Climate Jenny 2.1

Elmer? I have a question. My cute little Yaesu FT-60 can hear the weekly net on the nearest repeater pretty well, but they can't seem to hear me, on either frequency.

I've double-checked whether the offsets are + or - and I'm pretty sure the PL tones are correct.

I'm starting to think that 5 watts is not enough to reach a tower 5.4 miles away (according to Google Maps).

Anything else I should be trying? I'm thinking of driving over to tower next week....

#hamradio #amateurradio

Mar 10 at 1:41amWeb
Show threadClimate Jenny 2.1Mar 10
Update: the repeater heard me! Contact! This is after switching back to the OEM rubber duck. Good to know I’m transmitting, at least.
Show threadArno DL2SSBMar 10
@ClimateJenny I can reach a repeater 50 miles away easily with 5 watts from my FT3D (S9+). What does your S-meter read?
Show threadClimate Jenny 2.1Mar 10
@arnobert I'm not sure, but the display for the S- and PO-meter fills up completely.
Show threadArno DL2SSBMar 10
@ClimateJenny You can probably reach the repeater from you QTH with much less than 5 watts then. Can you check your TRX is transmitting at all?
Show threadClimate Jenny 2.1Mar 10
@arnobert Nothing else in the house (that's currently in working condition) can receive that frequency. But the guys at the radio store can probably indulge me on that.
Show threadDan KB6NU 🇺🇦Mar 10
@ClimateJenny I would think that 5W would be sufficient. Are you using the stock antenna? Maybe if you put a different antenna on it, you'll radiate more power.
Show threadClimate Jenny 2.1Mar 10
@kb6nu I theoretically upgraded the antenna, but I'm going to try reverting to the rubber duck for a bit.
Show threadComrade WeezMar 10
@ClimateJenny There's a lot of things which can affect range of a handheld, notably topography and building attenuation. If you're sure the offset and split is correct and your CTCSS freq is correct and set for tx encoding, go outside where there's few obstacles between you and the repeater. You ought to be able to 'kerchunk' the repeater from 5 miles away with ye olde rubber duck antenna.
Show threadClimate Jenny 2.1Mar 10
@weezmgk My topography is about as good as it gets, but I'm wondering if my attempt at an antenna upgrade might be the issue. I'm going to revert to the rubber duck and see what happens.
Show threadComrade WeezMar 10
@ClimateJenny Use the OEM antenna. There are some counterfeit Nagoya antennas sold on eBay, AliExpress etc which are garbage. If all else fails, gin up a 1/4 wave ground plane, put it outdoors, 10-20ft of RG58 coax would be OK but not much more as 58 is pretty lossy at 150MHz and up.
Show threadEd W8EMV Mar 10

@ClimateJenny

With UHF/VHF there is a saying 'height is might'. Can you relocate to higher ground? That might be a higher floor inside your building, or a nearby hill, or (my favorite) the top of a parking structure.

Close to the repeater will help, but height matters.

I have several radios at home that can hear our local SKYWARN repeater from indoors (also about 5 miles away from my home) but I have to increase power or relocate to somewhere on higher ground to have them hear me.

Show threadW6KMEMar 10
@ClimateJenny 5 watts should be more than enough. Is the repeater line-of-sight? If not, moving even just a few feet can make a difference. Of course, you're right to look at PL and offset first, but a second look won't hurt.
Show threadClimate Jenny 2.1Mar 10
@W6KME Well, I *could* gain a few more feet of elevation by climbing the hill out back. I'm at about 170 feet here, highest point for at least a mile around. The repeater is at 300 feet, on top of a water tower. I may need to get out a topo map.
Show threadAG7GM DanMar 10
@ClimateJenny If you have an extra receiver, tune it to the "listening" freq and key. Do you hear yourself? Now tune to the repeater input freq and do it again. If you don't hear yourself on the second test, *you* likely have an issue. If you hear yourself on the second, but not on the first test, you may not have the gumption to hit the repeater, or you PL may be wrong or the repeater's squelch may be too high.
Show threadCJ  👨‍💻Mar 10

@ClimateJenny @IrrationalMethod Just to add on a little bit to what seems to already be said - if you know the exact repeater location I’d punch in your location and the repeater location into a tool like this: https://thedirtygrunt.com/tools/losmaptool/

5W with direct LoS would be perfect for getting in, but anything in the way will cause your signal strength to drop. That tool will help figure out if it’s hills or other elevation change - but a downtown set of buildings for example would also cause that decrease.

Communications Line of Sight Map Tool

Show threadClimate Jenny 2.1Mar 10
@roguefoam @IrrationalMethod That is one useful tool!
Show threadLucasMar 10

@ClimateJenny Depending on different aspects I would check:
- Are you transmitting at all? Maybe reach out for someone and ask for a simplex contact
- Check if you have enough signal strength (e.g. by trying to work the repeater in direct line of sight)
- Check the resonance of your antenna (esp. if it is 3rd party)
- Check if you have the correct subtone active.

What is the repeater call? That might indicate other topics as well. Maybe reach out to the sysop and ask.

Show threadEasily AmusedMar 10
@ClimateJenny Could there be a bona fide hardware issue of transmission with that particular radio? Maybe a warranty may still apply?
Show threadSaoirse DulipMar 10
@ClimateJenny This happens to me a lot to. I'm no Elmer, but I suspect it's easier to receive than to transmit in most cases. I eventually ended up making a homemade 1/4 wave antenna and that seems to have helped quite a bit in terms of transmission. I think the bottle neck is the FT-60s default antenna. Is that what you are using?
Show threadClimate Jenny 2.1Mar 10
@SitaDulip Actually, I bought a 1/4 wave antenna from Signal Stuff (out of gratitude for their study tools, and because it was orange) as an upgrade, and now I’m thinking it might actually be the issue — I switched back to the OEM antenna and I just got the repeater to talk to me! Progress!
Show threadSaoirse DulipMar 10
@ClimateJenny Well that's good! I also forget what the default power setting is on the FT-60, but if it isn't at its highest setting, that might help too?
Show threadClimate Jenny 2.1Mar 10
@SitaDulip It seems to default at high, 5 watts. (Come to think of it, my college radio station was only 10 watts.)