Repeater Committee Updates

Now that Christmas is behind us, I wanted to pass along an update on a few repeater projects that are pending.

First, an update on the new 222 MHz repeater.  Shown here is a Sales Order Acknowledgment for the repeater duplexers.  They were ordered at the beginning of December and are estimated to ship on January 10, 2011.  If they are shipped on time, the repeater could be on the air sometime in January.

Other pending projects include restoring services that were interrupted by a lightning strike a few months back.  We have the necessary parts to restore the internet service at the site and it should be the first thing completed in the upcoming few weeks.  Ho, KC1HO and Jeff, N1ZZN will be helping me to restore the 900 MHz repeater to full power by replacing a bad Motorola controller board once their schedule is open.  Finally, we will be testing the 2m repeater power amplifier, as it appears it is putting out only 60 watts instead of the full 100 watts.  This may be sent out for repair if deemed necessary.

Regarding SEMARA’s APRS station, Rick, N1RCW has an updated computer and Chris, W1EAV has a commercial radio for SEMARA that will be installed shortly after we get the internet back up.  Here is more information from Rick, N1RCW:

I have completed the setup for the SEMARA APRS digipeater/computer and when ready, I can bring this over and set this up. I have the system running here at my QTH burning in and you may get questions asked if it is back on the air, but it is not at the site and it’s still under construction/testing. The computer is a IBM desktop 1.6 GHz processor, Windows XP and 384 MB of RAM. There is one additional COM port available for any other type of system if needed. The radio will be supplied from Chris, W1EAV tuned to 144.390 TX+RX CSQ. The TNC is an AEA PK-88 in KISS mode, running the UI-View32 Windows APRS Client for Digipeater and iGate.

Finally, we are still planning to add a UHF remote base to the 2m repeater which was approved at a SEMARA business meeting several months ago.  I have a UHF Motorola GM-300 which I am donating to SEMARA to install on the 2m repeater.  The remote base once installed, will allow us to link directly to the MMRA repeater network of Greater Boston for the monthly ARES net and on demand for emergencies.  This will complete the work needed to make 147.000 the official RACES and ARES machine for our area (the monthly RACES net has already been moved to our repeater).  Once most of the other projects listed here are completed, we will focus on adding this new link.

I would like to thank everyone for their patience, as we do this work voluntarily as time allows.  I would also like to thank everyone for their help, including but not limited to KC1HO, N1RCW, N1ZZN and W1EAV.  Rest assured, these projects will soon come to completion.  We will post another update as further progress is made.

Thanks,

Richard J. Cabral, W1RJC
SEMARA Repeater Committee