Alternative Communications??

[TheMan419]

I have been struggling with this too. There are only a few spots on our property where there is cell service, with the remaining 80% having no coverage. The terrain is too hilly for radios - I have tried FRS, GMRS, VHF. This leaves two options:

1) Build a repeater tower/station and buy radios to work with it. This is a pretty big project requiring not only the antenna and repeater equipment, but a solar power station to run it. But I do have a location scoped out and tested using GMRS and VHF handhelds across the property.

2) Use a sat phone or device like an Iridium Go or Garmin InReach. All provide texting, and to varying degrees phone service.

I'm planning to try #2 to see how it works. I'm can pay a lot of months of sat service before it will equal the cost of a repeater, not to mention to work involved in building it.

Except in a SHTF situation you may not have access to the satalite. The repeater, especially if running on solar, will still work.

 

[LittleBill21]

I have been struggling with this too. There are only a few spots on our property where there is cell service, with the remaining 80% having no coverage. The terrain is too hilly for radios - I have tried FRS, GMRS, VHF. This leaves two options:

1) Build a repeater tower/station and buy radios to work with it. This is a pretty big project requiring not only the antenna and repeater equipment, but a solar power station to run it. But I do have a location scoped out and tested using GMRS and VHF handhelds across the property.

2) Use a sat phone or device like an Iridium Go or Garmin InReach. All provide texting, and to varying degrees phone service.

I'm planning to try #2 to see how it works. I'm can pay a lot of months of sat service before it will equal the cost of a repeater, not to mention to work involved in building it.

I have a hand held, that does cross band repeat, it was 35 bucks. throw it in a tree, water proof it, solar it via dc plug, your prolly all in 200 bucks.

 

[Larry Caldwell]

I have been struggling with this too. There are only a few spots on our property where there is cell service, with the remaining 80% having no coverage. The terrain is too hilly for radios - I have tried FRS, GMRS, VHF. This leaves two options:

1) Build a repeater tower/station and buy radios to work with it. This is a pretty big project requiring not only the antenna and repeater equipment, but a solar power station to run it. But I do have a location scoped out and tested using GMRS and VHF handhelds across the property.

2) Use a sat phone or device like an Iridium Go or Garmin InReach. All provide texting, and to varying degrees phone service.

I'm planning to try #2 to see how it works. I'm can pay a lot of months of sat service before it will equal the cost of a repeater, not to mention to work involved in building it.

There's no cell service at my place either, but there are 5 mhz and 0.6 mhz repeaters in range. Check the Repeater Book for repeaters in your area.

 

[3Ts]

I have been struggling with this too. There are only a few spots on our property where there is cell service, with the remaining 80% having no coverage. The terrain is too hilly for radios - I have tried FRS, GMRS, VHF. This leaves two options:

1) Build a repeater tower/station and buy radios to work with it. This is a pretty big project requiring not only the antenna and repeater equipment, but a solar power station to run it. But I do have a location scoped out and tested using GMRS and VHF handhelds across the property.

2) Use a sat phone or device like an Iridium Go or Garmin InReach. All provide texting, and to varying degrees phone service.

I'm planning to try #2 to see how it works. I'm can pay a lot of months of sat service before it will equal the cost of a repeater, not to mention to work involved in building it.

This got my attention! Is a repeater station actually doable by an individual? I was always under the impression that it required a decent sized club to be able to fund the equipment to do this.

 

[Avenger]

Yes very possible, and for GMRS, not horribly expensive. Here is guy I found on YT explaining how he makes an SHTF repeater that he actually uses while over landing.

 

[hayden]

There's no cell service at my place either, but there are 5 mhz and 0.6 mhz repeaters in range. Check the Repeater Book for repeaters in your area.

OK, so I'm not a HAM, and only know enough to be dangerous. Probably really dangerous.

I have never heard of this Repeater Book, but found it and there is a repeater in my town. Now what? Do I just get a radio tuned to that frequency and start using it? Now I say that like I know how to get such a radio, but I don't. But I could probably figure it out.

My understanding is that with a repeater, the radios need to be full duplex. Is the primary frequency the radios xmit, and does the offset tell you what the receive frequency is?

I also see the particular repeater is listed as off-line. Any sense whether that's a temporary thing, or how I would find out?

Thanks in advance.

 

[hayden]

I have a hand held, that does cross band repeat, it was 35 bucks. throw it in a tree, water proof it, solar it via dc plug, your prolly all in 200 bucks.

Can you tell me more about this gadget? Would you have a make/model?

 

[hayden]

Except in a SHTF situation you may not have access to the satalite. The repeater, especially if running on solar, will still work.

True, but that's very far from the primary problem I'm trying to solve.

 

[LittleBill21]

Can you tell me more about this gadget? Would you have a make/model?

it appears they have gone up in price, what else is new

TH-UV8000D Ultra-high Output Power 10W Long Range Walkie Talkies, with Cross-Band Repeater Function Dual Band Dual Display Dual Standby Two Way Radio, with USB Programming Cable and 2 Antennas : Electronics

TH-UV8000D Ultra-high Output Power 10W Long Range Walkie Talkies, with Cross-Band Repeater Function Dual Band Dual Display Dual Standby Two Way Radio, with USB Programming Cable and 2 Antennas : Electronics

www.amazon.com

here is a video i made of it doing dual band, with remote turn on/off

 

[hayden]

This got my attention! Is a repeater station actually doable by an individual? I was always under the impression that it required a decent sized club to be able to fund the equipment to do this.

I have only looked into it a little bit. You need an FCC license for it, but I'm assuming that's not a problem as long as there aren't other repeaters that could be used, and there is free spectrum in the area. I don't think either of those things would be an obstacle here.

Equipment costs vary, but I recall anywhere from $2500 to $5000 for the radios & repeater box. Add to that the cost of antennas, a pole or mast, solar panels, mounting hardware, and electric box for everything, batteries, solar charge controller... My guess would be $7500 to $10,000 by the time you are done, assuming you do a quality build. And in my case it's a build on the top of a remote hill. And there are environmental concerns as well. You don't want teh electronics or battery to bake in the summer sun, nor do you want it to freeze in the depths of winter.

So I don't think it's a trivial project. But when I'm out working on my property, it's the only communications I would have. Just the other day I got a flat tire in my side-by-side. I could have walked home, but it's probably 2 miles up and over two pretty steep hills. In the depth of winter, forget it. Fortunately this wasn't an emergency, but it could have been if I had hurt myself in some way. I ended up slowly flump flump driving on the flat about 1/2 mile to where I knew I could pick up a cell signal. It wasn't enough for a call, but I texted my wife and she came and picked me up. So this really is a safety thing, not just convenience, and one way or another I'm committed to solving it.