Baofeng uv-5x3 listen on transmit and receive frequencies for repeaters?

Hi,

What is best practice for using a repeater (in reference to avoiding interference on the transmit frequency)?

For example let's say the repeater output frequency (RX to listen on) is 145.000 and input frequency is 145.600 (PL 131.8 or something like that).

Normally when programmed the Baofeng and I presume other radios would be listening on 145.000. But when you transmit it would be on 145.600. Imagine someone was using simplex 145.600. Since my radio is only listening to the output frequency in theory I could step on top of the ham using 145.600 simplex.

How do folks manage this on HT's ? Seems kind of painful to manage dual watch or something like that for a Baofeng or switch between VFO to tune to 145.6000 and back to channel mode to transmit.

Or is the radio also listening on the transmit frequency when a repeater is programmed for Baofeng?

Thanks.

Simplex use of the Repeater [in the Amateur world] input is frowned upon and if they are using it with the right tone, you only need to monitor the Repeter output as you would hear them there.

BTW in the 2 meter band, the off set is generally +/- 600 khz [in the US]

wxsham said:

Hi,

What is best practice for using a repeater (in reference to avoiding interference on the transmit frequency)?

For example let's say the repeater output frequency (RX to listen on) is 145.000 and input frequency is 145.600 (PL 131.8 or something like that).

Normally when programmed the Baofeng and I presume other radios would be listening on 145.000. But when you transmit it would be on 145.600. Imagine someone was using simplex 145.600. Since my radio is only listening to the output frequency in theory I could step on top of the ham using 145.600 simplex.

How do folks manage this on HT's ? Seems kind of painful to manage dual watch or something like that for a Baofeng or switch between VFO to tune to 145.6000 and back to channel mode to transmit.

Or is the radio also listening on the transmit frequency when a repeater is programmed for Baofeng?

Thanks.

Click to expand...

I usually run the output of the repeater without CTCSS or DCS. That way you would hear any body that transmits on the output frequency plus the repeater transmit. ( But that's not the reason I do that, I'm just lazy and never place the PL in it. )
As Bill commented, it is strongly frowned on to use the output of a repeater for simplex. It will draw the ire of the hams!

Do a search on 2m band plan on SERA's website and it will show you which freqs are for repeaters and which are for SIMPLEX. There are also a couple other things which have their own separate part of the 2m spectrum.


FRank
KK4YTM

Voluntary agreed upon "Band Plans" for each ham band help to organize band and repeater use so that this type of thing is less likely to occur. There are frequency ranges set aside for simplex use on the bands that use repeaters so they won't interfere with each other.
Band Plan

wxsham said:

Normally when programmed the Baofeng and I presume other radios would be listening on 145.000. But when you transmit it would be on 145.600. Imagine someone was using simplex 145.600. Since my radio is only listening to the output frequency in theory I could step on top of the ham using 145.600 simplex.

Click to expand...

Correct.

wxsham said:

How do folks manage this on HT's ? Seems kind of painful to manage dual watch or something like that for a Baofeng or switch between VFO to tune to 145.6000 and back to channel mode to transmit.

Click to expand...

It's not a problem. There is usually no need to monitor a repeater input frequency because most hams aren't dumb enough to operate simplex on the input of a local repeater.

wxsham said:

Or is the radio also listening on the transmit frequency when a repeater is programmed for Baofeng?

Click to expand...

No.

Transmitting on the repeater output may be useful in a couple of instances. First, if the repeater has failed and you need to communicate with stations listening to that frequency. Second, if you can't reach the repeater, but are able to communicate with stations that can hit the repeater. Listening on the input may be necessary (most radios have a reverse button) to track down interference like a stuck mike. It is also useful to check your reception of other stations.

The ARRL band plan has designated simplex frequencies. Most operators seem to use 146.520 the "calling " frequency. It is a calling frequency because that's all you will do most of the time. However, good practice would suggest moving to another simplex frequency for a lengthy QSO to free up the calling channel.

Baofeng has a strange paradigm for programming manually. Putting in repeaters by hand is a two step process. Rather than getting into that, I suggest getting a programming cable and downloading CHIRP. When I first got a Baofeng radio I succeeded in programming a couple of repeaters, but I wouldn't recommend it for a beginner. You can also find someone in your area with a Baofeng and clone it to your radio.

I've always wondered why you have a TX frequency, an RX frequency AND a shift? Seems unnecessary and a very simple way to confuse people!

Paulears, those are all variables and must be defined in order for the repeaters an portable/mobile/bases stations to work together. Most newer radios allow you to simply put in the RX frequency and they automatically input the TX for you according to the auto shift setting in your radio. But not all repeaters use the standard shift, either direction or offset amount. So sometimes you must have the ability to manually input the needed info.
Frank KK4YTM

Deleted

What I meant was if you enter 145.600, 145.000 and +600 one of those is pointless, because the other two do the same thing. With other radios, you either have to enter two frequencies, or one frequency and a short - what is the point of it not being able to do maths!

paulears said:

What I meant was if you enter 145.600, 145.000 and +600 one of those is pointless, because the other two do the same thing. With other radios, you either have to enter two frequencies, or one frequency and a short - what is the point of it not being able to do maths!

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If you manually program the radio, the offset is not built in to the radio's system. You must enter each set of numbers and the + or - separately. Radio-specific programming software (I'm most familiar with RT Systems) will default to the proper offset frequency and + or - but will allow you to change it. Default follows the band plan. I've found that there are a few repeaters who, for whatever reason, don't follow the band plan and will lower the offset when other raise it and vice versa. I've never seen anyone deviate from the 600 on 2m.

I don't know how to say this - I KNOW! I've been doing this on repeaters since 1980, and I have a a number of repeaters. Baofeng is the only radio I know where the radio parameters have an offset where you can type in .600 to set a 600KHz shift, with the short direction - but ALSO have TX and RX frequencies. One of these is pointless, yet you are expected to set it? Icom, kenwood, Yaesu, TYT, HYT, Motorola, and even Radioddity do NOT have three parameters. I'll just go away I think.

Most radios have automatic offsets. Baofeng is fine when used with CHIRP which does do automatic offsets. So some of this discussion is moot unless you insist on manually programming your Baofeng. The other thing Baofengs do is shifts to allow odd splits. I have my radio set up to use a business band repeater which requires a 6.94Mhz split. Try to do that with most ham equipment. The Baofeng also allows for split transmit and receive tones. Again, most ham radios cannot do this.

paulears said:

I've always wondered why you have a TX frequency, an RX frequency AND a shift? Seems unnecessary and a very simple way to confuse people!

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Hams have been brainwashed by the Japanese manufacturers that make radios with RX freq, +/- shift direction and offset, which can all be programmed into a memory channel in one step. As a result many hams don't understand how to program a CCR.

Then they should be embarrassed to call themselves hams. Self-development in radio was one of the reasons for ham radio here in the UK - even featured in the licence terms. So many now have such a low skill set, it's depressing. Sad. Very sad!

You get what you pay for.

paulears said:

I don't know how to say this - I KNOW! I've been doing this on repeaters since 1980, and I have a a number of repeaters. Baofeng is the only radio I know where the radio parameters have an offset where you can type in .600 to set a 600KHz shift, with the short direction - but ALSO have TX and RX frequencies. One of these is pointless, yet you are expected to set it? Icom, kenwood, Yaesu, TYT, HYT, Motorola, and even Radioddity do NOT have three parameters. I'll just go away I think.

Click to expand...

You would use the shift when operating the radio in VFO mode. In memory mode, the shift and offset have no use. no need to set a frequency shift if you are programming memories.

I have a baofeng uv r5

AND I STILL CANT WRAP MY BRAIN AROUND THE LOUSY OFFSETS AND THE TONES For EVEN USING CHIRP OR PROGRAMMING BY HAND I FEEL LIKE A DAMN (SORRY MOM) RETARD @ TIMES IS THERE AN EASIER WAY FOR US TO GET THIS ALL

Tell us exactly what you are having problems with and we'll try to help, step by step - just give use the full story.