GTR 8000 repeater specs

[speedway_navigator]

I'm helping our county EMA and facilities folks with power and AC needs for our radio room. I have pdf version 6871020P77-A_GTR8000_Base_Radio
to look at TX power specs. It lists power consumption for 'base radio' TX at 470 W for FM which is what our VHF tornado sirens use. Since this is repeating do I need to
add in the 85 W RX draw as well?
I don't see the term full duplex nor repeater mode.

Max temp is listed as 140° F, I'm curious what temps you guys set in your rooms.

We only have this and 2 more lightly used repeaters so we might put in a window AC unit
instead of maintaining the current one, which was designed for the cell site stuff which has been removed.
thanks

 

[mmckenna]

Don't know about the GTR, but sounds like you need to figure in TX and RX.

As for cooling, a couple of things I've learned over the years:
If there are any batteries involved, pay close attention to manufacturer specs. I was told by C&D years ago that for every 10 degrees above 72º (might have been 77…) you go, you cut battery life in half.

Confirm that Motorola is talking about ambient air temperature, not internal temperature. BIg difference between the two.

I've never regretted having a cooling system in an equipment room. Keeping equipment at a constant temperature helps with longevity. Frequent extreme temperature swings really is hard on parts.

 

[N5XPM]

Don't know about the GTR, but sounds like you need to figure in TX and RX.

As for cooling, a couple of things I've learned over the years:
If there are any batteries involved, pay close attention to manufacturer specs. I was told by C&D years ago that for every 10 degrees above 72º (might have been 77…) you go, you cut battery life in half.

Confirm that Motorola is talking about ambient air temperature, not internal temperature. BIg difference between the two.

I've never regretted having a cooling system in an equipment room. Keeping equipment at a constant temperature helps with longevity. Frequent extreme temperature swings really is hard on parts.

In addition to the benefits of reduced temperature swings, cooling systems greatly prevent condensation inside the equipment shelter and the equipment inside.

 

[mmckenna]

In addition to the benefits of reduced temperature swings, cooling systems greatly prevent condensation inside the equipment shelter and the equipment inside.

Yeah, specs I have for our large PBX was "non-condensing" moisture.
Plus that moisture collects dust, dust build up leads to reduced cooling capacity.

Sounds like Jay is talking about a 110 volt AC supply, so batteries may not be an issue. The guys doing the power load calculations and/or the BTU loads are probably going to figure in some slop, so missing 85 watts probably won't be an issue, but accuracy is always appreciated. When we were last designing equipment rooms, we almost doubled the capacity for surge as we knew from experience we'd often need to spin up entirely new systems side by side with the old ones and then do a slow/planned cut over. But that was for network/telco stuff. RF gets a bit different and a few hundred watts worth of power/BTU's is a drop in a bucket compared the power hogs/room heaters that Cisco routers are.

 

[speedway_navigator]

The room is about 20' long but only has 3 racks now that Sprint pulled out. The racks are spread out, I'm suggesting we move them closer and wall off the unused half to reduce our energy cost. When I was in Verizon sites they had the thermostat about 78, the guy training me would always turn it down when we got there.

Interesting note about the battery temps. This is from a site in Texas, I was there mid April. The room had a window heater / AC unit still in heat mode, it was 92 inside.

 

[mmckenna]

Yikes.

Yeah, I'd move all your racks together, simply because you never know what sort of other client will move in there and make it difficult.

 

[mmckenna]

I've gone round and round with the battery thing and cooling at work. It really pisses some people off if you start suggesting their investment is in danger if they don't follow the manufacturer recommendations. Usually the Project Manager is only looking at the project completion and doesn't give a damn about anything that happens after that point.

 

[speedway_navigator]

The county owns the site and leases the tower to Crown Castle. There is another equipment room, I'm not sure what is in there. When Sprint pulled out in November they told the power company they were done, so the power got turned off in January despite the county equipment still working there. The county is looking to downsize the generator and maybe AC to match the reduced load.

I don't know if they have thought about getting with Crown Castle for renting the vacated spots.

We have a cabinet with 3 UHF radios feeding a voter left over from years ago, it still had a fan running so I pulled the plug to save money.

 

[12dbsinad]

That looks like a disaster waiting to happen. Un-fused power leads heading in all different directions, real cute. Looks like batts are boiling over like crazy. What is the float voltage? From the pics looks WAY WAY to high.

 

[mmckenna]

That looks like a disaster waiting to happen. Un-fused power leads heading in all different directions, real cute. Looks like batts are boiling over like crazy. What is the float voltage? From the pics looks WAY WAY to high.

$10 says it's for an amateur radio repeater.

 

[speedway_navigator]

I can't find the original photo now, this was shrunk down from the original and moved to a temp drive for uploading. I don't recall servicing any ham sites.

 

[KevinC]

$10 says it's for an amateur radio repeater.

Obviously you haven't been to any poor as crap Texas counties. They do what they have to do. I was working in one several years ago and sheriff said all his deputies are on government assistance programs since they make so little.