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This is a tricky one.

I need a recommendation for a transportable repeater. Transportable, to a point...and maybe rugged. It should be able to, with a minimum of fuss and stress, be dismantled and re-set up at another location on very short notice. In other words, erected on a high point in say, an attic or rooftop structure for a few weeks, then taken to a high hill and run on car batteries (or whatever) with an inverter for a few days, then to another location. Climate conditions are another variable...Hot sandy areas; air-conditioned, enclosed areas; steamy, humid spots and dusty attics.

Next part...It needs to be somewhat low power, say 10-25 watts. Narrowband will not be an issue where this is going...In fact, licensing won't either (LOL). It'll have a really weird duty cycle as well, something on the order of 50% for a few hours, followed by a few weeks of dormancy (but it has to be there if needed).

Last, and hardest, it needs to be cheap as hell. The organization that needs this has little money, and grants or loans are not available...Sometimes even clean AC power is hard to find.

UHF (in the US business band) with a standard 5 MHz split.

Questions? Ideas?

TIA.

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President-in-Exile, Seattle Area Radio Communications And Scanner Traffic Intercept Crew (SARCASTIC)
Don't feel bad if you can't use your STD100/200; there are still people using Digital Frequency Search!
Bunnery definition for the under-fives

Did you get the part on "Dual Survivor"? :wink:

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" SILENCE IS CONSENT "

Made to Government Specs:
1) Measured with a micrometer.
2) Marked with a chalk.
3) Cut with an axe.

Jim N7UAP - Bellingham, WA / InterceptRadio.com

Wil any chance you can use a modified ham radio with crossband repeat? That means your portables would need to be dual band... but it might be a cheap solution...

Portables already acquired and in use. That's why the specs for the repeater are what they are :(

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President-in-Exile, Seattle Area Radio Communications And Scanner Traffic Intercept Crew (SARCASTIC)
Don't feel bad if you can't use your STD100/200; there are still people using Digital Frequency Search!
Bunnery definition for the under-fives

An inverter will nibble at the batteries.
Use this as an idea:


Sub in the UHF.

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Two 25 watt CDM-750's with either a factory RICK or home made. Even the cheap ones off Ebay work OK.
Decent quality "mobile" duplexer.
Run it at 8 to 10 watts.
If you can legally run wideband, then Maxtracs or GM300's because they are cheaper, but you REALLY don't want to use wide radios on part 90.

Thus far, Jay's solution (NIFC style portable FB2) would work best, except for the price. This has to be idiot proof.

Licensing doesn't really exist where this set up will go either.

_________________
President-in-Exile, Seattle Area Radio Communications And Scanner Traffic Intercept Crew (SARCASTIC)
Don't feel bad if you can't use your STD100/200; there are still people using Digital Frequency Search!
Bunnery definition for the under-fives

You can substitute those portables (shown in the kit) with the ones you already have.
The tricky part is building the cable joining the two. Two Spkr/mic's and maybe a soldiering iron might be enough parts. You'll have to trip the PTT when Rx. (duh).. Might have to use a resistor in line.
Use two antenna's. What connector is on the portables?
Can you hook right up to a 12 volt battery? Pull the radio batteries and soldier directly? Or will it be to much juice?

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1- Standard Moto speaker/mike
2- Probably...I hadn't even thought about the solar charging idea. That would work well.
3- Dunno, dunno, dunno.

I'm literally 8500 miles from where this will be, and where the portables are in use.

_________________
President-in-Exile, Seattle Area Radio Communications And Scanner Traffic Intercept Crew (SARCASTIC)
Don't feel bad if you can't use your STD100/200; there are still people using Digital Frequency Search!
Bunnery definition for the under-fives

Got one I use once a year (late Sept) yours to use otherwise and program as you wish. - UHF Motorola Desktrac

Desktrac will eat the battery. Even if you mod it to run on 12vdc. Id suggest a Daniels repeater if battery power is an issue but be ready to fork out some bucks for a new one.


Anything Motorola in the last 20 years is a standby power hog.

http://www.danelec.com/products/

Couple of portables back to back would do ya.

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"A well regulated breakfast, being necessary to the healthy start of the day, the right of the people to keep and eat food shall not be infringed."

...missed the 12v.

I was just spitballing the 12v applications; I don't really have any finite ideas as to where this thing will be used. Suffice it to say, they won't be areas with many tourists LOL.

_________________
President-in-Exile, Seattle Area Radio Communications And Scanner Traffic Intercept Crew (SARCASTIC)
Don't feel bad if you can't use your STD100/200; there are still people using Digital Frequency Search!
Bunnery definition for the under-fives

Now you got me wanting to build one.
How about using a pair of those Bang-Fue(?) Chinese HT's off of Amazon?.?
They're cheap. If they get ripped-off, they're cheap.
A smaller gel battery(s) with a roll up solar charger.
Two small dual-band antenna's which can be disassembled/unscrewed.
I'm wondering if this could be done for under $300.


LoL.

f

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Or maybe a store-and-forward type repeater?

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Interoperability is an attitude, not a technology.