Home

Siting, power and antennas

Where to put a repeater, and how to power it.

Where a repeater sits matters more than which radio it uses. These are the things that make a site work.

Types of site

  • Primary: mountaintops and high ridges. These carry the network across long distances and link whole valleys. Please talk to us before you put one up.
  • Secondary: hills, towers, water towers and tall buildings. These fill in between primary sites and neighborhoods.
  • Home or neighborhood: a rooftop or a high window. It's hard to go wrong adding one where coverage is weak.

Height and a clear view

  • Get the antenna as high as you can, with a clear view toward where people are.
  • Hills, buildings and trees block the signal. A few extra feet above the roofline can make a big difference.
  • Height beats antenna gain. A modest antenna up high outperforms a big one low down.

Antennas

  • Use an antenna made for 915 MHz, mounted vertically.
  • Keep it clear of metal, like gutters and roof vents.
  • Keep any cable between the radio and antenna short. Long cable loses signal.
  • Never power on a radio without its antenna attached.

Power

  • Most remote repeaters run on a small solar panel, a charge controller and a battery, in a weatherproof box.
  • Low-power boards, like those built on the nRF52 chip, get by on much less solar than ESP32 boards.
  • Size for winter. Idaho days are short and panels get snow. Plan for several cloudy days in a row.
  • Lithium cells shouldn't be charged below freezing. Pick a charger or battery that handles cold, or keep the battery sheltered.

Next steps