Cross Band Repeat Explained

[@danielnapier4501]

Hey , This is KO4BMM. Just wanted to thank you. It was your video on KZbin that convinced me to study for the test and get my ham radio technician license. 73.

[@ricdonato4328]

Very good, in fact excellent explanation of cross band. Very much appreciate this video. FYI, the word utilize is not a fancy way to say use. When something is utilized it is being used for other than what it was designed for. Example, we use a chair to sit upon; that is what it is designed for. Yet, we can utilize a chair as a step stool, not what it was designed for. Truly hope this helps you and others. Cordially.

[@MetaLexxer]

Nice explanation. I always like your videos; very practical, informative, and concise.

[@Mathuews1]

Best explanation on KZbin. Good work.

[@imchuck]

I really like the way you present information. I am ready to take my tech and gen. test and have a radio enroute. Your videos are done in a manner that takes the mystique out of amateur radio. Thanks and hope you continue to make ham tutorial videos.

[@lapinebob]

Fantastic explanation. I am a technician. My shack is in my barn. Since it was -3 degrees outdoors this morning I would like to be able to sit in my warm home and use my handheld to talk on our local net in comfort. The quad band mobile I use is cross band capable I just need to figure out how to set it up.

[@1billiedale]

Excellent explanation of cross band. Thanks.

[@linkdude64]

Sounds like you're cooking bacon in the background. Now I'm hungry. Thank you.

[@vulcan1753]

Unless you are using a lot of power, and are way up there, it is not likely anyone else is going to hear you on UHF, as they would only be hearing you on simplex, withing range of your own radio. The repeater has a very large antenna and is located in a very high place. It's receiver can pick up signals that a small radio can't. As soon as your UHF signal hits the repeater, it is converted to VHF, then sent out at very high power form a high elevation. We have several crossband repeaters around here. Another neat thing that can be done with repeaters is linking them together. Currently we have a system of 5 VHF repeaters in my state that are connected together, making it easy to talk statewide and even from out of state, on a handheld radio. We used to have a system called the ZIA link that covered 3 states, Unfortunately due to a lack of funding it got shut down. Like many hams, I got started with CB back as a teenager. Just as SSB CBs came out. I had an amplifier (illegal) and a big antenna, and when conditions were just right, I could talk across the country, and even to other countries. CB is on the 11 meter band, and behaves much like the 10 meter ham band. Once I left CB for ham radio, I remember getting into an argument with a CBer I had known for some time about what was better. I took my little 5 watt handheld radio with a rubber duck antenna, and from Phoenix, AZ, and immediately made contacts in Denver CO and Albuquerque, NM. His jaw dropped and he got real quiet. I didn't mention the fact that there were repeaters involved until later. Jerry, N7XLR

[@chuckcurtin]

"Unless you are using a lot of power, and are way up there, it is not likely anyone else is going to hear you on UHF, as they would only be hearing you on simplex, withing range of your own radio." He's not transmitting UHF from his crossband. He is transmitting UHF TO his crossband and it is rebroadcasting on VHF. UHF is not hitting the repeater.

[@JackofallTrades383]

Thank you for taking your time to watch my videos on Ham radio and comment! Good luck on the up coming tests and let us know what your new call sign is when you get it. I do plan on making more Ham radio videos once it gets nice outside. Let me know what you would like to see and I'll try to make it happen no guarantees. What radio did you order? 73!

[@JackofallTrades383]

I'm using a radio that is dual band and it has a cross band repeat feature in it that I have set up and configured to operate on the repeater frequency and my personal frequency.

[@1John5-12]

Hi - can I do cross-band WITHOUT the cross? I want to use my (UHF) HT to hit my (UHF) base station to connect to the club (UHF) repeater?

[@mikecontreras1261]

it's COVID 2020..AND i am watching this..cool

[@mannybalila3314]

what is the proper distance and height of the uhf antenna and the vhf antenna for this particular repeater system?

[@JackofallTrades383]

The repeater has a pair of frequencies it uses and you talk on one frequency and ever body is listening to you from the other frequency. It is another feature that your radio had if you became a Ham radio operator you would get to learn how to use and have a lot of fun doing so. You ask good questions by the way 73

[@2nomind]

So, do i need two antenna systems for the cross band 1-vhf and 2 uhf?

[@mikecontreras1261]

you need a dual band antenna, a dual band cross band repeat capable radio, and a uhf HANDHELD

[@sledhead1017]

Now I finally get it!!Thank You!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@sorianoarmenioiii4032]

Sir what is a good harmonic of VHF 145.900 to UHF Freq? thanks

[@kiingAli]

if im not mistaken, you can set up a fully functional repeater if you can have a cross band repeater and all your other radios are dual banders. The dual band stations can be set up to recieve from the repeater on the vhf band and talk back to the repeater on the uhf band, would it work?

[@fireyourrocketts]

Great explanation! I just got me the kenwood TH-D74, because it has APRS. My intention of using it would be as a companion to call in an emergency if it would happens hiking vast desolated and remote areas of the Nevada desert, north of Las Vegas. I am registered to Las Vegas D Star so I can use the TH-D74, problem is; if I got remote enough, I might not make any QSO right? so my idea using cross frequency was to acquire a mobile rig for the car; was thinking on kenwood D710 GA for this. The only thing stopping me besides the price is that the D710 does not have D Star. I don't know if this is relevant or not, I am very novice with ham but I thought I could leave the radio on in my van at the parking location where I would go hiking then away for the car 5.10 or more miles and would be able to reach help if needed crossbanding to and from my 50watts rig in the car rather than the 5 watts in the HT. Would this work? Is there any better option or radio that can work with the TH-D74 to do this? I want to eliminate my garmin subscription for my explorer GPS. I hate how expensive it is, althought it is effective. Another choice would be to take a satellite phone out there...around same price of the ham equipment and maybe better effective in case of emergency. Any inputs are greatly appreciated. Thanks!

[@TheFiveyoungs]

Very good decription!

[@DP-tc5fz]

One thing that isn't mentioned is the FCC rule on cross band repeating: This is the ARRL link to FCC rules [97.7, 97.201, 97.213], 97.119 www.arrl.org/auxiliary-station-faq This is a possible not known that cross band repeating is that you are using an auxiliary station. Darryl KI6MSP

[@livermush]

Thanks. This is a good comment. The link you provided has good information. I learned something. Appreciate it.

[@charleyray6766]

So do use two separate UHF simplex frequencies for transmit and receive, or are you doing both on the same simplex UHF frequency? Thanks.

[@JackofallTrades383]

I'm using a Alinco DR 610 that will no longer program that I got very cheap but it will hold the basic settings for cross banding and I leave it set on one repeater all the time. The Wouxuns are very tempting but I hear some bad things as well so I guess I'm waiting to see how they fare out over time. "You get what you pay for" I will be replacing my Alinco with a Yaesu 8800R that they have a $80 rebate on right now take a look. 73!

[@kiingAli]

What radio are you using for your home based repeater? Any idea to which radio would be the best one in terms of price and service? I heard that the wouxun Wouxun KG-UV920P has a very nice dual band cross band repeat functionality. Im actually trying to setup one such system, great video by the way.

[@mrantoine11able]

How do you use the repeater?

[@mrantoine11able]

Okay how is you "home set-up", set up?

[@darthorpheus]

Very good explanation!

[@kjmdrumz3]

What happens if someone on the 70cm hears your transmission and responds? I realize that they won't key your crossband enabled radio, but would that audio make it back to your handheld? And if you attempt to respond to them would you not key the repeater and tx traffic to the repeater instead of the intended recipient?

[@HamRadioCrashCourse]

Adam Pennington Assume the person responding is doing so through the repeater. Otherwise the station is hearing you on your UHF unit. So you could simplex with that person on another channel.

[@planeguy3223]

That's really interesting with the home repeater you have. I never really thought about that but I would really have a use for it since I can get into my repeater pretty easily. I'm guessing that the ignition delay (I don't know if that's the correct term) the must be noticeable with your setup.

[@brucewayne-cave]

Can 2 Baofeng UV-5R radios be linked as a repeater, to have a crossband potential?

[@chuckcurtin]

Yes.

[@JackofallTrades383]

Thank you!

[@robertryan7978]

ok , great vid , do I have to use uhf and vhf . I have a 2m ft250 and ft 8900 . can I still pull it off ? or do I have to buy a dual band ht . we have a large property , and I would love to have the capability .. 73 KF5MCD . ive always wanted to try it , but couldn't do it with my 857 , 897 . so I got the 8900 in a trade .

[@chuckcurtin]

You need a dual band portable. I have (2) 8900s and they are a great radio.

[@JackofallTrades383]

Well let me start off saying thank you for taking a look at the other video's and the "ignition delay" you are referring to I'm guessing here is the lag time between repeater, cross banding, and radio again? That lag is less then one second if thats what you are asking. My auto spell is Google! 73

[@wimpog97]

How many antennas does your cross band repeating radio have?

[@therealfaintinggoat]

wimpog97 1

[@chuckcurtin]

1 dual band antenna

[@denniswage9748]

Joe. Why Cross band? Why can’t you just do vhf / vhf with an offset?

[@VanishingNomad]

The radio wont do it.

[@rlrsk8r1]

Wait a second. You've got a base rig that functions as a cross-band repeater. You use a UHF handheld to remotely control that base rig and communicate with a VHF repeater beyond your handheld's line-of-sight. This means that your base rig would have to use at least three, but maybe four frequencies to function. The VHF repeater has an input and an output frequency, so your base rig would have to retransmit your signals on one VHF frequency, and re-transmit replies from another VHF frequency. I'm sure it's technically possible, but are cross-band repeating rigs built to do that?

[@ertonyrn]

crossband radio side a = your uhf ht and crossband radio (simplex).... your crossband radio side b = VHF repeater offset programmed (2 frequencies - a listen/transmit).... perfectly do-able.

[@jahwerx]

Thank you for this!

[@Host5378]

thank you for this.

[@srviejo2298]

Having had to chase down interference issues caused by inappropriate use of cross band repeat capabilities, I thought I'd add the following (which may not be obvious to many). Anyone wishing to use a cross-band repeat function (in the USA) in their radio should be aware of several critical configuration criteria: 1. The cross band repeater should not be operated on a frequency that is utilized by a repeater. Note that the FCC does honor the criteria for a coordinated repeater as having priority access to a frequency and when contested, the coordinated repeater operator will always win in the eyes of the FCC. Placing your cross-band repeater on the input of another repeater can result in capturing the repeater receiver (even if the tones don't match) and result in interference. 2. If a cross-band repeater is configured to provide extended access to a repeater, this should always be coordinated with the trustee of the repeater before hand. 3. If a cross-band repeater is configured to provide extended access to the repeater, the cross-band receiver (i.e. the receiver that is not listening to the repeater) should always be placed into either CTCSS DECODE (i.e. tone squelch) or DCS DECODE in order to avoid repeating unwanted signals, or noise, onto the repeater that the cross-band repeater is to be used on. [THANK YOU FOR RUNNING YOURS THIS WAY!] 4. The station must identify every 10 minutes when the transmitter has been operating. Since cross-band repeaters are usually monitored only on one of the two bands, it is very difficult to determine when a transmission has occurred. The only way to know is to monitor both transmitter frequencies associated with the cross-band repeater. If either transmitter goes active, it must be identified. When in cross-band repeat mode, it would then be necessary to go to the band opposite that where the transmitter was observed and then transmit the ID into the receiver so that it can be re-transmitted. In essence, this requires two radios or dual-band capability that is separate from the radio acting as a cross-band repeater. Sounds like more trouble than it is worth? It usually is... Relevant FCC regulations: 97.3(a).22 Definitions 97.119 Station Identification 97.201(c) Auxiliary Station 97.205 Repeater Station

[@KillaTbone1]

this guy kinda looks like Chris Kyle

[@robertrichard7391]

Thanks !!!...

[@conradaleshire4428]

You don't happen to live in a van do you?

[@rcpro81]

either that or BACON.

[@CWChirpyWire]

Such a repeater is NOT in a crossband mode ... Cross band is when a station A transmits on one band AND receives on another band... and never change ... A repeater "changes" ... it transposes frequencies... but it's NOT cross band QSO at all ... Word have a meaning ! Such a repeater transposes band... it is a, say ? SHIFBAND ? REVERSBAND ? SWAPEATER ? BANDINVERTER... Just my 2P !

[@planeguy3223]

Wow there are so many errors in my last comment lol. I wouldn't have a use for it and the "the" in the last sentence shouldn't be there. Stupid auto correct.