What have you done for me lately?
(Chapter 2)
Last year, I wrote a blog entry called “what have you done for me lately?” that detailed a few things going on with the repeaters. So as to keep everyone up with some “new” information, here is another installment, with info for each of my repeaters. Questions are welcome (that means someone is actually reading this!).
53.15: The WB4GBI six meter repeater is tuned and ready to go at my home QTH. I have two side mounted antennae that I acquired at the same time I got the repeater from WB4HAP’s estate. My present plan is to mount the antenna array at the 146.625 site (I think the owner will let me J ) and place the repeater on the air from there. However, the tower work will be an expen$e to be budgeted. However, I may have a SUPER location for 53.15 that will take precedence over the .625 site!! Stay tuned and I will let everyone know as soon as I can.
145.17: repeater is in good shape. Last maintenance issue was the intermittent audio problem back last summer. More recently, I have signed a three-year agreement to keep 145.17 at its View Park home for another three years. I am very grateful that the current tower owner has honored the agreement that I have had with previous owners so that .17 can stay there. I have had a repeater at this site since 145.47 was there in 1981.
145.47: repeater is sporting a borrowed PA to get it back on the air from a failure a couple of weeks ago. The old PA and another VHF Mastr II PA are in the process of being repaired so I will have some spares. Eventually, I would like to install a commercial grade aftermarket PA on this repeater to increase its reliability even more than it is now. The receiver tone is OFF. The offending TV station will be going off in June, and I will re-activate the receiver preamp when that happens. If the TV station interference starts up again, please remember that the tone is 118.8 Hz.
146.625: On my last maintenance trip to fix the audio problem on .625, the kit-built ID’er died. I ordered another one from the same supplier that I bought 146.73’s ID. Unfortunately, when they sent it to me, it had “DE WB4GDI/R” programmed into it! So, I called the company and asked for a correct ID chip. That chip actually arrived yesterday. I will try to get it to the .625 site before the “redneck net” meets on Thursday. For its coverage, I still think 146.625 is one of my best kept secrets. Also, a remotely-selectable decode tone of 118.8 will be added in case we have another interference problem on the next trip.
146.73: Last week, I had a meeting with my landlord (I am renting tower space for .73) and he has offered me an antenna that, if it works out, will allow me to raise the height of the .73 antenna on his tower. I’m not sure whether the antenna will work yet; I will need to go to his place and test it. I also don’t know about its co$t yet. Meanwhile, I am working on a surprise for 146.73 that I can’t discuss just yet. Stay tuned.
146.94: Last week, I repaired the time-out timer on the .94 repeater. It needed new capacitors. The timer is a resistance/capacitance circuit that won’t function when the capacitors are “dried up.” The timers now work properly. Not only is it an FCC requirement, but the time-out timers will help remind everyone to keep their transmissions short. I have had some reports about intermittent noise problems with .94. I’m not quite sure what’s going on with this problem, but I’ll be watching it over the next little while. Also, a new remote control system is here and will be added in the next few days.
147.075: This repeater is doing well with its Motorola “micor” PA that was (re)installed last fall after the Quintron commercial-grade transmitter failed for the third time. In its original life, the Quintron was a VHF paging transmitter. They are normally very reliable under continuous duty conditions, but this one had failed three times. I had spent more money on it than it was worth, so I returned 147.075 to its original compliment of micor exciter and PA. I also replaced the older remote control receiver with a newer Motorola “spectra-tac” receiver. It is basically a “micor” series receiver as well, with its original use as a satellite receiver in a voted receiver system. If you happen to “kerchunk” the repeater late at night, don’t be surprised if my controller asks… “Why are you up?” The smart aleck repeater controller programmer strikes! J The autopatch is up and ready for use…PLEASE ID ON AND OFF WHEN YOU USE THE AUTOPATCH. Your call will be terminated if you do not.
224.34: This repeater is doing well at its new home on Sharp’s ridge. I removed it from the 146.625 site after something kept keying it up. When I brought it home for repairs, I discovered that the errant signal wasn’t bothering it at my home. A trip back to the mountain confirmed that the problem was indeed still there. Kevin, W4KEV, generously allowed me to locate the repeater at his site, which had an existing 220 MHz antenna. You can hear the result…the repeater did not suffer the problem that it had at the .625 site. I do think the transmit deviation is a little high, so I will be checking it soon.
444.300: This repeater also got a “re-capping” in the timer circuits. In the not-to-distant future, I hope to add a receiver preselector/preamp to the repeater receiver. Other repeater expenses have taken precedence over this addition for the moment. The soon-to-be added remote control system for 146.94 will also control this repeater, as they are located beside each other at the repeater site.
A general note for all of the repeaters: As I can afford to do so, I am adding tone decoders to the repeaters, particularly the GE units. ALL of my repeaters will be set to decode 118.8 Hz when this project is completed.
Lastly, I would like to say a very special “THANK YOU” to those who have recently contributed to the “WB4GBI repeater fund.” Thanks to you, I have been able to get spare PA’s repaired for the GE repeaters, replace and upgrade my necessary remote controls, and pay the recurring bills! THANK YOU!
73 de Tim WB4GBI
