Why are ham repeaters not in the Sentinel DB?

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Scanner newb here,

I purchased a BCD536HP yesterday, and am in process of setting it up.

I live in the San Francisco Bay Area, which is kind of a hub for ham activity. Within 50 miles or so of where I live, there are 72 2m repeaters, 41 1.25m repeaters, 139 70cm repeaters, and 35 or so more on 6m and 10m.

Repeater frequencies and locations are a matter of public record. Why are they not included in the database?

Additionally, is there any way to do location-based scanning with the GPS module on user-entered frequencies? I'd really like my scanner to only be scanning the "nearby" repeaters while I'm driving around.
 

phask

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Some are. Many are not.

However - RR only lists these:

Create a favorite list and add them yourself.

Amateur Radio

  • A.R.E.S. frequencies and repeaters used for emergency and Skywarn Nets only!
  • R.A.C.E.S. frequencies and repeaters used for Emergency Mgmt. and Homeland Security Nets only!
RR Database Submission Guidelines - The RadioReference Wiki


And yes to GPS - you'd need to input the location data manually - or find a DB with the data and import.


New one who did several states on another Uniden with GPS, ran it along with a dual band along with relays that both disconnected the scanner antenna and an external speaker.

N8PFF
 
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Some are. Many are not.

And yes to GPS - you'd need to input the location data manually - or find a DB with the data and import.

Thanks for the reply...

How would I put location information into a favorite list? I don't see a place in Sentinel to enter it.

Would I be better served by trying to get these repeaters listed in the DB? I can find approximate coordinates for them pretty easily.
 

fxdscon

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Scanner newb here,

I purchased a BCD536HP yesterday, and am in process of setting it up.

I live in the San Francisco Bay Area, which is kind of a hub for ham activity. Within 50 miles or so of where I live, there are 72 2m repeaters, 41 1.25m repeaters, 139 70cm repeaters, and 35 or so more on 6m and 10m.

Repeater frequencies and locations are a matter of public record. Why are they not included in the database?

Additionally, is there any way to do location-based scanning with the GPS module on user-entered frequencies? I'd really like my scanner to only be scanning the "nearby" repeaters while I'm driving around.

There are a "few" in the database, check the database listing in Sentinel....

USA ---> California --> San Francisco --> County Systems --> San Francisco --> Amateur Radio

Any others that you have verified as ARES or RACES, you should submit them to the database to add them. The RR database is built mainly on member submissions rather than other databases such as public record. Once your submissions have been approved and added to the RR database, they will be added to Sentinel in future updates. You should add your findings here:

Submit Data to RadioReference

In the mean time, you could always make a favorites list with whatever you have, and not have to wait for the updates to be able to scan them.

.
 

ko6jw_2

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To say that ham radio repeaters, frequencies and locations are a matter of public record is partly true at best. The ARRL Repeater Directory lists some repeaters with the reference "covers area." Amateur radio repeaters are private property or owned by clubs and other organizations. Some are licensed to those organizations, but private repeaters use the call sign of the owner. Most, but not all repeaters are coordinated by various organizations on a voluntary basis. Even the repeater coordinators do not disclose details, if the owner requests that they do not.

You seem affronted by the idea that this information is not readily available, but that's the way it is. Your scanner has a search function - use it.

By the way, some 70cm repeaters in the Bay Area have been forced to drastically reduce power due to potential interference with the PAVE/PAWS radar.
 

ko6jw_2

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Amateur radio operators are not licensed by frequency. The ULS database does not contain amateur radio frequencies because it is the operator and station that are licensed not any particular frequency.

I am the trustee of two repeaters. If you look in the FCC database you could find the LICENSE, but there is no reference to the repeater frequencies or locations.

My reply has everything to do with the original question.
 

buddrousa

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In the edit profile under services it says ham is that not what you are looking for? I put a check mark in ham and went back to my state my county and the ham frequencies showed up under the county name.
 

n1das

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To say that ham radio repeaters, frequencies and locations are a matter of public record is partly true at best. The ARRL Repeater Directory lists some repeaters with the reference "covers area." Amateur radio repeaters are private property or owned by clubs and other organizations. Some are licensed to those organizations, but private repeaters use the call sign of the owner. Most, but not all repeaters are coordinated by various organizations on a voluntary basis. Even the repeater coordinators do not disclose details, if the owner requests that they do not.

You seem affronted by the idea that this information is not readily available, but that's the way it is. Your scanner has a search function - use it.

By the way, some 70cm repeaters in the Bay Area have been forced to drastically reduce power due to potential interference with the PAVE/PAWS radar.

What ko6jw_2 said.

Although what's contained in the FCC ULS is public record and easily searchable, it won't show ham repeaters listed on an individual ham license. In the Amateur Radio Service [HA], it's a little bit different from other licensed radio services where they operate on specific frequencies and all transmitter location(s) and area(s) of operation for each have to be on the license. Looking up a particular ham license in the ULS will simply show that the licensee is licensed in the Amateur Radio Service [HA] but won't show any frequencies.

Good luck.
 
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D

DaveNF2G

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I don't think anyone was complaining that ham repeater info is not available. The problem is that they are not in the RRDB unless they meet the rather narrow criteria of being known ARES, RACES, or Skywarn repeaters.
 

kma371

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I don't think anyone was complaining that ham repeater info is not available. The problem is that they are not in the RRDB unless they meet the rather narrow criteria of being known ARES, RACES, or Skywarn repeaters.

they do not need to be known as such to be included in the database. I don't know where you got that information.
 

phask

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As I stated earlier - if incorrect - THAT needs corrected. Uniden via UPMAN had stated the same regarding the same question.


Maybe from RR's submission guidelines wiki

RR Database Submission Guidelines - The RadioReference Wiki

Amateur Radio
  • A.R.E.S. frequencies and repeaters used for emergency and Skywarn Nets only!
  • R.A.C.E.S. frequencies and repeaters used for Emergency Mgmt. and Homeland Security Nets only!



they do not need to be known as such to be included in the database. I don't know where you got that information.
 

kma371

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that may need to be updated then because 6.2.7 and 6.1.1 of the administrative guide does not have such restrictions on amateur radio repeaters
 
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phask

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That's actually good news.

I remember seeing the question both here and some other HP1 forums/groups way back when the 1st HP1 came out. (I bought the 1st 1 or 2 from Universal Radio in Columbus). Actually idea came up back then on the sales floor as to being a great way to use as a GPS mobile repeater monitor. The RR issue came up then.

Can't say I've had any submissions denied because I never submitted any due to believing that policy was still in affect.


that may need to be updated then because 6.2.7 and 6.1.1 of the administrative guide does not have such restrictions on amateur radio repeaters
 

W8RMH

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Thanks for the reply...

How would I put location information into a favorite list? I don't see a place in Sentinel to enter it.

Would I be better served by trying to get these repeaters listed in the DB? I can find approximate coordinates for them pretty easily.
In the Favorites List Editor click on the Location Tab and enter the coordinates, very simple.
 
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Ok, Sorry for the delay here. I'm working through my first 4 posts that have to be approved by an admin.

I agree with ko6jw_2, that while ham info itself is public, the FCC does not list repeater frequencies. While that is true, there are multiple user-generated DBs that hold a large number of repeaters.

I've written a script that parses repeaterbook.com. This script reads their DB and generates HPD files.

Their DB has ~20k repeaters in the US in ~8k locations. They only give the "city, State" of the locations, so my location coordinates (via google's geocoding) are only as good as what I get in. Their DB does list CTSS/DCS codes, so I've put that into my info, along with tagging the repeater with the ham callsign.

One thing I noticed though: if I put all 20k channels into a single hpd file then ARC and Sentinel both crash when trying to load the file :( If I put the same information across one-file-per-state then the programs don't crash.

So far I have the first 2.5k locations geocoded. Google only allows 2.5k calls/day into their free API. I've got Alabama->Iowa. Tomorrow I'll do the next batch.

I would be OK to post either the generated files, or the source code to make this. What are the rules here regarding this?
 
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Following up to my own thread... I attempted to submit the dump from repeaterbook to radio reference's db.

The submission was rejected, but the reason was that they do not accept submissions from other websites.

I am not yet sure if they will accept submissions for ham repeaters that I am able to discover on my own. I will try again later on.

In case anyone else is interested, here is a dump of ~20k ham repeaters, all location tagged, in hpd/hpe formats: https://www.dropbox.com/s/zpccmyeovbiwc22/US Ham Repeaters 8_30_2015.zip?dl=0
 

ecps92

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A dump from Repeater Book would be treated the same as a dump from the FCC

Spot-On by the DB Admin

Only verified submissions should be made, and not taken from other sites

Following up to my own thread... I attempted to submit the dump from repeaterbook to radio reference's db.

The submission was rejected, but the reason was that they do not accept submissions from other websites.

I am not yet sure if they will accept submissions for ham repeaters that I am able to discover on my own. I will try again later on.

In case anyone else is interested, here is a dump of ~20k ham repeaters, all location tagged, in hpd/hpe formats: https://www.dropbox.com/s/zpccmyeovbiwc22/US Ham Repeaters 8_30_2015.zip?dl=0
 

phask

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WOW - just one issue - somewhere the decimal is off:)

146.61 is 14.610 when I import an hpe.

I also have ARC and can open the HPS - same issue.

I think that submission policy is it must be confirmed by the submitter. I've had to explain myself on ones submitted for out of state/areas where I have found errors that did not require even hearing it. (location, mis-spellings and such).
 
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