Dual Band Base Station - with remote interconnect

[Jay G.]

Here's the new project:

Currently we are dispatched on Low band from our dispatcher who is 20 miles away. This is done by an ancient remote controlled base station using a leased line from the telephone co.

We want to begin to upgrade this whole setup. Our new pagers are all UHF, and are currently being alerted by a home-made GR300 type crossband repeater simply putting everything from low band to UHF. It works, but has already failed several times, and is not reliable enough for me.

We want to purchase one new complete setup to accomplish the same thing, be able to alert BOTH on UHF and low band. Eventually we wil be switching totally off low band, but need some major $$ to buy 200 new pagers. I know the MTR2000 we currently use for our operations repeater is capable of remote operation.

I guess the info I need is:
What radios are capable of 50 watts (approx) output continutous
Is it possible to use one MTR2000 with remote capabilities and somehow have a low band radio tied in to simulcast everything onto both bands??

Info greatly appreciated!

thanks!

[mtr12222]

What type of station is the lowband base? Is the UHF MTR set up for base or repeater operation?

The MTR is capable of accepting remote control. For now why not have the audio from the leased line be fed into both the lowband and the MTR.

I think that this would be more effecient and certainly safer and get you greater coverage area than you would with the GR300.

[Jay G.]

The lowband base is some type of either an EF Johnson or GE cabinet. It is not at our site, so I have limited access to it. This new setup once installed will be used for the 5 area departments as primary paging. The existing MTR2000 repeater will remain as is for operations. We basically need everything setup from scratch, as if there is nothing in place now.

[Jim202]

[quote="Jay G."] We basically need everything setup from scratch, as if there is nothing in place now.[/quote]

I don't see what the big problem is. Just do like 12222 has sugested. Make the MTR2000 be able to handle a remote input. Tie the remote telephone line that now goes to the low band to it also. You will probably have to mess with the line level settings to get them back to normal with 2 radios loading it down. Also don't forget to un terminate the remote card in the closer base so you still maintain the 600 ohm line impeadence. It would be better if both transmitters were at the same location.

Bottom line is you don't have to go out and buy another radio. Use what you have. Any good radio tech can make it work. You end up keying both transmitters when a page goes out. You also end up keying both radios when the remote control is keyed with mic audio at the dispatch point.

When your done, you will have simulcast on both frequencies. Everything coming from the dispatch remote will be heard on both frequencies.

This is about as cheap as you can make it. Save your money for the pagers.

Jim

[Cam]

Jay,

Are you saying that the operations MTR is on different freq. then your UHF paging is done on?

[Jay G.]

yes! i guess i wasnt very clear -

paging is 462.9625(s) - currently using crossband GR300 setup to just take everything from Countywide lowband dispatch (46.10) to make it UHF.

operations is 460.525(r) - currently using MTR2000 - Currently setup for remote operations - a tone remote in radio room and remotely controlled from county dispatcher (20 miles away) via phone lines.

[Cam]

So in that case I think what Jim is saying would still work but you would be using a new MTR, the ops one would stay as it is. When you are done with lowband it would simply be shut off and wired around.