Q: Using Repeaters

[JRhetts]

I am KF7GTM; I have used my handheld for a lot of inter-vehicle communication on all kinds of trips, including thru Central America to Panama. Great tool!!

But, I have been interested in the function of 'repeaters'. How far [distance] can one go in talking over repeaters? Could I in Oregon for example connect with a friend in New York or Florida?

I need some basic idea of what I can and can't do with repeaters and a 2m/70cm handheld unit.

Thanks, John

 

[1911]

Most 2m/70cm repeaters are local, all they do is take your input (from as far away as you can reach the repeater; similar to simplex range except that many repeaters are high on towers or mountains, etc.) and re-broadcast it on an offset frequency. If for example you can hit the repeater from X number of miles away, then in theory you could talk to someone 2X miles away if they were on the opposite side of the repeater a like distance. My local club repeater is on a 500' tower, so I can hear it and usually hit it from 60 miles away pretty easily and sometimes farther, with a 65-watt 2m mobile.

Some repeaters are part of a linked system, where you can go all over the state and sometimes beyond through the linked network. New Mexico, Colorado, Arizona, and Utah all have some kind of linked repeater network.

Beyond that, you can talk much farther on 2m through an IRLP node or around the world on D-STAR. There are lots of cool technologies, but the simplest way to get more range out of ham radio is to get your General ticket and an HF radio.

Right now your biggest limitation is your HT, which is limited to only 5 watts. Get a mobile 2m radio with 10-15X that much power and your ability to connect with repeaters will go way up. If you live in a large metro area, there are probably lots of repeaters that you can reach with your HT. Get a repeater directory from the ARRL and start programming some local ones in your radio and see what you can do.

 

[KA5IVR]

Brief Down and Dirty:
Depends on if you are using a stand alone Repeater, connected Repeater System, or D-Star.

In the analog world, there are Linked repeater systems that allow you to talk across a whole state or region. A repeater directory will indicate if the system is open or closed and which repeater where is linked. Stand alone repeaters cover much smaller areas, but depending on the repeater location, that area may be large.

Sometimes repeaters are linked into Internet (IRLP) using VoIP. Another is EchoLink. Locally we have a repeater linked over the internet to California and another that is linked to a repeater in Australia.

In the newer digital world, the D-Star repeaters (ICOM) link to other D-Star repeater via the internet. These repeaters are growing in numbers and allow you to connect across the country or world.

You can Google this stuff for more detailed information...

Good Luck!

 

[DarioCarrera]

You have gotten some pretty good responses that pretty much sums it up. Im just gonna add that depending on what model HT you have, with a hand held directional antenna (arrow) you could be doing satellite communications, which is basically using satellites as repeaters, talking to the ISS, and cool stuff like that.

 

[taugust]

Most repeaters are local in nature. They take your input signal and rebroadcast it, often from a high location that increases the range.

There are now linked systems that connect local repeaters together to increase footprint further. There is the WinSystem http://www.winsystem.org/ which is a private network of reapeaters link over the internet. There are about 80 repeaters linked on this system across 14 states and Canada and Australia, many of them are 70cm. Mostly in CA, there are 5 repeaters in OR, and 2 in FL, but none in NY. When you key up any repeater in the system, you are heard on all of them.

If you need to talk to friends or relatives in a specific area not covered by one system, the better option would be IRLP http://www.irlp.net/ for Internet Relay Linking Project. This system has repeaters all over the world that are connected to the system, but not all at once. You use your radio to access a repeater local to you, and connect to a repeater in another area. Then you have a direct connection from Bend OR to Buffalo NY, for instance. You can carry on your conversation, then disconnect when you are done. The website allows you to find repeaters anywhere. Find one local to you and key up to connect to one in your friend's local area. Each of you has to have the local repeater frequency, offset, and PL programmed in. The connection is simply keying in a code for the distant repeater on your number (DTMF) keypad. Then start talking.

These systems use ham radio at each end, with an internet connection in the middle. Another system mentioned is Echolink. This uses the internet, and requires hams at both ends, but connections can be made using repeaters as above, or direct through your computer connected to the internet.

 

[JRhetts]

Thanks to all of you. It is clear to me that I had a fundamental misunderstanding of repeaters — I was thinking they might be more than local. But with the addition of the ILRP network, this brings me to a likely solution to my interest.

I probably should have gotten [i.e., remembered] this from my studying for the exam, but obviously I didn't.

John

 

[frgtwn]

The study questions will not be able to address the repeater world, things are just changing too fast for that. And, of course, since the activity and leadership is being cultivated by amateurs, the Feds have very little to say about that.

One way to learn is to listen, and as has been suggested before, winsystem.org is a good place to start. You can open the website, click on streaming audio, and listen to what is going on.

Friday evenings, Shorty, the owner hosts a tech net at 7:30PM Pacific time, and many subjects have been covered, including repeaters.

Good luck with the inevitable learning to follow. . .

Dale

 

[taugust]

I forgot to mention in my post above, that there is a sticky thread here under Communications on using IRLP and reflectors. Check it out.