HELP repeater

jmr3865 · Post by **jmr3865** » Wed Nov 23, 2005 5:16 pm

Ok. Im looking for an el cheapo antenna and repeater/base. I am not sure if its UHF or VHF at the moment. The cheaper the better. Anybody have any ideas? Used is ok too!

wa2zdy · Post by **wa2zdy** » Thu Nov 24, 2005 7:06 am

Depends, what do you have a license for?

jmr3865 · Post by **jmr3865** » Thu Nov 24, 2005 10:18 am

I am purchasing for somebody else. He says he is legal. I am waiting for him to provide me with the frequency to find out if its uhf or vhf. I am just looking at what type of radio, etc.

Rayjk110 · Post by **Rayjk110** » Thu Nov 24, 2005 12:36 pm

For my ham station I use a Comet GP-3 Dual-Bander (140/440) But it works all the same on 150 and 450-470, and I use it on my repeater (1 VHF, 1 UHF) when I decide to put it up. It works fantastic, and cost me about $90 new. It's about 4-5 Feet tall, 4.5 gain vhf/7.5db on uhf. May not be the best out there....but it sure gets the job done good.

jmr3865 · Post by **jmr3865** » Thu Nov 24, 2005 12:39 pm

that $90 includes the antenna and radio?

Post by **wavetar** » Thu Nov 24, 2005 2:36 pm

jmr3865 wrote:that $90 includes the antenna and radio?

No, he's only talking about the antenna.

Todd

jmr3865 · Post by **jmr3865** » Thu Nov 24, 2005 2:37 pm

hmm. Thanks. any idea about a radio. I'm not really concerned about the antenna. Just the radio

Post by **wavetar** » Thu Nov 24, 2005 2:53 pm

How much are you willing to spend? If you look around you can probably pick up a couple of Maxtrac style radios from ebay for $50 bucks each or so, and then buy Will's module for whatever he sells it for (around $125, I think) and you'll have your repeater. But getting a duplexer for it is a whole other can of worms...unless the frequency separation is great enough that you can use physical separation between dedicated TX & RX antennas to do without one.

It's difficult to get any kind of working repeater system on the air for less than $500 once you take into account the repeater, filtering, feedline & antenna...and it can easily triple before you know it.

Todd

Zap · Post by **Zap** » Thu Nov 24, 2005 4:13 pm

If you ARE using a duplexer, do you know how much power from the transmitter you are expecting?
Small mobile duplexers for UHF (for example) are rated at 50 watts max.
Higher power requires larger "cans".
VHF higher power duplexers can be the size of scuba tanks for a 600 KHz TX/RX seperation, and you may need four of them.
More metal, more $$$$.
How much space can you allot to your "installation"?
"Secret and hidden" or "the whole room if I wanna" ?

How big of an area do you expect your system to cover, how high can you put your antenna, will every one use:
a) HT's
b) mobiles
c) mixed?

Quote: :Ok. Im looking for an el cheapo antenna and repeater/base.
THEN..............I'm not really concerned about the antenna.

A little confusing.
Seems you're designing this from "how little can I spend", as others start with "what performance can I acheive".

On the cheap and not le$$ than per item....
$200 transmitter
$200 receiver
$175 duplexer
$125 controller (unless home brewed from junk parts)
$xxx Coax, that depends on acceptable loss (frequency and run length).
$100 Power supply, depends on Watts output, accessories, backup battery?
$5 Enclosure, milk-crate and a tarp
$5 Antenna, coat-hanger 1/4-wave (yeeesh)
$1 Duct tape, you'll need the whole roll.

Oooh I feel so dirty now !!

Z.

jmr3865 · Post by **jmr3865** » Thu Nov 24, 2005 4:28 pm

I am looking to cover 5-7 miles. It is hilly terrain. All I want is something that point a can transmit to the repeater n the repeater can transmit to point b so it doesn't get choppy. I want something rather small. I don't want featues. Just something that will work. I am looking for advisment of what radio or repeater I should get.

Rayjk110 · Post by **Rayjk110** » Thu Nov 24, 2005 4:53 pm

Radio-wise I would suggest two Maxtrac 100's. I HAVE seen an SP50 repeater, but then an external PA would cost you more. But two MaxTrac 100's should fit the bill.

jmr3865 · Post by **jmr3865** » Thu Nov 24, 2005 5:04 pm

Ok. about how much do the maxtrac 100's cost? What else would I need.

Rayjk110 · Post by **Rayjk110** » Thu Nov 24, 2005 5:31 pm

It depends all on where you would find one. At hamfests they go used for about $60-90. eBay all depends.

Here is an eBay example:
http://cgi.ebay.com/Motorola-Radius-Max ... dZViewItem

It was going for $59.00 when I posted the link.
----------
Quote JMR3865: What else would I need.

Well, as stated by someone elese, it depends if you plan on using 2 antennas,
or 1. If 1 is the case, you would need a duplexer. After that you would need a
power supply, and a cable to link the 2 radios together.

Again, here is an eBay link to a cable (really cheap solution besides a R.I.C.K.)

http://cgi.ebay.com/REPEATER-BIDIRECTIO ... dZViewItem

Hope this helps.

Zap · Post by **Zap** » Thu Nov 24, 2005 5:54 pm

For a really cheap system, get a mobile or portable you like depending on how much watts you want.
(PLEASE EXCUSE THE FOLLOWING..)
Set up your radios for simplex and find a RadioShack pocket repeater.
It receives a transmission, records it upto x-seconds, then keys the transmitter and transmits it back.
It's not sexy, but it works.

If the radio you walk around with transmits PL tone A. and only un-mutes for PL tone B, you'll only hear the repeated audio and not hear the transmission twice if you are close (which is annoying).

You MUST wait till the other person replys before you talk a second time or you'll jam each other.

THAT you could have for under $250 I bet, all inclusive.