Hello Fellow Hams and Radio Enthisiasts,
BOTTOM LINE UP FRONT (BLUF)
LINK:
Traveling Ham Mobile Radio: U.S. Ham Repeaters Common Frequencies - Google Drive
Did you know that there are approximately 18,793 2M & 70CM Band repeaters in the U.S., which use only 1,303 frequencies? Imagine if you can have all, some, or none of your favorite local repeaters AND almost every other 2M & 70CM repeater frequency for your region programmed in your mobile radio. Well, this was my conundrum and if you’re interested, read further. Otherwise, TLDR and check out my latest project,
Traveling Ham Mobile Radio: U.S. Repeaters Common Frequencies. If this is common knowledge located somewhere, then please let me know, because apparently, as I apparently, can no longer use the internet…
After developing the
Google Earth Overlay Project for the Entire United States and Territories, I began to cut the Gordian Knot of Repeaters for the Traveling Ham. Specifically, the 2-Meter and 70 Cm bands, due the current equipment I have in my truck. While I have a Quad-Band TYT TH 9800 and a future Yaesu FT-891 shipping, I didn’t feel it necessary to map out the 6 & 10 Meter band repeaters. While the above project was more focused on a comprehensive archive for situationally dependent circumstances that were primarily static locations, which could also be used to plan for travelling as well, it is still a bit cumbersome to hand-jam in all the repeaters if your trip/route is across several states or regional.
Honestly, I am not impressed with Repeater Book’s Travel function, at least for MY travel areas. Right, wrong, or indifferent, I am a country boy from Arkansas and I like simplicity in the real world and I save the speculative realm for the mental world. For the areas I travel, throughout the hills of Missouri, Arkansas, Oklahoma, etc., Repeater Book’s travel function only provided about 5-10% of the actual “online” repeaters, which is okay for a baseline, but falls short of the actual situation. Additionally, I don’t like having to cherry pick out the repeaters along selected routes and analyze their coverage areas, each time I want to travel to a different portion of the state. I said there must be an easier way, which there is.
Now, I am old enough to realize that just because something is new to me, doesn’t mean that thousands of other experienced people don’t already know it. Similarly, just because I cannot find readily available information doesn’t mean it doesn’t exist somewhere. However, what I find highly ironic is that in such a highly intelligent, communications focused community, it seems that literally everything in Ham World is a homework project. Now, don’t get me wrong, I don’t mind studying and doing work, but what I cannot abide is doing things the hard way simply because that’s the way it’s always been done. I have found several different sources saying they simply program in their repeater’s frequency pairs instead of putting in every repeater, and/or doing “Edge Scans”, and then getting the offsets and PL/DCS codes off of repeater book, which to me is going the long way around the barn for the same information. So, I became curious and wanted to assist any other Hams who many also find this information useful.
IF: Only certain portions of the allocated bands are used for repeaters
AND: There are somewhat standardized/best practice offsets based on these frequencies
AND: There are a finite set of PL/DCS Tones
AND: My mobile radio performs the above two functions automatically/easily via microphone
AND: Many repeaters use the same frequencies, deconflicted by spectrum managers, location, ERP, etc.
AND: My mobile radio has a finite amount of memory channels
THEN: What is the no kidding list of Total Frequencies that are actually used in each state and the United States combined.
So, I’ve done the aforementioned homework and hopefully this can assist others in simplifying their Travelling Ham repeater operations and planning. Sourcing, yet again, from
www.repeaterbook.com I’ve distilled the entire 2-Meter and 70 Centimeter Band Repeater Frequency list from 18,793 down to 1,303 total and comprehensive frequencies used on all of these repeaters. Again, based on Repeater Book’s data. The 0.99999% of the “unique situation” repeaters outside of this scope, I care not to address or even discuss. I’m looking for an elegant 99% solution. For example, in my areas of most common multi-state travel (Missouri, Arkansas, Kansas, Iowa, and Oklahoma), I can take all five (5) states 2M & 70CM repeaters, 594 down to 237 for a 60.10% reduction. My mobile radio’s memory channels love this, particularly for scanning, and/or leaving other channels for whatever else. Now I can roll down the road with my favorite local repeaters programmed in and when traveling, camping, or whatever I can scan faster, hit active repeaters, using my Automatic Repeater Shift function, and CTCSS/DCS Tone Scan to chime-in if I want to. Essentially, casting the broadest net, catching the most fish.
I’ve created a Blank Template tab in the
Excel Workbook for those who don’t have 1,303 + Memory Channels in their radios. If you do have this many or more channels, then you literally can have every repeater in the U.S. and Territories, so cheers to you! o7 But… for the rest of us, I wanted to provide a tool to customize their individualized plans, if they choose to do so.
STEPS TO CUSTOMIZE COMMON FREQUENCIES
(You can use this list, or use your own source. [State Repeater Council] Simply create your list of overall frequencies and use the REMOVE DUPLICATES function under the Data Tab in Excel)
OPEN EXCEL WORK BOOK > CUT N’ PASTE FREQUENCIES FROM ALL STATES INTO A SINGLE COLUMN > OPTIONAL: SORT BY SMALLEST TO LARGEST (Otherwise Skip) > GO TO DATA TAB (DATA TOOLS SECTION) > REMOVE DUPLICATES > SELECT BUTTON CONTINUE WITH CURRENT SELECTION > IF USING MY TEMPLATE CHECK MY DATA HAS HEADERS (IF USING A BLANK EXCEL SHEET THEN DON’T CHECK THIS) > CLICK OK > BOOM! YOUR CUSTOMIZED LIST OF FREQUENCIES!!!
Feel free to provide comments and feedback.
Note: If you want to snipe so, be it, I really don’t care. If it makes you feel better about yourself, when you didn’t compile this same information with your vast labyrinth of knowledge, skills, and expertise, by all means “glow” all you want.
For those whom this can honestly help, of whatever skill and experience level, this is for you.
73’s & Kindest Regards,
Ryan, AE0TO
o7
How blessed is the man who finds wisdom
And the man who gains understanding.
For her profit is better than the profit of silver
And her gain better than fine gold.
She is more precious than jewels;
And nothing you desire compares with her.
