MERRY CHRISTMAS!!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!

 

 

I know that this blog is supposed to be my feeble attempts at describing my repeaters and the goings-on involving them, but I wanted to take this opportunity and share with you a small essay that I discovered years ago. I used to read this little essay on .47 when it was newly on the air.  It reminds me of the real reson for the season.

 

One Solitary Life

Here is a man who was born in an obscure village, the child of a peasant woman. He grew up in another village. He worked in a carpenter shop until He was thirty. Then for three years He was an itinerant preacher.

He never owned a home. He never wrote a book. He never held an office. He never had a family. He never went to college. He never put His foot inside a big city. He never traveled two hundred miles from the place He was born. He never did one of the things that usually accompany greatness. He had no credentials but Himself...

While still a young man, the tide of popular opinion turned against him. His friends ran away. One of them denied Him. He was turned over to His enemies. He went through the mockery of a trial. He was nailed upon a cross between two thieves. While He was dying His executioners gambled for the only piece of property He had on earth – His coat. When He was dead, He was laid in a borrowed grave through the pity of a friend.

Nineteen long centuries have come and gone, and today He is a centerpiece of the human race and leader of the column of progress.

All the armies that ever marched, all the navies that were ever built; all the parliaments that ever sat and all the kings that ever reigned, put together, have not affected the life of man upon this earth as powerfully as has that one solitary life.

 

I hope that everyone has a wonderful Christmas!  May God Bless you and keep you this holiday season and throughout the year!

 

THANK YOU to all of you who use my repeaters. By doing so, *you* help me enjoy this great hobby and public service that we call Amateur Radio. I would much rather hear each of you on my repeaters, where they are facilitating your communications, than I would be talking on them myself.

 

73 de Tim WB4GBI

Friday, December 9, 2011

How about a little news?

 

 

                                                                   HOW ABOUT A LITTLE NEWS? 

 

Its been since September, hasn't it?  Well, now that football season is over, I can "catch up" just a little. The real "catching up" won't occur until until basketball season is over in the Spring. Such is the life of a college sports radio engineer.

 

But here's some good news!!  Thanks to the help of a donor, I have just ordered a NEW antenna for the 53.15 six meter repeater! I have also re-coordinated it to the 146.625 site where it will be in its new home. Why did I re-coordinate from English Mountain? Here's why: I have to RENT tower space on English for 146.73. Renting more space for the six meter repeater would be an additional recurring expense, and as an individual repeater owner I need to keep those at a minimum. The new antenna will be here in a few weeks. One thing about the .625 site...I don't have to pay rent-it's mine.

 

There are several new   callsigns showing up on the 927.725 MHz repeater! Recently, I have heard WB4CTW, K4BWG, and WA4FLH. I hope the same will happen when 53.15 returns to the air.

 

The antenna is here and the monies are set aside for the 146.73 antenna relocation. As soon as the weather, the tower owner, and the tower climber are all on the same page, it will be relocated. The Jefferson County ARES group is making 146.73 their home for the JCARES net...here's hoping more folks will discover 146.73 from its lofty perch on English Mountain!

 

I hope to write another blog entry before the end on the month, but in case I don't- Here's wishing you all a MERRY CHRISTMAS and a happy New Year! And let us all remember the REAL reason for the season, the celebration of Jesus's birth.

 

73 de Tim WB4GBI

Tuesday, September 20, 2011

145.47 is 30 years old!!

145.47 is 30 years young!!!

 

30 years ago, on September 17, 1981, a long-time dream of owning my very own amateur radio repeater was fulfilled. 145.47 first went on the air at my parent's home in South Knoxville. I had to call people on the phone to get them to find it and try it. Today, it's on top of Cross Mountain and is used and enjoyed by a great number of Amateur Radio operators. It hosts several nets, including the Thursday night 47 net that has had as many as 80-plus check-ins. Last Sunday, a group of wonderful folks gathered with me at Norris Dam State Park to celebrate the 30th anniversary of my big dream. THANK YOU to all who attended, helped with the event itself, called on the radio with well wishes, and who use and enjoy the repeater every day!

 

Special Thanks to:  Ralph Lockhart, WB4CTW, for the “birthday” cake, and for staying at the picnic shelter to reserve our picnic spot!

Also, thanks to Rick, N4JTQ, for organizing the event, and inviting folks on the nets.

 

Thanks to Gloria, KJ4BHF, for helping with the food and drinks at the picnic.

 

In other news: I installed the $500 isolator on 146.73, and unfortunately the intermod problem did not completely go away. It is very weak, however, and I hope that moving the antenna higher up the tower and away from the offending UHF antennae will eliminate the problem altogether.  Please “cross your fingers…”  that the vertical separation will help, and also it will get the .73 antenna above the tree line and help its coverage that way as well!

 

Thanks for subscribing to the blog…This time of year, with my “other” job, I don’t get to write as much. But I *do* hope you use and enjoy the repeaters-that makes the efforts to keep them up worthwhile!

 

73 de Tim WB4GBI

 

 

 

Tim Berry

 

***PLEASE NOTE NEW EMAIL ADDRESS!!!***

tim.berry@cumulus.com

 

Tim Berry WB4GBI

Chief Engineer

Cumulus Broadcasting of Knoxville, TN

WIVK-FM   WNML  AM/FM   WNRX-FM  WOKI-FM

OFFICE: 865-212-4519 (leave a message, I will be paged)

FAX: 865-909-0821

check out my website at www.wb4gbi.com

 

Chief Engineer

Vol Radio Network

IMG College/University of Tennessee

 

---

Cumulus Media Disclaimer
This message contains confidential information and is intended only for the individual(s) named. If you are not the named addressee you should not disseminate, distribute or copy this e-mail. Please notify the sender immediately by e-mail if you have received this e-mail by mistake and delete this e-mail from your system. If you are not the intended recipient you are notified that disclosing, copying, distributing or taking any action in reliance on the contents of this information is strictly prohibited.

Wednesday, July 13, 2011

good news for 146.73!

Good News for 146.73!!

 

For those of you who remember 146.73 as Sam (WB4HAP, SK) and Matt (WB4IOB) Kirby’s repeater, and how well it worked from it’s English Mountain home, you know that I have not been able to duplicate their great success since I returned .73 back to English almost two years ago. It’s been a “work in progress,” and I’m happy to report that progress is being made!

 

If you have tried .73 lately, you have noticed that it has had a “squeal” in the audio on occasions when it has been keyed up, or when it has been up with a QSO in progress. The squeal is a result of an “intermod hit,” or two or more (in this case three) signals that mix together and produce a different signal that is the sum or difference of the others. Intermodulation, or “Intermod,” has long been a nemesis of Mountaintop repeater operations, but sometimes it is misdiagnosed, or confused with other problems. When Sam had 146.73 on English for all of those years, he never had to deal with this problem- probably because the offending transmitters in question were not on the mountain or on the air. In this case, while Todd (KA4OAK) and I were on a recent trip to English Mountain, we actually observed the problem in person for the first time. We were changing the LMR 400 cable on .73 for ½ inch heliax, which by the way eliminated all of the “desense” that the repeater had and really perked up the coverage. It allowed me to take the repeater back to full power, and re-connect the receiver preamp for weak signals. I learned the hard way to never use LMR400 for duplex repeater service. But the “squeal” continued. While we were there, we found one of the commercial UHF trunking transmitters in the building was “keyed up” every time that .73 had the problem squeal. The noise was consistent with this UHF transmitter being active.

 

“So,” you think- “it’s that fault of that commercial transmitter!!” Well, not so fast. The offending signal is actually produced when two UHF transmitters (there is another one involved) and the 146.73 transmitter are all “up” at the same time. How did I determine this? There several software programs out there in shareware and software land that will help you calculate all of the possibilities. I tabulated the frequency of EVERY transmitter on the tower and loaded them into a database. The software that I used showed a “fifth-order” intermodulation product caused by  three transmitters that would cause a signal to be generated on 146.13 Mhz. Recognize that frequency? It’s the INPUT to 146.73. The two UHF transmitters are on a combined antenna system, which means that they already have an isolator in place to keep one transmitter’s RF from going back into  the other transmitter(s)’ RF output section. However, 146.73 did not have one of these devices. RF from the outside world could make it back into the .73 PA, and cause the “mix” to happen. So, armed with an intermodulation report, and a clean bill of health from the owner of the UHF transmitters (who gladly checked them just to make sure), I ordered an isolator tuned for 146.73. Isolators are not cheap. They are precision-tuned devices that allow RF on the tuned frequency to pass in one direction, but nothing to pass back into the PA on any other frequency. Mine was almost $500. Now you know why repeaters and their upkeep are not cheap J. Most commercial tower sites now require the use of an isolator.

 

In just a few short days, we will find out if the RF “mix” was occurring in the .73 transmitter, or if I will have to spend more time and effort troubleshooting this perplexing problem. I’m betting that I have found it, and .73 will make another huge step in becoming the mountaintop high profile machine that it once was and deserves to be again. Stay tuned here on the blog…or better yet, come check 146.73 for yourself!

 

73 de Tim Berry WB4GBI

 

 

Monday, May 30, 2011

Its baaaacccckkkk!!!!

It’s baaaacccckkkk!!! 

 

This afternoon,  my XYL Tammy (KB4TQO) and I went to Cross Mountain and replaced the power supply on the 145.47 repeater.  A few quick checks (duplex power, “desense,”  and remote control function), and I am happy to report that 145.47 is back up and ready to go.  I am also happy to report that *this* power supply has the provision for battery backup, which I hope to add the batteries for in the very near future.  Stay tuned!

 

73 de Tim WB4GBI

 

 

Tim Berry WB4GBI

Chief Engineer

Citadel Broadcasting of Knoxville, TN

WIVK-FM   WNML  AM/FM   WNRX-FM  WOKI-FM

OFFICE: 865-212-4519 (leave a message, I will be paged)

FAX: 865-909-0821

check out my website at www.wb4gbi.com

 

Chief Engineer

Vol Radio Network

IMG College/University of Tennessee

 

Saturday, May 28, 2011

145.47 is off the air!!

145.47 is OFF THE AIR!! 

 

Late Friday Afternoon, I was on .94 when a fellow ham asked me why they could not get in to 145.47. I was surprised (based on his location), but then imagine MY surprise when I couldn’t access it either!! Today, I made a hurried trip to Cross Mountain to see what was wrong. I thought I had the repeater repaired and in fact a couple of QSO’s were made and then it failed again. The problem seems to be in the GE MASTR II power supply for .47. When it has been on the air for a while, the DC voltage drops to 2 volts (well below the 13-14 volts the repeater needs).  It appears that the AC transformer is overheating and opening up.

 

The Good News: I have a spare power supply.

 

The Bad News: I ran out of time today, as it is a 1 hour trip (one way) to the repeater site.  I will try to get the new power supply to the site tomorrow or (at the latest) Monday, which happens to be an off-day for my employer.

 

 

Speaking of Monday...how many of you have a Veteran in your family? Perhaps a relative...in my case my grandfather (Fred O. Berry, Sr.) served in World War II.  Even if you don’t have a veteran in your family, let us all remember that Memorial Day is a time for us to pause and remember the sacrifices that they made for our freedoms.  If they are still with you, tell your family member “Thank You.”   Make it from all of us. Freedom isn’t free. Many have paid with their lives. And that is why we remember on Memorial Day.

 

73 de Tim WB4GBI

 

Tim Berry WB4GBI

Chief Engineer

Citadel Broadcasting of Knoxville, TN

WIVK-FM   WNML  AM/FM   WNRX-FM  WOKI-FM

OFFICE: 865-212-4519 (leave a message, I will be paged)

FAX: 865-909-0821

check out my website at www.wb4gbi.com

 

Chief Engineer

Vol Radio Network

IMG College/University of Tennessee

 

Wednesday, May 25, 2011

147.075 is back on the air!!

147.075 is back on the air!

 

Hooray!  After a week of shutdown due to it causing interference to Kevin (W4KEV)’s 145.37 repeater, I was able to pay a visit to the 147.075 site on Tuesday Evening. I exchanged the defective PA (power amplifier) with one that I had as a ready spare. The result was a “clean” signal from 147.075, with no interference to other repeaters.  It’s back on the air and ready for your use! 

 

Remember, 147.075 has an open autopatch for your use. I realize that in the age of cellular phones that an autopatch is not as needed as it once was, but there are still a significant amount of autopatch calls that are made by .075 users.  And what about those areas up in the mountains where there is NO cellular service?  I have heard several autopatches from HT’s up on the tops of some of the mountainous areas within the Smoky Mountains National Park.  In case you are interested, you can check out the instructions on how to use the autopatch at www.wb4gbi.com/middlebrook.html.

 

I also discovered yet another antenna problem, this one on .075 itself.  It appears that I have an antenna or heliax problem on the repeater antenna. This is going to make it harder for portables and distant stations to access 147.075. Rest assured, as soon as I can get a tower climber to the site I will address this one along with the other sites.

 

Thanks for reading the ‘blog.  I know there are over 50 subscribers…but I don’t have any feedback as of late when I write an entry.  Hello…(tap,tap,tap)…is this thing on?  J

 

73 de Tim WB4GBI

 

 

 

 

Tim Berry WB4GBI

Chief Engineer

Citadel Broadcasting of Knoxville, TN

WIVK-FM   WNML  AM/FM   WNRX-FM  WOKI-FM

OFFICE: 865-212-4519 (leave a message, I will be paged)

FAX: 865-909-0821

check out my website at www.wb4gbi.com

 

Chief Engineer

Vol Radio Network

IMG College/University of Tennessee

 

Saturday, May 21, 2011

In case you were wondering...

In case you were wondering…is Amateur Radio relevant anymore?

 

This came via email today from Rick, N4JTQ.  I hope he doesn’t mind me forwarding it…

 

I was sitting at my desk when I heard a call on the 145.470 repeater today, the 21st of May, a emergency call, I got up and responded to the station WA4HSM Alvin from Knoxville who was on the Dragon, apparently a Biker took a curve a little fast and went down, and ran off the road, when Alvin stopped their was another lady there who was a medical person, the bike rider was unconscious, Alvin stated a emergency on the repeater, and requested I call for emergency services, which he had the phone number , called and advised dispatch we had a MVA, gave him my location and information and proceeded to advise the emergency,we relayed information between us and emergency units where dispatched to the scene..a little later Alvin called back and advised that Police ,Fire and EMS was on the scene, the man was conscious, and in fact there was another wreck on up the road, apparently the emergency personal was not able to get out on their radio's, but thanks to Amateur Radio, and Tim Berry who owns and maintains the 145.470 amateur repeater communications ,continued .. and everything looks like it turned out for the best, thanks to all who where able to assist in this accident..
Time Line
Call From Alvin on repeater 11:53 am
Dispatch Notified at 11:55 am
Dispatch sends out units at 11:57 am
Great response !!

Richard Sawaya Sr   Amateur Extra Class
Emergency Management Agency Logistics Officer for Sevier County
President Sevier County Emergency Radio Service
Emergency Coordinator Sevier County & TN ARES
Co Founder Of The 470 ARG Net
ADEC for District 6 Skywarn
ARRL VE Manager,  ARRL ARECC Instructor & Examiner
CoCoRahs Weather Station TN-SV-5

“When all else fails…Amateur Radio!!!”

 

73 de Tim WB4GBI

Wednesday, May 18, 2011

Hey! Why is 147.075 off the air?

HEY!! Why is 147.075 off the air?

 

This past Sunday (May 15^th), I received an email that my 147.075 repeater was interfering with Kevin (W4KEV)’s 145.37 repeater. After checking it, I found this info to be true and turned the repeater off remotely. When I have had interference, I expect the person responsible for the offending equipment to remove it from the air until the problem is solved, and when it’s my fault I should not be any different.

 

I made a trip to the .075 site on Monday morning, and found the transmitter power amplifier (PA) to be unstable. I tried re-tuning it and operating it at different power levels, but I could get the offending spurious signal out of Kevin’s repeater receiver, so it remains off. Now, for the (hopefully) good news: I do have a spare PA, so I will try exchanging them in the next day or so as time permits.

 

147.075 is by no means my busiest repeater, but it does have the autopatch that is useful to several area hams that I have heard use it from time to time. It is also where I intend to have an IRLP node someday.

 

As for the other repeaters, I am still waiting on the opportunity to replace the 146.94 antenna with the new one that is at the site and ready to go. This is just a matter of logistics; as I am trying to get the weather, my available time, and an available tower climber to be together all at once. The same applies for the 146.73 repeater.  Hang in there…I want .94 and .73 to be the best repeaters they can be. George and Sam (K4HXD and WB4HAP, the respective original owners, both SK’s) would expect nothing less.

 

Thanks for reading the ‘blog, and I look forward to hearing each of you on the air soon!

 

73 de Tim WB4GBI

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tim Berry WB4GBI

Chief Engineer

Citadel Broadcasting of Knoxville, TN

WIVK-FM   WNML  AM/FM   WNRX-FM  WOKI-FM

OFFICE: 865-212-4519 (leave a message, I will be paged)

FAX: 865-909-0821

check out my website at www.wb4gbi.com

 

Chief Engineer

Vol Radio Network

IMG College/University of Tennessee

 

Wednesday, April 6, 2011

145.470 is BACK ON THE AIR!!

145.470 is back on the air!!

 

After a local (not utility-related) AC power issue was repaired, the .47 repeater has returned to the air!

We now return you to a working repeater, already in progress… J

 

73 de Tim WB4GBI

 

Tim Berry WB4GBI

Chief Engineer

Citadel Broadcasting of Knoxville, TN

WIVK-FM   WNML  AM/FM   WNRX-FM  WOKI-FM

OFFICE: 865-212-4519 (leave a message, I will be paged)

FAX: 865-909-0821

check out my website at www.wb4gbi.com

 

Chief Engineer

Vol Radio Network

IMG College/University of Tennessee

 

Tuesday, April 5, 2011

145.47 is off the air!

145.470 is off the air!

 

I’m sorry to report that  .47 is off the air after last night’s storms. I suspect that its status may be due to a lack of AC power at the repeater site.  I had intended to try to make my way to the site today, but had to take care of other storm related damage to the equipment of my employer(s).  Gotta pay the bills, you know…  J

 

While I’m on the subject of AC power, I do want to pass along that I have a battery-reverting power supply and some gel-cell batteries to try to install at the .47 site, assuming my landlord permits.  This would keep the repeater on the air for a short while after the commercial power fails, but probably not as long as the AC power has been off this time.  But I do hope it would help keep .47 on the air as long as possible.  If *did* have a battery backup, we would have to be careful with .47’s “up” time to maximize the battery life.

 

These other WB4GBI repeaters have emergency (generator) power:  146.73, 146.94, 147.075, 224.34, 444.300, and 927.725.   I just wanted to pass this info along if you ever find yourself needing amateur communications in a widespread power outage situation.  I am very fortunate and thankful that these repeaters are at sites that are emergency-power ready.

 

I will report on .47 as soon as I have checked out the site, hopefully tomorrow. Thank you for reading, and for your continued support of my repeaters!

 

73 de Tim WB4GBI

 

Saturday, March 12, 2011

WB4GBI/R 927.725 is on the air!

 

WB4GBI/R 927.725 is on the air!

 

On Tuesday evening, after an “unplanned” trip to the WIVK transmitter, I took the new WB4GBI/R 900 MHz repeater to the mountain. Since there was already an antenna waiting there (abandoned by a paging company when they changed sites) I was able to hook the repeater to this existing antenna without having to wait for the tower crew, which is scheduled to come to the site and change the .94 antenna.  So, it’s on the air! And much to my surprise, there were SEVERAL users already on the repeater when I returned from the SEC basketball tournament in Atlanta today.  

 

The 900 MHz amateur radio band is unique in that there are NO amateur manufacturers that make equipment for this band. All of the equipment, including the repeater itself, is commercially made equipment by Motorola and Kenwood. And further, not all of the 900 MHz commercial equipment out there will adapt itself to Amateur Radio use. If this band interests you, please consult with someone who has experience with the specific types of transceivers to use and which to avoid.  Otherwise, you could waste your money on a very nice doorstop.

 

I will write more about 900 MHz and my experiences in a later blog.  If you have any questions in the meantime, please email me. An email link is on the website. Have a great weekend!

 

73 de Tim WB4GBI

 

 

 

Wednesday, January 19, 2011

COMING SOON!

Coming Soon…

 

WB4GBI/R

902.725/927.725

Pl 118.8

Co-Located with 146.94 and 444.300!!

 

 

Sunday, January 9, 2011

What have you done for me lately? Chapter Three

What have you done for me lately?

 

Hello Blog readers…I hope you have had a wonderful Christmas Holiday and New Years. With the Vol Network broadcasts in full swing, I haven’t had time to do much with the repeaters, but I did manage to sneak up to the 146.625 site this evening and do some much needed maintenance!!

 

In case you haven’t noticed, the squelch setting on 146.625 had changed with the cold weather to the point that if it was “keyed up,” it would pass open squelch noise for several seconds before the squelch finally closed and the repeater went thru its normal drop-out cycle. With the impending weather coming, and knowing that I wouldn’t be able to make it to the site again for quite some time, I decided to make the trip this evening.

 

146.625 now has a tone (PL) decoder installed, so that if it experiences noise or interference on its input I know have the option of turning the decode tone on rather than just shutting it down. However, I had tried a tone decoder before and when I did it would make the repeater extremely difficult to access…almost like the sensitivity changed for the worst. Well, it wasn’t a sensitivity issue, but it was a logic problem with the decoder. After a combination of studying the schematic, making some voltage measurements, and some blind luck, I was able to modify the repeater itself to where the tone decoder worked properly for this application. It is not normal for a commercial repeater to have the ability to remotely enable/ disable its tone decode for something other than service, but now 146.625 has that capability! That way, if the repeater *does* have a noise or interference problem, I at least have a way to keep it in service without shutting it down. 145.47 and 146.73 already have this feature.

 

Now…what about the *other* repeaters?  I am waiting on the weather, my schedule, and the schedule of my preferred tower crew (Tower Services out of Hixson), to all come together at the same time! In January, that’s quite a task! But the plan is to do the following work:

 

1)    Remove and replace the .94 antenna and mount

 

2)    remove and replace the 146.73 antenna (see the previous blog entries)

 

3)    Remove and replace the 147.075 repeater Antenna.

 

4)    Install the 53.15 repeater and antenna at the 146.625 site

 

In addition, I have a surprise announcement to make soon about the addition of a repeater to the “fold…” Stay tuned…

 

Lastly, I have a question:  Are any of my repeater users interested in IRLP (Internet repeater linking project?) I am checking out some options, and I’m wondering if there are enough folks out there to make the purchase expense worthwhile. Please email me with your thoughts.

 

Well, that’s all I have for now. I hope you enjoy reading my sporadic blog entries, and that you will be back soon as I post updates and pictures!

 

73 de Tim WB4GBI