Technical > Ham Radio > Use the mobile as a HT repeater...

Use the mobile as a HT repeater...

It is possible if you have a dual-band mobile. What mobile do you have?
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reply to neonhomer
Yep, you need a mobile that supports cross-band repeat.
I use my Kenwood TH-D70 and TH-D710 units for that all the time.
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reply to neonhomer
The cheapest way to do it is to buy a radio that supports such a feature....

The more expensive way is to get an actual vehicle mounted repeater that can steer your mobile via PL tones.

Iowa State Patrol uses such a beast... Motorola Visar on their belt steers their 50W mobile and cross band repeat.
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reply to Gbcue
I have a Yaesu FT-2900R... I am fairly sure it doesn't have the capability to do what I want to do.

reply to burner50
Motorola Visar? I didn't think they were public safety-grade radios?
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"It's all coming down!!" - Mike Holmes

Point well taken.

reply to burner50
Yeah, I was thinking that the radio would have to rx on one frequency, and tx on another.... and then do the reverse...

I just need to get my hands on another radio to set up here in the house. Thought about a Motorola Spectra, but I don't have money to do anything right now.....

reply to neonhomer
Your looking for a radio that does a crossband repeat. The Yaesu FT8800, Kenwood TM-V71 and Icom 2720 are a few off the top of my head. Also check out the Kenwood sky command which is Kenwoods remote control system.

Many of the "consumer" radios that do cross-band don't allow an amateur operator to fully follow FCC rules. There are two things that need to be addressed.

1) The radio is itself a transmitter, and needs to identify at least every 10 minutes if it has transmitted (be it repeating the control operator's generated signal, or some random noise it received, then retransmitted. There are very few consumer ham radios available that do this. It's been discussioned for/against whether identifying from your HT for your crossband radio meets the requirements.

2) As control operator of a "remote" transmitter, the control operator needs to be either in physical control (somewhere near the radio) or be able to remotely control the unit. Most radios don't allow the later, so you need to remember to power the radio down when you are not nearby. Especially important as most people use these to extend another established repeater's range. Lock down of the transmitter, in this case, shuts down another large coverage repeater.

Also, don't underestimate how quickly a radio will drain a car's battery. Especially if used on an active repeater frequency. Public safety workers may use this setup in their cars, as it is rare that their car goes for long periods of time without being started, and charging the battery.

For the OP, if the need is to have better coverage at home, an inexpensive, homemade 1/4 wave ground plane or a J-Pole antenna, a short run of RG-8 type coax, and his HT (or better, an older mobile and power supply) will give surprising coverage.
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reply to neonhomer
I was waiting for someone to drag out Part 97...

Kenwood has addressed both issues with the V71A by allowing CW id'ing in crossband repeat mode as well as remote control capability.
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"It's all coming down!!" - Mike Holmes

reply to battleop
Okay... here is the deal. I have the FT-2900R in my Jeep for my mobile. I also have a Icom IC-91A HT.

The idea was to use the Yaesu as a remote. I've learned that I can't. No big deal.

Thing is, I don't want to have to go out to my Jeep, fire it up, and sit with it idling in the front yard while I participate in nets and such.

I was thinking about the Spectra because I have a older computer that still runs DOS, and I have the RSS software to program it. I can also make the cables.

I was thinking of the Spectra as a base because I can remote mount the hardware, and then just have the face and mic and such at my computer desk or radio desk (when I get it set up). Yes, I know there are radios available that do this (like the FT-7900), but I like the power capability for the Spectra (110W), which would be good for me given my available choice for antenna locations. (I am pretty much limited to a 1/4 wave antenna. Can't have a beam.)
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And you really shouldn't need a yagi for FM work unless you're trying to access some distant repeater or station.

A 1/4 wave groundplane will probably work fine.
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"It's all coming down!!" - Mike Holmes

reply to neonhomer
I run crossband/repeat with an FT-8900 that is installed at the house. It allows me to run 6 meters much more effectively through the base with my VX7R HT from up to several miles away.

I also have an FT-8900 installed in my jeep which I have used with the VX7R to allow me to access repeaters that I otherwise would not be able to get into when out hiking with the HT.

Yaesu got it right when they included that feature with the 8900/8800 series of rigs.

Rob W1AEX
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The feature has been in older Yaesu rigs too. Several years ago i had an FT-5100 that had crossband repeat. Sold it to another ham and he blew the finals by running crossband too much.
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"It's all coming down!!" - Mike Holmes

Sounds like he blew the finals by running with a piss-poor/damaged antenna... I can't see how "running crossband too much" would blow it up... (but I've never blown up the finals of a radio before, so...)

reply to neonhomer