446 REPEATERS

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SUZUKI444
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446 REPEATERS

Post by SUZUKI444 »

Is it okay to set up a parrot repeater on 446 ????? using legal sets ????
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Admiral
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Re: 446 REPEATERS

Post by Admiral »

Hi and welcome to the board.

Is it okay legally or morally?

Legally, no, morally, maybe.
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Mitch
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Re: 446 REPEATERS

Post by Mitch »

If you really want to have some fun get yourself a Chinese quadbander and set the cross band repeater so folks on 446 can talk to CB folk and CB folk can talk to the 446 crowd. I know that works (allegedly) :ugeek:
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Re: 446 REPEATERS

Post by kr0ne »

Morally, it is okay as long as it is funny.

e.g. Why not hide one inside a trainer in your local branch of Sports Direct?
SUZUKI444
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Re: 446 REPEATERS

Post by SUZUKI444 »

I cannot find anything in the legislation for 446 that says a repeater is not allowed, if one is using a legal radio for that band
where in the document does is disallow a parrot repeater ?????? i cannot see that anywhere....
perhaps others have read something different if so tell me where ?????
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Re: 446 REPEATERS

Post by Farty »

Perhaps a short range licence free system isn't for you if you want repeaters etc.
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Re: 446 REPEATERS

Post by radiosification »

I think that Ofcom did say it wasn't allowed. But some people do it anyway and there haven't been any convictions for it as far as I know.
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kr0ne
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Re: 446 REPEATERS

Post by kr0ne »

It's definitely not permitted, but like you say............
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zippy
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Re: 446 REPEATERS

Post by zippy »

nah, it aint legal and no one can condone it, but give it a go at your own risk, let me no if you do and its in the Watford area ;)
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Re: 446 REPEATERS

Post by kr0ne »

*cough* Narc! *cough*


:lol:
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Re: 446 REPEATERS

Post by NiCdeth »

That Chinese quad-bander would make a great cross band repeat/remote access machine, but it won't do the 1.25KHz UKCB offset. I think you could use the 6.25KHz offset to give you channels 4, 9, 14, 19, 24, 29, 34, and 39. Obviously the ERP on the UV950p is too high at 5W though.
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Re: 446 REPEATERS

Post by MrWeetabix »

NiCdeth wrote:That Chinese quad-bander would make a great cross band repeat/remote access machine, but it won't do the 1.25KHz UKCB offset. I think you could use the 6.25KHz offset to give you channels 4, 9, 14, 19, 24, 29, 34, and 39. Obviously the ERP on the UV950p is too high at 5W though.
Even if it were only putting out 4w, it's still an illegal set to use on the UK40 or EU40 as it's not type-rated (Subject to correction)
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Re: 446 REPEATERS

Post by M3ZZN »

parrots are a grey area i know of quite a few even played around myself with a challenge active pmr 446 i got and works great i also read its legal but surely if your not chucking out stupid power and using for your own use or testing like myself not on 24/7 whats the harm i set mine on a tone have a beacon running and go out with a radio doing tests then when i know im out of range i remotely kill it
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Re: 446 REPEATERS

Post by kr0ne »

In less time than it takes to type 'parrots are a grey area' and 'I read it's legal', you could Google the words 'Ofcom' and 'PMR446' and find out for yourself that this is tosh!
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Re: 446 REPEATERS

Post by paulears »

I can't believe anyone actually promotes these 'parrot' repeaters as nice to use. They're horrible, prone to doubling, and the delay before getting a reply is damn annoying. CB radio, at least has pretty sensible design specs, and the capability to be a solid system - with sensible distances and enough real channels. 446 is just prone to so many issues and limitations that trying to make it busier seems flawed. I doubt Ofcom have any interest in even listening to the band, as the usually low power users fit too many into a small area. As an unprotected service I'd expect them to intervene only when things get bad enough the CPS would want to get involved. The chaos when somebody hears a parrot system and doesn't realise is funny but pretty inefficient as a communication system.

On the issue of channel centres and equipment without the right shifts - most receivers are not remotely bothered by a few KHz offset and users rarely even notice somebody is on 5 or 6.25KHz steps. Lots of the cheaper 446 kit seems to have the deviation set quite high anyway, so they bleed and clash.

The only proper answer to the initial question is that Ofcom could view a parrot style delayed system as legal, as it works on the audio chain, and the rues don't specify what other things can be plugged in. It's working on the bog standard unmodified radios. They could find something for radio equipment that is plugged into it - if that system has rules on it, but there's nothing to stop CB users plugging other gizmos in either, and as callsigns are not required or matched to bands - there seem few legislation issues, just practical ones.
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