Repeaters, Networks and

Remote stations
 • Repeaters became popular in the 1960’s with
improvements in technology
• The move to the higher VHF and UHF bands
A bit of with smaller coverage areas created a need for
a way to improve the coverage over simplex.
History • First systems used separate antennas and
individual transmitters and receivers.
• Later systems use single or separate antennas
with multiple radio systems sharing them
 Nova Scotia Integrated
Mobile Radio System
(NSIMRS)

• VHF and UHF analogue

repeater systems peaked in
popularity in the late 1970’s
to early 2000’s.
• The NSIMRS consisted of
five separate but linkable
VHF repeater systems for
DNR, DOT, EHS, Fire dept.
and Government.
• The system had 25 sites and
expanded to 31 to fill in
coverage gaps
 NSIMRS
Console at
Shubie

All interdepartmental
linking could be
controlled from here.
 Microwave Linking

• The Radio system was

linked together through
microwave links at each
radio site.
• Sites that were added
on (usually for DOT)
would link back to a
microwave site via a
UHF link.
 Typical DOT satellite
repeater

• VHF Transmitter
• 60W continuous operation.
 Typical DOT satellite
repeater

• VHF Receiver
• Has CTCSS tone decoder and
tone generator for voting
unit at master site
 Typical DOT satellite
repeater

• UHF Transmitter
• 5W continuous output
• Transmits 24/7
• Continuous TX eliminates
switching delays
 Typical DOT satellite
repeater

• UHF Duplexer
• Combines UHF transmitter
and receiver into a single
Yagi antenna aimed at the
master site.
 Typical DOT satellite
repeater

• UHF receiver
• Always on receiving signal
from master site.
 • To help with coverage satellite sites were added for
the DOT to help fill in the coverage holes around the
province.
• The VHF receivers contained a tone generator to
DOT VHF generate a high frequency audio tone. The tone
frequency would vary with the received signal
VOTING strength and the voting unit at the master site
would pick the best one to repeat to the VHF
SYSTEM transmitters and switch the audio paths accordingly.
• The VHF receivers were all on the same frequency,
the VHF transmitters were on different frequency's –
Not able to work for amateur radio!
 The End of an
Era

• After 2000 and the

introduction of TMR
the VHF system was
mostly replaced.
• The Fire Dept and
“Government”
repeaters live on.
 Repeaters
and Amateur
Radio
 • Typically small installations using surplus
commercial equipment.
Amateur • May have linking to a wider system using DTMF
Radio codes and UHF links.
• Repeater uses a controller for Identification and
Repeaters linking.
• In Canada repeaters ID ever 30 minutes.
 • DTMF – Dual Tone Multiple Frequency. Example
touch tone phone
Amateur • CTCSS – Continuous tone coded squelch system.
Uses a sub-audible tone to allow repeater
Radio access.
Repeaters • Example CTCSS tones 82.5 Hz, 71.9 Hz, 151.4 Hz
• DCS – Digitally Coded Squelch. Uses digital data
instead of tones. DCS codes are numbers.
 • On 2 meters the repeater split or offset is
600Khz
Amateur • On 70cm the offset is usually 5Mhz
Radio • On 6m the offset is 1Mhz
• The receive frequency of the repeater can be
Repeaters offset above or below the transmit frequency
depending on where it is in that band segment
Simple Repeater

• Single antenna
• Duplexer allows
sharing of the
antenna
• Receive and
transmit is possible
simultaneously
VE1HCA Willow Hill

• Installed in May 2019 in

NSIMRS site at Willow
Hill
• Consists or 100W
Motorola Micor and an
RLC controller
• Radio site has two
antennas. One for RX,
one for TX.
 VE1HCA Willow Hill
Tower

• VHF Receive antenna is

on the top, the VHF
Transmit antenna is
below about ¾ the way
up.
• Round white domes are
microwave dishes with
radomes and ice
protection over top.
 VE1HCA Willow Hill
Repeater Controller

• Controls all repeater

operations
• Has internal clock and
voice module for
announcing the time.
• Can be expanded to
allow linking to other
sites.
 VE1HCA Willow Hill
Motorola Micor
100W RF amplifier

• Amplifies exciter
output from
transmitter (450 mW)
to 100W
• Capable of continuous
operation at 100W
 VE1HCA Willow Hill
Motorola Micor

• Contains the
transmitter and
receiver sections
• Has shelf in middle for
option cards – not
usually used
• Crystal controlled
 VE1HCA Willow Hill
Motorola Micor
Power Supply

• 12V @ 35A power

supply
• Supply's all other
voltages for repeater
VE1HCA Multicoupler
System

• Allows the repeater to

share the site antennas
with the other existing
equipment.
• Must be tuned with
Correct and accurate
test equipment!!!
• Top is Receive bottom
is Transmit
 Multicouplers
Band Pass

• A tunable cavity with

an input and output
connector.
• Loops can be turned to
adjust insertion loss.
• Insertion loss is how
much energy is lost in
the cavity measured in
Decibels.
 Multicouplers
Notch

• A tunable cavity with

an input only.
• Loop can be turned to
maximize notch
• Typically can achieve
25DB of notch in one
can.
 • Bandpass and notch cavity's are combined
together and can be configured into duplexers
or multicouplers to allow for expansion later.
• A terminator resistor must be on the end of the
Duplexers and multicoupler chain for proper operation.
• Special “Q” notches can be added to bandpass
Multicouplers cavity's for notching in systems with close
spacing (600khz)
• Isolation between the receive and transmit
frequency's should be in excess of 80 dB to
prevent de-sensing of the receiver.
VE1CDN

• Multicoupler
Racks at VE1CDN
 Controllers

• Typical Arcom RC210

Controller
 • Controls all the repeater functions except
squelch
• Can be programmed to allow for another
repeater or link transceiver to be connected –
usually UHF link to network
Controllers • Controller has “ports”. Generally the
connection to each repeater or link radio
• Each port has connections for a PTT signal,
Transmit audio, receive audio, and a COR or
receive signal. May have other options as well
depending on controller.
 • Most modern controllers have built in audio
announcements and time clocks.
• They can be programmed remotely via radio
Controllers link or onsite with a PC.
• Early controllers were basic CW ID and maybe
some audio control.
MAVCOM
repeater
system
MAVCOM Repeater System

• Maritime Amateur Voice Communications System

• The MAVCOM Link System is comprised of 48 VHF and UHF repeaters in Nova
Scotia and Prince Edward Island. These repeaters can be linked together, either
selectively or as a whole.
• The linking system is designed in a way similar to our own nervous system. There
is a central trunk or “backbone” that runs throughout each of the provincial
systems. The individual repeaters that are part of the linking system are located
along the trunk but are normally not connected to the trunk.
MAVCOM Repeater System
• A simple four-digit code can be entered using the DTMF keypad on a 2-meter
radio and the repeater can be linked into that “backbone”. Now, a second four-
digit code can be entered, and this will link the first repeater (now on the
backbone) into a distant repeater. A few of the repeaters on the system have
what is called “one code to destination” access; this means instead of first having
to link into the backbone and then into the distant repeater, a single code will get
you to the distant repeater.
• When using the repeater linking system you must key up for about one second
before speaking or your first syllable or word will not be transmitted. Also when it
is your turn to speak, you should pause before keying up in order to allow timers
throughout the system to reset.
Using the MAVCOM system
1. First, monitor the repeater for 30 seconds or so to see if it is in use.
2. Give your call sign and announce your intention to up link. – “This is VE1XXX up-
linking”
3. Push the appropriate buttons on your tone pad to turn the local repeater onto
the backbone. Check to see if the link is in use by another repeater, then identify
the destination repeater and yourself – VE1SPR – VE1XXX and then dial the code
for the repeater you wish to reach.
Note: It is normally necessary to hold the PTT switch down during this step.
Using the MAVCOM system
4. Listen for the CW or Voice identifier that is broadcast by the distant repeater to
verify you have reached the correct machine.
5. Listen again. You may have dropped in on a conversation taking place on the
distant repeater. If this happens, wait until the operators acknowledge your
presence and invite you to make your call. Be courteous, because a QSO in progress
has priority.
6. If your call is not answered, or at the end of your conversation, give your call sign
and announce your intention to downlink – “VE1XXX down-linking”.
Using the MAVCOM system
7. Push the appropriate buttons on your tone pad to first turn off the distant
repeater and then disconnect your repeater from the backbone.
8. Give your call sign and announce your intentions – “VE1XXX clear of the link”
9. Multiple repeaters can be linked simultaneously in NS and PEI. You first link the
backbone as outlined above, Then link the other repeaters by dialing their
destination codes one after the other; un-key between each code.
10. Finally, PLEASE remember to turn off any repeaters you turn on, including the
local repeater. This avoids tying up the link system and leaves it ready for the next
user.
11. Courtesy is mandatory; a maximum 10-minute conversation time (except for
nets) is suggested to allow access by others.
 • EchoLink® software allows licensed Amateur
Radio stations to communicate with one
another over the Internet, using streaming-
audio technology. The program allows
worldwide connections to be made between
Echolink stations, or from computer to station, greatly
enhancing Amateur Radio's communications
capabilities. There are more than 200,000
validated users worldwide — in 151 of the
world's 193 nations — with about 6,000 online
at any given time.
http://www.echolink.org/
 • Your two choices for Echolink on the Pi are
SVXLink http://www.svxlink.org/ or AllStarlink
https://allstarlink.org/getstarted.html both
Echolink and work well on the RasPi 3b but AllStarLink
although a bit more complex for initial setup is a
Raspberry Pi lot more versatile and gives you access to the
AllStarLink network and features like access to
the network from a VOIP phone.
 • The aim of this project is to reliably and
inexpensively link amateur radio systems without
the use of RF links, leased lines, or satellites.
• The IRLP uses Voice-Over-IP (VoIP) custom software
IRLP – Internet and hardware. Coupled with the power of the
Internet, IRLP will link your repeater site or simplex
Linking Radio station to the world in a simple and cost effective
way.
Project • IRLP operates a worldwide network of dedicated
servers and nodes offering very stable worldwide
voice communications between hundreds of towns
and cities. All this with unsurpassed uptimes and
the full dynamic range of telephone quality audio.
http://www.irlp.net/
 IRLP and
raspberry pi •http://irlp.net/pi/
MMDVM
 • The MMDVM is intended to be an open-source
Multi-Mode Digital Voice Modem, which
utilities the power of an ARM processor and a
MMDVM - simple analogue interface board. The Multi-
Mode Digital Voice Modem is a combined
Multi-Mode hardware and software development of a
modem to handle all amateur digital voice
Digital Voice modes. Initially it will support D-Star and DMR,
with System Fusion and P.25 coming later, as
Modem well as a built-in FM repeater controller. For all
modes other than DMR and FM, the modem
can be used in simplex or duplex mode, while
for DMR and FM full duplex must be used.
 • MMDVM boards can be used to make digital
capable repeaters with analogue FM radios
• MMDVM can also be used to create a “hotspot”
that connects to a digital network over IP link
MMDVM and facilitates use of a handheld radio on the
move.
• Hotspots can be low power (10mW) or high
power using a simplex analogue FM radio.
MMDVM Hotspot
MMVDM repeater board- ZumSpot
ZUM SPOT Repeater on Raspberry pi
Questions?