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Repeater Help and Advice?

AAEH

Newbie
Joined
Dec 31, 2022
Messages
4
Hi everyone,

I'm fairly new to Ham radio and VHF/UHF. I have been doing lots of scanning through the internet and find it somewhat overwhelming as to where to start in terms of equipment.

I'm looking to have a home based reapeater and antenna setup to "talk" to X amount of mobile radios. I recently installed the KT 9900 into 2 vehicles to start. I was hoping to have a nice reapeater setup and connected to these KT 9900 and other similar radios, to boost communication range. Instead of radio to radio use.

I believe that I would need to be using UHF band because it being a mix of urban country area.

And suggestions of a good reapeater or anything else that I may need to make this happen?

Thanks in advance,
-Derek.
 

prcguy

Member
Joined
Jun 30, 2006
Messages
15,233
Location
So Cal - Richardson, TX - Tewksbury, MA
A repeater is not a casual thing to purchase and use. It needs to be set up properly and the repeater and accompanying duplexer aligned for the frequency you will use. They are most often installed by professionals or amateur operators who have lots of test equipment to make sure they are working properly when installed.

One of the many things that can and do go wrong is you purchase a repeater with duplexer and it gets shipped to you. The duplexer gets knocked out of alignment during shipping and nothing works right and someone with the proper test equipment ends up going to your repeater location and aligning the entire system over again to make it work.

The repeater antenna is also a key component you don't want to skimp on and the feedline between the duplexer and antenna can get expensive due to the low loss and usually solid copper construction needed. There is a reason most people don't have their own repeater, it can be like owning a top fuel dragster and all you might be set up for is a go cart powered by a lawn mower engine.

Hi everyone,

I'm fairly new to Ham radio and VHF/UHF. I have been doing lots of scanning through the internet and find it somewhat overwhelming as to where to start in terms of equipment.

I'm looking to have a home based reapeater and antenna setup to "talk" to X amount of mobile radios. I recently installed the KT 9900 into 2 vehicles to start. I was hoping to have a nice reapeater setup and connected to these KT 9900 and other similar radios, to boost communication range. Instead of radio to radio use.

I believe that I would need to be using UHF band because it being a mix of urban country area.

And suggestions of a good reapeater or anything else that I may need to make this happen?

Thanks in advance,
-Derek.
 

KevinC

Big Dog...celebrating 10 years of abuse!
Super Moderator
Joined
Jan 7, 2001
Messages
11,340
Location
Home
Is this for amateur radio? Or some private or commercial venture?
 

mass-man

trying to retire...
Premium Subscriber
Joined
Mar 15, 2004
Messages
1,870
Location
Parker Co., TX
Not to mention in (I hope) most of the country there are repeater coordination groups that guide you to find a specific set of frequencies and tones so not to interfere with other repeaters! At least here in N TX available repeater frequencies are scarce!
 

n5ims

Member
Joined
Jul 25, 2004
Messages
3,993
And don't forget that low loss isn't the only think you need to worry about with a repeater feedline. There are also things like Passive Intermodulation and the like to worry about.
 

mmckenna

I ♥ Ø
Joined
Jul 27, 2005
Messages
23,618
Location
Hiding in a coffee shop.
And suggestions of a good reapeater or anything else that I may need to make this happen?

The best repeater is the one you don't have to pay for, pay to maintain, pay for it's location, pay, pay, pay….

Depending on where you are, there are probably a number of existing repeaters you can use. I know in my area there are a lot, and they almost all sit quite most of the time.

As mentioned above, the cost and complexity of setting up your own repeater are pretty high. And you home may not be a good location for a repeater, unless you home is on top of a high mountain, high rise building, or your home happens to be on top of a very tall tower.

Before investing any money, see what is available in your area. Chances are it'll work better than anything you install at your own home.
 

n5ims

Member
Joined
Jul 25, 2004
Messages
3,993
I think my statement of " low loss and usually solid copper construction needed" covers that.

True, but many folks still attempt to use standard LMR-400 since it's low loss and has a solid copper center conductor (although many are copper clad steel).
 

prcguy

Member
Joined
Jun 30, 2006
Messages
15,233
Location
So Cal - Richardson, TX - Tewksbury, MA
All LMR400 variants I've seen have a copper clad aluminum center conductor, that's why the stuff is so light weight. Its the dissimilar aluminum foil shield and tinned copper screen that causes PIMD in full duplex systems. Messi & Paoloni makes an all copper substitute for LMR400 which can be used in short runs for repeater use. Hyperflex 10 Low Loss Coaxial Cable | Messi & Paoloni

I would not want to run more than about 25ft of M&P copper LMR400 type on a UHF repeater due to loss. It would be best to find some Andrew/Commscope FSJ4-50B 1/2" Superflex Heliax good for maybe 30ft or LDF4-50A 1/2" Heliax for up to 50ft then LDF5-50A 7/8" Heliax for up to about 75ft.

True, but many folks still attempt to use standard LMR-400 since it's low loss and has a solid copper center conductor (although many are copper clad steel).
 

prcguy

Member
Joined
Jun 30, 2006
Messages
15,233
Location
So Cal - Richardson, TX - Tewksbury, MA
Why would you ask for a callsign? If he posts that everyone will know his name, address, age, list of family members, phone # and will have his financial data, pictures of his house, etc. That is a very invasive question.

These are ALL good advice and suggestions, but where are you located?

What is your amateur call sign, please?
 

AAEH

Newbie
Joined
Dec 31, 2022
Messages
4
Is this for amateur radio? Or some private or commercial venture?
It was originally for privet use as I've always liked everything radio since I was a young guy. Now it's turning into for commercial use as I operate a security guard company.
 

KevinC

Big Dog...celebrating 10 years of abuse!
Super Moderator
Joined
Jan 7, 2001
Messages
11,340
Location
Home
It was originally for privet use as I've always liked everything radio since I was a young guy. Now it's turning into for commercial use as I operate a security guard company.

Ok, I’ll move it out of the amateur radio forums then.
 

mmckenna

I ♥ Ø
Joined
Jul 27, 2005
Messages
23,618
Location
Hiding in a coffee shop.
It was originally for privet use as I've always liked everything radio since I was a young guy. Now it's turning into for commercial use as I operate a security guard company.

OK, there are options for commercial/private use.

Again, setting up your own repeater is expensive. Renting repeater access from a radio shop can be very cost effective. It is worth checking around.
Plus, a radio shop may have a trunked system, or linked repeaters that will cover more area than one on top of your home ever will.
 

R8000

Low Battery
Premium Subscriber
Joined
Dec 19, 2002
Messages
1,009
You may want to reach out to a reputable local radio shop for at least assistance with licensing. Most shops have a person on staff who submit FCC license applications and handle coordination everyday. They could assist you with getting the proper license and a frequency pair.
They will charge you a fee, but at least you'd be legal and it'd be done properly.
If you wanted to take it further, they could help with supplying equipment if you wanted to go that route as well.
 

BMDaug

I am licensed…
Premium Subscriber
Joined
Jan 18, 2022
Messages
1,102
Location
Central Colorado, USA
I’m in the process of installing a repeater. Here is my price breakdown:

Used Tait TB9100 VHF, 100W - $1000 including inband alignment, shipping etc.

Used Telewave ANT150D single bay folded dipole - $500

Used cavity filter - Luckily, this was donated.

1/2” Hardline with connectors - $100 friend price

Custom Intermod panel - $600 tuned

InHand 302 Industrial cellular router, open box - $80

Used Falcon UPS w/new batteries - $250

Used Eaton PDU - $50

Site rental - $150/mo plus USFS fees

Than you need to purchase subscriber units and small parts like a lightning arrestor, mounting brackets for the antenna, etc.

It’s not cheap… definitely more than I expected when I started down this path!! Good luck!

-B
 

CG23

Newbie
Joined
Jan 11, 2023
Messages
4
Hi everyone,

I'm fairly new to Ham radio and VHF/UHF. I have been doing lots of scanning through the internet and find it somewhat overwhelming as to where to start in terms of equipment.

I'm looking to have a home based reapeater and antenna setup to "talk" to X amount of mobile radios. I recently installed the KT 9900 into 2 vehicles to start. I was hoping to have a nice reapeater setup and connected to these KT 9900 and other similar radios, to boost communication range. Instead of radio to radio use.

I believe that I would need to be using UHF band because it being a mix of urban country area.

And suggestions of a good reapeater or anything else that I may need to make this happen?

Thanks in advance,
-Derek.
I'm sort of in the same boat myself. Check out this that I am looking at trying: repeater box. I work for a company and I have to set up the Radio network. I got volunteered into it because my uncle had the local radio shack for 30 years before he retired. Any body remember Radioshack, LOL.
 

jeepsandradios

Member
Feed Provider
Joined
Jul 29, 2012
Messages
2,005
Location
East of the Mississippi
I'm sort of in the same boat myself. Check out this that I am looking at trying: repeater box. I work for a company and I have to set up the Radio network. I got volunteered into it because my uncle had the local radio shack for 30 years before he retired. Any body remember Radioshack, LOL.
Those are junk. While it will work for a short term low profile unit thats not a repeater.
 
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