How to: Icom Repeater System
by
Preston Moore, N5YIZ
March,
2007
Housing/Power Supply kits now available!! (click the pic for more info)
This guide will show you how to construct a repeater system using two Icom IC-F200
series mobile radios.The firmware in these radios can be
configured to allow basic repeater control (COS, hang time, etc.) without the
need for external hardware. These instructions are written for an in-band
VHF or UHF repeater, but a cross band system can be made with slight
modification.
You will need the
following:
(2) Icom IC-F200 series radios (IC-F210, IC-F211, IC-F221,
IC-F210S, IC-F211S, IC-F221S, etc.)
(2) Icom OPC-617 Accessory
Cables (clones are available at http://www.prestonmoore.com/opc-617.html)
(2) DB-9 male connector
assemblies (connectors and hoods)
(1) 5-conductor cable (6 to 8 inches in
length)
You will also need the appropriate programming software and
cable.
STEP
ONE:
Prepare by determining
which radio will be used for transmit and which one will be used for
recieve.
STEP
TWO:
Prepare the Transmit
radio by first removing the bottom cover. With the front of the
radio towards you, locate the jumper location labeled as
"F" below the square shielding. Place a solder blob at this location
to close the connection.
STEP
THREE:
Plug an OPC-617 Accessory cable
into the connector "J6" and route the wire out the rear of the radio as shown
below. You will need to cut the plastic "filler" with a razor knife in
order for the cable to exit the radio. The modification to the TX radio is
complete. Replace the bottom cover.
STEP
FOUR:
Install an OPC-617 in the RX
radio in the same manner as the TX radio. It is not necessary to close
solder jumper "F" in the RX radio unless the repeater will be used in a
crossband configuration.
STEP
FIVE:
Prepare the repeater interface
by connecting the 5-conductor cable to the DB-9M connectors following the
diagram below.
STEP
SIX:
Plug the two "pigtail" OPC-617 cables into the repeater interface. Power the
radios and prepare for programming.
STEP
SEVEN:
In this example, we will be setting up a repeater with the following
characteristics:
UHF Uni-directional repeater on GMRS Channel 8
(462.725/467.725)
PL
tone of 162.2
encode/decode
Repeater "hang-time" of 2
seconds
30 second
TOT
25 watt
output
We will start by programming the TX radio first. In the "LMR > Memory CH >
Free" selection use
the following screen shot as a guide and make the appropriate
changes:
click to enlarge
Move to the
"LMR > Common > Common"
section and make adjustments as follows:
click to enlarge
Move to the "LMR > Common >
Expert" section and make the following changes and
then write the changes to the radio:
click to enlarge
In the RX radio make the following changes in "LMR > Memory CH
> Free"
section:
click to enlarge
I change the squelch level in "LMR > Common >
Set Mode" to 70 because I feel the factory setting is
too high.
click to enlarge
RX radio "LMR > Common > Common" make the
following:
click to enlarge
RX radio "LMR > Common
> Expert" make the following changes and write
to the radio:
click to enlarge
The repeater is now
configured and ready to use!
CAT Repeater controller cables NOW AVAILABLE! CLICK HERE FOR INFO
CLICK HERE FOR IGNITION CONTROL
http://www.repeater-builder.com/icom/icom-kd7sqm.html
CY-F121S / CY-F221S repeaters
CLICK HERE FOR THE ICOM IC-F200 SERIES SERVICE MANUAL
6. This section is for configuring an Icom F221 UHF radio for use with a
home station using a KPC-9612 VHF/UHF TNC.
To hookup the Icom F221 UHF radio to the KPC-9612, you will need the accessory
cable OPC-617 from Icom. The cable costs about $50. To connect the OPC-617 to
the Kantronics 9612, you will need to make a small cable with a DB-9M for the
radio side, and a DB-15M for the TNC side. Here's the pinout:
OPC-617 DB-9M-------KPC-9612 TNC
Pin 3 Det. AF output-----RXA Pin 2
Pin 4 Mod input----------TXA Pin 3
Pin 5 PTT----------------PTT Pin 1
Pin 8 Det. AF ground----Ground Pin 9,10, or 11
In programming the radio, besides setting the UHF frequency and name,
you will need to set external PTT by choosing EPTT instead of the default FTSW.
Get your soldering iron hot and sold BEAD F on the F221, near the OPC-617
connector, which allows data flow.
Source: http://www.nwaprs.info/9600bauduhfaprs.htm
It appears the E.F. Johnson / Transcrypt 7600 series mobile radios are basically the same as the Icom IC-f420 units. I assume the Icom
OPC-617 is equivalent to the Johnson 585-7600-027 cable. Click
here to check out
the 7600 series service manual to see for yourself.
Icom 520/620 information supplied by David Johnston
After doing some research, I found that in the 520/620 series, to get the mic audio to transfer,
you have to 'blob' point "D" in all radio's which is located just to the right of the accessory
connector with the front of the radio towards you.
I have put together both a UHF/UHF VHF/VHF and a UHF/VHF combinations
and the system works great.
I have even tryed a UHF/UHF/VHF with VHF in simplex using a mini controler
and it even works like a champ.
Hope this also helps you in the future.
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