Can you not get the cooperation of the operators of the repeaters you want to
link? Without that, the technical issues will be the least of your problems. If
they approve, the PL solution can actually work quite well.
The decision to be part of a linked system belongs to the licensee of each
repeater. A remote which allows you to use your own repeater to access another
is one thing, but linking two repeaters and their communities to each other
through a third-party box without approval is a no-no in my book.
73,
Paul, AE4KR
----- Original Message -----
From: Jerry
To: Repeater-Builder@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Wednesday, January 20, 2010 4:05 PM
Subject: [Repeater-Builder] Repeater Linking
OK, I know I've mentioned this before, but I think I'm on to something now...
I wanted to have a stand alone repeater linker, kind of a crossband repeater,
that would link uhf and vhf repeaters together without needing to make any
changes to either repeater. The problem I ran into is when the first repeater
finishes transmitting, the linker will hear the second repeater (if the pl
doesn't drop out) and will key up the first repeater again. This cycle will
continue until you turn off the linker. I tried this with my crossband radio
and it causes the same problem.
One solution is to have the repeater controller stop transmitting their pl
right after the COR drops. Not all repeaters do this, so you would have to be
selective as to which repeaters you link.
The solution I came up with today is to use a microcontroller with a built in
a/d converter. If after the first repeater stops transmitting, the
microcontroller can sample the audio coming from the second repeater. If I go
through a high pass filter, I should (might) be able to determine if the audio
is 'dead air', a courtesy tone, or someone talking. If it's dead air or a tone,
I won't key the linker. I can then wait for the COR from the second repeater to
drop, or listen for audio.
Do you think it will work?
- Jerry
