Set up a Baofeng UV-5R repeater system

[willeren]

Saw this interesting video.
This is much cheaper to set up a BaoFeng repeater system using 2 handhelds and this interface. Many people often ask us about how to use our repeater box and now there is a video to show how to set a BaoFeng repeater system with our repeater box.
Set up a Baofeng UV-5R repeater - YouTube

 

[willeren]

no one?

 

[zz0468]

I'm not sure I understand the point of this. So, you can make two low quality portables into a low quality repeater of limited usefulness? I guess the question on my mind would be... why?

 

[willeren]

It can enable you to use the function of a repeater with two little radios.

Here is a link to show how to use it. And Where can use it.
RPT-2D Two Way Radio Repeater Box for Two Transceivers Station DIY Specialized in Two-Way Radio, Mobile Transceiver, Radio Accessories, Shortwave Radio, FM Transmitter, Oscilloscope

 

[WB4CS]

no one?

I have to agree with zz0468 here. I'm not sure I understand what you're looking for here. There's no question in your original post, but your "no one?" response sounds like you're looking for people's input. What input are you looking for?

If you're just looking for comments about what you posted, again I'll agree with zz0468. Two cheap toy radios hooked up together as a repeater equals a cheap toy repeater. Sure, it will work for temporary use, but it's not going to perform well enough to be used as a dedicated, long term repeater.

Unless the receive and transmit antennas are pretty far apart from each other, or an expensive set of duplexer cans are used, the transmit radio will desence the receive radio. Power output will be just a few Watts, so even with a high gain antenna you're not going to get much distance out of it. Plus, handheld radios (especially cheap China radios) are not designed for a high amount of duty cycle, so if you use this "repeater" for more than a few minuets at a time you're going to burn up the transmitting radio.

Furthermore, unless you add some kind of controller or automatic identifier, how are you going to fulfill the requirement of the transmitter broadcasting the call sign of the repeater?

If I've missed the point of your post, and you have questions that you'd like answered, please let us know. We'll be glad to help you. But if you're just looking for comments that say "Ohhh Ahhhh how cool is that? You made a repeater out of two $35 radios!" You're probably not going to get many of those comments.

 

[jaspence]

UV-5R repeater

It would be a great emergency repeater for locations without regular coverage for short time use and for the jump kit. If you could use better radios, more extended use should be doable.

 

[VE3RADIO]

I'm not sure I understand the point of this. So, you can make two low quality portables into a low quality repeater of limited usefulness? I guess the question on my mind would be... why?

Why does anyone do anything? Why do you listen to the police.. its a hobby.. if everyone did nothing or posted only things you see as valued what would this hobby be? Its just like the HAM operators who gripe about low attendance and numbers and then ***** and moan about new technology or "digital aint no good"

Good on the OP for posting something interesting +1

Dont listen to the fools that have nothing good to say.. its clear with 4000+ posts he spends more time on here than doing anything useful.

 

[kayn1n32008]

And for the cost of some Maxtrac or Gm300 mobiles will do a much better job, and have a much more useful duty cycle. Almost anything is better than a set of baofeng except for maybe actual ham handhelds.


With out a duplexer that setup will not be very useful.

With a duplexer it would be somewhat useful even at 4 or 5 watts.




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[nd5y]

Hams should at least know the frequency ranges where repeater operation is allowed. You can't use 145.800 for a repeater input or output in the US.

 

[zz0468]

Why does anyone do anything? Why do you listen to the police.. its a hobby..

I actually don't listen to the police as a hobby. If I'm listening to them, it's because they're paying me to.

if everyone did nothing or posted only things you see as valued what would this hobby be?

If people only commented on things they agree with, the forums, and life in general, would be a very boring place. I stand by my questions in my previous post.

From my perspective of almost 40 years as a ham, and 35 years in the radio business, the idea of inexperienced hams and non-hams buying low cost radios and running repeaters on whatever frequency is a cause of major concern. And I'm not dreaming up the concern, I've been the guy awakened at 2 am to track down some idiot playing with a radio. And I've had to track down guys playing with "toy" repeaters like this one who are unknowingly transmitting into another repeater's input.

So, I'm just not buying that these things are such a great idea.

Its just like the HAM operators who gripe about low attendance and numbers and then ***** and moan about new technology or "digital aint no good"

Good on the OP for posting something interesting +1

Dont listen to the fools that have nothing good to say.. its clear with 4000+ posts he spends more time on here than doing anything useful.

We're all entitled to our opinions. Some of us are actually capable of expressing them without resorting to personal jabs.

 

[zz0468]

Hams should at least know the frequency ranges where repeater operation is allowed. You can't use 145.800 for a repeater input or output in the US.

I rest my case!

 

[WB4CS]

I believe that the influx of cheap Chinese radios will be (and already are to some extent) the downfall of VHF/UHF in the US.

Just go to Amazon and pick any of the cheap Chinese radios. Go to the Question/Answer section where buyers ask owners questions about the product. There are tons of questions like "Do I need a license?" And tons of answers that say "No, no one will catch you using it without a license." There's people asking questions like "Why doesn't this work on CB?" and "Would these be good to give to my kids so they can play with them?" If there are those few people asking these questions, it stands to reason that there are many many more people buying them without asking.

Amazon and eBay sell these radios in the "FRS" and "Outdoor/Camping" departments of their website. The average Joe doesn't know that a Baofang isn't the same as a Motorola FRS radio. There's tons of misinformation on those sites, telling people it's okay to use them on FRS/GMRS/MURS.

I don't blame the average Joe for their ignorance. Most people looking to buy 2-way radios don't even know there are licensed radio services. They just think "CB" or "walkie talkie." I blame the FCC for allowing these radios to be sold in the US. It blows my mind that the FCC has a pretty long list of export CB radios that are not legal to be sold in the US, but yet these export VHF/UHF radios are not only allowed, but they have FCC Part 90 approval as well.

I'm *this* close to selling off my VHF/UHF equipment and being an HF only ham radio operator. God help us if Baofang puts out a sub-$100 HF radio. Might as well let my license expire if that happens.

/end rant

 

[willeren]

Here, I found an interesting thing on a website selling this repeater box, it said, "Good News! You guys can get it at $19.99 once the product LIKEs come up to 200. Now we have already get 133 likes. Share this with your friends !"
RPT-2D Two Way Radio Repeater Box for Two Transceivers Station DIY Specialized in Two-Way Radio, Mobile Transceiver, Radio Accessories, Shortwave Radio, FM Transmitter, Oscilloscope

 

[WB4CS]

Here, I found an interesting thing on a website selling this repeater box, it said, "Good News! You guys can get it at $19.99 once the product LIKEs come up to 200. Now we have already get 133 likes. Share this with your friends !"
RPT-2D Two Way Radio Repeater Box for Two Transceivers Station DIY Specialized in Two-Way Radio, Mobile Transceiver, Radio Accessories, Shortwave Radio, FM Transmitter, Oscilloscope

So, is the point of these posts to spam the forum? Are you selling these things?

 

[kayn1n32008]

Here, I found an interesting thing on a website selling this repeater box, it said, "Good News! You guys can get it at $19.99 once the product LIKEs come up to 200. Now we have already get 133 likes. Share this with your friends !"
RPT-2D Two Way Radio Repeater Box for Two Transceivers Station DIY Specialized in Two-Way Radio, Mobile Transceiver, Radio Accessories, Shortwave Radio, FM Transmitter, Oscilloscope

Rest assurd I will NOT be liking the item/page...

A $30 controller attached to two $30 radios is going to perform exactly like one would expect it to... Piss poorly.


Some poor sap, is going to buy this, and will find out the hard way that it is not worth the $30 they paid for it, and it will end up in the garbage...


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[kayn1n32008]

Why does anyone do anything? Why do you listen to the police.. its a hobby.. if everyone did nothing or posted only things you see as valued what would this hobby be? Its just like the HAM operators who gripe about low attendance and numbers and then ***** and moan about new technology or "digital aint no good"

Good on the OP for posting something interesting +1

Dont listen to the fools that have nothing good to say.. its clear with 4000+ posts he spends more time on here than doing anything useful.

Take a look at the OP posting history... Speaks volumes.

Not sure what is so interesting about a cheap repeater 'controller' hooked up to a couple of cheap radios... The transmit radio is going to have about 0.05% duty cycle before the radio burns up...

All that will do is give cheap results... Not very useful... And nothing I would use for anything critical other than to 'play' radio.


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[quarterwave]

Sub par radio to start with...I can see being able to do it for the sake of accomplishment. But, it would be a poor setup at best. I have one...I know it's limitations. If you ran it through a duplexor, you would have nothing left at the antenna.

 

[kayn1n32008]

Sub par radio to start with...I can see being able to do it for the sake of accomplishment. But, it would be a poor setup at best. I have one...I know it's limitations. If you ran it through a duplexor, you would have nothing left at the antenna.

And reading other posts by the OP... Seems like he is 'pushing' his own product here on the board... Poor taste IMO. Very close to advertising as well.


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[Soundy]

Not sure what is so interesting about a cheap repeater 'controller' hooked up to a couple of cheap radios... The transmit radio is going to have about 0.05% duty cycle before the radio burns up...

All that will do is give cheap results... Not very useful... And nothing I would use for anything critical other than to 'play' radio.

You know for someone just getting started, it certainly provides a cost-effective way to learn about repeaters - how to set them up, how they work, etc... and with low enough power that you're not gonna piss off the whole state (or province, in my case) if you do something wrong.

In my book, learning something new is ALWAYS useful.

And if you don't fry the radios, then you have some cheap spare HTs when you're ready to step up.

 

[nd5y]

You know for someone just getting started, it certainly provides a cost-effective way to learn about repeaters - how to set them up, how they work, etc... and with low enough power that you're not gonna piss off the whole state (or province, in my case) if you do something wrong.

You won't learn how a real repeater works by playing with one of those.

Even at low power levels choosing the wrong frequency can still cause harmful interference.