Transmission1

Lots of the cheaper 446 kit seems to have the deviation set quite high anyway, so they bleed and clash.

I'm glad I'm not the only one who has noticed that. That sort of gear shouldn't be allowed, something using ch1 will easily be going out of band into whoever uses the business allocation below it. The fact these things are allowed to be used makes me think a single channel repeater is nothing to worry about, if designed sensibly. If you don't want to parrot, and you don't want to occupy 2 channels in-band, consider cross-banding to 11m!

NiCdeth wrote:and you don't want to occupy 2 channels in-band

Maximum offset would be 0.0875Mhz, or 87.5Khz, good luck finding some cavities to handle that below £10k.

Admiral wrote:Maximum offset would be 0.0875Mhz, or 87.5Khz, good luck finding some cavities to handle that below £10k.

Would there be enough space using the upper 8 channels for one of the slots? Even if there was though, I suppose you wouldn't be able to use a regular 446 radio to work it properly. Cross-band is the best bet, anyone can use it. No offsets, no cavities, easy!

NiCdeth wrote:something using ch1 will easily be going out of band into whoever uses the business allocation below it.

Worth remembering that the PMR446 allocation is actually in a business band. There were still plenty of licenses allocated to business users right on top of the PMR446 channels the last time I checked in the WTR...

Especially worth remembering if you are breaking the rules. If there is a licensed user of that band anywhere near you, you would want to be very careful not to cause any problems for them as they will most likely have a supplier to complain to who will not waste much time before calling Ofcom out to have a nose around...

kr0ne wrote:

NiCdeth wrote:something using ch1 will easily be going out of band into whoever uses the business allocation below it.

Worth remembering that the PMR446 allocation is actually in a business band. There were still plenty of licenses allocated to business users right on top of the PMR446 channels the last time I checked in the WTR...

Especially worth remembering if you are breaking the rules. If there is a licensed user of that band anywhere near you, you would want to be very careful not to cause any problems for them as they will most likely have a supplier to complain to who will not waste much time before calling Ofcom out to have a nose around...

Would the fact it's a licence free band stand up?

kr0ne wrote:

NiCdeth wrote:something using ch1 will easily be going out of band into whoever uses the business allocation below it.

Worth remembering that the PMR446 allocation is actually in a business band. There were still plenty of licenses allocated to business users right on top of the PMR446 channels the last time I checked in the WTR...

Especially worth remembering if you are breaking the rules. If there is a licensed user of that band anywhere near you, you would want to be very careful not to cause any problems for them as they will most likely have a supplier to complain to who will not waste much time before calling Ofcom out to have a nose around...

Would the fact it's a licence free band stand up? (sorry double post - mods delete)

It's not a license free band, usage is permitted on a license exempt basis subject to certain conditions - i.e. equipment must conform to IR2009 etc.

That may sound like splitting hairs on the surface, but it is very significant.

M3ZZN wrote:parrots are a grey area

Only the African ones.

You'd have more fun on 446 with a REAL parrot.

Just don't get a Norwegian Blue...they're known to pine for the fjords.

kr0ne wrote:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TRhvUJIwbV0

PLL02A won't be happy about you posting a vid of his bird.

I heard some Morse code-like beeping on PMR446 while driving through Chesterfield. It sounded like the stuff you hear from Ham repeaters. Has anyone set one up in the crooked spire?

I can't say I've ever seen repeaters in the UK, but in major cities in spain I have encountered parrot-repeaters, although they seem to roll a dice every time it receives a signal to determine on whether or not it will respond. Perhaps I just need to TX to them with a higher power radio since I was told that they are often put out 10 watts or more! (how naughty)

Set a real repeater up it's very easy to do. If you need help message me.

I don't really see the point in using PMR446 for anything other than short range simplex use. If you need greater range, buy something that will work. If you did find a way to run a repeater in such a small band, your repeater would force other users to use the remaining 4 channels or suffer/cause interference. People would also innocently wreck your system by a chef talking to the waiters, or the people in the shoe store finding some size tens?

If you want greater range than half a Watt simplex manages, then as Classic says - buy a licence and have a proper repeater - where one of the licence questions asks you what range you want! The cost, and the grief make 446 a crazy band to even consider putting any form of repeater - and as for recording replay devices - they suck!