Unable to Test a repeater

[WSCF738]

Hi ya'll I've searched the mygmrs database and YouTube but could not find a solution to my problem.

We've received permission to use a local repeater, Rept18, so I've programmed the tones to the correct frequency per the owners information.

My wife and I were both in town, we both have the Btech GMRS Pro, and were tuned to REPT18. We were about 100 feet apart and I tried to contact her.

According to the coverage area on the mygmrs web site we were well inside it's coverage area. I know we can't receive it from out house because because I'm out of the coverage area. But that is a different issue I'm working on, get a base station or install my own repeater.

I've done other tests and could not hear the "Kerchunk" from the repeater.

I've sent an email to the owner to see if I did anything wrong. I have received a reply yet.

So the only thing I think I might be doing wrong is trying to communicate being on REPT18. Do I need to be on GMRS18 to use the repeater? That wasn't clear on any of the YouTube videos. I still consider myself new to GMRS/Repeaters so if anybody can help I'd appreciate it.

Thanks

[kidphc]

Gmrs 18 should be simplex.

Rept 18 should be the repeater pair. Which is what you should be using to try communication with a repeater.

Well that is how most radios are set from the factory.


So radio to radio it should be on gmrs 18.

The map view of the map on this site is not very good when it comes to repeater footprint. Well hell accurately measuring footprint kinda sucks to begin with. I would kinda ignore it.

Do you have the proper tones set? Where you trying inside of a car?

If in doubt get as close to the repeater as as you can and high as you can. Try again at that point.





Sent from my SM-S901U using Tapatalk

[BoxCar]

Rept18 should be the correct slot for the site you are trying to access. The question I have for you is what mode are you using to send the tone? If the repeater uses the same tone both in and out, the Tone Squelch is the correct entry. If the repeater uses only a receive tone, the you need the tone on your transmit and the mode as Tone.

[Sshannon]

4 minutes ago, WSCF738 said:

Hi ya'll I've searched the mygmrs database and YouTube but could not find a solution to my problem.

We've received permission to use a local repeater, Rept18, so I've programmed the tones to the correct frequency per the owners information.

My wife and I were both in town, we both have the Btech GMRS Pro, and were tuned to REPT18. We were about 100 feet apart and I tried to contact her.

According to the coverage area on the mygmrs web site we were well inside it's coverage area. I know we can't receive it from out house because because I'm out of the coverage area. But that is a different issue I'm working on, get a base station or install my own repeater.

I've done other tests and could not hear the "Kerchunk" from the repeater.

I've sent an email to the owner to see if I did anything wrong. I have received a reply yet.

So the only thing I think I might be doing wrong is trying to communicate being on REPT18. Do I need to be on GMRS18 to use the repeater? That wasn't clear on any of the YouTube videos. I still consider myself new to GMRS/Repeaters so if anybody can help I'd appreciate it.

Thanks

No, you’re correct in using one of the repeater channels instead of the simplex channels. 15-22 are simplex. REPT15 - REPT22 are dedicated to repeaters. 
Could either of you hear any repeater traffic? 
At first it’s a good idea to leave the receive tone empty so you can hear everything on the frequency but you must have the correct transmit tone. 
Also, if you and your wife were too close to each other it’s possible that the receiving radio was desensitized. Normally I would not expect that if you were 100 feet apart but it depends on the radio. 
Welcome!
 

[WRWE456]

My first thought is how close to the repeater are you? Do you know for sure that you are in range and that no hills or mountains or large buildings are in between you and the repeater? GMRS is line of sight and if anything substantial is in the way you will not get through. Can you drive close to the repeater so you can test it?

[WSCF738]

28 minutes ago, Sshannon said:

No, you’re correct in using one of the repeater channels instead of the simplex channels. 15-22 are simplex. REPT15 - REPT22 are dedicated to repeaters. 
Could either of you hear any repeater traffic? 
At first it’s a good idea to leave the receive tone empty so you can hear everything on the frequency but you must have the correct transmit tone. 
Also, if you and your wife were too close to each other it’s possible that the receiving radio was desensitized. Normally I would not expect that if you were 100 feet apart but it depends on the radio. 
Welcome!
 

 

[WSCF738]

To answer yall's questions: The repeater uses the same tone for both TX/RX so I set them both to the CTCSS tones he indicated.

Neither one of us can hear any traffic on the channel. I thought 100 feet apart would be enough I think I'll try to hear some traffic by myself.

I was in town by myself this morning, my wife over 17 miles away (that should be more then plenty but the repeater doesn't cover my house). I did a few test but nothing came back, not even the "kerchunk" According to Google Maps I was about 9 miles from the repeater which, according to the repeater coverage on mygmrs is well within his coverage area.

We are both going into town on Monday so we'll try again without the receive tone. I'll also try with wife's radio off.

We are using the Btech GMRS Pro which is suppose to put out 5 watts. I think I can put it on low power (0.5 watts) when we test it in town again.

I was able to contact her this morning on GMRS 18 about 3 miles away but, as it was pointed out, that was the simplex channel. At the house it's no problem while I'm working outside contacting her but it's mostly line of site.

I don't think a lot of people are on GMRS in this town. It was a small town but is growing rapidly. Musk put his Boring Company out here and is trying to create his own town. They are trying to put an Airport out here but people are fighting it.

My wife an I say there's too many people moving out here so we need to move further out.

I appreciate your help/comments.

alfie

[WRWE456]

18 minutes ago, WSCF738 said:

I was about 9 miles from the repeater which, according to the repeater coverage on mygmrs is well within his coverage area.

The green circles on the map are just a very rough estimate. I live 20 miles outside the circle for a large repeater in my region and can use it just fine.

 

[Sshannon]

24 minutes ago, WSCF738 said:

To answer yall's questions: The repeater uses the same tone for both TX/RX so I set them both to the CTCSS tones he indicated.

I would still clear out the receive tone to see if you hear anything. 

[WSCF738]

On 4/26/2024 at 12:46 PM, Sshannon said:

I would still clear out the receive tone to see if you hear anything. 

Thanks to all who replied to my post. I did what was suggested, clear out the receive tone, and when I was in town at Home Depot yesterday I clicked the mic and did hear a "kerchunk" which was more then I ever heard. So I did a test and noticed that my signal strength went to 4. I didn't get a response but at least it looked like it was working. I wanted to show my wife that it was working but I couldn't repeat the results. It was kind of frustrating but at least it looks like what ya'll recommend worked. It sounded like, on the way home, that someone was talking on it but couldn't understand what they were saying.

[WRXP381]

Sounds like you’re too far away from the repeater.  

[WSCF738]

4 hours ago, WRXP381 said:

Sounds like you’re too far away from the repeater.  

According to the area for the repeater on mygmrs.com my house is about 8 miles from his coverage area. So I'm not expecting coverage there. I think I did reach the repeater when I was at Home Depot because I did hear a "kerchunk" and when I did a test my radio showed a signal reading of 4. I never received those before. According to googlemaps.com Home Depot is 8 miles from the repeater and his profile says it has a range of 13.5. I was going to drive towards the repeater to see if I could get better coverage but since Home Depot seemed to work I ruled that out. Other places in town I tried were a little closer but did not connect. But, like I said earlier, I did hear something on it. He did state that he's going to up the range so I'm assuming he's working on it.

[WRXB215]

@WSCF738 just an FYI, propagation can be very different from what most repeater maps show. Typical repeater maps indicate a perfect circle when in fact, actual propagation looks more like this.

As you can see, there is a dead zone in the square with "Dallas" written. It extends from the lower left of the square upwards. Then you can also see areas of light green much further away than that.

Elevation, trees, houses, buildings, etc. all affect the actual propagation. This is why you can sometimes be closer and not get a signal but further and get a signal.

[WSCF738]

14 hours ago, WRXB215 said:

@WSCF738 just an FYI, propagation can be very different from what most repeater maps show. Typical repeater maps indicate a perfect circle when in fact, actual propagation looks more like this.

As you can see, there is a dead zone in the square with "Dallas" written. It extends from the lower left of the square upwards. Then you can also see areas of light green much further away than that.

Elevation, trees, houses, buildings, etc. all affect the actual propagation. This is why you can sometimes be closer and not get a signal but further and get a signal.

Wow!! That makes sense. My house is almost at the top of a hill. When I stand on my roof there is nothing in my way. Unfortunately we only have 5 watt radios so it doesn't reach the repeater. We are getting the Wouxum 1000G Plus for a base station which has 50 Watts so that should help.

[WRXB215]

@WSCF738 In my limited experience, the biggest benefit to more power is when trying to transmit through a bunch of thick trees. Now don't get me wrong, if you want more power, go for it. But if you are having trouble with perfect line of sight, there is likely another issue you need to be looking at besides more power.

Edited May 1 by WRXB215
typo

[WRXP381]

32 minutes ago, WSCF738 said:

Wow!! That makes sense. My house is almost at the top of a hill. When I stand on my roof there is nothing in my way. Unfortunately we only have 5 watt radios so it doesn't reach the repeater. We are getting the Wouxum 1000G Plus for a base station which has 50 Watts so that should help.

Make sure you match the radio with a good antenna and coax.  Power means nothing with junk antenna.  You probably could have installed a good antenna and coax and hooked it up to your hand held and hit the repeater just fine.  5w with a stock antenna line if sight should do 15miles no problem. With a 771 30miles or more and hooked up to a good base antenna 60or more.  I do over 200miles with 20w base and a good antenna.  I think you have more going on then lack of power.  The 1000g is a great radio but 50w is waay over kill for 9miles.  

[WSCF738]

I'm going to try to put together my own repeater. I've ordered 2 1000G Plus and connect them as a repeater, the IASDUP 1037 Duplexer, and the TRAM 1486 antenna with M&P cable. I'm thinking about putting it on my "Car Port" which has a 14' roof and I was going to raise the antenna another 10'. So that would give me 25' in height. I'm at the top of a hill and I believe 25' would be above any structure, except my house which is 32'. The carport is 200' from my house so I shouldn't get much interference. If that doesn't work I'll move it to my house, which I don't want to do. With that as a repeater my handhelds will easily connect to it even if we are in the house (I hope). Time will tell.

[Sshannon]

1 hour ago, WSCF738 said:

I'm going to try to put together my own repeater. I've ordered 2 1000G Plus and connect them as a repeater, the IASDUP 1037 Duplexer, and the TRAM 1486 antenna with M&P cable. I'm thinking about putting it on my "Car Port" which has a 14' roof and I was going to raise the antenna another 10'. So that would give me 25' in height. I'm at the top of a hill and I believe 25' would be above any structure, except my house which is 32'. The carport is 200' from my house so I shouldn't get much interference. If that doesn't work I'll move it to my house, which I don't want to do. With that as a repeater my handhelds will easily connect to it even if we are in the house (I hope). Time will tell.

Some people have had problems with desensitization of the receiving side when they have built repeaters from discrete KG1000 transceivers. Notarubicon @OffRoaderX has a video describing it. Please let us know how it turns out. 

[WSCF738]

Will do. I think I might have seen that video. I’ll search for it later and watch it. Thanks for the info

[WSCF738]

I just notice that Repeater 18 just reduce his coverage area from 13.6 miles to 6 miles.  This means he can't reach Bastrop which might explain why I haven't been able to reach it. I'll be glad when my repeater is working. I'm still waiting on my parts of which some haven't shipped. Part of them are due Monday 5/6/2024

[DSHIDS]

Check your offsets. When you key up your transmit frequency should read 467.6250 your receive would be 462.6250

Everything should work if your in range of the repeater and your transmit tone is correct.