1. TACTICAL REPEATER & RETRANSMITTER SYSTEMS and REMOTE BASE OPERATIONS
Special Presentation to the
2019 ASRC Winter Retreat
Gene Harrison
ASRC – NCRC – CAP - MARS
12 Jan 2019
Revision 3.1
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2. COMMUNICATIONS IS YOUR LIFELINE!! FUNDAMENTAL RULES
* IN FIRST! OUT LAST!
* ALWAYS ON & LISTENING!
* COVERAGE EVERYWHERE!
* ALWAYS ABLE TO SUPPORT
& COORDINATE!
* EVERYBODY IN FIELD OR
AT RISK NEEDS COMMS!
* ALWAYS HAVE BACKUPS!
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3. RELAYS, REPEATERS & RETRANSMITTERS?
COMMS QUESTIONS
WHAT ARE
RELAYS, REPEATERS & RETRANSMITTERS?
But must understand::
What are the actual operational mission needs for sar, cave & other tactical operations?
Why are our tactical & deployed operations & needs so different, and so hard to accomplish?
Why do we need “good” communications?
What are good (essential!) Communications?
What do we mean by reliability, availability, suitability, viability, security, range, coverage, propagation, capacity, contention, *interoperability*… (insert many other buzzwords!!)
(lots more questions, issues, concerns…!)
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4. CONTENTS Star & multipoint networks Isolated nets Manual voice relay
Automatic repeaters
Automatic retransmitters
Local & remote base systems
Retransmitter design & costs
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5. STAR NETWORK (SIMPLEX)F1
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6. MULTIPOINT NETWORK (SIMPLEX)F1
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7. MULTIPOINT NETWORK (SIMPLEX)F1
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8. ISOLATED NETS! (BAD NEWS!)
Simple Simplex Signals F1
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9. MANUAL VOICE RELAY (TIME DELAY SIMPLEX)
Simple Simplex Signals F1
Manual Relays
Awkward & Unreliable
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10. MANUAL VOICE RELAY (2-STEP BASE to FIELD)
Simple Simplex Signals
Manual Relays
Awkward & Unreliable F1
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11. MANUAL VOICE RELAY (2-STEP FIELD to BASE)
Simple Simplex Signals
Manual Relays
Awkward & Unreliable F1
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12. AUTOMATIC REPEATER (1-WAY DUPLEX RELAY)
BOTH Repeater & ReTrans F2 F1 R T
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13. AUTOMATIC REPEATER (1-WAY DUPLEX RELAY)
BOTH Repeater & ReTrans F1 F2 R T
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14. AUTOMATIC REPEATER (BASE to FIELD)
BOTH Repeater & ReTrans F1 F2 R T
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15. AUTOMATIC REPEATER (FIELD to BASE)
BOTH Repeater & ReTrans F1 F2 R T
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16. AUTOMATIC REPEATER (FIELD to FIELD)
BOTH Repeater & ReTrans F1 F2 R T
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17. AUTOMATIC REPEATER (“TALKAROUND” CHANNEL)
BOTH Repeater & ReTrans F1 F2 R T
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18. RETRANSMITTER (2-WAY DUPLEX RELAY)
ONLY ReTransmitter! F2 F1 R T
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19. RETRANSMITTER (2-WAY DUPLEX RELAY)
ONLY ReTransmitter! F1 F2 R T
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20. RETRANSMITTER (FREQ REUSE & MONITOR)
ONLY ReTransmitter! F1 F2 R T
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21. REMOTE BASE (BASE to FIELD)
ONLY ReTransmitter! F1 F2 R T
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22. REMOTE BASE (FIELD to BASE)
ONLY ReTransmitter! F1 F2 R T
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23. RETRANSMITTER (FIELD to FIELD)
ONLY ReTransmitter! F1 F2 R T
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24. AUTOMATIC REPEATER (Using RETRANSMITTER)
BOTH Repeater & ReTrans F1 F2 R T
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25. LOCAL & REMOTE BASES TYPICAL FIELD USE
ONLY ReTransmitter! F3 F1 F2 R T
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26. LOCAL & 2 REMOTE BASES TYPICAL FIELD USE
ONLY ReTransmitter! F5 F1 F4 F2 F3 R T
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27. RETRANSMITTER DEPLOYMENT
Battery &
Power Supply
Antenna
Mast
Handy High Hilltop...
BOTH Repeater & ReTrans
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28. RETRANSMITTER BLOCK DIAGRAM
ReTrans Changes
[ 2 Transceivers
vs RX & TX ]
T/R F2
1-5W F1 RF
Amp
25W
Cavity Filter
Retrans
Controller
Battery &
Power Supply
F2 (Control)
F1 (Tactical)
On/Off Control
Receive Audio
Receive COR
Transmit Audio
Transmit PTT
Control
12 VDC
External Power Inputs
Antenna
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29. RETRANSMITTER COSTS
NOTE:: THIS IS A BIG EXAMPLE! VERY SMALL SYSTEMS ALSO AVAILABLE!
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30. SUMMARY RELAYS, INCLUDING REPEATERS & RETRANSMITTERS
PROVIDE LONGER RANGES & WIDER COVERAGE AREAS
CONNECT FORMERLY REMOTE OR ISOLATED USERS & NETS
ENHANCE INTEROPERABILITY
SEEM SIMILAR, AND ALL ARE NEEDED
AUTOMATIC SYSTEMS ARE SUPERIOR TO MANUAL RELAYS
RETRANSMITTERS ALWAYS OUTPERFORM REPEATERS
IDENTICAL RANGE & COVERAGE ADVANTAGES
SIMILAR OPERATIONAL MISSION SUPPORT CAPABILITIES
DRAMATIC IMPROVEMENTS IN MISSION & COVERAGE FLEXIBILITY
SUPPORT EXISTING SAR RADIOS & CONFIGURATIONS
MINOR (OR NO!) TRAINING CHANGES
MODEST EQUIPMENT & SIZE/WEIGHT/POWER CHANGES
MINOR COST DIFFERENTIALS
RECOMMENDATIONS::
ALWAYS IMPLEMENT RETRANSMITTERS, NEVER REPEATERS!
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31. QUESTIONS?? Gene Harrison ASRC – NCRC – CAP – MARS bats@starpower.net
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