Mobile Amplifier install

[rangerfourever]

We have 40 watt VHF M1225s in our 6 Explorer squads. We need more TX output to talk throughout our patrol areas. Has anyone done install of TPL mobile amplifiers combined with dash mounts. I am suggesting to our Chief, that we use TPLs 70-140 watt power out amp with 40 watt power in from our M1225s. Thanks !

[tvsjr]

Meh. The difference between a 40-watt radio and a 140-watt radio is a whopping 5dB. Not much in the grand scheme of things. If you're having coverage issues, you need to analyze the complete system.

Are you running gain antennas? If you can jump to a 3dB gain antenna, you're already at 80 watts ERP.
Have you looked at the SWR on the mobile radios? Is the install efficient?
Has someone done a full analysis of the repeater site to ensure there isn't a problem there?

5dB might be enough to make a signal that is very scratchy less scratchy. If your system currently doesn't work at all... it's not going to fix your problem. It's also going to be expensive, power hungry, and a pain to install.

[KitN1MCC]

sounds like there mobile installs need work or a rpt

[rangerfourever]

All squad radios checked on Thursday. All radios are operating at factory spec with each putting out 39 watts with less than 2 watts reflected. This is not a repeater system, not going to happen! Looking for simple solution for radio to radio simplex.

[tvsjr]

Higher gain antennas
More elevation
Add a repeater

5dB ain't gonna do it, and you're talking about a lot of money and install time.

[KitN1MCC]

i hate TO SAY IT nextel /sprint ready link/verizon ptt

[Tom in D.C.]

What power level does your license allow you to run?

If your operations are primarily in up/down/hilly country
you're going to have problems on any band at any
reasonable power level as long as you're using simplex.

[rangerfourever]

thanks for the input Rpt is NOT going to happen Coverage is primarily flat, Northeast Illinois...... Gain antennas may be a choice, I will have the shop put one on a squad, check output, reflected power etc.... Will see

Thanks again

[emsbuff3240]

I'm wondering why a repeater is not going to happen. The price of putting those TPL amps in the cars, will exceed the amount of a GR1225 repeater. Simplex will work OK for a base to mobile operation, but for mobile to mobile coverage there is not much you can do to make it better other than what was mentioned.

[rangerfourever]

POLITICS

[thebigphish]

As in you cannot get a license for it? Or you can get a license for it but have no where to put it?

Politics suck. But running those radios w/o gain antennas sucks more.

[rangerfourever]

As in involved agency administrators see no need for rpt., instead they want to wait for a many million doller pipedream new area wide trunk system. Oh well gains might work, my concern is that with the added height of our SUVs, taller gain antennas just give our officers something else to snap off

[Batwings21]

Why wait, there already is one... StarCom21
If your sites are not already up, they should be soon. But it doesn't take too many xts/xtl's to add up to your own repeater.

[rangerfourever]

Yep coming on line here soon. But our big brother dispatch agency is not happy with Motorola and wants to build its own system. Kind of like Joliet built a multi milllion SmartZone system in the middle of a new working EDACS county wide system. AHHHHH politics gots to love them. I just want radios the guys can use and count own every time. My journey continues