What steps to get a GMRS repeater online?

[Chris]

I have a set of radios one set for transmit and the other receive with a PL tone not listed near my area so it is an open pair. The transmit wattage is 20.

 

I have a way for it to ID if necessary both voice (and code if permissible).

 

Can I ID in code and at what interval must or do I not have to ID it? How often does a GMRS repeater need to ID itself if at all?

 

I have a diplexer and a 5/8 wave ground plane.

 

Basically everything in hardware. I am not sure who I need to get with. Do I need to file for a special license? Does my repeater need FCC approval to begin operating?

 

I want to be on the up and up so any suggestions greatly appreciated.

 

Thanks and sorry if this is the wrong place to ask...I just signed up here...

 

Chris

[Logan5]

What do you have for antenna height? Obstructions? In most applications the height of antenna is most important. using a ground plane I assume a Mag mount? Although not ideal, it could get you started. Tell us more about your site.

[JohnE]

no ID is necessary. my machines ID system name not my call once an hour.

just put it up no approval needed unless you exceed certain height limits near an airport.

are you going into a site or at your house?

[Chris]

I am using 2 Johnsons one receiver and one transmitter cabled together with 20 watts of output . The frequency pairs are 462.675 and 467.675 with a pl of 105.3. I don't see anyone using this pair within at least 100 miles of here. I monitor this from home and hear no simplex traffic here either. So I'd say that pair is a thumbs up. If not, I can easily press a few buttons on the Johnsons and pick another pre-programmed pair.

 

I am using a 5/8 wave antenna I bought from Germany that looks like a comet GP-1.

(If you Google comet GP-1, you can get an idea of what I have).

 

The diplexer was purchased off the internet as well for around $75. -Nothing commercial here as I want to experiment.

 

The antenna will be mounted on top of a commercial building that I own at about 50'. It is fed with LMR 400 with an N at the antenna and a pl 259 at the diplexer.

 

I have the antenna setup in one of my workshops on the ground floor maybe 6' on a stand and  I am able to work it from my home a few blocks away with no issues. I am hitting it full quieting with 3 watts out of a Baofeng. (I use a ts-2000 Kenwood to monitor my signal).

 

Once I get a nice weekend, I am going to mount the antenna the 50'.

 

Thanks for the input. I didn't know it was this easy to get started. I hated to bite the FCC fee to get my license, but wanted to venture into a new ham band and do it as "cleanly" as possible.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[gortex2]

I would caution the use of LMR400 on the antenna cable. Lots of issues for folks with the foil covered braid. 

[Chris]

I would caution the use of LMR400 on the antenna cable. Lots of issues for folks with the foil covered braid. 

What wouold you suggest? I am familiar and have on hand RG 174, RG8 etc. I just mounted an hf antenna and had the extra LMR 400.

[PastorGary]

This link gives a side by side comparison and seems to be fairly accurate, based upon other such sites that I have seen in the past.

 

For temporary runs, our Chaplain Responder equipment trailer contains a 75 foot section of Belden 8267 (RG-213). Never had any issues with it on our licensed VHF frequencies or GMRS.

 

http://www.universal-radio.com/catalog/cable/coaxperf.html

[Guest spd641]

I am using 2 Johnsons one receiver and one transmitter cabled together with 20 watts of output . The frequency pairs are 462.675 and 467.675 with a pl of 105.3. I don't see anyone using this pair within at least 100 miles of here. I monitor this from home and hear no simplex traffic here either. So I'd say that pair is a thumbs up. If not, I can easily press a few buttons on the Johnsons and pick another pre-programmed pair.

 

I am using a 5/8 wave antenna I bought from Germany that looks like a comet GP-1.

(If you Google comet GP-1, you can get an idea of what I have).

 

The diplexer was purchased off the internet as well for around $75. -Nothing commercial here as I want to experiment.

 

The antenna will be mounted on top of a commercial building that I own at about 50'. It is fed with LMR 400 with an N at the antenna and a pl 259 at the diplexer.

 

I have the antenna setup in one of my workshops on the ground floor maybe 6' on a stand and  I am able to work it from my home a few blocks away with no issues. I am hitting it full quieting with 3 watts out of a Baofeng. (I use a ts-2000 Kenwood to monitor my signal).

 

Once I get a nice weekend, I am going to mount the antenna the 50'.

 

Thanks for the input. I didn't know it was this easy to get started. I hated to bite the FCC fee to get my license, but wanted to venture into a new ham band and do it as "cleanly" as possible.

You are not venturing into a new ham band,GMRS is a totally different band that has nothing to do with ham radio...William

[Chris]

You are not venturing into a new ham band,GMRS is a totally different band that has nothing to do with ham radio...William

And that is exactly why I am posting with senior GMRS experts here at MYGMRS.COM for clarification. I was looking at it as "Amateur radio" I am sorry that I used the word ham. To me it's a slice of spectrum the FCC is allowing for communication in the LICENSED civilian sector, which I should fall into. Seems to openly allow for experimentation, or at least the advice I have received here would seem so.

 

Per JohnE "no ID is necessary. my machines ID system name not my call once an hour.

just put it up no approval needed unless you exceed certain height limits near an airport"

 

Seems pretty leniant.

 

If it works for JohnE, then it should work for me.

Thanks Guys! From a newbie.

[Chris]

no ID is necessary. my machines ID system name not my call once an hour.

just put it up no approval needed unless you exceed certain height limits near an airport.

are you going into a site or at your house?

John, thanks. I got it up and she gets a usable max of about a 10 mile radius. It's full quieting in many areas within our city limits.  I do have it ID at 20 min intervals. Your comment put me at ease and encouraged me to get it up there. I'm even more encouraged to invest into a better system down the road. This system allows me to get my feet wet.

[Jones]

If that LMR-400 cable is brand-new, it will work great for about a year, then it will start playing havoc with your receive signal.  The foil and the braid will start to oxidize in some areas, and loosen-up in other areas of the cable, causing white noise to be generated by the feedline itself by the transmitted signal.  You will then experience terrible de-sense in your receiver due to the white noise.

 

LMR-400 is great for two-way communications, but only one way at a time.  When you are using a coaxial cable in a repeater installation, where it has to send a transmit signal, and still receive at the same time... that's where you run into trouble with LMR series cables, or any other brand of foil-plus-braid cables.

 

RG-213 with full-braid shield and no foil overlay would be better for this application.  The BEST solution for a 50 or 75 foot run would be 1/2" Heliax.  For longer runs at UHF frequencies, I'd go with 7/8" Heliax or larger for best results.

 

--

 

As for IDs, Ham station operators and repeaters are required to ID at the beginning of a contact, then end of the contact, and every 10 minutes during an ongoing contact.  For GMRS users, it is the same, only 15 minute intervals.  GMRS repeaters MAY send an ID using voice or modulated Morse code, (not CW), but are not required to ID at all.  However, GMRS USERS must ID themselves using the 15 minute rule, whether using a repeater or not.

 

That's my interpretation of the rules, and I have read them all very carefully.

[uniden278]

My repeater is programmed to ID via every 15 minutes via Morse code and it does so without the PL tone. Mainly just to ensure it's still working without having to key it up. But you are correct there is no requirement for the repeater to identify as long as each individual user does.

[Chris]

Went with the 213 no foil. Got our newer set of radios cdm 750's and an ID-O-MATIC voice version installed. Now just have to get the new feedline installed and the antenna mast higher. Thanks everyone for your input. She's coming along!

[fra1]

I am using 2 Johnsons one receiver and one transmitter cabled together with 20 watts of output . The frequency pairs are 462.675 and 467.675 with a pl of 105.3. I don't see anyone using this pair within at least 100 miles of here. I monitor this from home and hear no simplex traffic here either. So I'd say that pair is a thumbs up. If not, I can easily press a few buttons on the Johnsons and pick another pre-programmed pair.

 

I am using a 5/8 wave antenna I bought from Germany that looks like a comet GP-1.

(If you Google comet GP-1, you can get an idea of what I have).

 

The diplexer was purchased off the internet as well for around $75. -Nothing commercial here as I want to experiment.

 

The antenna will be mounted on top of a commercial building that I own at about 50'. It is fed with LMR 400 with an N at the antenna and a pl 259 at the diplexer.

 

I have the antenna setup in one of my workshops on the ground floor maybe 6' on a stand and  I am able to work it from my home a few blocks away with no issues. I am hitting it full quieting with 3 watts out of a Baofeng. (I use a ts-2000 Kenwood to monitor my signal).

 

Once I get a nice weekend, I am going to mount the antenna the 50'.

 

Thanks for the input. I didn't know it was this easy to get started. I hated to bite the FCC fee to get my license, but wanted to venture into a new ham band and do it as "cleanly" as possible.

 

For feedline in the 400mhz area, I'd go for hardline and forget lossy coaxial cable.

[jmoylan69]

I would caution the use of LMR400 on the antenna cable. Lots of issues for folks with the foil covered braid. 

I use LMR 400 with no issues at all on my Ritron.  my repeater is only  5 watts and i am using two 6 element beams and provide crystal clear coverage between two valleys  with a distance of near 60 miles in each direction with out issue at all. So personally i'm not sure what all the hubub is all about. he's claiming only 50' of cable im running 125' without issue. my 6 element beams are 10db gain. If it were myself re doing it. id do it again in a heartbeat.  

 

as for repeater ID i have mine set to ID every 15 minutes via Morse.  as for all the other comments the folks have made. they're fine. mostly you have to experiment with what works.  you could get certain issues of interference in your area that i will never get because of my rural area.  if you're in a city, you've got lots of electrical fields and other issues that could interfere. you just have to experiment.