Repeaters on ebay

[KB1UAM]

hey guys, i was wondering if it was worth buying these repeaters on ebay? are they true repeaters? i also am aware of the licensing requirements when buying one. does anyone know where i can apply for a uhf licensefore frequencies? I would like to setup a local firebuff group and operate on a low power repeater site.

 

[rapidcharger]

hey guys, i was wondering if it was worth buying these repeaters on ebay? are they true repeaters? i also am aware of the licensing requirements when buying one. does anyone know where i can apply for a uhf licensefore frequencies? I would like to setup a local firebuff group and operate on a low power repeater site.

Impossible to say with the information provided.

On Ebay, there is a wide range of repeaters ranging from 20+ year old in-house low power repeaters that are not narrowband capable, thus useless on part 90 in the US, and on up to expensive current production digital repeaters.

As with any repeater, most of the time, the actual repeater is the cheap part. The expensive part is with outfitting the site, coax, duplexers, antennas, towers, site rental etc, maintenance, etc. Just propping up a repeater without that stuff is going to give you pretty pathetic coverage.

To answer your other question, if this is for the business pool we're talking about, you can go ahead and get coordinated for a repeater pair. Generally it's more expensive for VHF than UHF and you can expect it to set you back at least a few hundred for that per pair. There's many private companies that offer the service. I'm not sure what the intended purpose of the group is but there is an eligibility requirement for business pool licenses. That's generally for business use.

 

[zz0468]

hey guys, i was wondering if it was worth buying these repeaters on ebay? are they true repeaters?

What repeaters? No links? No items numbers? How are we expected to know what you're talking about?

i also am aware of the licensing requirements when buying one. does anyone know where i can apply for a uhf licensefore frequencies?

Care to clue us in on what radio service you're talking about? It will make a difference on what the answer is.

I would like to setup a local firebuff group and...

And talk to who, about what? Fires? What about fires? General chit chat, or are you trying to fight fires? Or maybe you're trying to start them. Fill us in on specifics. That could have an impact on what service you should operate under.

operate on a low power repeater site.

What exactly is a low power repeater site? One that just has low power repeaters? Good luck with that.

Please be specific. Your post is almost comically incomplete. We have no clue what you're wanting here.

 

[jwb8734]

I'll see you want you want but break out the checkbook. Equipment is not an issue. It has to be narrowband compliant then you need a location to put it. Once you have a location you need to liscense it and that is where it becomes costly.

I recommend and I am sure others would say it also just join you local buff network.

 

[svfd17]

I will be amazed if the OP even bothers to respond again on this thread. Zz0468, I am sure that "please provide more details about what you are looking for " would suffice as a response to the OP's question rather than the aggressive response you posted, Anyway KB1UAM, please provide some more details about what you are looking for so we can better help you.

 

[KB1UAM]

Thanks for the advice everyone. I forgot about the narrowband requirements. I do have access to a local tower. My area has no buff groups that have repeaters at my location. All local groups have repeaters that are just out of reach for me.

 

[zz0468]

Thanks for the advice everyone. I forgot about the narrowband requirements. I do have access to a local tower. My area has no buff groups that have repeaters at my location. All local groups have repeaters that are just out of reach for me.

You still haven't filled in enough of the blanks to get any good solid advice. What service are people using for this? It doesn't sound like it's eligible for business. GMRS? GMRS isn't required to narrow band. What repeaters on eBay were you referring to? Point them out, and people will be able to offer specific advice about them, as to whether they'll do what you want them to do.

 

[zz0468]

Zz0468, I am sure that "please provide more details about what you are looking for " would suffice as a response to the OP's question rather than the aggressive response you posted

Not aggressive at all. Just trying to make a point that the OP left us absolutely nothing to work with in trying to answer all those questions. Until he does, all people can do is offer blind suggestions, like the narrow banding thing. Until the OP fills in the blanks, some of the advice given could be flat out wrong, based on the radio service he needs to use.

 

[KB1UAM]

I was just trying to setup a local fire notification group. Nothing special just a low power repeater. Either gmrs or on the business band.

 

[RBMTS]

I was just trying to setup a local fire notification group. Nothing special just a low power repeater. Either gmrs or on the business band.

Anthony (or Tony),
As RapidCharger indicated, there is a lot of cost that is behind the curtain when running a repeater. Not to mention that fact that the users will need to have their own radios. Before you go to such cost, you might want to consider alternatives. Survey the members of your buff group and see if you can get them interested in becoming hams just like yourself. This would then all allow you to communicate via one of the local amateur repeaters. The plus side is that you won't need to be slaved to just one repeater. A second plus is that your buffing may take you out of the immediate area and you can then use other repeaters in areas you "stretch" to.

A second idea would be to rent time and a talkgroup on an existing LMR business system. When I belonged to a buff group in Virginia, we were looking into renting time on a local 800Mhz business system. It was much more cost effective than owning a system ourselves.

Buying anything off EBay comes with its own risks. You just don't know what you are going to get unless you personally know the seller. One last suggestion - if you are going to go with your own equipment, make sure you get your business FCC license and obtain repeater coordination first. The last thing you want to do is plunk down money for a repeater only to find out you can't get assigned a repeater pair for the band you wish to operate on. So there are lots of steps you will need to do first before even thinking of the hardware.

Just my two pennies for thought.

 

[N2JDS]

I know your request was about radios, but is something like facebook chats an option? We have one that I admin, http://www.facebook.com/StCharlesMissouriScannerTraffic
Has been up for just 3 months and we have almost 1800 followers so far in a county with population of around 370,000. Might work until you get your desired system in place.

 

[zz0468]

I was just trying to setup a local fire notification group. Nothing special just a low power repeater. Either gmrs or on the business band.

Ok. What radio service are people normally using for this in your area? The part 95 rules for GMRS are quite different than Part 90 rules for business band. With the narrow banding debacle, it's not as easy to go out and buy a repeater and arbitrarily set it up for one service or the other. Part 90 has been narrow banded, GMRS has not.

GMRS has a 50 watt power limitation. Part 90 does not. Part 90 requires frequency coordination as well as licensing. GMRS just requires a license, but requires all your users have their own licenses as well. Part 90 also requires that you justify your eligibility for a business license. Hobby use won't cut it.

Familiarize yourself with the appropriate rules, decide what service you'll operate under, then purchase appropriate equipment.

 

[jwb8734]

Also if you do GMRS you should see if there are any other GMRS repeaters in the area. Some can have a second PL/DPL to allow multi use. Also GMRS is self-coordinating so you want to make sure you know the freq you will be putting it on as you don't want to operate one the same freq as another GMRS repeater.

 

[ecps92]

Licensing Requirements are if you put it on line and use it, Not if you Buy it. Anyone one can buy a Repeater, Radio, Transmitter :roll:

hey guys, i was wondering if it was worth buying these repeaters on ebay? are they true repeaters? i also am aware of the licensing requirements when buying one. does anyone know where i can apply for a uhf licensefore frequencies? I would like to setup a local firebuff group and operate on a low power repeater site.

 

[ecps92]

Incorrect as to the NB compliance, as [sadly I need to stand up for the OP] he has not indicated if Business Band or GMRS and GMRS is not part of the NB mandate.

As for a local network, If there is One out there in his area, and IF they will accept his application

I'll see you want you want but break out the checkbook. Equipment is not an issue. It has to be narrowband compliant then you need a location to put it. Once you have a location you need to liscense it and that is where it becomes costly.

I recommend and I am sure others would say it also just join you local buff network.

 

[ecps92]

Anyone is eligible for a Business License. More expensive than a GMRS tho

You still haven't filled in enough of the blanks to get any good solid advice. What service are people using for this? It doesn't sound like it's eligible for business. GMRS? GMRS isn't required to narrow band. What repeaters on eBay were you referring to? Point them out, and people will be able to offer specific advice about them, as to whether they'll do what you want them to do.

 

[zz0468]

Anyone is eligible for a Business License. More expensive than a GMRS tho

Not quite true. Any business is eligible for a business license. A business could be an individual with a business, so it's not difficult. But it must be for a legitimate business use. An individual wishing to use it for personal or hobby use would not be eligible for a business license.

 

[ecps92]

I'll reaffirm my statement.

"Anyone is eligible for a Business License." You do not need to be a registered/recognized/incorporated etc business.

YMMV however I know of plenty of licenses that are not "officially" a business and have licenses.

You don't have to be specific in your justification

90.75A1 - APPLICANT IS A SERVICE ASSOCIATION THAT USES RADIOS TO CONTACT PERSONNEL IN THE FIELD.

Not quite true. Any business is eligible for a business license. A business could be an individual with a business, so it's not difficult. But it must be for a legitimate business use. An individual wishing to use it for personal or hobby use would not be eligible for a business license.

 

[WB4CS]

There's always that one guy that shows up late, quotes every other post and says "you're wrong."

Yep.


My $0.02 for the OP, as others have mentioned, factoring in all the costs associated with running a repeater (I've ran one before, it's expensive!) your most cost effective solution would probably be joining an already existing system. A low power repeater, depending on frequency, antenna height, terrain, etc., will not give you much coverage.

I'm not sure what coverage are you're looking for? (If you mentioned it in a post, I missed it.) If you're not looking to cover a large area, you might get away with using GMRS on a simplex channel. With 50 Watts and a good outside antenna you might get the coverage you want. It will mean each user will need to get a GMRS license and purchase their own equipment. That might be cheaper in the long run rather than investing in the equipment to put up a repeater, work out all the bugs, and maintain it.

 

[zz0468]

I'll reaffirm my statement.

And I'll reaffirm mine. An individual wishing to obtain a business license for personal or hobby use is not eligible. Creatively or deceptively completing the application will, however, get you a license. I didn't say it had to be a "registered" business. I said "it must be for a legitimate business use".