Common 2m Repeater frequencies, et al.

[CanuckMariner/Nomad]

I recently heard that pretty much all 2m repeaters in North America can be grouped in 65 frequencies. If this is so does anyone know them or where they are posted? Is there something similar for 70cm etc. and other bands?

Reason I ask is, if one had these it would much easier to program and search for 65 repeater frequencies than the thousands there are....or have I got this all wrong? :costumed-smiley-007

 

[DaveInDenver]

Here in Colorado there are 79 designated 2m repeater pairs with our 15KHz channelization, so not sure from where your 65 number might have come. Some band plans might be slightly different in total spectrum dedicated to repeaters, but most probably assign the following chunks of frequencies to repeaters.

144.500 - 144.900 FM Repeater Inputs
145.100 - 145.500 FM Repeater Outputs

146.010 - 146.370 FM Repeater Inputs
147.600 - 147.990 FM Repeater Inputs
146.610 - 147.390 FM Repeater Outputs

In any case, you could just store all the typical repeater pairs but you would still have to search the 38 possible PL tones and maybe (somewhat unlikely) the 104 DCS tones that the repeater might use. This is where some radios are better than others, since they can poke repeater inputs with a tone scan when they detect activity on a repeater's shifted output. If you want to be technical about it there are probably around 3,000 possible combination of repeater pairs and CTCSS/PL tones.

 

[Mtn Mike]

Yeah I've noticed that many of the frequencies I have programmed for my local are the same as other locals. This would be just great if only it weren't for the PL tones. Your statement about 65 designated frequencies may or may not be true, but with the PL tones, you're actually looking at 65 to the 38th power possible combinations :Wow1:, unless your radio has a tone reader that selects the tones automatically (not sure how those work since I don't have one).

 

[tremors834]

..... and thats only betting on the +/- 600khz split. Don't forget about odd splits, and the non-standard +/-
Could be an almost infinite number of repeater freqs.
Perhaps the 65 common freqs were just for your area???

 

[DaveInDenver]

..... and thats only betting on the +/- 600khz split. Don't forget about odd splits, and the non-standard +/-
Could be an almost infinite number of repeater freqs.
Perhaps the 65 common freqs were just for your area???

Odd splits would be a problem for most modern radios that do automatic repeater splits anyway since they assume 600KHz offsets when you're programming them. So an odd split would have to be done manually no matter what. In any case the majority of U.S. (and I can only assume Canadian) 2m repeaters are +/- 600KHz and so working towards a generalized standard set of repeater pairs I think you would cover probably 99% of possible frequencies by assuming that. The tones are the main problem in getting to a standard set.

 

[CanuckMariner/Nomad]

Thanks guys, I'll keep looking and let you know if I find them.

 

[DaveInDenver]

Yeah I've noticed that many of the frequencies I have programmed for my local are the same as other locals. This would be just great if only it weren't for the PL tones. Your statement about 65 designated frequencies may or may not be true, but with the PL tones, you're actually looking at 65 to the 38th power possible combinations :Wow1:, unless your radio has a tone reader that selects the tones automatically (not sure how those work since I don't have one).

You could do it in 79 x 38 = 3,002 memory locations. You are not trying to randomly assign frequencies and tones. IOW, if you took 38 banks of 79 pairs (since they will never be more than one repeater at a frequency at a time), each bank with the same tone at every location you could be sure you have the right tone/frequency some place in memory. The huge number would come in if you allow both variables to be random, which they are not, and are trying to get the whole set of 79 frequencies and tones randomly right in one shot. You know the repeater pairs are invariant and non-repeating in a given set, so you just allow the tone to vary and that reduces the possible outcomes many orders.

 

[rusty_tlc]

Rather than try to program everything into your radio why not try simplex 146.520 and ask a local?

 

[Cabrito]

I do find some that are the same but I just need to find the PL tone.

The search is half the fun for me. Also, finding the right PL and programming freq's on the fly keep my skills with the radio fresh. Nothing I hate more than finding or needing to input a freq and I don't remember how to program it. I have this problem a lot with my VX7 HT and my Icom V-8000 because I don't use them enough.
The Yaesu Mobiles that I have are real easy to program.

 

[ObGobOobaleeney]

Rather than try to program everything into your radio why not try simplex 146.520 and ask a local?

Sure, if you can find one in range! I like the Smart Search feature on my Yaesu rigs.

 

[Mtn Mike]

I do find some that are the same but I just need to find the PL tone.

The search is half the fun for me. Also, finding the right PL and programming freq's on the fly keep my skills with the radio fresh. Nothing I hate more than finding or needing to input a freq and I don't remember how to program it. I have this problem a lot with my VX7 HT and my Icom V-8000 because I don't use them enough.
The Yaesu Mobiles that I have are real easy to program.

One thing I've done to help make sense of repeaters on the same channel, but different PL tones, is to program my scans for specific regions. For example, Scan 1 is called "Simplex", Scan 2 is "Eastern Washington Repeaters", Scan 3 is "Western Washington Repeaters", scan 4 is "Idaho and Montana Repeaters", and " is scan 5 is "Scan All".

That way, I basically program some frequencies twice but keep track of the PL tones by separating them into scan banks. I actually have three different 147.300 repeaters programmed in! Unfortunately my mobile radio only has 128 channels in 8 banks. So there's no way I could account for all the possible PL tone/frequency combinations available.

Realistically what I've been doing is searching the net for the repeaters in an area where I'll be traveling and program the radio in advance on my lap top. That way I'm nott fumbling with the radio while driving.

 

[crusader]

Why not just carry the pocket-sized version of the ARRl repeater directory in the glove compartment?

Funny, my Yaesu 2m mobile has the ability to scan for PL codes, but I don't seem to have the ability to figure out how to get this feature to work...

 

[PhulesAU]

Don't need no stink'in book....... http://www.artscipub.com/repeaters/states/Texas.asp

And for poeple such as myself who's tranlation of Japanese manuals are sketchy at best, I recommend NIFTY brand manuals.

 

[ronaldbeal]

Here ya go

Frequency coordinators use different spacing depending on what state they are in, but most are 15khz, 20khz or 30khz. By using 15 and 20khz spacing it should give you all coordinated repeater frequencies.
List Here:
Freq Input Offset +/- Rpt or Simplex
145.11 144.51 600 kHz Minus 2M RPT
145.13 144.53 600 kHz Minus 2M RPT
145.15 144.55 600 kHz Minus 2M RPT
145.17 144.57 600 kHz Minus 2M RPT
145.19 144.59 600 kHz Minus 2M RPT
145.21 144.61 600 kHz Minus 2M RPT
145.23 144.63 600 kHz Minus 2M RPT
145.25 144.65 600 kHz Minus 2M RPT
145.27 144.67 600 kHz Minus 2M RPT
145.29 144.69 600 kHz Minus 2M RPT
145.31 144.71 600 kHz Minus 2M RPT
145.33 144.73 600 kHz Minus 2M RPT
145.35 144.75 600 kHz Minus 2M RPT
145.37 144.77 600 kHz Minus 2M RPT
145.39 144.79 600 kHz Minus 2M RPT
145.41 144.81 600 kHz Minus 2M RPT
145.43 144.83 600 kHz Minus 2M RPT
145.45 144.85 600 kHz Minus 2M RPT
145.47 144.87 600 kHz Minus 2M RPT
145.49 144.89 600 kHz Minus 2M RPT
146.40 146.40 Simplex 2M SIM
146.42 146.42 Simplex 2M SIM
146.43 146.43 Simplex 2M SIM
146.45 146.45 Simplex 2M SIM
146.46 146.46 Simplex 2M SIM
146.48 146.48 Simplex 2M SIM
146.49 146.49 Simplex 2M SIM
146.51 146.51 Simplex 2M SIM
146.52 146.52 Simplex 2M SIM
146.54 146.54 Simplex 2M SIM
146.55 146.55 Simplex 2M SIM
146.57 146.57 Simplex 2M SIM
146.58 146.58 Simplex 2M SIM
146.60 146.60 Simplex 2M SIM
146.61 146.01 600 kHz Minus 2M RPT
146.63 146.03 600 kHz Minus 2M RPT
146.64 146.04 600 kHz Minus 2M RPT
146.66 146.06 600 kHz Minus 2M RPT
146.67 146.07 600 kHz Minus 2M RPT
146.69 146.09 600 kHz Minus 2M RPT
146.70 146.10 600 kHz Minus 2M RPT
146.72 146.12 600 kHz Minus 2M RPT
146.73 146.13 600 kHz Minus 2M RPT
146.75 146.15 600 kHz Minus 2M RPT
146.76 146.16 600 kHz Minus 2M RPT
146.78 146.18 600 kHz Minus 2M RPT
146.79 146.19 600 kHz Minus 2M RPT
146.81 146.21 600 kHz Minus 2M RPT
146.82 146.22 600 kHz Minus 2M RPT
146.84 146.24 600 kHz Minus 2M RPT
146.85 146.25 600 kHz Minus 2M RPT
146.87 146.27 600 kHz Minus 2M RPT
146.88 146.28 600 kHz Minus 2M RPT
146.90 146.30 600 kHz Minus 2M RPT
146.91 146.31 600 kHz Minus 2M RPT
146.93 146.33 600 kHz Minus 2M RPT
146.94 146.34 600 kHz Minus 2M RPT
146.96 146.36 600 kHz Minus 2M RPT
146.97 146.37 600 kHz Minus 2M RPT
146.99 146.39 600 kHz Minus 2M RPT
147.00 147.60 600 kHz Plus 2M RPT
147.02 147.62 600 kHz Plus 2M RPT
147.03 147.63 600 kHz Plus 2M RPT
147.05 147.65 600 kHz Plus 2M RPT
147.06 147.66 600 kHz Plus 2M RPT
147.08 147.68 600 kHz Plus 2M RPT
147.09 147.69 600 kHz Plus 2M RPT
147.11 147.71 600 kHz Plus 2M RPT
147.12 147.72 600 kHz Plus 2M RPT
147.14 147.74 600 kHz Plus 2M RPT
147.15 147.75 600 kHz Plus 2M RPT
147.17 147.77 600 kHz Plus 2M RPT
147.18 147.78 600 kHz Plus 2M RPT
147.20 147.80 600 kHz Plus 2M RPT
147.21 147.81 600 kHz Plus 2M RPT
147.23 147.83 600 kHz Plus 2M RPT
147.24 147.84 600 kHz Plus 2M RPT
147.26 147.86 600 kHz Plus 2M RPT
147.27 147.87 600 kHz Plus 2M RPT
147.29 147.89 600 kHz Plus 2M RPT
147.30 147.90 600 kHz Plus 2M RPT
147.32 147.92 600 kHz Plus 2M RPT
147.33 147.93 600 kHz Plus 2M RPT
147.35 147.95 600 kHz Plus 2M RPT
147.36 147.96 600 kHz Plus 2M RPT
147.38 147.98 600 kHz Plus 2M RPT
147.39 147.99 600 kHz Plus 2M RPT
147.41 147.41 Simplex 2M SIM
147.42 147.42 Simplex 2M SIM
147.44 147.44 Simplex 2M SIM
147.45 147.45 Simplex 2M SIM
147.47 147.47 Simplex 2M SIM
147.48 147.48 Simplex 2M SIM
147.50 147.50 Simplex 2M SIM
147.51 147.51 Simplex 2M SIM
147.51 147.51 Simplex 2M SIM
147.53 147.53 Simplex 2M SIM
147.54 147.54 Simplex 2M SIM
147.56 147.56 Simplex 2M SIM
147.57 147.57 Simplex 2M SIM
147.59 147.59 Simplex 2M SIM