If your brother is Scott KF4DBW, Yes, I am. Glad to make your acquaintance!KC4JGC, you maybe referring to me. I currently live in northeast Tennessee, but I'm moving to the Chesapeake area as soon as possible.
Until I move I have a XPR 8400 that I'm using as a portable repeater as there wasn't coverage in the area I live now or in Chesapeake.
Right now I'm on travel to the Chesapeake area about 50% of the time. I do put the repeater online while I'm there, it doesn't get great coverage as it's antenna is only about 30' up, but will reach a few miles from the I-64 and Battlefield interchange. I'm not currently publishing the frequencies since the repeater isn't up all the time yet, but if someone is in the area at the same time as me and they want to try it out I'd be happy to give it to them.
NCPRN will soon have another repeater online in the Johnson City Tennessee area, K1LNX, which I should be able to hit. So if a location, at a reasonable price, in the Chesapeake area was found that I could place my repeater that would significantly improve the coverage I would consider placing it now.
If anyone has any leads please let me know.
Thanks,
Marc
KK4WTI
I do put the repeater online while I'm there, it doesn't get great coverage as it's antenna is only about 30' up, but will reach a few miles from the I-64 and Battlefield interchange. I'm not currently publishing the frequencies since the repeater isn't up all the time yet, but if someone is in the area at the same time as me and they want to try it out I'd be happy to give it to them.
NCPRN will soon have another repeater online in the Johnson City Tennessee area, K1LNX, which I should be able to hit. So if a location, at a reasonable price, in the Chesapeake area was found that I could place my repeater that would significantly improve the coverage I would consider placing it now.
If anyone has any leads please let me know.
Thanks,
Marc
KK4WTI
If your brother is Scott KF4DBW, Yes, I am. Glad to make your acquaintance!
I would check with Chesapeake Amateur Radio Service (CARS), the club in Chesapeake. Also Portsmouth ARC. As I explained to Scott, tower/building space is at a premium. All the CARS repeaters are on city owned towers. If you're looking for access whenever you want without a city official escorting you, that won't be a possibility for you. The Portsmouth machines are at the naval hospital and a civilian hospital across town.
I did provide a couple (albeit remote) possibilities in my e-mail to Scott and Jay in Prince George, though. It was through Jay KD4BPZ that I learned of your machine.
Good luck es 73,
I have listed and programmed in the following for VA and close by.
442.5875 CC 1 Chesapeake
443.5875 CC 1 Richmond
443.2625 CC 1 Wytheville
443.9375 CC 1 Fancy Gap
440.7500 CC6 Petersburg
448.9750 CC6 Haymarket
440.6500 CC6 DC
443.8500 CC 6 Towson-Slightly out of VA
That is accurate as of about three weeks or a month ago when I went through and updated programming. Of course it also seems subject to change quite frequently so keep that in mind.
Getting a specific repeater pair coordinated for your area would give you the upper hand in interference issues. Being listed in the directories would help get the word out to those interested in DMR. Get that SERA paperwork started now.A good next step, if not done already, is getting your choice of frequency coordinated with the area coordinator. This would generate traffic for the machine.
That's very true. If your repeater is at a government facility you'll likely need to justify your need for internet service. Wanting to link distant repeaters may not be accepted. Case in point: A few years ago, a 2m repeater at the NASA Goddard ARC was forced to disconnect its Echolink direct connection at the repeater.One of the challenges being experienced with digital machines around here is the Internet access. Sometimes traditional sites do not have that service available.
What are the other DMR repeater owners doing in regards to linking?
1- Home stations,
2- Commercial/governments sites with a direct connection at the site or,
3- Commercial/government site with an auxiliary rf link to the owner's home?
My guess would be either "1" or "3".
The Chesapeake frequency is subject to change, as we are just using it in a mobile configuration right now and that happened to be the frequency the duplexer was tuned to. Also, the Petersburg repeater is no longer there, it has been moved and is now the Richmond repeater.
.
That's very true. If your repeater is at a government facility you'll likely need to justify your need for internet service. Wanting to link distant repeaters may not be accepted. Case in point: A few years ago, a 2m repeater at the NASA Goddard ARC was forced to disconnect its Echolink direct connection at the repeater.
Later, the node returned via a link from a member's home station.
What are the other DMR repeater owners doing in regards to linking?
1- Home stations,
2- Commercial/governments sites with a direct connection at the site or,
3- Commercial/government site with an auxiliary rf link to the owner's home?
My guess would be either "1" or "3".
That's very true. If your repeater is at a government facility you'll likely need to justify your need for internet service. Wanting to link distant repeaters may not be accepted. Case in point: A few years ago, a 2m repeater at the NASA Goddard ARC was forced to disconnect its Echolink direct connection at the repeater.
Later, the node returned via a link from a member's home station