bunch of stuff that folks have already done using raspberry pi and pi hat sound cards. I think that’s wonderful; I love people who want to make things, but it’s definitely not an easy path.

  it seems easier than the raspberry pi stuff. Its also a budget thing the challenge. I have so much stuff laying around that i know I can use. instead of buying what I need and figuring it out. I want to use anything I can that I already have. thats why its a Frankenstein build. I want to make it my own even if it's a cobled mess lol.

[WRXH658]

with a quick search it looks like zello supports push to talk accessories on desktop. that repeater controller activates the ptt if I'm not mistaken. I think this might be a lot easy with that controller.

[Sshannon]

Now that Raspberry Pi board’s are easier to obtain, maybe the node that’s sold on this site will become available.  Someone has already done the difficult coding and there are several threads in these forums that discuss the configuration settings:

https://shop.mygmrs.com/collections/repeaters-and-accessories/products/repeater-linking-bundle

 

I understand that’s not what you’re interested in doing.  I only mention it so you know what’s available.  I wish you well in your endeavor.