Resources for people interested in Amateur Radio

[dademoss]

Is there a repeater than a person could buy and set up on one's property? I've got some hill tops on my property that are high enough that it would give us a line of sight over a large area.

Easiest is a "cross band repeater". I have never set one up, I don't have the right radio.

https://www.public.mvraces.org/Crossband Repeat Info/crossband repeating KB4WGA.pdf

it would require a radio with "cross band repeater" capability. Here, we would use a car/truck, but anything with a good source of power would work.

 

[bkt]

Is there a repeater than a person could buy and set up on one's property? I've got some hill tops on my property that are high enough that it would give us a line of sight over a large area.

There are, indeed. You can either go with a portable repeater (example GMRS repeater here: https://www.retevis.com/rt97s-portable-repeater-and-mic-speaker-bundle-us) or you can save a lot of money and buy a handheld tranceiver that can act as a cross-band repeater (like this one: https://www.amazon.com/TH-UV8000D-W...rds=cross+band+repeater&qid=1735845518&sr=8-9)

The old Baofeng UV-5R radios I have will let you set up an offset that spans bands. My much more expensive Kenwood HT won't let me do that. So be sure whatever you buy to use with a cross-band repeater will let you program a big honkin' offset.

More detail on the offset: Your repeater will receive on a specific frequency on the VHF band and transmit whatever is received using a specific frequency on the UHF band. So when you push the talk button on your handheld radio, it will automatically shift the frequency to the VHF frequency used by your repeater and when you let go of the talk button, your handheld radio will automatically kick back to the UHF frequency so you will be able to hear anyone using the repeater.

Most repeaters are either VHF or UHF and the transmit and receive frequencies are on the same band. The offset - the difference between those frequencies - isn't very big. With a cross-band repeater, the offset will be several hundred megahertz.

One more thing - if you just want to be able to use VHF and/or UHF to talk on your land, you could just use GMRS. The license fee is $35, you get a call sign by the FCC, and everyone in your immediate family can use that one call sign. There's really no difference in functionality between amateur radio and GMRS in the context of FM VHF/UHF.

 

[Magus]

Do I have to have a license to own a ham radio if I don't broadcast?

 

[dademoss]

Do I have to have a license to own a ham radio if I don't broadcast?

No, listening is free. Transmitting requires a license.

 

[Magus]

Time to go shopping!

 

[dademoss]

Time to go shopping!

I used this one for a good many years for listening, and used it even after I got my license.

https://www.dxengineering.com/parts/ico-ic-718

https://amqrp.org/icom-ic-718/


Might find one used if somebody upgraded. Mine is packed in a steel ammo box with other supplies.

 

[Magus]

I used this one for a good many years for listening, and used it even after I got my license.

https://www.dxengineering.com/parts/ico-ic-718

https://amqrp.org/icom-ic-718/


Might find one used if somebody upgraded. Mine is packed in a steel ammo box with other supplies.

My brother had one literally built into a 40MM grenade box, I wonder what happened to that thing? He knew people.

 

[bkt]

My brother had one literally built into a 40MM grenade box, I wonder what happened to that thing? He knew people.

Sounds like the Hammo Can. It's pretty easy to build and wouldn't cost anywhere near as much as they charge.

 

[Magus]

If memory serves, he got it for twenty bucks at a surplus store on his truck route.