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Crossbanding radios
- Thread starter parttimehammer
- Start date
FWIW, I've used the crossband repeat capabilities on just about every current rig that has that function. One problem you'll run into if you use it to get into repeaters is long or even a double squelch tail, which can be very annoying on a busy repeater. The Kenwood TM-V71a is one of the few that has almost no noticeable squelch tail. The Anytone AT-5888UV is one of the few that has the ability to turn the squelch tail off for use when crossband repeating.
There are a few ways to add an IDer to a radio - one is the ID-O-Matic. There are other ways to deal with the ID problem as well, but that discussion is probably best left to another thread.
If you are looking for a new radio, I say just buy the Kenwood and you'll be quite happy.
There are a few ways to add an IDer to a radio - one is the ID-O-Matic. There are other ways to deal with the ID problem as well, but that discussion is probably best left to another thread.
If you are looking for a new radio, I say just buy the Kenwood and you'll be quite happy.
Be careful selecting your radio. Not all dual band radios will do cross-band repeat. For instance, the Yaesu 7900 won't. Basically, the radio needs to display a frequency for each band at the same time. Some dual band radios will only display 1 band at a time. As far as I know, none of them will operate in cross band repeat.
As for IDing. There are aftermarket CW ID units that can be connected into the audio of your radio to handle the ID function if it's not built in.
As for the Kenwood V71A, I'd would buy one except it has a 3 minute time out timer in cross band mode. You can't change it. I find this unacceptable. I tried using a Kenwood TS-2000 in cross band and it had this same 3 minute timer. I was trying to check into an ARES net on a repeater. The other stations acted like their life depended on not letting the squelch tail drop. They would hold the squelch tail up for over 3 minutes and the TS-2000 would time out. This happened over and over again until I gave up.
I will be buying a radio without this limitation and adding the ID by some other means. My 2 Icom 2340 radios have no such time out timer. I've had them in cross band mode for public service events for hours at a time with no problems.
As for IDing. There are aftermarket CW ID units that can be connected into the audio of your radio to handle the ID function if it's not built in.
As for the Kenwood V71A, I'd would buy one except it has a 3 minute time out timer in cross band mode. You can't change it. I find this unacceptable. I tried using a Kenwood TS-2000 in cross band and it had this same 3 minute timer. I was trying to check into an ARES net on a repeater. The other stations acted like their life depended on not letting the squelch tail drop. They would hold the squelch tail up for over 3 minutes and the TS-2000 would time out. This happened over and over again until I gave up.
I will be buying a radio without this limitation and adding the ID by some other means. My 2 Icom 2340 radios have no such time out timer. I've had them in cross band mode for public service events for hours at a time with no problems.
Buy a yaesu 8800 or 8900. They are the best crossband capable radios on the market. Kenwoods are good but they have a 2 minute time out timer if the repeater you are listening to does not drop the crossbander shuts off until the repeater drops. That means it wont receive or transmitt anything until the repeater frees itself
Just buy yaesu.
And dont worry about if it IDs or not. I have been crossbanding into my job site for 10yrs for 12 hrs a day 5 days a week w out an ID. No one cares. Infact my kenwood base that i sometimes use for crossbanding had the ID set up and i was asked by a few different repeater owners to shut the ID off. It gets annoying when multiple repeaters linked are constantly IDing.
1. Buy yaesu
2. Dont worry about ID
Just buy yaesu.
And dont worry about if it IDs or not. I have been crossbanding into my job site for 10yrs for 12 hrs a day 5 days a week w out an ID. No one cares. Infact my kenwood base that i sometimes use for crossbanding had the ID set up and i was asked by a few different repeater owners to shut the ID off. It gets annoying when multiple repeaters linked are constantly IDing.
1. Buy yaesu
2. Dont worry about ID
you know, on this site,........ we try to help people,.... Amateurs , CBers, SLWs, ect
but I must say,... thats some of the most fucked up advice I have ever seen on here
There are a couple of items I don' think have been covered...
Others mentioned the desire for dual-display and need for ID (which most crossband radios actually don't do). But more importantly, a crossband radio needs to be full-duplex. Most dual-band radios are not full-duplex: when they transmit on one band, they stop receiving on the other band.
So make sure the radio you get is explicitly listed as being crossband-capable if you want that feature.
By far most mobile radios can be powered directly from the nominal 12V DC of the car, and it is preferable to do so as a direct connection from the battery. If you do so, you may want to consider a means of preventing it from draining the car battery, or use a different battery.
The AC power supply is useful to use the mobile at a place where AC power is already available, such as from home or a generator.
Others mentioned the desire for dual-display and need for ID (which most crossband radios actually don't do). But more importantly, a crossband radio needs to be full-duplex. Most dual-band radios are not full-duplex: when they transmit on one band, they stop receiving on the other band.
So make sure the radio you get is explicitly listed as being crossband-capable if you want that feature.
Connecting the radio to a cigarrette lighter is not a good idea, because of current limitations and electrical noise. It also sounds like you are asking about adding an inverter, which is even more problematic.
By far most mobile radios can be powered directly from the nominal 12V DC of the car, and it is preferable to do so as a direct connection from the battery. If you do so, you may want to consider a means of preventing it from draining the car battery, or use a different battery.
The AC power supply is useful to use the mobile at a place where AC power is already available, such as from home or a generator.
The Kenwood tm-v71a is an excellent choice for crossbanding. It does not id the input frequency and is no problem to do that manually. It would probably be a better idea just to id yourself as you normally would and this would take care of both.
Got to love that Yeasu subjective opinion...LOL
Got to love that Yeasu subjective opinion...LOL
So, after extensive research I have discovered what I really want to do is walk around my neighborhood on my HT. I normally only monitor two freqs right now with my radio, so all I want to do is extend the power of my HT to hit the two freqs that have trouble hearing me.
Basically, this, I think
Crossband Repeater Operation
Is that possible with the Alinco or Wouxun?
The Alinco 635 will, and you can remote control it from your HT. Same for the Kenwood TM-V71A but it has the annoying 3 minute time out timer. The Yaesu FT-8800 and 8900 will do but you can't remote control them.
I don't know about any of the Chinese stuff. The Icom 2820 will do cross band repeat but they've loaded all their radios up with D-star so they are priced way too high for me.
I don't know about any of the Chinese stuff. The Icom 2820 will do cross band repeat but they've loaded all their radios up with D-star so they are priced way too high for me.
Actually the 2820 doesn't come with D-Star. The nasty $670 price tag doesn't include D-Star or GPS. That will cost you another $300ish.
The squelch tail on a 2820 will make haters of your friends when you run it in remote or crossband configurations. Ugly...
It also won't do a 2m/70cm odd split on a single memory channel like he's after.
The tm-v71a is an excellent choice. The three minuite timer never bothered me. If your transmission is longe than three mins. it is probably a good idea to shorten it up a bit for the common courtasy of others.
Do you know if the Wouxun 920P will do the 2M/70CM split that I'm after? That HI guy's concept is really intriguing to me.