I’d really appreciate help with:
- If I set up repeaters (or some sort of signal booster) at Sites B and C, what’s the best way to configure this? IP linking? Other options?
- How can I improve Site A’s coverage to B and C—better antenna, more power, or something else? (I think I’m at max power already, but open to ideas.)
- How do I get 3-4W handhelds at B and C to reach Site A—repeaters, boosters, or other tricks?
- Any specific Hytera gear (or compatible equipment) you’d recommend?
- Tips for a newbie—I’m still learning the ropes!
I’d appreciate to hear what’s worked for you or any pitfalls to avoid. Thanks so much for any advice.
Sounds to me like the system was never designed to cover the B & C locations. Increasing transmitter power isn't going to make a noticeable difference, and it won't resolve the issue with the portables being able to connect back to the repeater.
These sorts of issues are where an experienced/insured consultant can be a good investment. You can ask questions on hobby radio sites and throw money at the problem and hope you get lucky, or you pay for a professional to look at the entire system and use modeling software to design something that actually works right the first time.
Not sure what country you are located in, but most require licensing and the license will dictate where the repeaters can be located and what transmitter power can be used. Adding more repeaters, or even relocating the one you have, will require a license modification. In the US, that will require frequency coordination as well as the license application.
From what you describe, it either sounds like the repeater is in a location that's not well suited for the coverage, or someone changed the desired coverage area after it was installed.
Couple of things that a trained professional would consider:
-Move the existing repeater to a better location. This isn't a random move. A good consultant would use the modeling software to choose the correct location, antenna height, antenna design and transmit power.
-Add additional receivers and use a voter to improve the talk in from the portables
-Add additional repeaters and link them together. This could be a simulcast system, or a multi-channel system.
None of those solutions are something you can really design yourself. It takes the right tools to design such a system, and it gets really expensive really fast if you try to randomly select equipment and assemble something without the proper experience, tools or test equipment. None of this is plug and play, off the shelf solutions.
Sounds like you need to set some expectations with your employer. They need to understand that this sort of work isn't for the untrained/inexperienced and that hiring a professional will be much cheaper in the long run.
There's been a number of posts like yours in the past. End result is that no one can help you design a system like this remotely. It really does take a professional to solve these sorts of issues.
