Icom: IC-2730A Cross Band Repeat?

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ClemsonSCJ

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I’m wanting to set up the cross band repeat function on my radio and have watched several videos on YouTube about how to set it up but I had a few questions that they didn’t answer.
1) does the radio care which band you are starting on and going to. Apparently most of the time you transmit on UHF and the radio repeats it on VHF. But the repeater I’d be wanting to get to is a 440 repeater so I’d want to talk to my radio on 2m and have it rebroadcast on 70CM. Is this possible?
2) can I select programmed channels for each band or do I have to manually set the frequency, offset, and tone?
 

FKimble

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crossband is a 2 way street. If you initiate the transmission from your HT then it's VHF to UHF. If you respond to a call from the repeater, it's the other way. Doesn't matter.
You should be able to program a memory slot for your crossband. I use Kenwood and have several slots setup for which ever repeater I might want to crossband to.

Frank
 

ClemsonSCJ

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crossband is a 2 way street. If you initiate the transmission from your HT then it's VHF to UHF. If you respond to a call from the repeater, it's the other way. Doesn't matter.
You should be able to program a memory slot for your crossband. I use Kenwood and have several slots setup for which ever repeater I might want to crossband to.

Frank
Thanks.
 

WB9YBM

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The easiest thing to do might be to just link two mobiles together...the "COR" signals shown in the schematic come from the radios' LED that turns on when the squelch opens. The reason for the key-up delay is to avoid a transmitter toggling on during a noise burst (like when the squelch opens briefly as a radio toggles from transmit back to receive). (While I was at it, I added a 1-second "hang" timer.) (U4, 5, 3, & 6 provide a 3 minute time-out..)
PTT logic.jpg
 

ClemsonSCJ

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The easiest thing to do might be to just link two mobiles together...the "COR" signals shown in the schematic come from the radios' LED that turns on when the squelch opens. The reason for the key-up delay is to avoid a transmitter toggling on during a noise burst (like when the squelch opens briefly as a radio toggles from transmit back to receive). (While I was at it, I added a 1-second "hang" timer.) (U4, 5, 3, & 6 provide a 3 minute time-out..)
View attachment 102944
What exactly does the hang time function do?
 

WB9YBM

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What exactly does the hang time function do?

When an incoming signal drops out of the repeater / link, the repeater's transmitter stays on ("hangs") briefly. That's mainly done so that if a signal coming into the repeater is weak and "flutters" in and out of the repeater's receiver, the repeater output won't toggle on and off.
 

W5GX

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I’m wanting to set up the cross band repeat function on my radio and have watched several videos on YouTube about how to set it up but I had a few questions that they didn’t answer.
1) does the radio care which band you are starting on and going to. Apparently most of the time you transmit on UHF and the radio repeats it on VHF. But the repeater I’d be wanting to get to is a 440 repeater so I’d want to talk to my radio on 2m and have it rebroadcast on 70CM. Is this possible?
2) can I select programmed channels for each band or do I have to manually set the frequency, offset, and tone?

1. The 2730 will retransmit from either band. I.e. - if it hears transmission on band A, it will repeat on band B; and if it hears transmission on band B, it will repeat on band A. As far as I know, there is no way to change this. This is why it's CRITICAL that you set up any CTCSS or DCS tones so that trash or other traffic doesn't clogs up the frequencies.

If you want to use a 440 repeater, it's likely that your HT will be able to hear the output of the 440 repeater - it would be best to set up your HT with an odd split - transmit on the 2m frequency that the 2730 listens on, but set it up to receive the 440 repeater output frequency. Then you'll setup the 2730 to listen on your 2m frequency (simplex) and then transmit on the input frequency of the repeater (also simplex) - you have to tweak it for an odd split. Be sure the 2730's 2m and your HT have the same CTCSS. If the HT can't receive the 440 repeater, select the normal preset for that repeater, and it should be okay.

2. You can use any preprogrammed frequency if you'd like, or program specific "local" cross band frequencies. I programmed some "local" cross band presets, in various arrangement so I can utilize either or both frequencies as needed. You can tune manually for either or both bands as well. You have to select the frequencies you want before you enable cross band repeat.

Some testing with a fellow ham friend would help.

As a note - when the 2730 is in cross band repeat mode, you can still transmit from the hand mic, following the normal "Main" band setting - and that can still be changed.
 

ClemsonSCJ

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1. The 2730 will retransmit from either band. I.e. - if it hears transmission on band A, it will repeat on band B; and if it hears transmission on band B, it will repeat on band A. As far as I know, there is no way to change this. This is why it's CRITICAL that you set up any CTCSS or DCS tones so that trash or other traffic doesn't clogs up the frequencies.

If you want to use a 440 repeater, it's likely that your HT will be able to hear the output of the 440 repeater - it would be best to set up your HT with an odd split - transmit on the 2m frequency that the 2730 listens on, but set it up to receive the 440 repeater output frequency. Then you'll setup the 2730 to listen on your 2m frequency (simplex) and then transmit on the input frequency of the repeater (also simplex) - you have to tweak it for an odd split. Be sure the 2730's 2m and your HT have the same CTCSS. If the HT can't receive the 440 repeater, select the normal preset for that repeater, and it should be okay.

2. You can use any preprogrammed frequency if you'd like, or program specific "local" cross band frequencies. I programmed some "local" cross band presets, in various arrangement so I can utilize either or both frequencies as needed. You can tune manually for either or both bands as well. You have to select the frequencies you want before you enable cross band repeat.

Some testing with a fellow ham friend would help.

As a note - when the 2730 is in cross band repeat mode, you can still transmit from the hand mic, following the normal "Main" band setting - and that can still be changed.
Wow that was A LOT of good info! Thanks!
 

rescuecomm

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Thats what I do with my Kenwood TM-V710 except I use the locked band mode. This is one way only, but keeps the mobiles key up time to a minimum.
 

Ricker99

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Is it possible to use this a local-control repeater for ONE band? For example, if I'm running a campsite with my family, and I'm within personal distance of my radio, I can legally let it operate as a repeater for a small-area footprint. My kids could take their portable radios and go on a hike in different directions, each portable using my in-car mobile as a repeater. For this to work, I would need to have the 2730A be able to cross-band repeat "on the same band". Thoughts?

In other words, let's assume there are no other viable repeaters within range of both the mobile and the portables. I'd like a way to use the in-car 2730A to act as a small-footprint repeater for my family's campsite. Of course, CTCSS codes would be employed to reduce interference, and wattage reduced to cover only the few acres I have.
 
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AK9R

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For example, if I'm running a campsite with my family, and I'm within personal distance of my radio, I can legally let it operate as a repeater for a small-area footprint. My kids could take their portable radios and go on a hike in different directions, each portable using my in-car mobile as a repeater.
Are your family members licensed amateur radio operators? The Icom IC-2730 is an amateur radio transceiver.
For this to work, I would need to have the 2730A be able to cross-band repeat "on the same band".
In order to repeat on the same band, you'd need a radio that can simultaneously receive and transmit in the same band, which the IC-2730 can't do, and you'd need a duplexer to separate the receive and transmit signals.
 

Ricker99

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Whole family will be ham licensed by next year. Exciting challenges as we all work toward it together.

I know the 2730A has a built-in duplexer to allow cross-band repeat, I was curious if that same functionaity could enable use of both VFOs to do it on the same band at reduced wattage. Sounds like that’s a no.
 

ClemsonSCJ

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Whole family will be ham licensed by next year. Exciting challenges as we all work toward it together.

I know the 2730A has a built-in duplexer to allow cross-band repeat, I was curious if that same functionaity could enable use of both VFOs to do it on the same band at reduced wattage. Sounds like that’s a no.
If you have 2 frequencies on the same band, it will not allow it to go into cross band repeat. So no, you can’t do it on a single band. But would cross band repeat not serve the same function? As long as they had dual band radios like a UV-5R, it’s no different than a repeater on a single band.
 

nd5y

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You should be able to configure any radio capable of crossband repeat to function as a one-way crossband repeater.
You could set the mobile radio for example to receive on 145.000 and transmit on 445.000. Then you program all the user radios with the exact opposite tx/rx frequencies.

Then all you need to worry about is the control operator and ID requirements.
 

N4DJC

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You should be able to configure any radio capable of crossband repeat to function as a one-way crossband repeater.
You could set the mobile radio for example to receive on 145.000 and transmit on 445.000. Then you program all the user radios with the exact opposite tx/rx frequencies.

Then all you need to worry about is the control operator and ID requirements.

It’s a shame Icom doesn’t have a CW ID option (or a remote control like the old Kenwoods).
 

N4GIX

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Is it possible to use this a local-control repeater for ONE band? For example, if I'm running a campsite with my family, and I'm within personal distance of my radio, I can legally let it operate as a repeater for a small-area footprint. My kids could take their portable radios and go on a hike in different directions, each portable using my in-car mobile as a repeater. For this to work, I would need to have the 2730A be able to cross-band repeat "on the same band". Thoughts?
As has been stated, the short answer is no.
However, there is a product available that would satisfy your requirements, the RT-97 from Retevis:
RT97 Long Range Full Duplex Mini Portable Repeater (retevis.com)

When you order it you specify which band you want, VHF or UHF, as well as the exact Tx RX frequencies. This way they can have their tech tune the included duplexer so it becomes literally "plug-and-play." I've had one on-line now for nearly a full year. I have it tuned as a 70cm portable repeater so I can deploy it during an ARES activation whenever needed.
A word of caution though, order the "UHF Customized" version so they will program a +5Mhz offset!

You could order one to use under a GMRS license, which for $70 (current cost, scheduled to drop to $35 sometime in 2022), and covers one's entire extended family!

This is not simply two HT's in a box either. It uses well-shielded xmit and receive modules. The transmitter is 10 watts, but after duplexer losses the final output is ~8 watts. Antenna options are legion and limited only to one's imagination. For my use case, I have a 30' fiberglass telescoping mast to hold a 70cm monoband antenna, and 50' of Messi and Paloni Untraflex 7 coax. With this setup we are getting around 15 miles LOS radius.

I know of others who use RG8x and an N9TAX antenna (or Ed Fong J Pole) and hang the antenna from a tree limb.

DISCLAIMER: I have no pecuniary interest in this product, I am simply a very satisfied customer!
 

W5GX

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It’s a shame Icom doesn’t have a CW ID option (or a remote control like the old Kenwoods).

It is weird - a radio for the American market doesn't have some ability to help stay FCC compliant. That being said, I made my own IDer for the IC-2730, posted about it on QRZ. It was pretty fun, but I have not yet worked in remote control - in my use-cases, I haven't found that needed; just yet.
 

N4DJC

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It is weird - a radio for the American market doesn't have some ability to help stay FCC compliant. That being said, I made my own IDer for the IC-2730, posted about it on QRZ. It was pretty fun, but I have not yet worked in remote control - in my use-cases, I haven't found that needed; just yet.

I have a friend that has a 5100 he was setting up…referred him to your posting.

The current Kenwoods ID in both directions, and can’t be toggled off (which is an issue in itself). I haven’t tried a recent Yaesu dual band to check it out.
 
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