TWO-WAY RADIO REPEATERS: HOW TO CHOOSE AND INSTALL

A two-way radio repeater takes weak and low-performing signals and retransmits them at a higher power so they can cover longer distances, ranges, and terrains without degradation. Repeaters eliminate unwanted noise and interference, helping to clarify messages as they are strengthened and re-transmitted. When properly installed, radio repeaters provide reliable communication signals from one radio to another, almost completely eliminating dead zones.

November 14, 2015BridgeCom Systems, IncPhone: (816)532-8451 E-Mail: tim@BridgeComSystems.comContact: Tim KingFor Immediate ReleaseIntroducing the NEW BCD Duplexers by BridgeCom Systems________________________________________________________________________BridgeCom Systems, Inc is pleased to announce the availability of the BCD line of duplexers for the amateur and commercial radio markets....

Introduction

Due to the inability of certain people to communicate properly and understand all the aspects of site testing this page was created to read, compare notes and build on for the benefit of all. Human communication, comprehension and understanding problems is beyond the scope of this document, however the reader should keep these problems in mind when dealing with site issues and interfacing with other companies and government Agencies. Misunderstandings, bogus readings, log entries, technician and management diagnostics and plan of actions for problem solving are commonly mis-directed with considerable time and expense wasted in the wrong direction of efforts. This can lead to the general desensitation (pun intended) and poor attitude of the workforce in most any private company or government in the technical (repair) field around this country. Fortunately, there still is a handful of technicians that care to understand what the problem is and the proper way to solve, or at least, reduce the symptoms to an acceptable figure. If you are reading this it's most like you are in one of the latter. This is a good thing.

For the new ham radio enthusiast, setting up the gear can be a challenge.  This is especially true for starter radios that are known to be high on features and design but low on intuitive usability.  Documentation?  Unless you can read broken English written by a Chinese national who has never studied the  language, you are out of luck.

Like many prepper’s, I understand the importance of communication following a disruptive event.  To that end, I took the easy road and purchased a couple of portable Baofeng radios so that I could communicate with the rest of the world when the grid is down.

On April 18th, I will be taking the test to get my Technician Class HAM radio license.  This is something I have been meaning to do for quite some time but honestly?  I got so wrapped up with getting my equipment, two Baofeng UV5 radios, to work that I lost sight of the goal.

To prepare for my test, I have been studying Dan Romanchik’s free guide “The Non-Nonsense Technician Class License Study Guide” which is all good.  But still niggling me was the sense of failure at setting up my HAM radios.  The crazy thing is this: the license should come first because during the process of learning about amateur radio, comprehensive and understanding the gear becomes a whole lot easier.  

What is a Repeater?

In the world of modern communication there is an ever increasing need for providing higher outreach. The traditional portable radios offer limited coverage area. However, a dedicated transceiver can help us achieve the requisite coverage.

A repeater is essentially a communication device which acts as a link between two radio operators to cover a large area. If you need a large coverage area like your 50,000 acre ranch, city, county or even an entire state, a repeater system comes in handy.

How it Works?

It is a two-way radio frequency communication system which receives a frequency from portable two-way radios, and re-transmits it at another frequency in real-time, albeit at a higher wattage than typical portable radios. This mechanism allows repeaters to broadcast to a much wider reception spectrum. Since it is capable of both transmitting and receiving at the same time, it is also called a ‘Transceiver’.