Repeater funding Needed

[WRTM295]

[Edited March 19th, 2025]
Introduction:
My name is C. Ryan, (KE0SKN). I am a member of Kasson Skywarn & Dodge County Minnesota ARES group. In April of 2024, Our group repeater was hit by lighting. The total damages were $2,000.00 to the repeater and base antenna system. We are looking for funding to replace the repeater. We are not approved for any local government assistance for replacing the repeater. The main reason is that the repeater is privately owned. The repeater system we are looking at is the Retevis RT97L 25W Repeater Kit with FRP Antenna and Coaxial Cable. This system will get us back on the air for our area, till we can save up for a better system. If you can help, we have a GoFundMe page with the link below. Again Thank You.

Group: Kasson Skywarn / Dodge County ARES | Minnesota
Website: https://www.kassonskywarn.x10.mx/
FB: https://www.facebook.com/groups/dcares/
GoFundMe: https://gofund.me/007b7312
Email: KC0CLC@arrl.net
Pres: Marvin - KC0CLC

 

 

Edited March 19 by WRTM295
More Information Added

[Socalgmrs]

Why why why use a cruddy retivis when a 40w Motorola can be had for less than 1/2 the price.   The hen you wouldn’t even have $1000 into it.  Probably not even $750 total.  
 

 

[OffRoaderX]

59 minutes ago, Socalgmrs said:

... why use a cruddy retivis when a 40w Motorola can be had for less than 1/2 the price.  

Please tell us where we can find a new, 40W, single-case/chassis, weatherproof Motorola repeater with a warranty, and weighs only 4Lbs, for 1/2 the price....

We're waiting.... 

[nokones]

1 minute ago, OffRoaderX said:

Please tell us where we can get a new 40W Motorola with a warranty for 1/2 the price....

We're waiting.... 

Yah, I'll standby too!

[WRYZ926]

1 hour ago, OffRoaderX said:

Please tell us where we can find a new, 40W, single-case/chassis, weatherproof Motorola repeater with a warranty, for 1/2 the price....

We're waiting.... 

 

1 hour ago, nokones said:

Yah, I'll standby too!

 

I'll be standing by to hear where these mythical Motorola repeaters with warranty can be found for $1000

 

We recently replaced an older Motorola 2m repeater with a used Motorola Quantar 125 that was $1100 and it sure did NOT come with any type of factory warranty. And $1100 was on the cheaper end of the price range that used Quantar repeaters go for. You can find even older Motorola repeaters for less but you will need a Windows 3.1 or MS-DOS computer to program them.

Plus those are quite a bit bigger than a 1U or 2U rack mount repeater. The Bridgecom and Baofeng GMRS repeaters are 3.5" tall which is 2U while the Quantar is 5U.

A single unit for rack systems is 1.75" or 1U

The 5U Motorola Quantar weighs 55 pounds while the 2U Bridgecom repeater (no internal duplexer) weighs 18 pounds. 

[SteveShannon]

The OP stated that the damage to the previous repeater and antenna was $2000. They’re only seeking $1,000 in their gofundme. The repeater they’re seeking to purchase is currently on sale for less than $600 including a built in duplexer, which seems very reasonable. A decent antenna plus cables and associated components could very quickly consume the remainder of the targeted funding. 
This seems like a very reasonable request and a reasonable solution. I would urge that we not get distracted by our reactions to the town drunk. 

[WRYZ926]

@SteveShannon I agree that $1000 seems like a fair amount to request for a repeater, coax and antenna. And they should be able to get good coax and a quality antenna to go along with the Retevis RT97L repeater.

 

I wish the them luck in getting what they need to get back on the air.

[nokones]

It is my personal opinion, anyone, especially someone that is unknown and pops up with no previous history on this forum, and there first posting is an "Oh Whoa/poor Me" request for money by using the GoScamMe page is suspect and just doesn't smell right. Donaters be aware!

[OffRoaderX]

1 hour ago, nokones said:

It is my personal opinion, anyone, especially someone that is unknown and pops up with no previous history on this forum, and there first posting is an "Oh Whoa/poor Me" request for money by using the GoScamMe page is suspect and just doesn't smell right. Donaters be aware!

I was going to say the same thing but then I got all wrapped up in responding to the rheet-hards post, and forgot all about that....

I agree.. dont give any money to some random dude that shows up and the VERY FIRST thing he does is start asking for money.

[dosw]

6 hours ago, OffRoaderX said:

Please tell us where we can find a new, 40W, single-case/chassis, weatherproof Motorola repeater with a warranty, and weighs only 4Lbs, for 1/2 the price....

We're waiting.... 

And it must also have a 200 mile range any time, rain or shine.

[WRYZ926]

A few of us let Negative Nancy distract us. 

As far as the OP, I'm sure that he would have better luck doing a local fund raiser instead of asking total strangers on the internet.

[OffRoaderX]

1 minute ago, WRYZ926 said:

A few of us let Negative Nancy distract us.

That's not Rheet-Hard Ralph's real name..

[WRYZ926]

11 minutes ago, OffRoaderX said:

That's not Rheet-Hard Ralph's real name..

No it's not but the name does fit him. 

[WRTM295]

18 hours ago, nokones said:

It is my personal opinion, anyone, especially someone that is unknown and pops up with no previous history on this forum, and there first posting is an "Oh Whoa/poor Me" request for money by using the GoScamMe page is suspect and just doesn't smell right. Donaters be aware!

Wow, I have been a ham radio operator for more than 10 years (KE0SKN) and a firefighter for 25+ years, Radioreference user for more than 10+ years and you're calling me a scammer. Wow! I hope you don't run into any issues, and then you need help from the community. Plus you could have googled for 3 minutes and found out that we are a small ARES group run by KC0CLC. So yeah we are the real deal and not scammers. Yes, this is a cheap route we are taking, As we need to get back on the air and save for a better system.

[OffRoaderX]

8 minutes ago, WRTM295 said:

I have been a ham radio operator for more than 10 years

Confirmed he is a true H.A.M.s radios operator with that line.

[Hoppyjr]

Wow, I have been a ham radio operator for more than 10 years (KE0SKN) and a firefighter for 25+ years, Radioreference user for more than 10+ years and you're calling me a scammer. Wow! I hope you don't run into any issues, and then you need help from the community. Plus you could have googled for 3 minutes and found out that we are a small ARES group run by KC0CLC. So yeah we are the real deal and not scammers. Yes, this is a cheap route we are taking, As we need to get back on the air and save for a better system.

Or…..you could have provided more information in your initial post.

If you’re a local group, why not seek donations from the local members and community? Since you run an ARES group, consider asking local government for funding.

Random folks on a GMRS forum don’t know you. Heck, you didn’t even provide a location!

You didn’t really think this through now did you?

[WRTM295]

We are a small group that used a private repeater (462.675 PL: 141.3) That was open to the public
and used for non-amateur radio operators to communicate to Net control for relaying weather
information. We have gone to the county to see if there is any funding to replace the repeater, however,
since the repeater was private own were on the hook to replace it.

Group: Kasson Skywarn / Dodge County ARES | Minnesota
Website: https://www.kassonskywarn.x10.mx/
FB: https://www.facebook.com/groups/dcares/
GoFundMe: https://gofund.me/007b7312
Email: KC0CLC@arrl.net
Pres: Marvin - KC0CLC

[WRHS218]

18 minutes ago, WRTM295 said:

We are a small group that used a private repeater (462.675 PL: 141.3) That was open to the public
and used for non-amateur radio operators to communicate to Net control for relaying weather
information. We have gone to the county to see if there is any funding to replace the repeater, however,
since the repeater was private own were on the hook to replace it.

Group: Kasson Skywarn / Dodge County ARES | Minnesota
Website: https://www.kassonskywarn.x10.mx/
FB: https://www.facebook.com/groups/dcares/
GoFundMe: https://gofund.me/007b7312
Email: KC0CLC@arrl.net
Pres: Marvin - KC0CLC

No offense intended, but if you had started your first post with this information you probably would have received a different reaction to your first post on this site. I hope your group can get the funds to get you back on the air.

[WRTM295]

12 minutes ago, WRHS218 said:

No offense intended, but if you had started your first post with this information you probably would have received a different reaction to your first post on this site. I hope your group can get the funds to get you back on the air.

I see where you are coming from. You are right on that, I have been stressed these past two months. 
Grammar, Format, and Spelling were not the top priorities.

[WRTM295]

Major Update: On 04/08/2025 our group managed to save up for temporary 22 watt Repeater unit. This unit should be installed on April 20th of this year. With help from my family and some friends along with some community members. We managed to get the 462.675 in Kasson Mn repeater back on the air soon. A 50 watt repeater system is in the plans. The GoFundMe link is still active for the newer system however so far no donations have been placed on that platform.

Donation From:

WRTM295 - Unit 102 - Emma JG

WRTM295 - Unit 101 - Ryan C

KC0CLC - Marvin M

Mark M

David j

And Others.

 

The base antenna is a whipped tuned antenna MNO pole Mount 30ft high for now till we can purchase a base unit.

[Jaay]

On 3/18/2025 at 12:40 PM, Socalgmrs said:

Why why why use a cruddy retivis when a 40w Motorola can be had for less than 1/2 the price.   The hen you wouldn’t even have $1000 into it.  Probably not even $750 total.  
 

 

SHUT UP, Socal !! You're OUT of line Again !! Mind your Manners, boy !!

[tcp2525]

And all this time I though hams were the cheapest people on the face of the earth. I never thought us GMRS'rs would beat them and throw a fellow member aside. Shameful.

[WRYZ926]

I would love to find a Motorola repeater for less than half the price of the Retevis repeaters. I know what a good used Motorola Quantar costs since we just bought one 5-6 months ago. We paid $1000 for the 2m Quantar 125. I'm sure you could find older Motorola repeaters for less. 

While using two mobile radios connected together as a repeater works, they will never be as good as an actual purpose built repeater such as the ones from Motorola.

@WRTM295 The Retevis should work well for you as a temporary setup. And you can always keep it for an emergency portable repeater once you get a better repeater.

[WRTM295]

Yes this is to get us in the air for local skywarn ops. Trying to get a 50 watt unit saved up. But there other parts needed as well. So this a small win.