Help Programming IC-208H

[firefighter3021]

Hello,

I just received a IC-208H ham and have the software and was wondering how to program this bugger. I have no real clue on what splits are and how to set them for a repeater system. Most of our frequencies are like this RX: 453.050 TX: 458.050. Whereas I have conventional radios and we don't program split we just type the rx and tx freq. in a pl and go. But this monkey I have no idea how to program it. Like I need this freq in my radio and its a repeated frequency how would it be programmed RX: 155.160 TX: 150.805 pl of 173.8 on TX csq on receive. Like I said I have numerous Repeaters in our area that we use but have no clue on how to program them on a moded ham.

So if anyone can help that would be great.

THANKS!!!

 

[tbnmaster]

The 208H can only transmit on 144-148 and 440-450, unless it's modified for use outside of those bands.....

• Frequency coverage :
USA Rx 118.000–173.995 MHz*1,
230.000–549.995 MHz*2,
810.000–999.990 MHz*3
Tx 144–148 MHz, 440–450 MHz

 

[jim202]

First of all this radio is a Ham radio and not authorized in the Public Safety frequencies.

Second, if the FCC catches you using this radio on non ham frequencies,
you could face fines of up to $10,000 per day you operated it on these
frequencies. You would be much better off obtaining a radio that was
type accepted for part 90 operation. A radio like the Icom F521 would be
a much better match for you. It will legally operate on the 150 to 172 Mhz
frequiencies and still make it into the ham channels.

Jim

Hello,

I just received a IC-208H ham and have the software and was wondering how to program this bugger. I have no real clue on what splits are and how to set them for a repeater system. Most of our frequencies are like this RX: 453.050 TX: 458.050. Whereas I have conventional radios and we don't program split we just type the rx and tx freq. in a pl and go. But this monkey I have no idea how to program it. Like I need this freq in my radio and its a repeated frequency how would it be programmed RX: 155.160 TX: 150.805 pl of 173.8 on TX csq on receive. Like I said I have numerous Repeaters in our area that we use but have no clue on how to program them on a moded ham.

So if anyone can help that would be great.

THANKS!!!

 

[n4voxgill]

the IC 208H has been tuned to work in the 144-148, if you illegally modify it to program up to 458.050 the radio will not have a clean signal. It can cause interferance on public safety frequencies. You may notice that it will get very hot on transmit.

 

[OpSec]

The radio is not FCC Part 90 type accepted and can not be used legally on non-ham frequencies. There are stiff fines from the FCC for illegal radio useage such as this.

Buy a land mobile radio that is Part 90 accepted.

 

[traumacop]

Part 90

Ok, with all due respect to the Part 90 police I am posting the following.

I have an FT-8900 that was mod’ed as soon as I got home with it. Do I use it out of band? Noooooo. There is a CDM-1550 sitting right above it and an F4GT sitting right next to that.

I don't advocate using ham radio equipment anywhere out side of the ham bands but the radio equipment is no more likely to cause interference than any other equipment generally speaking. In fact most of the features you have on Part 90 radios are there after being tried on ham radios first. The thing that sucks with using my CDM-1550 for ham radio is you can't so anything with the PL tones off the front of the radio. So when you go from one area to another or if the function of the repeater is changed for instance during bad weather, your stuck.

Also, like it or not, if I come upon an emergency and the only means to alert someone was using my non-Part 90 radio on a Part-90 frequency, then so be it.

If we got into looking at radio compliance hard enough, most people have and use radios in a fashion that is not listed by their license. Too many radios, using mobile instead of handhelds, mobile hooked to a power supply in the house making it another base/control point, talking outside of the authorized radius, using another departments frequency, talking on the "mutual aid" channel that no one holds a license for..... and the list goes on.

Firefighter3021. If you intend on using this radio for fire business, you are putting your department at risk. I have read several articles where the FCC comes into town and pulls every radio out of the department. No they don't care that you provide someone with emergency services. When they leave, yes, they leave a big fine also.

To program splits, you take the difference of the transmit and receive and change your "offset" from 0.6 on VHF or 5.0 on UHF and then make your "shift" either + or - depending on which direction the input frequency is from the receive. You have to change this every time you do a different VHF pair because there is no standard shift on VHF like there is on UHF with the 5 MHz.

So, if the repeater output is 146.880 and the input is 146.280, then the offset is 0.6 with a shift of -.

If you have any other questions, give me a PM. One thing to keep in mind, with most radios being able to transmit some kind of ID feature (MDC, DTMF, Fleetsync) a lot of areas are making PTTID a required feature to reduce/eliminate unauthorized users. The minute you key a non-PTTID’d radio around here, people start to look at you funny. These ID features aren’t available on most ham radios.

To everyone else, again no disrespect. But how many people does it take to explain the same rules?

 

[OpSec]

Ok, with all due respect to the Part 90 police I am posting the following.

I have an FT-8900 that was mod’ed as soon as I got home with it. Do I use it out of band? Noooooo.

If you don't use it out of band, then why did you modify it in the first place?

Your logic is flawed.

 

[traumacop]

Your vision is flawed.

Also, like it or not, if I come upon an emergency and the only means to alert someone was using my non-Part 90 radio on a Part-90 frequency, then so be it.

Your welcome

 

[OpSec]

Good luck with that one.

 

[kingpin]

He is correct. We in the amateur service are allowed to use any frequency neccessary to obtain assistance in a life and death situation. With this power comes even greater responsibility. You have to use common sense. You don't come up on the PD's repeater if you can absolutely help it. I have TX locked out on all of the PD freqs in my radio. There are plenty of fire department repeaters I can access should I ever need it. With cell phones, I doubt I'd ever need it but it's there.

A local fire department here was busted using 10 2 meter handhelds on public safety frequencies and they were threatened with a fine. They sold the radios and got the proper equipment.

To the original poster, you may not have known this when you bought your radio. I'd see about returning it and take that money and get a proper radio. You can get the cables and software for them and program as needed. It will cost a little more in the beginning but it's worth it in the end.