N3KZ U of P repeater system silent

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w2xq

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The wide area 440 University of Pennsylvania linked repeater system with sites in PA, NJ, NY, and MD has been off the air for a week. While no reason has been given, my assumption is the management grew tired of the nonsense from lids, kids and space cadets. The situation had, from what heard elsewhere, become pretty raunchy. Nor has there been any mention of when N3KZ will be reactivated.
 

Mark

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Yeah notice Havre de Grace Maryland site 444.150 here is dead..
They were my first multi linked site as a new Ham 10 years ago. :)
You could be skiing on Camelback Mountain with a HT and talk to Maryland..
 

w2xq

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Captaincab, source? The fact that Jeff, WN3A, owns the N3KZ equipment and is the ARCC coordinator for 440 and up may make for a interesting conundrum dealing with all the equipment, sites and possible recoordination. I haven't bothered to check if the standalone N3KZ repeaters were affected by the shutdown. We shall see.
 

jaypea500

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I doubt it's totally dead. it's just resting a bit.

seriously, I've worked with WN3A for a verrrrryyyy long time. I know he's full-tilt 7 days a week and probably doesn't have the time to deal with it. his WR3IRS DMR repeater on the waterford tower has been out since well before N3KZ went down. he was also on vacation recently, so I'm sure he's up to his eyeballs with piled-up work.

since it's been down, I've heard lots of rumors about why and/or how. perhaps it's better to just stop with the rumors since the only one who knows the facts is WN3A...
 

Skypilot007

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It's a shame but this needed to happen. It's a fantastic network of repeaters unmatched by anything else in the area except for DMR. The lids seem to gravitate to a few new folks on there that just don't know when to shut their mouths sometime...cough...cough..RJV, HXJ. KKU just tries to keep the peace and gets hammered for it. Oh well, wait and see what happens.
 

jaypea500

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perhaps. but again, unknown. I have heard all that unfortunate crap on the system involving those you mention, but it's just a rumor that it's the reason why. I'd rather not spread rumors. that just ticks people off more (probably including WN3A). as with lids, ignorance is bliss.

(btw, between you and "radio3353," you've cornered the market on RCA HMV avatars. I may have to join the club! maybe a MEATBALL!)
 
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jaypea500

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don't know the origination of the term, but it's used to classify an unlicensed operator...
 

captaincab

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Employee of public safety for a very close neighboring university. So some one I would call about a 7 on the reliability scale. But like others have said only the owner knows the truth.


Captaincab, source? The fact that Jeff, WN3A, owns the N3KZ equipment and is the ARCC coordinator for 440 and up may make for a interesting conundrum dealing with all the equipment, sites and possible recoordination. I haven't bothered to check if the standalone N3KZ repeaters were affected by the shutdown. We shall see.
 

WB3DYE

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LIDS

Maybe a way out of this--Maybe Jeff should make it a "closed" system making legitimate users to sign up online.
 

Skypilot007

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And this, folks, is why everything is going digital.

Going digital isn't always the answer. Yes it may help but is not a 100% fix for whats happening on KZ.

It wouldn't take much for one of the trouble makers to simply program someone else's DMR radio ID into their radio and continue to wreak havoc. Enabling RAS would limit users to Motorola radios and the system would need to built out with all Motorola repeaters, probably not an option if this system were to come back as DMR. I don't think any other digital modes would be in play here. You never know though.
 

radio3353

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Maybe a way out of this--Maybe Jeff should make it a "closed" system making legitimate users to sign up online.

I have always thought of closed systems as being antithesis to amateur radio's purpose.

This is the first line of ARRL's definition of amateur radio:
"Amateur Radio (ham radio) is a popular hobby and service that brings people, electronics and communication together." (Emphasis mine)
 

SpugEddy

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It's a shame but this needed to happen. It's a fantastic network of repeaters unmatched by anything else in the area except for DMR. The lids seem to gravitate to a few new folks on there that just don't know when to shut their mouths sometime...cough...cough..RJV, HXJ. KKU just tries to keep the peace and gets hammered for it. Oh well, wait and see what happens.

I've been monitoring N3KZ for about 3 or 4 years now.
I must know exactly who you are on that repeater.
Haven't heard you on the GMRS repeaters in my
area lately. Anyway, yes a real shame on the mess.
The hecklers seem to be attacking only a couple of users.
I won't mention any names, but you seem to have pegged it.
 

jaypea500

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just a quick note to say "Kay-Zedd" is back up and running as of 4:52pm this afternoon. yay!
 
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