Repeater Help

[KC3BCP]

Assume that I am communicating with a friend on 2-meter Simplex FM 146.58. He walks into a valley, and we no longer have line of sight. Our communication is disrupted. I key up a repeater on FM 223.42, send a tone and get a tone indicating that I am connected to the repeater.
Can you help me understand the next steps at that point. My friend is still listening on FM 146.58 but now I am transmitting on the repeater frequency. (i.e. 223.42) How do I resolve the mis-match ?
Thanks for your help. KC3BCP

 

[AK9R]

You and your friend both need to configure your radios to use the same repeater.

 

[K4EET]

Call them on the cellphone and tell them which repeater you are now on?

 

[hill]

Prearranged repeaters for you and your friend to use, so he how to call you.

Your example has 2m simplex and 1.25m for a repeater.

 

[k6cpo]

I think you have the impression that ALL repeaters are interconnected. Well, they aren't. There are linked repeater systems out there, but the majority of repeaters are stand-alone. For instance, my club has three repeaters and is about to stand up a fourth, but they are not now connected nor will they be in the foreseeable future.

 

[ladn]

...He walks into a valley, and we no longer have line of sight...

The "walking into a valley" part makes it more complicated.

• You would both need to be on the SAME repeater (or a linked crossband repeater system)
• For reliable coverage into that valley, the repeater signal would need to make it into the valley. The would be a function of (but not limited to) repeater location, antenna pattern, ERP, atmospheric conditions, the valley's topography in relation to the repeater's location, foliage.
• Additionally, while your buddy may be able to hear the repeater while he's in the valley, the same conditions would affect his ability to transmit a signal out of the valley and back to the repeater. Handhelds aren't nearly as efficient transmitters as fixed base or mobile radios because of their low ERP and fluctuations in antenna patterns because of the way the radio is held or it's proximity to the holder's body.