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Combining multiple repeaters

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sjmark24

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Hey all, I was wondering if there is a way to combine multiple repeaters onto one frequency. The only way I was currently able to think of is to have several additional repeaters monitoring the initial repeaters then having them all transmit on the same frequency which would connect them to a central repeater to then transmit onto the final statewide frequency.

Is this possible or will each one of the repeaters step on each other and cause a mess of the transmission?

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Will001

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It will cause a huge mess. There are ways to have dual mode repeaters (ie: Analog/P25 repeaters), but if the repeaters are all analog on one frequency, and even if you had PL tones for each one, it would cause a big mess.


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Will001

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Also, it isn’t a great idea to run 2 repeaters off of one antenna, even if it is just one receive antenna. We have a couple of ham radio repeaters around our area that don’t function properly because of this. Even if I’m one mile away AND running 50 watts transmit power, all I get is signal reports of being almost unreadable.


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mikewazowski

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Also, it isn’t a great idea to run 2 repeaters off of one antenna, even if it is just one receive antenna. We have a couple of ham radio repeaters around our area that don’t function properly because of this. Even if I’m one mile away AND running 50 watts transmit power, all I get is signal reports of being almost unreadable.

Nonsense. Properly done the loss is minimal.

If you're one mile away AND running 50 watts and you're unreadable, there's a problem somewhere.

I've got a few sites with more than one repeater connected to the same antenna and my coverage is easily over 50 miles on each repeater.
 

sjmark24

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I would have each additional relay repeater on their own antenna and duplexer.

For example

Each main repeater is receiving 123.000 and transmitting on their own frequency.

I would setup repeaters to receive each of those independent repeaters then transmit on 132.000 which would be the receiving on the main statewide repeater which would then be transmitting on its own frequent.

(All frequency's mentioned are strictly for example)
 

zz0468

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Hey all, I was wondering if there is a way to combine multiple repeaters onto one frequency.

Proper simulcast techniques would allow you to do this. The hardware and engineering requirements to make it sound ok are non-trivial.
 

Will001

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Nonsense. Properly done the loss is minimal.

If you're one mile away AND running 50 watts and you're unreadable, there's a problem somewhere.

I've got a few sites with more than one repeater connected to the same antenna and my coverage is easily over 50 miles on each repeater.



It’s not properly done. Whoever put it up didn’t know what they were doing.


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zz0468

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It’s not properly done. Whoever put it up didn’t know what they were doing.

Properly done, the end result is nearly indistinguishable from running everything on separate antennas, sometimes better. I have seen as many as 12 repeaters, tx and rx, all running on a single antenna, trouble free.
 

R8000

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Analog simulcast is what you are looking to do. The two decent systems out there is Gates Air/Harris Syncrocast (pricey but easy to troubleshoot) and Motorola MLC based IP simulcast (less expensive but you need damned good IP links).

Both systems are out of ham radio's budget unless you are in the business and have surplus equipment.

Analog Simulcast and TRBO trunking pay my salary, and I can honestly say it's cost is out of reach for a hobby. I recommend not trying simulcast. It sounds like the technical expertise isn't there to make this work in your case regardless.
 

N2AL

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I once visited Saint Louis and they had a system similar to this. It used a voter system and worked suite well. Can anyone with experience in voter systems give us the technical side of things?
 

zz0468

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I once visited Saint Louis and they had a system similar to this. It used a voter system and worked suite well. Can anyone with experience in voter systems give us the technical side of things?

Go over to repeater-builder.com. There's plenty of information published about voting, linking, simulcast, and so on.
 

majoco

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Not quite sure what the OP is asking but we have a very good 70cm "National System" - dedicated repeaters up and down the country are linked so as long as you are listening on your local link repeater anyone in the country can call you on their link repeater frequency.
 
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majoco

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I don't understand why this topic was moved out of "Amateur Radio", it's not going to get any attention down here in "Industry Discussion"
 

kayn1n32008

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I don't understand why this topic was moved out of "Amateur Radio", it's not going to get any attention down here in "Industry Discussion"


Yes it will. It is much more common to combine multiple repeaters to a single/pair of antennas in the LMR world than the amateur world


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mikewazowski

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Exactly.

Keep in mind that nowhere in the OP's post does he even mention amateur radio.

Right now we're all guessing at what he's trying to accomplish. I for one cannot even fathom what he's trying to do.
 

krokus

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Hoping for a better description of what the OP is trying to do. So far, it sounds like a giant feedback loop.

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lmrtek

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This sounds like some attempt to avoid buying to a system designed to do what is needed from the ground up because of cost.
............
If lives are on the line, it pays to do it right and hire a professional so you avoid wrongful death suits because of free advice from forum
wannabees.
 
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