Repeater range hi

[WSFL333]

Hi

i was scanning the channels on my ht and overheard conversation on my channel 20. I didn’t get the entire conversation but I heard moline and later a location from Rolling prairie. 
im located in Nile’s, MI and am surprised that I was able to get signals from your area. Is this a normal range or was I lucky? 

[WSFL333]

PS. If the above is not clear let me add that I joined the west Michigan club which I didn’t realize was a subsection of the main forum. Thx. 

[Socalgmrs]

So in my area we have repeaters that have a 5mile or less range and we have repeaters with a radius of over 100 miles and one with a radius of more than 200miles.  It all depends on height, watts, power, antenna, line of sight.   

[WSFL333]

PS. If the above is not clear let me add that I joined the west Michigan club which I didn’t realize was a subsection of the main forum. Thx. 

[WSFL333]

I’m about 100 miles from Grand Rapids and didn’t expect it. I don’t have the codes to that repeater so I don’t know if I can hit it from here. My ultimate goal is to be in contact with my son in Kalamazoo. He’s unwilling to get his ham license but might be willing to to buy a gmrs radio if we can both use that repeater to stay in touch. 

[Socalgmrs]

4 minutes ago, WSFL333 said:

I’m about 100 miles from Grand Rapids and didn’t expect it. I don’t have the codes to that repeater so I don’t know if I can hit it from here. My ultimate goal is to be in contact with my son in Kalamazoo. He’s unwilling to get his ham license but might be willing to to buy a gmrs radio if we can both use that repeater to stay in touch. 

Well you would need a 20-50 w radio, and i high gain antenna mounted up high as possible.   

I get 200 miles form my 20w and a 9db comet 712efc it radiates 120 watts

my 50w set up with a 9NC 12db antenna gets 250miles simplex radiating over 600 watts.    

 

I have near perfect line of sight.   I’m at 4500ft and the repeater and other users are around 6000 ft with very little in the way.     If you can hear that repeater you can hit it with he right set up.  

[WSFL333]

Yes. I plan to buy a 50 watt mobile and as at home connected to my 144/440 base antenna mounted high on my garage. I only received the cables and connectors and haven’t yet tried to use the outside antenna yet. Although it’s tune for the 440 ham band I want to try it out using my low power ht. I don’t yet have an antenna analyzer to test it at the higher 462 / 467 frequencies