Review GMRS-RPT50 REPEATER

General Description

The GMRS-RPT50 is a self contained 50W GMRS Repeater including Power Supply, Duplexer, Controller, and Identifier. The complete repeater can easily be mounted in a 19" rack cabinet with the included brackets as well as a desktop.

The repeater FCC Part 95E certified for GMRS use in the US and comes pre-configured with the all GMRS channels.


The Shipment includes

GMRS-RPT50 Repeater
Rack Mounting Brackets and hardware
AC Power Cord
DC Power Cord
Microphone
USB Programming Cable
31 Page User and Setup Guide

FCC Part 95E certified - 2AGNDGMRSRPT50

Frequency Range

GMRS Channels 15 thru 22 (50W)
Channels are preprogrammed and front panel selectable.

Features Include

- All preprogrammed GMRS frequencies
- Full functioning Controller Board
- Absolutely no assembly required
- Factory Tuned Duplexer
- All mounting Hardware

Specifications

   Transmit     Receive     General

Enclosure and Mount

Main chassis size:
   19.0" (36.6CM) Wide
   14.4" (36.6CM) Deep
    3.5" ( 8.8CM) High

Weight:
   25.25lb (11kg)

Antenna Termination:
   Type N

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Display

The front panel has is a color 3.5" TFT LCD display. Both the front panel display and front control panel can be powered On/Off by the front panel or microphone. All functions and setting are selectable by the front panel, eliminating the need to drag a laptop to the repeater site for minor changes.

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Transmitter / Specifications

I tested the repeater on the internal 120VAC power supply. Audio test reports are excellent. The high power rating is projected to be 50W on high power. Running the radio into my calibrated Bird Wattmeter showed a solid 48W.

Continuous Duty - Factory tests show that the repeater was locked down in the transmit mode non stop for 3 days with the power only dropping to 40W. After a quick cool down, the power recovered to 47W.

Receiver / Specifications

Receiver sensitivity is excellent, and with the included duplexer there was no desense on incoming signals.

Microphone

The microphone PTT is disabled as its primary function is for programming. Keying the transmitter requires an nearby base or handheld.

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Programming

There is a USB port on the front used for PC programming with the repeaters software, however as mentioned above, once initially programmed, the front panel allows everything.
Although the screen functions are pretty much self exclamatory, the manual explains the functions in detail.

Once programmed, the selected repeater channel can be locked to avoid accidental frequency changes.

Firmware

The GMRS-RPT50 firmware is upgradable. The current firmware and update instructions are available on the BTech website.

Controller and Identifier

The repeater controller allows you to select features such as Repeater ID, Speed and Cycling, Delay Times and Duration. (Information on the Morse Identifier)
The identifier allows for CTCSS/DCS if desired. This allows for the Morse ID'er to be heard by all stations on the channel, regardless of the tone settings.
A courtesy tone option can also be selected to indicate the end of an individual's transmission.

Power Supply

The internal AC supply provides more than enough power to run the repeater at full power at 100% power. The cooling system is a set of quiet dual fans pulling any generated heat through at the vented cabinet. The power supply output voltage is displayed on the front LCD.

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Duplexer

The GMRS-RPT50 includes a full 50W UHF duplexer factory tuned to GMRS repeater frequencies.
462.5 - 462.8MHz and 467.5 to 467.8MHz, allowing full duplex operation with a single antenna.

Note: The duplexer does Not need to be retuned if changing to an alternate GMRS channel.

In Summary

Once the GMRS-RPT50 is setup, it performs beautifully. 50W of power, clean audio, full controller with all timers and identifier, all fully self contained. It's a complete a GMRS repeater ready to be rack mounted at a repeater site or placed as part of your existing radio room.

Note: This repeater was designed to meet the specifications of BTech. This is Not a Baofeng product and is only available from BTech directly. All support for the GMRS-RPT50 is from BTech, located in Arlington, SD USA.