REVIEW RADIO SHACK SIMPLEX REPEATER USED IN HOT AIR AND FREE FLIGHT BALLOONS, AND TO EXTEND SIMPLEX GROUND COMMUNICATION RANGE.

HAM SHACK WITH SIMPLEX REPEATER SET UP.

THE HT IS POWERED WITH 12 VOLT POWER SUPPLY SO AS TO GET FULL 5 WATTS OUTPUT POWER.  THE REPEATER ON THE LEFT IS FROM RADIO SHACK. AAA BATTERIES 4 TOTAL POWER THE UNIT.  IN EVERY DAY USE OF THE UNIT WE FOUND IT PERFORMED BEST HOOKED TO RADIO SHACK 12 VOLT SUPPLY. THE UNIT WAS THEN CAPABLE OF A FULL 30 SECONDS OF RETRANSMISSION.  LESS TIME WAS EXPERIENCED WITH THE 4 AAA BATTERIES.  IN OUR AREA WE FIRST USED THESE REPEATERS IN 2000.  LAUNCHED IN A HELIUM BALLOON TO ALTITUDES ABOVE 80,000 FT. WE MADE CONTACTS UP TO ABOUT 500 MILES USING A 500 MILLI WATT HT.  BECAUSE THE REPEATER RECEIVES YOUR TRANSMISSION AND THEN REBROADCASTS IT BACK OUT OVER THE AIR WAVES SO YOU HEAR YOURSELF. WE HAVE TRAINING NETS ON 146.46 AFTER THE WEDNESDAY 9:00 PM NET ON 146.82.  WHEN THE REGULAR NET IS OVER WE QSY TO 146.46 SIMPLEX FOR THE TRAINING NET.  

USE IT WITH FAMILY FRS RADIOS, CHECK IT OUT HERE.

REVIEWERS COMMENTS:   THE RADIO SHACK SIMPLEX REPEATER IS A COMPACT AND EASY TO USE ITEM.  IT WORKS BEST WITH FRESH BATTERIES.  I RECOMMEND USING IT WITH EXTERNAL 12 DC, PK OR  RADIO SHACK OR IN THE FIELD, CUTTING EDGE.  THE REPEATER UNIT HAS A DC JACK ON IT.  OVERALL RATING BASED ON OUR TESTING IS A 9. 1 IS THE LOWEST AND 10 IS THE HIGHEST.  

SPECIFICATION AND COMPREHENSIVE TECHNICAL INFORMATION. PLEASE NOTE, RED TYPE IS VERY IMPORTANT INFORMATION.

RADIO SHACK Simplex Repeater Controller # 19-315

Your Radio Shack Simplex Repeater Controller ex-tends the range of your Business Band or Amateur Radio system. It easily connects to many 2-way radio

transceivers and automatically records what the transceiver receives (up to 30 seconds), then keys the transceiver and retransmits the recorded

transmission. It is simple, compact, and easy to carry and use.

You can use the repeater to extend the range of many Radio Shack and other handheld Amateur Radio and Business Band transceivers that have external microphone/speaker jacks. It is also Compatible with ICOM, YAESU, ALINCO, Standard, and other transceivers.

The repeater has these features:

Receive Signal Indicator — lights to show that the connected transceiver is receiving a transmission and the repeater is recording.

Low Power Circuitry — automatically enters a very low power mode between transmissions.

You can power the repeater using any of these power sources:

• four AAA batteries (not supplied)

• standard AC power (using an optional AC adapter) THIS WOKS BEST.

• vehicle battery power (using an optional DC adapter) THIS WOKS GOOD.

You can use four AAA batteries to power the repeater.

For the longest battery life, we recommend

alkaline batteries.

• Use only fresh batteries of the required size and recommended type.

• Do not mix old and new batteries, different

types of batteries (standard, alkaline, or rechargeable), or rechargeable batteries of Different capacities.

Follow these steps to install the batteries.

1. Press down on the tab and lift off the battery compartment cover.

2. Put four fresh AAA batteries in the compartment, matching the polarity symbols (+ and –)

marked inside.

3. Replace the cover. When the repeater stops operating properly, replace the batteries.

To power the repeater with AC power, you need an

AC adapter such as Cat. No. 273-1662.

• You must use an AC adapter that supplies at

least 12 volts and delivers at least 100 mA. Its

center tip must be set to positive and its plug

must fit the repeater’s 12VDC 100mA jack. The

recommended adapter meets these specifications.

Using an adapter that does not meet

these specifications could damage the

repeater or the adapter.

• Always plug the adapter into the repeater

before you plug it into an AC outlet, and unplug

the adapter from the AC outlet before you

unplug it from the repeater.

1. Set the adapter’s voltage switch to 12 volts.

2. Attach the adapter’s 3.4 mm outer diameter/1.3 mm inner diameter adaptaplug to the adapter, with TIP set to +.

3. Insert the adaptaplug into the repeater’s 12VDC 100mA jack.

4. Plug the adapter into a standard AC outlet.

To power the repeater from your vehicle’s cigarette-

lighter socket, you need a DC adapter such

as Radio Shack Cat. No. 270-1562.

Caution: You must use a DC adapter that supplies

12 volts and delivers at least 100 mA. Its center tip

must be set to positive and its plug must fit the repeater’s

12VDC 100mA jack. The recommended

adapter meets these specifications. Using an

adapter that does not meet these specifications

could damage the repeater or the adapter.

Always plug the adapter into the repeater before

you plug it into the cigarette-lighter socket, and un-plug

the adapter from the socket before you un-plug

it from the repeater.

1. Set the adapter’s voltage switch to 12 volts.

2. Attach the adapter’s 3.4 mm outer diameter/1.3

mm inner diameter adaptaplug to the adapter,

with TIP set to +.

3. Insert the adaptaplug into the repeater’s 12VDC

100mA jack.

4. Plug the adapter into the vehicle’s cigarette-lighter

socket.

CONNECTING TO THE TRANSCEIVER

For the best performance, place the repeater:

• as high as possible above all obstructions

• in a central area where all users can communicate

with each other.

Note: To avoid accidental transmission, turn off

your transceiver before connecting the repeater.

1. Insert the single 3 /32-inch (2.5-mm) plug on the

supplied "Y" patch cord into the repeater’s TO RADIO jack.

2. Insert the 3 /32-inch (2.5-mm) plug at the other

end of the "Y" patch cord into the transceiver’s

microphone jack. Then insert the 18-inch plug

on the "Y" patch cord into the transceiver’s ear-phone

jack.

To work with the Simplex Repeater Controller, all

transceivers you want to communicate with must

be on the same frequency and have the same Capabilities

(e.g., CTCSS or any type of private line

encoding or decoding). For the best range, place

the repeater radio’s antenna as high as possible.

1. Turn on the transceiver you connected to the

repeater, set the volume to its lowest level, and

adjust the squelch control to its mid-point.

2. Turn on a second transceiver, set the volume

to its mid-point, and turn the squelch control

clockwise until the hissing sound stops. Hold

down PTT (push-to-talk) on this second transceiver

without talking into its microphone.

3. Slowly increase the volume on the transceiver

you connected to the repeater until the indicator

on the repeater lights steadily. Then

increase the transceiver’s volume slightly.

4. Release PTT on the second transceiver.

5. Adjust the volume level on the transceiver you

connected to the repeater to the desired level.

6. Press PTT on the second transceiver and wait 1 second, then speak into the microphone. IF YOU DO NOT WAIT 1 SECOND TO START TALKING THE FIRST FEW WORDS WILL BE CLIPPED SHORT.

Release the button when you finish speaking. The repeater repeats your transmission. All other transceivers that are on the same frequency and within range of the transceiver you connected to the receiver receive your transmission.

Power Supply ................... 12 Volts, 100 Milliamps

Current Drain................................... <40 Milliamps

Battery Life 4 AAA  About 2 Months. WE FOUND ON MOST UNITS THE 4 AAA WERE NOT SUFFICIENT AND A EXTERNAL POWER SOURCE 12 VOLT DC WORKED VERY WELL.  ON SOME UNITS IT WAS MANDATORY.

Carrier Detect Activation Time............. <2 Seconds

Carrier Hang Time ............................... 1 /2 Second

Recording Time ................................. 30 Seconds

Dimensions (HWD) .......... 3 3 /4 ´ 2 1 /8 ´ 1 1 /16 Inches

(9.5 ´ 5.3 ´ 2.7 cm)

Weight (w/o Batteries) ................... 1.9 oz (54 gm)

YOUR COMMENTS AND SUGGESTION ON THIS AND FUTURE PRODUCTS YOU WANT REVIEWED CAN BE SENT TO N0UQZ@YAHOO.COM 

73'S JIM, N0UQZ REVIEW CHAIRMAN

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