What is a simplex repeater?

What is a simplex repeater?

A type of system known as a simplex repeater uses a single transceiver and a short-duration voice recorder, which records whatever the receiver picks up for a set length of time (usually 30 seconds or less), then plays back the recording over the transmitter on the same frequency. A common name is a “parrot” repeater.

What is the difference between simplex and duplex radios?

Simplex is simple there is only one frequency assigned to the channel and marine radios transmit and receive on that frequency. For a duplex channel two frequencies have been assigned to the channel and marine radios have been built to receive on a different frequency to the transmission frequency.

Why should simplex be used where possible instead of using a repeater?

Repeaters are designed to facilitate communications between stations that normally wouldn’t be able to communicate because of terrain or power limitations. If you can maintain your conversation without using the repeater, going “simplex” will leave the repeater free for other stations to use.

Do I need a hotspot for DMR?

You would use a hotspot when you either don’t have a DMR repeater nearby, or simply don’t want to tie it up for any length of time. Many hotspots are capable of multiple modes as well, such as D-Star, P25, DMR+, YSF and NXDN… but we are only going to talk about DMR here.

What is a DMR repeater?

DMR repeaters have two time slots called time slot 1 and time slot 2. The best way to think of this is just like a separate repeater. A DMR repeater can support two time slots allowing it to support a conversation on time slot 1 and time slot 2 at the same time without interference.

Do GMRS repeaters have offsets?

Thus, GMRS stations will monitor the above 462 MHz frequencies for repeater transmissions. Stations wishing to use those repeaters use an offset of +5 MHz to transmit on the 467 MHz input frequencies (i.e., just as ham radio operators use 5 MHz offsets for 440-band repeaters).

How much does it cost to set up a GMRS repeater?

Once you have decided you want to put up a GMRS repeater you go to a local radio shop and they lend new meaning to the phrase “sticker shock”. A new repeater complete runs from $1200 to $8000.