Communications system, apparatus and method

1. Communications apparatus, arranged to:

configure a signal for transmission via an antenna on a first carrier frequency;

configure said signal for transmission on a third carrier frequency; and

convert said third carrier frequency to a second carrier frequency for transmission to a remote repeater station for retransmission on said third carrier frequency to form a repeated signal.

2. The communications apparatus according to claim 1 , comprising a user interface for configuring a delay in said signal for initial transmission.

3. The communications apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein said user interface is configured to provide remote access for configuring said delay.

4. A local repeater station:

for communication with a communications apparatus, said communications apparatus arranged to:

configure a signal for transmission via an antenna on a first carrier frequency;

configure said signal for transmission on a third carrier frequency; and

convert said third carrier frequency to a second carrier frequency for transmission to a remote repeater station for retransmission on said third carrier frequency to form a repeated signal; and

said local repeater station configured to receive said signal on said third carrier frequency from said communications apparatus and retransmit said signal on said second carrier frequency.

5. The local repeater station of claim 4 further comprising first and second configuration paths, said first configuration path for configuring said signal for transmission on said first carrier frequency and said second configuration path for configuring signals on to said second carrier frequency.

6. The local repeater station according to claim 5 , wherein said first configuration path is configurable to delay said signal for transmission on said first carrier frequency and said remote repeater station comprises a user interface operative to configure said repeater station to introduce said delay through said first configuration path.

7. The local repeater station according to claim 6 , wherein said user interface is configured to provide remote access to said repeater station for configuring said delay.

8. A remote repeater station for communication with a communications apparatus, said communications apparatus arranged to:

configure a signal for transmission via an antenna on a first carrier frequency;

configure said signal for transmission on a third carrier frequency; and

convert said third carrier frequency to a second carrier frequency for transmission to said remote repeater station for retransmission on said third carrier frequency to form a repeated signal;

said remote repeater station, comprising:

a communications receiver configured to receive said signal transmitted on said second carrier frequency; and

a communications transmitter configured to transmit on said third carrier frequency said signal received by said communications receiver on said second carrier frequency to form said repeated signal; and

said remote repeater station configurable to introduce a delay in said signal for transmission on said third carrier frequency, said delay corresponding to the difference between the time taken for said signal on said second carrier frequency to reach said remote repeater station from a local repeater of said communications apparatus and the time taken for said signal on said second carrier frequency to reach another remote repeater station from said local repeater of said communications apparatus.

9. The remote repeater station according to claim 8 , further comprising a user interface operative to configure said delay in said signal to be transmitted on said third carrier frequency.

10. The remote repeater station according to claim 9 , wherein said user interface is configured to provide remote access to said remote repeater station for configuring said delay.

11. A communications system, comprising:

a communications apparatus arranged to:

configure a signal for transmission via an antenna on a first carrier frequency,

configure said signal for transmission on a third carrier frequency, and

convert said third carrier frequency to a second carrier frequency for transmission to a remote repeater station for retransmission on said third carrier frequency to form a repeated signal;

a first remote repeater station configured to receive said signal transmitted on said second carrier frequency from a local repeater station of said communications apparatus and retransmit said signal on said third carrier frequency

a second remote repeater station, configured to receive said signal transmitted on said second carrier frequency from said local repeater station of said communications apparatus and retransmit said signal on said third carrier frequency;

wherein said first remote repeater is disposed a greater distance from said communications apparatus than said second remote repeater, and

wherein said second remote repeater configured to introduce a synchronization delay in said signal for transmission on said third carrier frequency corresponding to the difference between the time taken for said signal on said second carrier frequency to reach said first remote repeater station from said local repeater station and the time taken for said signal on said second carrier frequency to reach said second remote repeater station from said local repeater station.

12. A communications method, comprising:

configuring a signal for transmission via an antenna on a first carrier frequency;

configuring said signal for transmission on a third carrier frequency; and

converting said third carrier frequency to a second carrier frequency for transmission to a repeater station for retransmission on said third carrier frequency to form a repeated signal.

13. The method according to claim 12 , further comprising providing a user interface for configuring said delay in said signal for initial transmission.

14. The method according to claim 13 , further comprising configuring said user interface to provide remote access for configuring said delay.

15. The method of claim 12 further comprising:

operating said repeater station as a local repeater station and comprising receiving said signal on said third carrier frequency from said communications apparatus and retransmitting said signal on said second carrier frequency.

16. The method of claim 15 further comprising said signal, via a first configuration path, for transmission on said first carrier frequency and, via a second configuration path, for configuring signals on to said carrier frequency.

17. The method according to claim 16 , comprising configuring said first configuration path to delay said signal for transmission on said first carrier frequency and configuring a user interface for introducing said delay through said first configuration path.

18. The method according to claim 15 , further comprising providing remote access to said repeater station for configuring said delay.

19. A method for operating a remote repeater station with a communications apparatus in a communications method, said communications method comprising:

configuring a signal for transmission via an antenna on a first carrier frequency;

configuring said signal for transmission on a third carrier frequency; and

converting said third carrier frequency to a second carrier frequency for transmission to a remote repeater station for retransmission on said third carrier frequency to form a repeated signal; and

the method for operating said remote repeater station comprising:

receiving a signal transmitted on said second carrier frequency; and

transmitting on said third carrier frequency said signal received by said communications receiver on said second carrier frequency to form said repeated signal; and

introducing a delay in said signal for transmission on said third carrier frequency, said delay corresponding to the difference between the time taken for said signal on said second carrier frequency to reach said remote repeater station from a local repeater of said communication apparatus and the time taken for said signal on said second carrier frequency to reach another remote repeater station from said local repeater of said communication apparatus.

20. The method according to claim 19 , further comprising configuring said delay in said signal to be transmitted on said first or third carrier frequency via a user interface.

21. The method according to claim 20 , further comprising providing remote access to said remote repeater station for configuring said delay.

22. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium having executable computer program instructions embodied therein, said computer program comprising instructions that when executed cause a processor to:

configure a signal for transmission via an antenna on a first carrier frequency;

configure said signal for transmission on a third carrier frequency; and

convert said third carrier frequency to a second carrier frequency for transmission to a repeater station for retransmission on said third carrier frequency to form a repeated signal.

23. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium having executable computer program instructions embodied therein, said computer program comprising instructions that when executed cause a processor to:

configure a signal for transmission via an antenna on a first carrier frequency;

configure said signal for transmission on a third frequency;

convert said third carrier frequency to a second carrier frequency for transmission to a repeater station for retransmission on said third carrier frequency to form a repeated signal;

operate said repeater station as a local repeater stations;

receive said signal on a third carrier frequency from a communications apparatus; and

retransmit said signal on said second carrier frequency.

24. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium having executable computer program instructions embodied therein, said computer program comprising instructions that when executed cause a processor to:

configure a signal for transmission via an antenna on a first carrier frequency;

configure said signal for transmission on a third frequency;

convert said third carrier frequency to a second carrier frequency for transmission to a remote repeater station for retransmission on said third carrier frequency to form a repeated signal;

receive at said remote repeater station a signal transmitted on said second carrier frequency; and

transmit from said remote repeater station on said third carrier frequency said signal received by a communications receiver of said remote repeater station on said second carrier frequency to form said repeated signal; and

introduce a delay in said signal for transmission on said third carrier frequency, said delay corresponding to the difference between the time taken for said signal on said second carrier frequency to reach said remote repeater station from a local repeater of said communication apparatus and the time taken for said signal on said second carrier frequency to reach another remote repeater station from said local repeater of said communication apparatus.