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  • December 29, 2016 at 4:09 pm #1976
    Eric, KB1OJR
    User

    Hello all.

    I am looking into this project for similar needs of others. I am looking to setup a small portable emergency repeater for the use of various radios likely running on gmrs frequencies (pending a more technical legal review of my capabilities there) for search and rescue type operations with the majority of the users not being licensed radio operators.

    I have a few radios in mind such as the baofeng uv-5r or the tyt md380 or md390 due to the low cost of them.

    As far as hardware goes I see that the software configuration on the Rpi and adding the easy digi is pretty straight forward but I am not sure what is needed to get the radio hooked to the easy digi off the TX port. I only have found pictures of this so far and do not see a detailed overview. Any help would be appreciated before I decide to purchase.

    December 30, 2016 at 11:01 pm #1981
    Aaron, N3MBH
    Forum Administrator

    In most cases the PTT on the radio is simply switching the PTT line to the radios ground line (usually shared with the audio ground). It simply a matter of replacing that switch with the with the output of the optocoupler on the EasyDigi as long as you have low current draw. If you have a higher current draw or some other configuration you can use some kind of simple transistor and/or relay circuit between the EasyDigi and TX PTT.

    As far as Legality goes (US/FCC) and as far as I am aware…you will need to tread lightly. Sure, anything goes in a true emergency situations, but what good is it if you are not able to legally practice during non-emergency times. FRS doesn’t allow repeaters and GMRS does, but GMRS requires user radios that have the GPRS repeater channels/pairs and you should have a repeater transceiver and radios that are FCC type accepted for GMRS. GMRS also requires licensing.

    If you truly want to do something GMRS for legit purposes for emergency situations, I would probably recommend a basic repeater controller that is a little more “dumb”. This has an operating system and a lot more complexity and might bite you in the butt when SHTF.

    I am no GMRS expert,but that is what I understand of the service. Hams have a lot more flexibility on the type of equipment they can use on their bands. Hope that helps.

    73,
    Aaron – N3MBH / WRFV871

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