KE3HT

443.85+  162.2pl

IRLP Project

updated 11/27/2006

443.85+ is on the air!
User
Command
Codes
 Control
Op
Codes
Features
 Coverage MAP
Specifications

11/27/2006 Reinstalled this morning and everything worked near perfect. I had wanted the ID audio to be less noticable and some have commented that user audio was to high. I re-checked deviation and it was dead on so I suspect they compare 146.91's ID audio and then think 443.85 is low UNTIL someone talks. I did a dtmf tone deviation check to compare 146.91 and 443.85 and user audio was within 100hz of deviation between the two. So I will leave alone and maybe change the ID audio to be a little stronger in the future.

11/25/2006 The repeater was turned off due to incrediably poor audio on weaker signals. Sounded like some audio hiss was getting in there. Took the radio home and retuned again and set the deviation to spec. I did notice that the audio from the Mastr II vol/sq high seemed to be clipping so I reduced the audio into the final audio stage in the Mastr II. Then I increased the gain pot in the controler to have the proper voltage at 3khz. I am not sure why the distorted audio so I will try this. All is well now. Audio still has some mis-shapping going on but it works.

11/24/2006 Fran and I hauled all the junk up to the roof house on North Street and I hooked it up and it all worked! Sigurd reported from Elm street, Pittsfield that the repeater works great over there. I have a coverage map of the county (see the link above). I plan to do a new radio mobile coverage map with streets this weekend but as you can see the intent is that this repeater will mainly be a Pittsfield/Daton/Richmond/Lanesboro repeater. Some coverage into Lenox may be decent. If your in another area feel free to let me know how it works. The Internet connection via IRLP (Not echo link) will be available early next year after the swelling in my wallet subsides from Christmas. Check out the user command codes for some of the neat features on this repeater.

11/19/2006 Found that the cables on the duplexer were the wrong ones! So much for professionals doing it. I made up new cables and wham! receive and xmit are now where they should be. I now have the repeater on the air 24x7. Only need to fix up fuses and make a power supply distribution cable. Then I need to hook up the fan switch and it is ready to go up! I think I may try for this friday after thanksgiving. IRLP will not be installed till after Christmas.

11/15/2006 New crystals now give me .35uv@20db quieting. Thats pretty darn good! Still have some difficulty with weaker signals through the duplexer. I think that might be a cavity tuning problem perhaps.

11/10/2006 On the air from my home in Dalton. I am awaiting parts to finish off things like automatic fan control and strain reliefs on DB9's. Duplexer also needs some fine tuning. May need to fix the low pass side coupling loops. I have also ordered a High side rx crystal to improve receive sensitivity. That will take the longest amount of time to get. Should be up at LTL before Christmas! New idea's include a thermometer and NOAA receivers.
 
10/02/06 Brand new ARCOM RC-210 repeater (kit) arrived today. The Mastr II radio was checked out recently because I might have pulled the PA for the 449.425 PA failure but a better replacement was found and is in place. So this project is back on! Please do not ask an ETA, Lets just say "as I find time". Fortunatly the Mt Greylock repeaters are starting to look more like repeaters and I can get back to this project (and 100watts on 2.4ghz!).

12/5/05 replacement TX crystal arrived.

STATUS:  Well I got some money ($50) to start the 146.91 upgrade project. I will use the 443.85+ controller to run the new 91. Perhaps NoBarc will even want to buy the controller. That would be bad however because since SCOM stop manufacture they have become like commodities. They sell for upwards of $700 now.  It would be hard for me to replace. So this project goes back on the shelf till I find another controller. I would like a 3 port controller to support 147.03 and IRLP all at the same time. Anyone have a nice controller to donate?

OLDstatus: Well I am sorry to say but after battling the darn tx distortion I now have damaged the TX crystal. It no longer works and two other crystals do so I am sure it is the crystal. I ordered a replacement today(11/3/05) from International crystal. 3 weeks! Wow, I knew that was coming but I was hoping International would be faster than Jan. In any case the cause for the distortions was a mod applied to allow 9600baud packet operation through this radio. That was its previous use. I may put it back on 447.225- for controller work.
,,,Tim

The pictures from 9/18/05 of the trouble shooting a TX problem turned out to be the ICOM I had used from a 9600baud packet repeater project had a mod in it for better deviation that failed.



Phase II :
Phase III:
Repeater search list:  http://rptr.amateur-radio.net/arn/rptr/index.html  VERY NICE!

The New England repeater coridinators : http://www.nesmc.org/

Location:
FN32IK
N42.45291
W73.25331
alt 1037ft Ground + 120ft bldg

LINE OF SIGHT coverage from 297 North st (Internet site)



Model Childs UHF Base antenna
Frequency Range 400-512MHz
Gain 5 dBd
Bandwidth - MHz for 1.5:1 VSWR 10 MHz
Vertical Beamwidth 18°
Maximum Power Input 250 Watts
Lightning Protection Direct Ground
Termination (50 OHM) UHF- Female
Lateral Thrust at 100 MPH 45 Lbs.
Length - Overall 80 inches
Mounting Pipe 1 3/8 inches
Weight 5 Lbs.
Shipping Weight 7 Lbs.
Radome White Fiberglasss
Radiators 3/8" Copper
Support Pipe 6061-T6 Aluminum
Clamps - fit 1" -  2 3/4" 2 included Stainless Steel
Cost
 Hey it's free!

Arcom RC-210 operations manual
 Arcom RC-210 Hardware manual


 


Comments: NESMC group seems to be quite orgnized. Lou N1UEC called me on the phone 15 minutes after I made the application! 10 minutes later I had cooridination! Amazing. Not like the stories I have heard about a couple of other .


Project started 12/3/2003