How Does a Repeater Work?

While a two-way radio is a very simple device to use, many people don't fully understand how it works. This is especially true for the two-way radio repeater, which is an essential part of any reliable radio setup.

A two-way radio repeater is a device that acts like a link between two radio operators so that they can cover a larger area than usual. While many two-way radios only offer line-of-sight coverage, by incorporating a repeater into your setup, you can contact friends, family members or coworkers from much farther away.

Repeaters work by receiving the frequency from your two-way radio and re-transmitting it at a different frequency in real time. When the repeater re-transmits the frequency it does so at a higher wattage than usual in portable radios, which allows your two-way radios to broadcast audio to a much wider range of reception.

Not only can a repeater receive a frequency, it can also transmit a frequency at the very same time. Because of this, repeaters are often also called "transceivers."

The components of a repeater are the receiver, which accepts the incoming signal, and the transmitter, which boosts audio signals and transmits them to travel farther. A high-gain antenna is also an essential component to a repeater, as it transmits and receives signals. Aluminum cable feed lines are used to connect the antennae to the source, while a controller activates the repeater's transmitter, identifies the repeater's station ID, sends out pre-recorded messages and does a number of other tasks.

If you think that your two-way radio system could benefit from a repeater, Tech Wholesale carries a very reliable Two-Way Radio Repeater that works with a number of different two-way radios from top brands.