On 04/02/98 / 12:39:06, Brendan Keyport was babbling to Russ Wuertz
about: Re: 49Mhz to 6m...
RW>    OK... Does a 600 kHz offset make a difference when transmitting on  
00
RW> or more Watts.           When I transmit with more watts, do I need to 
have
RW> a duplex offset like that?   Or is that so conversations cannot be 
listened
RW> into because TX and RX are on different frequencies so a person has to be 
a
RW> part of the club to know all these offsets?        This history of these
RW> things I do not know.   What I should do to get my transmission sent more
RW> clearly w/out interfering with anyone I should be informed of.
All the offset is for is repeater use... it's just a way of us being able to
use the band most effectively. the 600 kHz split, I believe was most commonly
in use when it was desided that the ARRL needed to come up with some sort of
guideline to use the band. There may be some technical aspect behind it..
Anyway...
Repeater operation: TX on one frequency to the repeater. Repeater TXes on
another frequency (at a pre-programed interval) to get your signal farther.
That's the critical point..
If you are talking on a repeater transmitting on 146.62mHz, it is supposed to
be listening to 146.02mHz. It simply uses it's superiour equiment to pick up
your signal, and repeat it out to the masses on it's 146.62mHz frequency.
The advantages of this is rather simple. In FM, most operations, if not all,
are line of sight. Repeaters are usually located in such a location, that 
hey
cover a MUCH wider area that you can. For example, I can transmit about 20
miles on my handheld most cases around town. if I used the 145.33 repeater 
it
recieves on 144.73, -600kHz offset) - my signal would be able to reach at
_LEAST_ 70 miles in all directions of the repeater's site.
Ya get the picture?
PoohBear Wuz Here, B Keyport, N7UIE
--- MacKennel 2.6
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