Two Way Radio Repeater Base Stations

Do I need a two way radio repeater?

The use of a two-way radio repeater means that communication can be maintained if the terrain or another obstruction prevents direct line of sight communication.

A two-way radio base station is typically installed at an elevated height such as a roof area (IP boxes provided for external locations) and connected to an antenna system so it can receive weak signals and create a wider coverage area. A repeater base station will extend your communication range of a low-power handheld radio from an enclosed area to hundreds of miles, or even worldwide. They also provide security benefits. For example, if there is an emergency situation, a two-way radio repeater can provide communication over a greater range than would be possible with a regular two-way radio, allowing for quick response times.

How far can a radio repeater transmit?

A base station will expand the range of a radio communication system, this can be on one site or over multiple sites which can be linked together. This can be done via cabling, a radio link or network using digital technology. Features vary from integrated data applications to analogue and digital migration capabilities.

To give you a comparison – Portable radios work on 5 watts, mobile radios work on 25 watts or more, and repeaters are even more powerful working between a 50 to 100-watt range.

How do DMR repeaters work?

Tier 2 DMR, repeaters use a TDMA arrangement with two timeslots. What this means is that two completely separate radio transmissions can be going through the base station at the same time; each radio takes turns in transmitting in short 27.5 millisecond bursts. DMR Tier 2 operates in the VHF and UHF PMR or LMR frequency bands covering 66-960 MHz.