Oat Mountain GMRS Repeater?

[toverbeck]

Does anyone know if anything has changed (input or tones) for the Oat Mountain GMRS repeater (462.6000). I have it programmed into 2 radios but lately can't seem to get through. It has always been a pretty active repeater would be surprised if it was suddenly gone.

 

[Ravenkeeper]

Did it get torched during one of the fires?

 

[toverbeck]

Did it get torched during one of the fires?

Pretty sure it hasn't been hit by any recent fires.

 

[marcotor]

Are you sure it's Oat? Which PL?

 

[toverbeck]

Are you sure it's Oat? Which PL?

Someone I was talking to on GMRS ages ago referred to it as Oat. Though I think there are 3 different sites as they gave me 3 different PLs. 162.2 was what I used in West LA, there was also 192.8 and 107.2 (used in different parts of LA). I think I could hit 192.8 in Hollywood but can't recall. I know that Topanga's Arson Watch also used/uses it.

 

[marcotor]

As far as I know, the repeater at 462.600/162.2 has always been the FireWatch repeater. It was down, but I do not have any info as to why. Not sure where you got your info. There is a repeater on Wilson at 600/167.9 that has good coverage of the basin, and has mostly escaped the shenanigans that seem to perpetuate the Los Angeles GMRS community.

 

[toverbeck]

As far as I know, the repeater at 462.600/162.2 has always been the FireWatch repeater. It was down, but I do not have any info as to why. Not sure where you got your info. There is a repeater on Wilson at 600/167.9 that has good coverage of the basin, and has mostly escaped the shenanigans that seem to perpetuate the Los Angeles GMRS community.

Thanks, got the info a couple years ago from a guy I was talking to on another local repeater (can't recall which one). Used it a little less than a year ago in the back country of Topanga State Park with no issue. Having a baby has kept me from getting on the radio a whole lot. I'll look at the one on Wilson, seems that is has been hard to avoid the "shenanigans" as you put it on the few repeaters that are around here lol. Appreciate the info, I'll keep my ears open

 

[prcguy]

I can key up a repeater on 462.600/162.2 right now. It has basically no hang time and its not very strong at my undisclosed LA location. Is the Mt Wilson 462.600/167.9 machine owned by the TV broadcast transmitter "tech" who has shoehorned another repeater into the TV transmitter site without his companies permission again?

As far as I know, the repeater at 462.600/162.2 has always been the FireWatch repeater. It was down, but I do not have any info as to why. Not sure where you got your info. There is a repeater on Wilson at 600/167.9 that has good coverage of the basin, and has mostly escaped the shenanigans that seem to perpetuate the Los Angeles GMRS community.

 

[toverbeck]

I can key up a repeater on 462.600/162.2 right now. It has basically no hang time and its not very strong at my undisclosed LA location. Is the Mt Wilson 462.600/167.9 machine owned by the TV broadcast transmitter "tech" who has shoehorned another repeater into the TV transmitter site without his companies permission again?

That is strange, I had it programmed in my HT1250 and a Wuxon and never had an issue hitting it from my location. Tried the last 2 days and nothing. I wonder why the sudden change on my end.

 

[kj6psg]

I've heard the Arson Watch repeater (162.2) is on Saddle Peak, which would make sense since they claim to operate in the Malibu/Lost Hills area; and that it never worked well. I can hear it on my Ventura QTH rooftop antenna, but it doesn't come in very strong (-110dBm-ish). I'd expect a stronger signal from Oat Mountain, which I have visual LOS to, but such a signal strength is within the range I'd expect from Saddle Peak.

The Mt. Wilson repeater (167.9) is deaf, you need a fair bit of power to get into it even if it's full quieting into your receiver. There's a reason why very few people are full quieting into it. The 'justification' for that was that it "keeps the jammers out", but there's no excuse for losing about 30dB of receive performance. Arson Watch repeater does not identify, and Mt. Wilson identifies as WQWE656. I'm not sure if anyone maintains it at all.

The only GMRS repeater on Oat was a short-lived box on 462.550 owned by he-who-shall-not-be-named, but that's been off the air for a little over a year now.

 

[prcguy]

The noise floor on Mt Wilson is probably 30dB or more above normal due to transmitter noise from dozens of mega watt TV transmitters. No UHF repeater on Wilson will ever work very well.

The Mt. Wilson repeater (167.9) is deaf, you need a fair bit of power to get into it even if it's full quieting into your receiver. There's a reason why very few people are full quieting into it. The 'justification' for that was that it "keeps the jammers out", but there's no excuse for losing about 30dB of receive performance. Arson Watch repeater does not identify, and Mt. Wilson identifies as WQWE656. I'm not sure if anyone maintains it at all.