InterceptRadio.com Forums

Ok guys, I figure this is the best place to ask about this.
I work for a smaller local Security company and the boss is getting tired of giving sprint a ton of $$$$ every month. So, to make a long story short we're looking to get or lease a VHF repeater. The coverage we're looking for is mostly KCSO Pcts 3 & 4 and the very north end of peirce. We have some sort of Icom repeater, but I'm not sure if we would be able to find a good site to install it with out it ending up costing more then just leasing one from Day/ETC. Any advice would be great.

Thanks

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Tim - KD7DEY

How many units? You might be better off looking into repeater service. Theres a ton of systems and the cost is generally around 15 a month per unit. Sometimes a little cheaper.

Repeater site rental can be upwards 400 a month per box plus the cost of the ancillary equipment to make everything work.

Finding frequencies to use will be a task also.

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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."

That's why I'm asking about system coverage. We will be buying our own portables and mobiles, but want to look into leasing a repeater from a company. We're looking at about 8-10 portables, and mobiles will be up to each officer if they want one. Is that $15-ish a month per unit a no matter what kind of thing, or only if we lease the radios too?

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Tim - KD7DEY

PM sent with referral.

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I taste copper.
Comments, views, opinions - and trails of destruction - are my own.

Thanks for the PM, but the boss isn't interested in trunking or waris radios. He wants conventional and jedi radios. He's done the trunking in the past (900) and I've used a UHF LTR system at one of my last jobs. He said that the 900 system had crappy coverage and The LTR system my old job used had spotty coverage too. The Boss also specifically said he wants VHF, he claims that "VHF sounds better." I'll be calling Day and Action on monday or tuesday, but I don't like listening to a salesman's claims of system coverage.

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Tim - KD7DEY

Well, I understand what he wants and if it was possible I would get it too. The FCC just isn't going to issue him his own full time repeater license. You would likely have to share the air time with another company. Good luck to you though, I'd be interested in hearing what you come up with.

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I taste copper.
Comments, views, opinions - and trails of destruction - are my own.

Well- yes you can get a license... If you can find a frequency... That will be the trick. And you will not be the only one on it... Licensing is expensive!

Ive talked to groups on the difference of 450mHz and 150mHz. I pick a couple of the points and print them here quickly.

Yes when in a mobile mounted configuration, vhf will propagate better than uhf. But when considering portables in the mix the size of the radio makes a difference on how well it preforms. On side by side tests with a central receiver at another location, you will find that the uhf portable will out perform the vhf.

One reason I find that most 900 and 450 mobile setups dont work as well is that they were installed with the wrong parts in the first place. A 5dB antenna has no place on a mobile in this area. Look at the propagation of those sticks. Their way to flat! Its different when only a receiver is involved.

Ive also seen people using rg58 on 900 installs. Thats asking for failure.

When it comes down to it, you have to choose a radio site that covers your area and not let someone sell you something that they have that "might" cover your area. I would not in good faith try and get you on my system for that reason. Its just too far north and west. Although I have used it from there.

Im thinking Mt Baldy for you but need to see what areas those you have listed are for sure.

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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."

Actually, with re-farming in full force, VHF frequencies are perhaps the easiest to find right now.

One needs to be VERY careful in selecting the frequencies used, as many have opened up, but also may have wide band neighbors which, if nearby, can cause slightly off channel co-channel interference.

It is correct that you will not get "your own" freq, but in effect you may (at least for a while) if you choose freqs carefully. The bottom line is, nearly ALL VHF / UHF freqs are "shared". Only those who have obtained FB8 or purchased a Market Area based license at auction will "own" the freq, and in both cases you need to "build out" a substantially "loaded" system, meaning you will end up sharing anyways.

Sharing a repeater these days is not so bad. With Nexthell taking so many of the old radio users, the "shared" repeaters are very quiet.

I have a friend who is on a "shared" UHF repeater off of Baldi near Enumclaw. He receives solid coverage in the area you are seeking, and even he uses his radios rarely, and has maybe one or two casual "co-channel" users, so it is pretty quiet overall.

I think he would hate me if I referred a security company to his "shared" repeater, as your loading would be much higher than what they use. And it sounds like your boss is fixated on VHF, which has its plusses and its minuses. Personally, I would use a high elevation UHF repeater, your coverage will be as good, or better.

(Idaho State Police used high elevation UHF repeaters pretty much statewide for many years, and while I did not live there, coverage sure appered impressive during my many visits)

Don't be scared of site rental. There are many sites out there. The initial cost of placing your system, feedline, antenna, tower work etc... may be a bit steep, but once you are done your only cost will be site rental, and I bet if you add up the total monthly NEXTHELL bill, there is likely a fair amount of room to play.