Multiple Repeaters on what channel?

[WSEC851]

Ok, I'm gonna explain this the best that I can. I am still fairly new into GMRS, so please....be gentle and use lube.

 

I have a Midland MTX 500 and currently use RP Ch 19. What I am wondering is if I have permissions from other RP location to use, how do I know what channel to use? They all obviously cant be use on RP 19. I am able to go into the radio and program the channels, but i dont know if that will broadcast on multiple channels. EX. If RP 19 is using freq 111.1111 and RP 20 is using 111.1111, they will both have different input and output tones. But since they are using the same frequency, will they broadcast on both channels? I ask this because they are 2  sets of repeaters that use the same freq. but have different tones. 

 

Any help would be greatly appreciated, and if your wondering why Im trying to use multiple...I travel up and down the state for work so it would be nice to have the RP programmed incase of an emergency. My radio already saved a buddy and I when we went hunting. NO CELL SIGNAL, but by God there was a signal on the radio. Without that radio and signal, I dont know of we would have made it back as easily as we did. 

WSEC851

[WRYZ926]

Yes you can program extra channels on the MXT500.

I forget if the MXT labels the repeater channels as Ch 23- Ch 30 or RPT 15 - RPT 22. 

Say you have two repeaters in your area that use the repeater channel 19 which is 467.650 (RX on 462.650). You can set the tones for the first repeater on the pre programmed RPT 19 ( channel 27) with the correct tones. Then add a custom channel in any memory slot above RPT 22/Ch 30 using the same TX/RX frequencies (467.650/462.650) and then put the tones for the second repeater in. Doing that will keep you from having one channel where you have to constantly try to change the tomes to use the different repeaters.

I have two repeaters in my area that use the RPT15/Ch 23. I programmed the first repeater in the channel memory slot 31 and the second in channel memory slot 32. I also set my radios to display names instead of channel numbers which helps keep different repeater on the same channels separated and easy to find.

[nokones]

Depending on the age of your MXT500, after channel RP22 (Ch. 30), you will have the ability of custom programming channels 31 through 128 with any GMRS repeater channels. You will need a mini USB C cable and the programming software to custom program.

If you have one of the older 30 channel MXT500 radios, the Midland website will have the firmware that you can download to expand the channel capacity to 128 channels.

[OffRoaderX]

The preset Repeater channels use the standard 8 frequencies so if you want two repeaters that both use Repeater channels 19, you will have to either: 

1. manually go in and change the tones when you want to switch repeaters OR
2. add/configure a new, custom channel using the same frequency but with the different tones

I do not recall off the top of my head if the MXT500 will allow you to create custom repeater channels/change the existing ones, so others will have to chime-in because I'm too lazy to look it up.

[WSEC851]

8 minutes ago, OffRoaderX said:

The preset Repeater channels use the standard 8 frequencies so if you want two repeaters that both use Repeater channels 19, you will have to either: 

1. manually go in and change the tones when you want to switch repeaters OR
2. add/configure a new, custom channel using the same frequency but with the different tones

I do not recall off the top of my head if the MXT500 will allow you to create custom repeater channels/change the existing ones, so others will have to chime-in because I'm too lazy to look it up.

Thats kinda what I thought too. Go into the programming and if RP 19 and 20 both have 111.1111 as their freq, I can change 20 to 111.1112 or whatever. But if they are the same frequency the tones should separate the channels its broadcasted on....youd think atleast.