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#1
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trouble accessing repeaters
I recently replaced the battery on my FT-470, which has a telescopic
antenna. Recently, I have been having trouble accessing local repeaters. My repeater shift is set to .6 MHZ on 2 meters and 5 MHZ on 440. Is this the correct repeater shift? If so, what are some other things I could check for? I am living on the center floor of a 3-story apartment complex and can hear the repeaters ok. This problem did not occur when I lived out in Gresham. My apartment complex in Gresham had 3 stories and I lived on the center floor just like I do now. I can hear repeaters ok, but I can't transmit to them. Thanks in advance for any recommendations. Eric Patterson, Kb7vfr, Beaverton, Or. |
#2
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I recently replaced the battery on my FT-470, which has a telescopic
antenna. Recently, I have been having trouble accessing local repeaters. Eric....do you have the right tones programmed? This would prevent you from accessing a repeater. Check to see if the "T" is showing up on the display. Also, check to see if you're on low power or hi. Also, if the battery is the lower voltage unit (7,2V), you're outputting only around 2W of power...the 12V cellpak is needed for 5W. My repeater shift is set to .6 MHZ on 2 meters and 5 MHZ on 440. Yup...that is correct for most repeaters, tho you should check. Also, make sure that your offset is in the right direction (+/- is set right). I had a -470 for years...good solid HT. One caveat...I did have the internal antenna connection crack and separate....could "barely" hear a repeater but could not hit it. Bit of solder and a piece of flex wire & I was back in business. Worth checking, esp. with the telescopic antenna, which puts more stress on the connector. I was using an ANLI telescopic when mine failed. Of course, this may be the rig's way of saying "time to get on HF, so get the code out of the way!" QRP would be easy from the 2nd floor, if you have a nearby tree for an end fed wire (my std. hotel setup). Eric Patterson, Kb7vfr, Beaverton, Or. Hope this helps! A |
#3
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On Fri, 28 Jan 2005 01:39:17 GMT, Eric Patterson wrote:
I recently replaced the battery on my FT-470, which has a telescopic antenna. Recently, I have been having trouble accessing local repeaters. Did you have to open the case to replace this battery (I know not the FT-470), and did you have to unscrew the telescopic antenna (and speaker) leads to get the case out of the away of the battery replacement? And, did you (or whoever) overlook the antenna's re-attachment? Not that I've ever pulled a bonehead stunt like that..... HI!HI! 73 Jonesy -- | Marvin L Jones | jonz | W3DHJ | linux | Gunnison, Colorado | @ | Jonesy | OS/2 __ | 7,703' -- 2,345m | config.com | DM68mn SK |
#4
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Give us a list of 3 or 4 repeaters you are trying to access, and we
might be able to give better advice. Dick - W6CCD On Sat, 29 Jan 2005 02:16:03 GMT, "Eric Patterson" wrote: John and others: Thanks for the advice. I checked in an online repeater directory and most of the repeaters I tried to access do not require a tone. As for checking the tones and repeater shift, I can't do that on my own because I am visually impaired and am not able to see the display. Even though I am only putting out 2.3 watts, that shouldn't be the problem because I have used that same power output to access repeaters in Gresham, Salem, and Medford. Do you have any other recommendations? |
#5
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I had to remind myself where Beaverton is. I was thinking it was in
the Portland area. Now that I see it is close to the coast in southern Oregon, I would really doubt that you will have much luck accessing a repeater with an HT. I have traveled and camped for years along the Oregon coast when we lived in Eugene, and most of the time I had great difficulty accessing more than one noisy repeater. And that was with a 5/8-wave on the top of a 37' aluminum motorhome. I think you are expecting too much from an HT. You might be able to hit the 146.61 machine in Coquille, or the 146.92 in Myrtle Point. The Coos Bay repeaters all require a P/L tone. Dick - W6CCD On Fri, 28 Jan 2005 19:59:19 -0700, Dick LeadWinger wrote: Give us a list of 3 or 4 repeaters you are trying to access, and we might be able to give better advice. Dick - W6CCD On Sat, 29 Jan 2005 02:16:03 GMT, "Eric Patterson" wrote: John and others: Thanks for the advice. I checked in an online repeater directory and most of the repeaters I tried to access do not require a tone. As for checking the tones and repeater shift, I can't do that on my own because I am visually impaired and am not able to see the display. Even though I am only putting out 2.3 watts, that shouldn't be the problem because I have used that same power output to access repeaters in Gresham, Salem, and Medford. Do you have any other recommendations? |
#6
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On Sat, 29 Jan 2005 04:40:06 GMT, "Hank Oredson"
wrote: I think I can get Eric hooked up with someone who can help get him going over there in Beaverton. Sent him an email ... Beaverton is a western suburb of Portland. There are actually two Beavertons in Oregon. One in Coos County and the other in Washington County. You are probably right that he is in the one off the 210 in Washington County. My map program threw me a curve on that one. |
#7
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"Dick" LeadWinger wrote in message
... On Sat, 29 Jan 2005 04:40:06 GMT, "Hank Oredson" wrote: I think I can get Eric hooked up with someone who can help get him going over there in Beaverton. Sent him an email ... Beaverton is a western suburb of Portland. There are actually two Beavertons in Oregon. One in Coos County and the other in Washington County. You are probably right that he is in the one off the 210 in Washington County. My map program threw me a curve on that one. It was the "... lived out in Gresham ..." that was the clue, that's also greater Portland area. -- ... Hank http://home.earthlink.net/~horedson http://home.earthlink.net/~w0rli |
#8
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Here's a point of clarification:
Beaverton is a suburb of Portland, Or and is located in Washington County. Gresham is also part of Portland, but is on the other side of town. Here are a couple of the repeaters I am trying to access are 145.27 and 147.38. I hope this helps. Eric "Dick" LeadWinger wrote in message ... I had to remind myself where Beaverton is. I was thinking it was in the Portland area. Now that I see it is close to the coast in southern Oregon, I would really doubt that you will have much luck accessing a repeater with an HT. I have traveled and camped for years along the Oregon coast when we lived in Eugene, and most of the time I had great difficulty accessing more than one noisy repeater. And that was with a 5/8-wave on the top of a 37' aluminum motorhome. I think you are expecting too much from an HT. You might be able to hit the 146.61 machine in Coquille, or the 146.92 in Myrtle Point. The Coos Bay repeaters all require a P/L tone. Dick - W6CCD On Fri, 28 Jan 2005 19:59:19 -0700, Dick LeadWinger wrote: Give us a list of 3 or 4 repeaters you are trying to access, and we might be able to give better advice. Dick - W6CCD On Sat, 29 Jan 2005 02:16:03 GMT, "Eric Patterson" wrote: John and others: Thanks for the advice. I checked in an online repeater directory and most of the repeaters I tried to access do not require a tone. As for checking the tones and repeater shift, I can't do that on my own because I am visually impaired and am not able to see the display. Even though I am only putting out 2.3 watts, that shouldn't be the problem because I have used that same power output to access repeaters in Gresham, Salem, and Medford. Do you have any other recommendations? |
#9
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OK. I did a search out 50 miles from Portland using the 2005 version
of TravelPlus from ARRL. I don't see any 145.38 repeaters in that area. I do see a 147.38 in Cedar Mill which is an open repeater. The only 145.27 repeater within that 50-mile radius is in Forest Grove, but it has a P/L of 107.2. Hope this helps. Dick - W6CCD On Sat, 29 Jan 2005 22:05:28 GMT, "Eric Patterson" wrote: Here's a point of clarification: Beaverton is a suburb of Portland, Or and is located in Washington County. Gresham is also part of Portland, but is on the other side of town. Here are a couple of the repeaters I am trying to access are 145.27 and 147.38. I hope this helps. Eric |
#10
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Hi all. I will send you an update on the issues I have had accessing
repeaters. Last Wednesday, I took my HT with me to the local amateur radio club. When the meeting was over, I had another radio operator check out my HT. Here's what we found: 1. The radio is transmitting ok. I was standing in the parking lot while he was in his vehicle. I was able to use my HT to call him. 2. The repeater shift is ok. I made sure it was set to .6 MHZ for 2 meters. I don't think the problem has anything to do with tones because the problem occurs when trying to access open repeaters. Does anyone else have any recommendations? Thanks again. Eric "Dick" LeadWinger wrote in message ... OK. I did a search out 50 miles from Portland using the 2005 version of TravelPlus from ARRL. I don't see any 145.38 repeaters in that area. I do see a 147.38 in Cedar Mill which is an open repeater. The only 145.27 repeater within that 50-mile radius is in Forest Grove, but it has a P/L of 107.2. Hope this helps. Dick - W6CCD On Sat, 29 Jan 2005 22:05:28 GMT, "Eric Patterson" wrote: Here's a point of clarification: Beaverton is a suburb of Portland, Or and is located in Washington County. Gresham is also part of Portland, but is on the other side of town. Here are a couple of the repeaters I am trying to access are 145.27 and 147.38. I hope this helps. Eric |
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