6m radio and antenna recommendation as a simplex repeater

[vagrant]

Club is looking to add a 6m radio to our VHF/UHF linked repeater system. The 6m radio will run simplex, so many issues avoided there. I am looking for suggestions on a 100W 6m radio that we would run at 40-50 watts. Next is the antenna which would see plenty of snow/ice in the winter. The antenna will be tower mounted and no worries on mounting, coax, linking, etc. Just looking for a solid radio and antenna, new or used, to handle low repeater traffic. I don't think I want to futz with a Kenwood TK series to get it to work on 6 meters.

We have the cash, but don't really want to throw money at the project. We are hams, so we need to feign cheap to maintain our amateur status.

 

[prcguy]

For mountain top snow and ice I would recommend a DB Products DB-201 folded ground plane. The folded monopole has wider frequency range than a simple 1/4 wave vertical element and its pretty heavy duty for ice and snow. Or a commercial coaxial dipole with folded top element like a Kreco. I have one of each somewhere in the garage.

Not a lot of 6m mono band radios out there and some of the good ones are really old by now. You might be better off with a more modern multi band HF and just park it on 6m.

 

[k9wkj]

DB-201
Maratrac

 

[kayn1n32008]

110-C2 or 110-C4 and either a Kenwood TK690H or NX-5600H

 

[sallen07]

One radio option would be an Alinco DR-06T. Dedicated 6m FM, runs about $250. But I have one I'll sell you for less, not because there is anything wrong with it but because I don't use it anymore. (I had my general for quite a while before I got an HF rig.)

 

[vagrant]

I appreciate all of the replies. They have provided me with what I need to consider this project further as well as the end goal of adding 6 meters and what it may offer over our current systems. We have some shortcomings with our current VHF/UHF duplexers we should address first. I do expect we will add six meters, but possibly at an alternate location which will not experience ice/snow. The DP Products and Kreco antenna options do look quite nice. The research I just did made me realize the drawbacks of the amateur options like Comet, Diamond, or a 6m Ringo. Those antennas work of course, but could use a design to decouple the RF.

 

[freddaniel]

You can avoid using a duplexer on 6 or 10 meters FM repeaters by placing your receiver at at different location than the transmitter and linking with either a 430 MHz link or an Ethernet link or the Internet. You can also use AllStarLink hardware to incorporate voting receivers. Just food for thought.....

 

[vagrant]

You can avoid using a duplexer on 6 or 10 meters FM repeaters by placing your receiver at at different location than the transmitter and linking with either a 430 MHz link or an Ethernet link or the Internet. You can also use AllStarLink hardware to incorporate voting receivers. Just food for thought.....

See original post. Already avoiding a duplexer on 6 meters. It will run simplex, no duplexers are needed, nor split antennas, nor voting receivers, nor AllStar hardware, nor Internet.

 

[WB5ITT]

I have several Midland XTR and Syntech IIs that work great on 6m...Easier to modify than the TK690H (which I also have)....If you are planning to put it on 52.525 simplex I HOPE you have a timer to turn it off or DTMF commands given to users...the other simplex channels few people use and there is no nationwide agreement on them anyway (6m FM has always been the step child since the ARRL band plan in the 1980 changed everything).

 

[G6FGO]

Not sure about the American situation, but here in Blighty, there is a wealth of 6m and 4m choice from low band ex public service equipment. Inexpensive and designed for the job with a little tweaking.