what is a good radio for a repeater?

[firefighter14_22]

what is a good mobile radio to be made in to a repeater?

 

[N_Jay]

What service?, what band? What power?

 

[firefighter14_22]

service - fire
band - UHF
power - 25 to 100watts
with a good duty cycle

 

[N_Jay]

service - fire
band - UHF
power - 25 to 100watts
with a good duty cycle

Dispatch, fire ground/operations, extra chat?

What is it for?

I believe in 100% duty cycle for public safety or public service equipment, and at least 50% for any repeater.

 

[firefighter14_22]

company/station communications and maybe a little bit of fire ground/operations.
what do you look for in a repeater?

 

[chrismol1]

company/station communications and maybe a little bit of fire ground/operations.
what do you look for in a repeater?

Something reliable that you know will operate when you need it, opposed to a shoddy cheapo repeater

 

[fineshot1]

what is a good mobile radio to be made in to a repeater?

Mobiles do not make for a good fire service repeater. You would want something at 100% duty cycle for public safety repeater usage.

A good used Motorola MSF5000, or new/used Quantar/Quantro, MTR2000, MSR2000

or

A good used GE MastrIII

These are just a few suggestions...

 

[Astro25]

I've installed a hand full of Kenwood TKR-851s in Public Safety/Fire Service alike and have had outstanding results with them - less maintenance so far than the Micors and MSFs, and way the hell better than the cheap-o GR300/GR1225s that constantly eat PAs.....

 

[firefighter14_22]

Thank you All for your information.

 

[tommyandamanda21]

I am basically looking for the same thing since I volunteer in a fire dept in NC where not everyone has a radio, and I am looking to buying a used one.
here is what I need I know they are all VHF channels.

Fire Departments

Frequency Input License Type Tone Alpha Tag Description Mode Tag
155.05500 155.89500 KDH340 RM 107.2 PL Fire/EMS/Rescue Dispatch FM Multi-Dispatch
158.80500 WQAW918 M 107.2 PL Tac-1 FM Fire-Tac
154.20500 WQAW918 M 107.2 PL Tac-2 FM Fire-Tac



Portsmouth School Bus garage Frequency Type Tone Alpha Tag Description Mode Tag
155.26500 BM 103.5 PL N/A Bus Dispatch FM Schools


Those are the 4 main channels I would want. bus garage is where I work full time.

Radios I was looking at < Kenwood tk260, Motorola ht1000, motorola cp200, motorola mts 2000.> Any sugesstions would be great and appreciated. I just don't know if the tk260 will accept these frequencies and operate correctly, don't want to waste my money If I can not use radio to communicate with dispatch or communicate on scene.

Thanks

 

[fineshot1]

I am basically looking for the same thing since I volunteer in a fire dept in NC where not everyone has a radio, and I am looking to buying a used one.
here is what I need I know they are all VHF channels.

Fire Departments

Frequency Input License Type Tone Alpha Tag Description Mode Tag
155.05500 155.89500 KDH340 RM 107.2 PL Fire/EMS/Rescue Dispatch FM Multi-Dispatch
158.80500 WQAW918 M 107.2 PL Tac-1 FM Fire-Tac
154.20500 WQAW918 M 107.2 PL Tac-2 FM Fire-Tac



Portsmouth School Bus garage Frequency Type Tone Alpha Tag Description Mode Tag
155.26500 BM 103.5 PL N/A Bus Dispatch FM Schools


Those are the 4 main channels I would want. bus garage is where I work full time.

Radios I was looking at < Kenwood tk260, Motorola ht1000, motorola cp200, motorola mts 2000.> Any sugesstions would be great and appreciated. I just don't know if the tk260 will accept these frequencies and operate correctly, don't want to waste my money If I can not use radio to communicate with dispatch or communicate on scene.

Thanks

This thread is about building a repeater for a fire dept - not deciding on which user radio to get.
Having said that, I am biased towards the MTS2000.

 

[N_Jay]

This thread is about building a repeater for a fire dept - not deciding on which user radio to get.
Having said that, I am biased towards the MTS2000.

Also please check with whoever is responsible for your license.

You need their permission and they need to make sure the license is adequate to cover your unit.

 

[zz0468]

what is a good radio for a repeater?

what is a good mobile radio to be made in to a repeater?

I was always partial to the Motorola MSY as a repeater. But it's a dinosaur, and I guess I am too. But you were asking about mobiles... The Micor always made good repeaters, but that's another dinosaur.

But enough of that nonsense. I'll give you one of my pre-canned standard answers:

If you have to ask that question HERE, you're probably in over your head. Repeaters can be tricky to build, especially from bits and pieces and mobile radios. They're not a beginner project.

 

[James04TJ]

If you are really determined to do this I would recommend a simple COTS repeater such as the Vertex VXR-7000 or Kenwood TKR-850.

Dont forget that everything you do will need to be dependent on what frequencies you are able to license and get approved by your regional frequency coordination body.