REP-200 Repeater Programming Questionnaire

Name: 

Address: 

City State ZIP code: 

Phone Number: 

Email Address: 

Enter the CWID message exactly as you want it, including spaces and punctuation. The normal type of id would be such as "WA2MXL/R". There is room for over 50 characters; however, you probably don't want to listen to a long id every 10 minutes for the life of the repeater, so use restraint in considering all sorts of suffixes, such as the name of your town. What may seem cute now may irritate you later on.  (Note: if you do not want to use a cwid, set it to the letter "e", which comes out as a beep, similar to the courtesy beep.)

CWID Message: 

Enter the exact repeater transmit (output) and receive (input) frequencies. Be careful to specify the repeater frequencies, not the frequencies used by the mobile stations.  Caution: It is easy to accidentally order a repeater with input and output frequencies reversed.  Please be careful and check to be sure you specify frequencies correctly.

Repeater Output (transmit) frequency (MHz): 

Repeater Input (receive) frequency (MHz):     

CONTROL PARAMETERS.

The next block consists of settings initialized when the microprocessor boots, i.e., when power is first applied. The first group consists of cor/cwid variables which have a range of settings; and the remaining group are switches which simply turn various features on or off when the microprocessor boots.

The microcomputer has variables in RAM which store the control parameters listed in this block.  When the computer boots, the default choices you make, which are burned into the EPROM, are transferred to RAM to be used during operation.  CW speed, cw tone, beep delay, tail time, and courtesy beep type can be changed by touch tone command, and the new settings are used as long as power is applied to RAM.  All of the on-off functions can also be operated by touch tone command. CWID interval and transmit time-out period are fixed constants which you will not be able to change later.

If there is no backup power and power is lost to the repeater, then the microcomputer will reload the original default settings from EPROM when power is restored, and any settings made by touch tone will revert to your default settings in EPROM according to the questionnaire choices you make.

COR/CWID VARIABLES.

Cw speed can be specified in 1 WPM increments from 5 to 22 WPM.  You can change this later by touch tone command, but the default will always be what you specify here.

CW Speed (WPM):  5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22

CW tone must be one of the following tones: 400, 500, 666, 1000, or 2000 Hz.

CW Tone (Hz):  400 500 666 1000 2000

CWID interval can be set to any value in the range of 5 to 25.5 minutes.  Since the courteous cwid waits until the user drops his carrier before it id's, the standard value of 9 minutes allows for some delay before the user drops his signal and still allows for id every 10 minutes.

CWID Interval (min.):  5 6 8 9 10 12 15 20 25.5

Beep delay is the period between the time the user drops his carrier and the courtesy beep. (The time-out timer is reset when courtesy beep occurs.) 1 or 2 seconds gives another party time to break in.

Beep Delay (sec.):  0 1 1.5 2 2.5 3 4 5

Tail time is the period between the courtesy beep and when the repeater carrier drops if no one is transmitting.  Normally, you want the tail to be long enough so that the repeater carrier only drops at the end of a QSO, allowing plenty of time for a user to key his mike if he wants to continue using the repeater.  This is especially important with frequency synthesized transmitters, since it takes almost a second for the transmitter to key up.  We highly recommend using the 5 second default tail time!

Tail Time (sec.):  0 1 2 3 5 7 10

Courtesy beep type is probably the most interesting choice you have to make because of the types available. Types are numbered from 0 to 6.

0 is no courtesy beep tone (disabled).

1 is a 500 Hz tone.

2 is a 666 Hz tone.

3 is a 1000 Hz tone.

4 is a 2000 Hz tone.

5 is a pleasant musical burst sequence of tones ranging from 2000 Hz down to 333 Hz. The whole burst is only 300 milliseconds long, so it is similar to a beep except that the frequency sweeps during the beep.

6 is a similar burst of tones ranging from 333 up to 2000 Hz.

If you care for this type of tone burst instead of a single tone, you might want to try type 6, which is very popular among our customers.

Courtesy Beep Type:  0 - No beep 1 - 500 Hz 2 - 666 Hz 3 -  1000 Hz 4 - 2000 Hz 5 - Bleep (down) 6 - Bleep (up)

Transmit time-out period is the maximum length of time the transmitter will stay on the air or the telephone line will remain connected without any further received signal activity (squelch close and open).  Every time the receiver squelch opens or the autopatch is turned on, a time-out timer is set to this value and starts running.  If the timer runs out with the patch connected or the transmitter on the air, the time-out condition shuts down the transmitter and autopatch.

Since the timer is reset every time a courtesy beep occurs or any time a user keys his microphone during autopatch operation, there is no need to be concerned about a transmission or phone call being limited to 3 minutes or whatever time you choose for this parameter.  User activity continually extends the time-out time.  The time-out period only applies if the transmitter or autopatch is out of control by the user, e.g., the repeater senses no further activity by the user because he drives out of range during a phone call or the squelch hangs up due to interference.

Xmit Time Out:  1 2 3 4 5 10 25

FEATURE SWITCHES.

The following features normally are turned on and off by owner-password access touch tone commands.  The items below may be initialized to either on or off state when the microcomputer boots, allowing you to decide now whether particular features, such as autopatch type and access, will normally be on or off.  Check the box to turn the feature on and clear it to turn the feature off.  Our default settings are indicated.

Kerchunk filter is a method of avoiding irritation by users who like to continuously click their mic button to see if a repeater is on the frequency. If you turn this feature on, the repeater carrier won't come on unless the initiating station transmits continuously for a little over one second. Once it comes on, it operates normally until the repeater is no longer being used for several minutes. Then the repeater will again go dormant until the one second squelch input signal requirement is met again. Most owners will seldom want to turn this feature on; so the standard setting is off.

Kerchunk Filter

Touch tone repeater access mode is similar to the kerchunk filter mode, except that access is allowed only if a required touch tone command is given by the user.  This can be used for closed-access operation of the repeater, with the access code given only to members.  The repeater will only respond if the required touch tone code is sent at the start of operation.  (Do not select both this and Kerchunk Filter.)

Touch Tone required to start using repeater

Open access autopatch is a mode allowing users to bring up the autopatch with a simple "* " command and knock the patch down with "#". This allows anyone driving through the area to use your autopatch. Closed access, when this feature is turned off, allows autopatch operation only with a full four digit command.

Open Access Autopatch

There are two types of reverse autopatch available, and only one, or neither, can be used at a time, not both.

Telephone remote control is the normal amateur type of reverse autopatch.  If the autopatch line rings, the repeater automatically connects the receiver audio to the phone line and allows the party on the phone (owner or control operator) to listen to the repeater input receiver and do touch tone commands through the telephone.  If he/she wishes to make an autopatch call through the repeater, the autopatch access code can be given to bring up the full autopatch.  If autopatch is not activated in such a way, the repeater disconnects automatically from the phone line after one minute, thereby allowing sufficient time to do control functions, such as inhibit the transmitter, which may need to be done by telephone command.

Ringtone reverse autopatch is the other option.  Instead of answering the phone line, the repeater generates a ringing signal on the air and allows a repeater user to answer the phone by using the normal autopatch command.  This type of operation is more suited to commercial radios or a closed repeater used by only a limited number of people, perhaps only the owner.

  Telephone Remote Control   Ringtone Reverse Autopatch   No Reverse Autopatch

Toll call allow is a means of defeating the toll call restrictor which is a normal part of any public access autopatch. The toll call restrictor automatically dumps the patch if someone tries to dial 0 or 1 or any other digit you designate as the first digit of a phone number.  Turn on this feature at your own risk!

  Allow Toll Calls

The repeater controller can regenerate autopatch dialing as pulses to use on rotary lines that don't allow touch tone dialing or in cases where the tones from the mobile or portable transceivers are not of good enough quality to effectively dial into the public telephone network.  When this feature is turned on, the user may use it or not use it as he sees fit if the autopatch is connected to a touch tone line.  If he enters the phone number immediately after the code to bring up the autopatch, the repeater pulse dials the call.  If he merely sends the command to bring up the autopatch and waits for a dial tone, he must use touch tone dialing.  If the pulse dial feature is turned off, he does not have that option; he must use conventional touch tone dialing only.  Since most repeaters do not need pulse dialing, we normally have this feature to default off; but there are installations which require it, for instance in countries without touch tone service.

  Pulse Dial Autopatch Calls

The repeater normally mutes any touch tones received on the primary receiver so they are not retransmitted on the repeater.  However, some owners prefer to have the touch tones retransmitted for paging purposes or in some linking installations. The normal setting is for muting to be active.  The TT Mute setting allows you to have the repeater default with muting turned off.

  Touch Tone Muting

There is an auxiliary circuit which may be used to control external devices, such as a subaudible tone decoder or other accessories.  This circuit can ground any dc control circuit operating on up to 15V and sink up to 200 mA.  Because it is used most often to turn ctcss on and off, we have named this function "CTCSS DEFEAT". However, you can use this control circuit for any other function if you do not need it to control a CTCSS module on the receiver.  You can initialize it either on (ground) or off (open circuit).

It is important to remember that on means ctcss is defeated and off allows ctcss to restrict access to the repeater; so don't get confused. Some owners like to have ctcss active all the time, in which case, ctcss defeat should default off. However, if you want ctcss to be used only as needed, you may want ctcss defeat to default on.

  CTCSS Defeat

We offer a voice id option for the repeater with an added digital voice recorder module installed next to the COR-5 control board.  If you purchase this option, a touch tone command allows you to switch between the regular cwid and the voice id.  You may specify that you want the repeater to id normally with voice instead of cw.  Otherwise, we normally set it up to default with cw id.  (Some customers have chosen to let it default to cw id and set it to voice id manually.  This allows them to know a power failure has occurred if they hear a cw id.)

  Voice ID

Auxiliary receiver function controls whether or not an aux. receiver has full access to the repeater.  You can use the aux. rcvr input of the repeater for several things.  The auxiliary rcvr may be used only to allow a secondary channel on which to send touch tone commands for control.  This feature is always available if an auxiliary rcvr is connected.  It can be used to selectively tie a second receiver for cross linking two repeaters or to provide a second input frequency.  In this case, a touch tone command is used to enable or disable the auxiliary rcvr, and this feature can be initialized either on or off.

  Auxiliary Receiver Repeats

Alarm function allows an external circuit to sound an alarm on the air if activated.  If you will use the alarm feature regularly, you should initialize it on so that if power fails and is restored, the alarm will always be reset to the on condition.  The alarm circuit requires an external switch of some sort to momentarily pull the input down to ground to trip the alarm.  If tripped in this way and the alarm is turned on, a wailing sound will be transmitted for a period of time.  Thereafter, the courtesy beep is changed to a short wailing sound until the alarm circuit is reset by touch tone command.  (Note:  If you do not connect the alarm circuit, it does no harm to leave this set to on, which is the default.  If you decide to use it later, you don't want the alarm feature to be disabled by a temporary loss of power.)

  Alarm

TOLL RESTRICTOR.

The autopatch can be set up to restrict certain digits from being used as the first digit of a phone number.  The default is to restrict 0 and 1 to prevent long distance calls from being made.  We can restrict first digits of your choosing.  These cannot be changed by touch tone command, but the owner can turn toll restrict on and off.

Another common type of phone call which costs money is "411" information calls. Our microcontroller is programmed such that if you specify "4" as a restricted digit, the autopatch only prevents calls starting with "411".  Any exchange with different second or third digits would be allowed, for example "425", so that you don't need to exclude all exchanges starting with "4" just to exclude "411" calls.

Note: there is a limit of three digits which can be restricted.  If you add something in "other digit", you must check no more than two of the first three boxes.

Toll Restrictor:
0
1
411
Other Digit:

DTMF CONTROL CODES.

At present, there are 53 touch tone commands which may be used to operate the repeater remotely. These include commands to change all the settings listed above plus some additional commands used for testing. Each command consists of four digits. The first three digits can be any combination of numbers or letters on a 16-digit touch tone pad (but not "* " or "#"). The last digit is always a "* " or "#".

The commands are usually in pairs, with the first three digits indicating the type of function, and the fourth digit, a "* " or "#" specifying one of two decisions: on or off, enable or disable, higher or lower, or some other such binary decision. No function can be performed without ending with either "* " or "#", which acts as a sort of binary "ENTER" key.

You may choose the first three digits of each command if you want to use something other than the "standard" codes we arbitrarily selected. If you want to use our standard code, simply leave your choice blank. If you want to use fewer than three significant digits, pad out the code with zeros as we did with "001*", etc. All commands must have four digits, counting the "* " or "#". 

Note that commands starting with 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80 are already used; so avoid them.  You can use codes starting with 0 and with 11, 12, 13, etc, but not 10.  That is because we already have commands such as 101, 102, 201, 202, 301, 302, etc. for changing many of the settings.  When we get a questionnaire which asks us to use such commands, we must change them to avoid conflicts.

The only commands for which you might want to use other than the default codes are the five listed on the questionnaire. That is because all the commands used for changing settings and testing functions are protected by the owner password; i.e., you must enter the owner password command in order to enable all of those commands to be recognized.

The full autopatch (closed-access) code and touch tone repeater access code (if you think you will ever use it) and the playback and record commands for the option digital voice recorder module are the only user commands.

The autopatch function allows a user to bring up or knock down the autopatch.

Autopatch Access Code: 

The touch tone repeater access function is used only if the owner chooses to set up the repeater for closed access by turning on the touch tone repeater access mode option. The touch tone repeater access (user) command allows a user to access or close down the repeater by touch tone command if you turn on this feature. (There is a separate command the owner uses to turn this mode on and off.) When someone wants to use the repeater, it will not respond until the user first enters the touch tone repeater access command to bring up the repeater the first time.

Touch Tone Repeater Access Code: 

The playback and record commands are used only if you have the DVR-3 Digital Voice Recorder option.  The playback command requests that the repeater play back the message previously recorded.  The record command allows you to remotely record a new message, in place of the old one, using the microphone on any transceiver.  This message can be played back manually as described above, or it can be used as a voice id in place of the cwid if you so choose.

DVR Playback Code: 

DVR Record Code:    

The owner password is required before all owner-only commands.  To perform any one of those functions, the owner must enable owner control mode by sending a command.  The "standard" which we use for testing is "999* ".  You obviously want to select your own hard-to-guess code for this one.  (Don't even trust your mother with this secret code!  Secrets have a way of getting around, and the only way to rectify the situation is for us to make a new EPROM for you.)

Once you send the owner password, you have access to all the commands normally used to turn features on and off, change cor/cwid parameters, or do testing.  Access to these functions remains in effect until either: the cwid occurs, at which time the computer automatically kills owner access, or you kill access before then by sending the corresponding "off" command, for which the "standard" code is "999#".

Owner Password: 

CTCSS Tone.

If you have ordered CTCSS (PL) option, that is handled by dip switches on the tone board, not in the eprom on the controller.  However, customers have found this is a good place to indicate preferences for tones.  If you have ordered the ctcss option, please complete the following.

CTCSS Option: None Receive Only Receive & Transmit

CTCSS Tone:  Hz

ADDITIONAL OPTIONS AND NOTES.

Space is provided at the bottom of the questionnaire to write any notes you may have or order any additional options you may want.  Refer to the on-line or printed catalog for a list of options.

You might want to consider the use of a crystal oven on the transmitter, for instance, which is desirable on any repeater, especially any on uhf or 900 MHz, but also good for any repeater if you can afford to go first class.  However, crystal ovens are not required on synthesized units because they contain a TCXO (temperature compensated crystal oscillator) frequency reference which has the same tight specs as an oven.

It isn't too late to order the DVR-3 Digital Voice Recorder option, which is very popular!  The price is reasonable, and it is a little easier for us to install it while we are building the repeater than to add it later, although you certainly can install it yourself later if you choose.

Comments:

Please review the choices you made thoroughly before submitting the form.

You can print this page (before submitting) so you have a record.  If you find later that you need to change something, please email us and let us know.