Retevis RT97 Repeater - Ham / GMRS Portable SHTF Repeater - Emergency Communications, Camping, & Fun
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- Опубліковано 4 лют 2025
- The Retevis RT97 is a fully portable Ham OR GMRS repeater, capable of transmitting on either GMRS or HAM bands AND digital / DMR. I give an overview of the Retevis RT97 Ham and GMRS repeater, test the power output and test the range.
Links:
RT97 Portable repeater - GMRS version: amzn.to/3ud4Eys
RT97 VHF/HAM & Digital version: amzn.to/3o8eznX
Midland 6DB GMRS Mobile antenna: amzn.to/3AP7L1U
Midland NMO Mag-Mount w/Cable: amzn.to/3zM0I91
Jackery 1000 Solar Generator: amzn.to/3m1JoYS
Genius Boost GB-150 battery-pack/jump starter: amzn.to/3uoS4fx
Wouxun KG-935G handheld GMRS radio: www.buytwowayr...
You can get the Surecom SW-102 Power/SWR Meter here:
amzn.to/3CZgu3f
You can get the 50W dummy-load that I use, here:
amzn.to/381iUA2
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--- Step-by-step guide to purchasing your GMRS license:
www.notarubico...
---- How to listen to/talk on my repeater from anywhere in the world using the Zello App: www.notarubico...
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--- My equipment:
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Mic boom-arm: amzn.to/2S6OuYO
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Music by Stern Beats - You can find him here:
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#GMRS #Repeater #HamRadio
Holy shit, you're a massive dick. I'm here to learn how to get into a hobby and you're throwing out the r-word like it's nothing. God damn, I'll find someone else to learn from.
If you think anyone cares about your little hissyfit, you have vastly overestimated your place in this world.
@@TheNotaRubicon I just bought one, so there you have it! For Church Camp...Language - With Love, CAP. HAHA. Great Vid man!
ill pray for you and your misguided thoughts, and have yourself a Bud Light.
Found the r-word
Retard is a legitimate word in The English Language 😎 ... Example: Jacob has very Retarded thinking,... Jacob has a Retarded view of this YT Channel.
That leather strap is made of genuine disappeared dissidents.
7:46 leather strap
uh.....that might be more true than not with all the forced organ harvesting thats been revealed lately.
Uyghurs?
Made by. 😂
Uyghrs are a gmo free, renuabel resource.
This guy has mastered UA-cam. You literally have to watch every minute to catch all the gags.
Not bad for a guy with a face made for radio and a voice patented for silent film.
And a stare that stops planes mid air.
@@SteelWolf13 😂😂😂
Gotta love the representation, too, for those of us who have so long been in the closet (RadioSexuals).
I know !
🤣😂
I have one of these on our ranch in the coastal bend area of Texas, fairly flat except for creek and river areas. It is located in area without any power so we Run it off of deep cycle batteries and solar.Comet CA-712EFC GMRS antenna at 65 feet, 20-25 mile coverage depending on direction.
Been operational for a year, 0 problems ! cousins also have one at the hq of their ranch, running on 110v with 0 problems ! Everyone that has used it have been really impressed with how well this sucker works!
Thanks for sharing. I’m in the process of setting one up on the same Comet antenna at 56 feet, Nice to hear how well it works for you.
Thanks so much for your review. Do you guys or your cousins leave the repeater on 24/7?
I am a HAM and also in the IE. I finally took the plunge and submitted my app for my GMRS license yesterday because of your videos. Thanks for the informative content.
I am learning a ton here!! all in a humorous and easy to learn-format
Hi Arnelle, same here I am in the IE, but mostly been using CB comms. Going to get the GMRS license and setup a base station. I have a Boaufeng hand held, but only able to reach one repeater with it, so I think a 50w basestation and proper antenna is going to be my approach.
Plunge? It’s $35 dude 🙄
I subbed because unlike all those other UA-cam content creators….you … did not pressure me to do so. Love your content. As a newbie it’s incredibly helpful
Spent past 48 hours watching your entire playlist. I’m now a licensed gmrs man. I’ve told all my friends I’m a radio 📻 man now. Get a boofeng if you wanna talk to me. Def buying this repeater with my tax return. 😅 and your jeep antenna … I already have a few jackeries to power it all.
As your favorite viewer, despite being a ham operator, I felt compelled to tell you that this was my favorite video of yours yet.
But I’m his favorite viewer!
Just an update for ya, I just recently received my Retevis RT97 Repeater and it is aluminum.🤘 I was pretty pumped about that. Thanks for the videos, they are really helping me out. 🤘... I know I just posted this but I went to edit comment and somehow deleted it entirely 🤦🏼♂️.
I got my RT97 last week. Programming was super easy with their software. Connected to a Nagoya 770G antenna using Nagoya magnetic base I measured output of 6.64 watts w/ SWR of 1.00. Connected to a Harvest BC-200 base antenna and 15’ of LMR-400 the output measured 7.12 watts and SWR remained at 1.00.
What kind of range in what kind of terrain?
Did you program the repeater to reverse from transmit low freq / receive high frequency to the opposite
I love the combination of technical topics AND HUMOR...well done sir!~
Thanks!
We got a GMRS and a 2 meter both running on 12v DC on a mountain top here in WV so we can talk between several holler's communities Solar panels for the power and a 40 ft telephone pole 35 ft in the air. Took 2 days to get the pole to the top of the mountain but the 4 communities did it. we get a lot of Cell Phone and Landline phone outages along with power outages. So it total Solar power. This way in SHTF or loss of power, telephone, cell service we can talk between the communities
Repeater in a box seems like a cool idea.
I love this guy, literally been binge watching him for 5 hours.
I first watched him at the start of the boofwang craze. I found him interesting and funny but at the time I couldn’t really care less about radios. (I own 5 now…) once I did though I binged his channel for days 😭 autoplay would put on I video I wouldn’t click on otherwise. And it ended up not only teaching me stuff but made me laugh like CRAZY
He makes my belky sore from laughing😂😂😂😂😂
The pencils!!! Just cringe while laughing....
I bet you resemble that statement too.
You are an asset to the GMRS community. I'm new to your productions and enjoy your presentation of topics. You have a very talented way of delivery to those that want to hear you and to those who are just nosing in. keep the spirt and stay strong.
Thank you so much for your encouragement. It's so good to know that I'm your favorite viewer! That must surely be because you are also my favorite maker of UA-cam radio related videos. Thanks for the great videos!
I love my kg-935g Randy! I have simplex'd my step-father 26.5 miles away! My next "must have" is the repeater. Thank You for the excellent video.
This guy and his channel are hilarious!!!!! I gave his vids a try and my first impression was to just pass all together because they seemed to be too long.
Wrong!! If this were any of the other cats on the other channels, then yes....way too long.
What he does (you) have found a way to speak factually and you don't pause, or go on and on about unrelated nonsense. Your vids are labeled, you give us the run-down and you do son while speaking in a non apologetic way. Great job!
I am new to the hobby.
Thank you for your help, I truly appreciate your time and efforts.
@notarubicon productions Who knew I was ignorant of an entire discipline of electronics, for which I have no immediate need, but now have tremendous curiosity? I think this is exemplary UA-cam content, delivered by a very enjoyable provider. Thank a bunch!
I likething as a camp site repeater. Packs up easy, sets up easy.
Thank you for the review... I've been checking that one out for a couple of years... I think after this review I am ready to get one. You do awesome reviews!!!!
We had a power outage a couple months ago that made our cellphones nearly useless. The cell towers batteries died after around 12 hours. Local internet was also down even though my equipment has backup battery power. We had limited connectivity from a tower much further away if you stood on your head with one hand doing a swirl pattern outside 309 paces from the back door. Had the power outage been just a little wider that may not have been an option. I'm happy I have backup communication.
You’re happy why? You didn’t use them, nobody you know has them. Are you expecting Captain America to answer your SOS call when SHTF? 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
I chose GMRS for family SHTF comms. Your channel is why I learned about GMRS and when through you site to get my license. No way I could get my family member to get their ham license. Thanks for everything brother. I do have some ham HT’s but I haven’t studied for my test yet.
That was totally one of the best pieces of cinema I have ever seen to date, excellent work.
I just took my RT97 up on a hillside overlooking The Snake River, Nampa, Caldwell and beyond. I got a clear, strong signal from my brother at +20 miles using Boefeng UV-5R radios. His is 5W, mine is 8W but I was standing right next to the repeater. It's a good thing he heard me because the battery was dead on my UTV and I needed to be rescued. I'm fairly certain we will be able to do much better.
"Those who think they can use there cell phone when the SHTF will be the first to go. Then everybody will get your toilet paper." 🤣🤣🤣
Well, now. That is one quality video! I thoroughly enjoyed the explanation and demonstration. Very professional job! Thanks very much for the to the others for quality, cooperation and professionally communicating during the portable repeater test. Not bad for a shade tree rock crawler. This display of learning outside the proverbial box is in good standing to the GMRS and overland community.
Just found your channel, love it, do you use music from Vegetable Police?
Chino? Oh hell, you're in my backyard! I love the no nonsense way you put the info for comms out. Definitely earned a subscriber.
Oh yeah, and if you want Jeep capabilities with car comfort, do like me and get a Bronco (got dig at the Jeep guys). Great channel.
Perfect ad break. I have been wanting this product since H. Katrina destroyed the phone network in the landmass between Mobile, AL & New Orleans, LA. It would have been useful in the interim 6-weeks of no cell towers.
I almost emailed you yesterday to get your opinion on this repeater. Thanks for the review!
New to your channel. Just got my license today. Only repeater in my state that I can think of is 2 hrs away. Diffidently going to look into this. Great Video
I recently purchased and received my
Amateur RT-97, for the 440 MHz band,
and it is simple to use as you said. I
had researched what frequencies might
be available here and selected one pair
of them which is in the clear here. It
works well, and with program, I adjusted
the squelch tail length. I did find that it
puts out about 5 watts after system losses,
as you said. I am able to use a BTech UHF
amplifier and take the 5 watts and increase
the output to about 40 watts.
This just gave me more ideas for portable repeater system. I didn't even think about adding a btech amp to it.
@@cujo229 Yes it does work.
@@raymondmartin6737 I'm seriously considering this as a easy plug and go setup
May I ask how far this repeater will receive mobile signals when the amplifier is engaged? Unless I hear differently, I will assume that you can't hear anyone farther than about 100 feet away.
@@VoiceofNH my question as well unless they opened the box and inserted the amp between the transmitter and the duplexer
Your channel is a gold mine. Thanks for all the info!
Things do get serious real quick. I live in Alaska and our last big earthquake knocked out cellphones for several hours after. Even when cellphones were back online, there was so much celluar traffic, most people could not even get a call in to emergency services. Thats why im getting my own repeater. Also should note, in Alaska, we have ways of contacting emergency services using radios because of how remote our state is.
Just started watching your videos tonight. Dude you are so funny. I have been laughing my head off with your puns. Thanks for all the info. I am totally new to this stuff. My nephew just told me about gmrs tonight. I had never heard of it. I am located very close to Chino. 55/91
Very good presentation. I just got into gmrs since the wife does not want to study for the ham license. I will buy it as a second means of communication especially in times of emergency. Thanks Randy.
Hey man, great videos!!! I am one of those HAM people, but I'm not the cyber, hateful, sociopath type lol. I have a techician license and a GMRS license. Really appreciate your NO BS videos. Cheers!
Another very informative review (with affiliate links below)! 😎 I've been prepping for SHTF for almost 2 years and have a small collection of VHF/UHF and GRMS radios. I'm also seriously considering a Base or Mobile repeater since there appears to be very few repeaters in the high desert areas of So-Cal. I'm at 3,500 ft. (in Apple Valley highlands) and have a very open line-of-sight to my East, West, San Bernardino National Forest to my South, with some minor obstructions to my North. Great review ~ Thanks! 😊
Greetings from Needles. Still a ways away hah
@@TheDombrowSKISKI~ Hi Alex! 😎 Yes, you're in a border town, where the gas is much cheaper on the other side of the river! I have a few friends and relatives in Amboy and Cadiz, CA., Fort Mojave, and Kingman, AZ.
Thanks for the vid. Pretty cool. Ive always been interested in repeaters in general(Im a HAM but Im not sad!) but also mobile repeaters. This would be great even in a semi permanent setup. And for just a bit better performance, adding a good 45 or 50 watt UHF amplifier would make it perfect! That power drop to 5-6 watts due to the insertion loss and duplexer would be perfect for the input wattage of an amp.
🤘
I just posted about the amp idea. Retevis makes an amp combo package. Have you or do you know anyone who has tried this?
It would make it 'half-perfect'. The amplifier on the output would certainly amplify the transmitter output, but would act as an attenuator for anything it was trying to receive. It would work on the bench, but not much farther than that.
Great video! If anyone is interested in making a little project out of this, I purchased one of these & mounted it in a watertight ammo box. I added a LifePo battery & fusebox. I tossed in an external SO-239 connector & terminals going right to the LifePo for charging. It's all controlled via a marine power panel (with a few USB/Cigarette plugs as an added bonus)... I keep a couple HTs programmed accordingly & it all serves as a nice little shit-hit-the-fan repeater setup.
Another great video! Thank you for all the great content! Even the guys around me at work now say “how many fars can it talks” because they always hear me listening to your videos. 😂
Well, to be fair, leather tends to outlive a cow, so there is that. I loved the video. Very amusing and informative. Thank you.
Good Review. You put a smile on my face every time. Thanks! I have a hard time removing the freshness labels tho...😂
Very impressive !... I am brand new to Radio in general & GMRS, just got my Baofeng GMRS Radio,... There is just one Repeater about 20 miles from me in a small town, another about 50 miles away but NONE in my town,... This Repeater could reach about 60K peeps if it was on a hill !
To think that this unit with a Solar Panel, Charge Controller, Battery & "maybe" a better Antenna for under $1k could really do a lot for my community is pretty amazing.
Absolutely lost it at the Chinglish. Great video and humor.
Thanks for the tip about the Jakery. I was thinking of getting a different solar unit bc I didn’t know I could connect the Jackery.
You wouldn’t happen to have an affiliate link would you. Bah Hah Hah…
Still my favorite channel.
What a great review. As things are going I have been doing a deeper dive into shtf communications. Thank "you"
Thanks for the review. Very informative. Studying for the HAM test and suddenly I was able to understand some of the terminology. (Won’t be a sad ham…don’t worry)
"we're going to get your toilet paper" That cracked me up yet it's so true... I've got a mental list of people who's "toilet paper" I'm taking first when it starts...
Just a quick note. If you power the repeater (or any other transceiver) from your vehicle, you will get approximately 13.8 volts. If you use a battery pack you will get about 12.6 max. This does make a difference.
This is something you cannot beat for many situations. Thank You
Have you herd of the 97s , I just ordered one I hope it is as good or better .I thank you for answering my last question .your channel is priceless to us begin ers as well the well pro's lol
Peeling back the freshness label made this an ASMR video for me.
@11:25 ...Oh baby take that off 🤣 with a "satisfied sign" ROFL 🤣
Thanks for a great review, Randy. Really cool toy, lol. Thanks for your time, sir.
Good video, like checking out your "links below" now in every disaster movie the first thing people do is look at their cell phone, and the comment "the phones are out" so like yourself I ham having so much fun on FRS/GMRS, even though having a ham license for many years.
Love your content along with your sarcasm and humor. Good job my friend!
I am looking at these. Even now cell service around here is spotty on the upper Great Plains where you can watch your dog run away for 2 weeks. I have a ham licence but the GMRS and FRS gets used way more.
Uh, I suggest pausing a little longer between holding the unit up by your head and then commenting “not much going on here”. Hahahaha
Another educational session which made me smile while becoming educated about strategies to speak many more fars plus be prepared for when SHTF strategies
in my country the Philippines, HAM radio/frequency is commonly used. good to know about this. more power to your channel!
Love this guy at least he,s not fake he tells it like it is.
OG Notarubicon crew… Simply the Best!
Nice review, I have one of these RT 97, and it works great for the family communication..
I was wondering how high the repeater is and how far it reaches...Thanks.David.
Thank you for this, if only to hear the melodic voice of my favorite NetOp, the legendary Deadhead Dave.
“How many fars can it talk?” 😂
Thank you, Randy. Looks like a solution that is almost too good to be true. For our CERT use, could be a great help within one of our valleys, or from one of our hilltops.
I love your new re20 mic. Glad to see you upgrade
Fun fact, that housing is the same housing cable companies use for trunk amps and line extenders on the telecom lines
I've been hoping you would be reviewing this device. Thanks!
“We’re going to get your toilet paper” lol. Love this channel.
I love your sense of humor.
i looked high and far for someone to actually be able to teach radio on youtube, and then i happen to find like, the funniest fuckin guy who does so.
Just got my GMRS license. Looking forward to building a base.
We tried to buy one for the club but could not get a straight answer from Retevis. I am glad it sounds and looks good. There is a future in that small repeater so I hope it takes off and they sell alot.
Add a +7db antenna on a thirty foot flagpole, pre-tuned of course, and as always, the best low loss coax available so that 7 db gain antenna stays 7 db gain and get even further counties on the air..
May I know what's your questions on this repeater RT97?
@@BI6KXX Not in a public setting.
I absolutely love this channel! I was looking at this product today and amused by the "pelican case" aesthetic... 😁 Almost tacticool lol
Did you notice that the case says "line amplifier"?? That's because its for cable tv. Did you ever wonder how the cable company gets those tv signals through miles of coax but there is still enough power at the other end for your tv to pick up the signal? They place 'line amplifiers' every so often along the coax. Some genius in China noticed that it would be the perfect weather proof box for a GMRS repeater. They save a lot of bucks not having to design and manufacture a box for their repeater so we can get it for a measly $399. And, Randy, you were questioning the leather strap for a handle. There is no handle on a cable tv line amplifier box so they added that and I'll bet they just used the cheapest material they could find that didn't have to be manufactured to fit the box. I think its brilliant. I need to get me one.
This is the first of his videos I’ve watched. It’s safe to say I picked a good one. LoL! Funny guy and good info.
Do you need a seperate license for the repeater? Any requirement to register it in your area? Or your GMRS license covers to operate the repeater as well. Thank You!!
no separate license is required and there is no registration, coordination, or anything else. Just plug it in and start using it.
So here is the question I have. Could you place two-three of these in your urban/rural area and link them together to get further talking distance. I.E. where you're starting to lose communications, could you place another repeater in that area and reach a further coverage area? I live in S.E. Michigan so we have some major cities, but I live north of Detroit by about 35 miles in a farmland community.
The intro 😂 'From TCH-ina!'
Some of most enternaining and informative info UA-cam.
I hear a return order to Retivis is only accepted after 30 lashings with a bamboo stick. I like Amazon returns too 😀
I'm still waiting on my Retevis order. Stuck on China for a month now.....
@@dunatyphon5416 if possible, you can contact directly with the seller to check what's wrong with your order.
@@BI6KXX its sitting on one of those cargo ships in the middle of the ocean.....Thanks Dems..
@@michaelfoster6706 well said
Excellent review....Just a hunch on the leather handle but plastic can create static....somewhat like sliding a gas can across a bedliner in a pickup or scraping your feet on a rug. Who knows. Just a hunch
Dude, I live in a town that is about 2000 people in the middle of the Rockies. Honestly I think GMRS would be an awesome idea for this area. What is happening now but most of what we have is CB with a great deal of harmonics from channel to channel. I have been exposed to HAM for many year because my father was a microwave radio technician for Pacific Bell back in the day and is an Amateur Extra. I never got my lisence because I am kind of a hermit but I understand the potential of comm on radio. I would love to pick your brain and would love to bring GMRS to the area. Thanks for listening.
I enjoy the dansrychofaldian import of your excellent electronics communications videos, and resultantly look forward, with glee no less, to acquiring certain items featured therein.
You are just great, you have totally swayed me to GMRS over ham =) Newbie here. Have watched so many of your videos in the span of a week. Even caught that live chat! "Have I seen you before" LOL Hugs Randy !
I may have overlooked it somewhere on your site, but how are you preparing for an EMP? Can you do a video on this for electronic owners. Thx.
Thank you - used your ------- affiliate link that I found below............to order a repeater, SWR meter and dummy load - THANK YOU.
Everybody please by this repeater.... I mean everyone.
Once you have it set up.... send me your config so I can use it. Preferably you all buy them and then spread them out every 30 miles or so up and down California so I can connect from Redding to San Diego. Your cooperation is greatly appreciated. :🤣
No jumping on GMRS.
Spoken like a true Californicator
Imagine living in a communist shit hole 🤣
Thank you randy.planning for one for the base
love the vid , makes me fully commit to this GMRS , Been looking for a Good radio , also like that you are local as well
For the record. Society knows, especially the Interwebz, what the term ‘sad ham’ means because of this channel.
GMRS is the cool kid on the block nowadays with its linked repeaters, it’s extortion pay to play license to the man, and a cheap none compliant part 95 radio, you can literally talk nation wide if you are near a linked repeater.
I love radio, and I don’t discriminate against any one radio hobby. I’ll never understand the point of QSO to distant stations, just to write it in a log book to tell someone else about a 15 second conversation.
During an actual SHTF scenario, any and all bands are open.
Personally I think MURS is a forgotten gem. GMRS is the Twitter of radio while MURs is Napster and myspace.
The strap may be real leather...but is is "Rich, Corinthian Leather"?
Just ordered one thank you for your great review
If I had that kind of monies, I would sit up all night & look at it.
Yeah we're all ready today there brother let's just see what you have to offer in your video
Thanks for this video. I came across it after watching the one about Midland. If the manufacturing location and price didn't matter, which would you choose? Thanks
Thank you for the demo. I found the meter in-line with the dummy load a great visualization of your description of power loss internal to the unit.
I just purchased one of these to use with our vintage car club radio system. We run road coarses with enough elevation change to challenge our VHF analog system. Anxious to see the results at our next event in a couple of weeks.