Can't access repeater

[BMDaug]

Well, maybe it’s Cargill Incorporated, but that’s doubtful… they are too big for this sort of inquiry. Or, it’s an educational institution… I’m betting it’s Niagara Falls Board of Education but it could be Cedar Crest College…

Either way, perhaps everyone should temper their cynicism and reserve judgement… the guy came here to get help, not to be laughed at by a bunch of gear snobs.

I like nice gear as much as the next guy, but sometimes you just need something that works for right now with available funds. Assuming it’s not Cargill, I’m not surprised that an education related entity is forced to buy radios from Amazon…

-B

 

[buddrousa]

2way radio DIY is fine for home or hobby but setting up a Commerical setup is very different you have licensee test equipment are you interfering with life saving communications are you even legal for what you are doing. It is just not simple.

 

[mmckenna]

2way radio DIY is fine for home or hobby but setting up a Commerical setup is very different you have licensee test equipment are you interfering with life saving communications are you even legal for what you are doing. It is just not simple.

True.
However, if the FCC enforced Part 90 stuff, and actually checked the Chinese radios that are flowing into the country, there wouldn't be so many issues. On the flip side, if people were not looking for $20 LMR radios, there wouldn't be a market.

I run several radio systems for a large research university. Budgets are always a challenge, and everyone is always looking for ways to save money. That's one of the reasons I actively market to my end users. I always offer free consulting in an attempt to head off the CCR radios, randomly chosen frequencies, unlicensed use, etc.

Most education agencies have collapsed staffing down too far. So much gets dumped on IT, and IT does their best to solve the problems. When they are not sure what to do, they google. Google turns up the $20 radios, YouTube videos, programming software, and enough information to get something working. Unfortunately those free sources of info rarely cover the FCC requirements.

No one is going to learn with heavy handed responses. Guiding users in the right direction while understanding limitations works. In other words, take it easy on the new guys. They take some time to come up to speed. No point in running them off.

 

[jhooten]

Most education agencies have collapsed staffing down too far. So much gets dumped on IT, and IT does their best to solve the problems. When they are not sure what to do, they google. Google turns up the $20 radios, YouTube videos, programming software, and enough information to get something working. Unfortunately those free sources of info rarely cover the FCC requirements.

I was the ET for a medium sized rural school district. They contracted out the maintenance department like they had done with food service and transportation. Someone up the food chain decided they couldn't have a mere contractor doing all their security stuff so they took Radios, CCTV, Access control, Burglar alarms, and PA systems back, giving them to the IT department. The guy who got stuck with it all was doing his best but he was a computer network tech not an ET/CT. He started buying Bridgecom repeaters and handhelds to replace the Motorola stuff because a salesman told him it was just as good as Motorola at half the price. The VHF licenses were left hanging on the wall next to the new UHF repeaters. The campus coverage went from 90% to 60%.

So yes, I know where you are coming from.

 

[6079smithw]

The guy who got stuck with it all was doing his best but he was a computer network tech not an ET/CT. He started buying Bridgecom repeaters and handhelds to replace the Motorola stuff because a salesman told him it was just as good as Motorola at half the price. The VHF licenses were left hanging on the wall next to the new UHF repeaters. The campus coverage went from 90% to 60%.

So yes, I know where you are coming from.

True dat. Then the workers are burdened with cleaning up the mess the office Suits created.
My late Dad used to say "The only Dope worth shooting is Salesmen and Bean-Counters!"

 

[mmckenna]

So yes, I know where you are coming from.

I'm still cleaning up a Baofeng/Bridgecom mess at one of our (very) remote sites. Good intentions, but not well implemented. Trying to save money and using amateur/hobby grade gear. If I was billing them for my time, they'd probably be in 40 grand at this point.

 

[tunnelmot]

My apologies for my previous sarcasm.
Wasn't meant as a dig to op, but rather to the ccr branding.
I agree with the PL/DPL mismatch if the programming tag on the repeater is correct.
...and I'll see myself out