double the power is a 3DB increase, which will result in 1/2 S-unit increase in signal. There will be very little, if any, difference. Unless you can do the upgrade for free, it is not worth it.
------ Original Message ------ Received: Mon, 05 Feb 2007 08:47:45 AM CST From: "Tony L." <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: [email protected] Subject: [Repeater-Builder] Effects of doubling RF output on UHF repeater? > One of our 70cm Amateur Radio repeaters is currently outputting 50 > watts into the duplexer. We're considering replacing the existing RF > power amp with a 100 watt model. > > Current draw on the 50 watt unit is 8 amps. The 100 watt unit will > draw 20 amps. Our power supply is rated at 36 amps continuous, and > the duplexer is rated at 250 watts. > > Half of our users believe that the repeater's output power is > perfectly matched to its receiver. That is, users of high powered > mobile radios generally lose repeater reception at about the same > time the repeater's receiver loses them. > > However, the other half of our users believe doubling the repeater's > power output would generate increased activity since the repeater > could be heard more "comfortably." > > We could upgrade without changing any of our other infrastructure. > However, these questions arise: 1) Will the hundreds we pay to > upgrade actually translate into significantly increased range? 2) > Will we risk generating additional receiver noise by doubling our > output power, thus losing coverage in the process? 3) Will using a > higher power level shorten the life of other system components over > time (e.g., power supply)? > > By the way, our frequency coordination would be valid even if we > doubled our output power. > > >
