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Setting up network what range can I expect? DR3000

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dazerc

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Hi

I'm new here.
I've been tasked with researching, procuring and installing a commercial radio network.

It needs to be low cost, simple to use handsets with not too many buttons for untrained people to use, robust, encrypted and should have a system in place should a handset become lost that it can be disabled.

I will need around 5 repeaters to cover the various sites.
I have 2 sites that are around 20KM apart.

This network will be set up In Asia. There isn't any issues with licences or freq allocations so I can use what ever I want.

The repeaters will be set up in a rural area with small towns and villages. It is a developing country so there isn't any internet there. So I couldn't really use IP connect in this situation.

Is there anyway to use the repeaters radio signal as the connections between the repeaters?
All of the sites we will be using generators as there isn't any mains electricity.

What kind of range would I expect the portable radios to have to the repeaters if the repeaters were elevated on a 2 story building with the surounding area flat with only single story buildings?

Would the DR3000 repeater be able to cover this 20km distance to the next repeater site?
What is the max range in an open flat area of the DR3000 with the antenna of a 10m height?
Would the MTR3000 be more suitable? are they compatible with each other?

does the DP3400 need an encryption board? or is encryption built in?

Would the GP340 be a suitible handset? what kind of range would these have going to the repeaters?

Thanks for your help
 

dazerc

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Has nobody used a DR3000 repeter before and have any rough range it would operate?
 

colby4601

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Maybe you should be consulting with a consulting firm as opposed to an online forum which is primarily dedicated to the hobby of scanning. Just a suggestion.
 

dazerc

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Maybe you should be consulting with a consulting firm as opposed to an online forum which is primarily dedicated to the hobby of scanning. Just a suggestion.

This is not the scanning section of the forum though.
There are lots of other threads about people setting up networks for sheffifs departments in the US and lots of Ham radio clubs seam to have repeaters set up.

I'm just trying to gain as much knowledge myself before I go to a company to purchase equipment.
 

SteveC0625

Order of the Golden Dino since 1972
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This is not the scanning section of the forum though.
There are lots of other threads about people setting up networks for sheffifs departments in the US and lots of Ham radio clubs seam to have repeaters set up.

I'm just trying to gain as much knowledge myself before I go to a company to purchase equipment.

There is a HUGE difference between some hams setting up a local 2 meter repeater and the type of system you are talking about. And you can bet that most of the talk here in any of the forums is not the basis for multimillion dollar purchasing decisions for sheriff's departments and other local government operations.

You need a consultant and engineering assistance to determine what will work for you. First and foremost, terrain matters, big time. None of us can give you the advice you want based on a few paragraphs of general description. There are some complex calculations needed along with precise terrain information to even begin to create a system to meet your needs.

You would be much better off to contact Motorola (or other manufacturer) and explain your needs to them. They have the detailed knowledge about their current products to get you pointed in the right direction. And they can help you find a engineer and consultant who have the expertise to correctly design a system for you.
 

wyomingmedic

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534
Truthfully, linking 5 repeaters together, covering distances of up to 20km between machines, is not going to be easy or cheap.

And simply throwing an antenna on the roof of a 2 story building will probably not cover the distances. You will need repeaters, cavity filters, antennas, feedline, grounding, and radios and antennas and such for the link radios.

The repeaters can link together with RF. Hams usually use VHF repeaters and link them together with a UHF frequency. So a VHF repeater will operate and will re-transmit the audio over the UHF frequency which the other repeaters will receive and then retransmit, and so on and so forth.

In truth, it is a complicating process. Getting audio levels set correctly and RF paths solid, usually takes some time and experience.

If I were to be budgeting for a SOLID linked VHF repeater system with UHF backhaul, covering 5 systems, I would budget $5k per site. You could do it cheaper and crappier, but you WILL have reliability problems and downtime. There is a price to pay for stability.

So IMO, $25K just for hardware. Then include shipping it to rural Asia and programming and install and such, and you could hit $35-40K. And even doing it cheaper (about $2k per site), you are looking at $20K.

But I am FAR from an authority. I just work with several linked ham groups and public safety folks. TO get a real answer, you should contact a consulting firm.

WM
 

dazerc

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Mar 4, 2011
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Location
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Thank you for your information it has been really useful.
I'm going to contact a consulting agency but I just wanted to get enough information first so I didn't go to them and look silly asking for something that wasn't possible.
 

chrismol1

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Mar 15, 2008
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You have to let go of the repeater range questions, there is no answer to them. Make sure those repeater antennas are in line of sight with each other and you'll have no problem. A 2 story building isn't high enough unless your in the open desert. Same thing with the portable radios, the higher that repeater antenna goes the greater change you have of receiving the portable radios signal. You would need someone to be there on the ground to figure out exactly what will work.
 

wtfover

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There are a lot of unanswered questions here.

1. What you consider low cost and what others consider low cost isn't going to be the same. Remember with cheaper equipment you could run into a long list of problems.

2. You mentioned getting any freq you wanted, so are you looking at analog? Digital? Encrpytion?

3. Linking can be done by RF (6ghz microwave) but its not going to be cheap

4. You stated using generators. You will need to have in place a good surge protector to keep the spikes from frying your equipment.

5. Your going to need towers, grounding material, feedline, connectors, etc

There is a whole slew of other things you need to worry about also. I would take the suggestion and contact a company that deals with this stuff everyday. I will say though, money wise your best bet would be to look into a Motorola MotoTrbo system.
 
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