Cross band transmitter

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fireguy810
Posts: 60
Joined: Mon May 02, 2005 3:23 pm

Cross band transmitter

Post by fireguy810 »

I'm looking to setup sort of a cross band repeater, but it would only be one way. I want to take the audio from my scanner and transmit it low power out on a UHF radio. Not sure what type of radio I'll be using yet. Any ideas on how this can be done and what radio would be easiest to use??

Im thinking about using a Maxtrac. Plent available for cheap prices. Any ideas how to set this up?
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HLA
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What radios do you own?: HT1550's, X9000's, CDM1550's

Re: Cross band transmitter

Post by HLA »

do you have a license to broadcast on whatever frequency you are using? and 2nd, it's against the law to re broadcast or simulcast someone elses transmissions so i hope whatever you want to do this with is all licensed to you?
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N9LLO
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Re: Cross band transmitter

Post by N9LLO »

The Maxtrac with the 16 pin interface should work fine for that application. That is what I use.

Chris
N9LLO
fireguy810
Posts: 60
Joined: Mon May 02, 2005 3:23 pm

Re: Cross band transmitter

Post by fireguy810 »

thanks, but I know the laws. I believe my question was how to do it not the laws behind doing it. Everyone is always so worried about other peoples business. If you dont have a helpful answer then dont say anything.
Batwings21
Posts: 930
Joined: Fri Jun 23, 2006 11:21 am

Re: Cross band transmitter

Post by Batwings21 »

You would have to come up with a COR style output from the scanner and tie that to the ptt of the maxtrac. Then tie scanner rx audio to maxtrac mic audio, you may want to put a potentiometer in there to adjust the level. And you could go through the mic jack on the maxtrac then it would not matter if it was a 5 or 16 pin logic board.
libuff
Posts: 371
Joined: Fri Mar 25, 2005 5:21 pm

Re: Cross band transmitter

Post by libuff »

fireguy810 wrote:thanks, but I know the laws. I believe my question was how to do it not the laws behind doing it. Everyone is always so worried about other peoples business. If you dont have a helpful answer then dont say anything.
we're just all concerned communications professional...

now for the helpful answer, with questions... what are you trying to do exactly, are you attempting to make a wide-area rebroadcast, two-way or one-way, and for what application, PD/FD/EMS/Commercial, etc?

reason i've asked... my company utilizes a UHF dispatch system which all the neighboring town agencies (fd/ems) utilize UHF, however our mandatory county-wide dispatcher uses VHF... we've made the solution by utilizing Pyramid In-Vehicle Repeaters in each vehicle, its an expensive option, but its closest to the most legal way you can do it.. we're also licensed for mobile repeater frequencies...

if you're looking to go with wide-area stuff, multiple maxtracs with a RICK is the best option.. however, the solution used by my company is the safest for the users on the system. there are many fail-safes in place to ensure when i need help from the county dispatcher, i get it...
N9LLO
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Re: Cross band transmitter

Post by N9LLO »

fireguy810 wrote:thanks, but I know the laws. I believe my question was how to do it not the laws behind doing it. Everyone is always so worried about other peoples business. If you dont have a helpful answer then dont say anything.
Right, this would be a very poor place to ask about the laws. A worldwide forum with users governed by many different agencies. When this place started out on the old board it was all hackers and hams and the like. Now there are too many radio cops who think they need to be the (insert the name of your regulating agency). The RSS/CPS cops are just as bad! Let (insert the name of your favorite radio supplier) worry about their intellectual property rights.
Let the board moderators call them out in private if need be. Lets stick to hamming,hacking,modding and telling everyone about it.

Chris
N9LLO
Grog
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Re: Cross band transmitter

Post by Grog »

fireguy810 wrote:thanks, but I know the laws. I believe my question was how to do it not the laws behind doing it. Everyone is always so worried about other peoples business. If you dont have a helpful answer then dont say anything.


I think we have a new member of the attitude of the month club.
Grog
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Re: Cross band transmitter

Post by Grog »

N9LLO wrote:
Right, this would be a very poor place to ask about the laws. A worldwide forum with users governed by many different agencies. When this place started out on the old board it was all hackers and hams and the like. Now there are too many radio cops who think they need to be the (insert the name of your regulating agency). The RSS/CPS cops are just as bad! Let (insert the name of your favorite radio supplier) worry about their intellectual property rights.
Let the board moderators call them out in private if need be. Lets stick to hamming,hacking,modding and telling everyone about it.

Chris
N9LLO


Sure thing sweety, then this place would be shut down by the end of the week. You think /\/\ can't make things happen?


Plus I'm sure all of the public radio professionals would love to hang out at a place full of illegal activities, then who will you ask for help? The wannabe hackers who hang out here? Yeah, good luck with that.....


IBTL (and possible edits)
W8RW
Posts: 68
Joined: Thu May 06, 2004 9:08 am

Re: Cross band transmitter

Post by W8RW »

fireguy810 wrote:I'm looking to setup sort of a cross band repeater, but it would only be one way. I want to take the audio from my scanner and transmit it low power out on a UHF radio. Not sure what type of radio I'll be using yet. Any ideas on how this can be done and what radio would be easiest to use??

Im thinking about using a Maxtrac. Plent available for cheap prices. Any ideas how to set this up?
One thing I have done for this type of application is use a Radio Shack simplex repeater. Instead of the stock cable that comes with it, you can make a cable that has a connector on it to plug into the rx audio on the scanner and another connector that interfaces to the MAXTRAC. The thing that makes this setup nice for lazy people like me is that it uses VOX instead of a signal line out of the scanner for COR, making it easy to use different receivers. On the MAXTRAC you can use either the 16-pin connector or the mic connector on the front. Of course, you can also build a VOX circuit and skip the simplex repeater.

It is hard to get a MAXTRAC to run low power (5 watts or less) unless you find one that is a low power model. If you want to run even lower power consider using a portable such as a cheap old P110.
RKG
Posts: 2629
Joined: Mon Dec 10, 2001 4:00 pm

Re: Cross band transmitter

Post by RKG »

1) I don't think there is anything untoward about a technical professional responding to a "how to" question pointing out that what the questioner wants to do can result in legal issues. Indeed, I think a professional might be derelict in his professional obligations if he failed to.

2) Which leads to the question, how does the professional response when the "how to" questioner rebuts with "Don't tell me what I want to do would be a violation, just tell me how to do it?"

3) It would be news to me that the Bat Board is open only to hackers, and not at least equally welcoming of professionals.
N9LLO
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Joined: Sat Sep 08, 2001 4:00 pm

Re: Cross band transmitter

Post by N9LLO »

My point was dont offer or ask for legal advise on an internet forum, its crazy. Look at the many times it has happened here with the predictable results. Nobody even asked the guy who the regulating authority is he needs to deal with. Leave the legal issuses to the legal experts, we here are radio experts. I am a hacker and professional, got my 1st class FCC ticket with Radar endorsement in 1980. The regulating authority where I live is the FCC. I am familiar with the rules governing what I do, If I had a question I sure wouldnt ask it here.

The radio shack simplex repeater idea has some merit but If you can find a point to pick off a COR signal on the scanner or whatever reciever you use I think you would be happier with that setup.

Chris
N9LLO
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CAPTLPOL
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Re: Cross band transmitter

Post by CAPTLPOL »

I fogot I had one until I found it cleaning out a closet. I had it up and running for a few days, it worked liked gangbusters. I took it down for a day and then plugged it back up and now it will not retransmit. I put new batteries in it and nothing. I see that the light lights up upon receive, but it does not send any transmit signal or light up like it is trying to retransmit. I was going to see if the cable is available, but since it does not light up to retrasmit, I think something else may be wrong. Any ideas?
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ve3nsv
Posts: 291
Joined: Sat May 27, 2006 8:43 am

Re: Cross band transmitter

Post by ve3nsv »

You could always use a CM / PM or CDM and program it for vox and use a 1:1 isolation transformer to feed your audio from your scanner into the radio. I remember somebody else on this forum doing it this way.
tvsjr
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Joined: Fri Nov 28, 2003 9:46 am

Re: Cross band transmitter

Post by tvsjr »

Enough. Topic locked.

The OP should have more than enough information to make this happen - legal or illegal.

To address a few issues:
- Concern about the legality of such a system is valid. Many people in these forums hold their own licenses, work for governmental entities, etc. Promoting/encouraging/enabling illegal activities is not a good place for them to be. And, in *most* instances, such a system WOULD be illegal, at least under the laws of the US.

- N9LLO - the "RSS/CPS cops" exist for a reason. Grog is right - Moto could easily have this site shut down if it became a forum for the illicit trading of RSS/CPS. Many excellent tidbits of info get traded here. Do you want that to end?
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