Today, Mark, N5HZR, and Peter, N5UWY, again visited their vacation home, the repeater site.
New firmware was installed in the Arcom controller and a new, known config was loaded. The voice tracks that had been in the repeater controller previously may be there now, but it's not clear from the documentation how those are loaded using the current firmware and programming software so mark it as "maybe". Users may hear some testing to determin if those really did get loaded. If those voice tracks are there, expect to hear the repeater announce things like meeting reminders in the future. If not, there will have to be Yet Another visit to the site.
The ERROR ERROR message should be gone. The hang time after mobile stations unkey should be at 3 seconds. As always, the repeater time-out is set to 180 seconds (3 minutes) so remember to let the courtesy tone sound after the other station stops transmitting to ensure that the time-out timer gets reset.
2018-10-12
2018-10-11 - Serial is OURS!
(Special Correspondant, Mark, N5HZR reports ... )
After a couple more calls and emails to ARCOM’s guru Ken, we learned a couple of things.
First, to test the data connection without using the software provided by ARCOM, we can use PUTTY, or Hyperterm to send characters to the serial port. If we connect to the controller in a terminal mode, we can supply 'codes' as if we were DTMF'ing them into the repeater. To test from a PUTTY or similar session, we can type 11111, and the response should be a +.
If the controller understands the function, a + is returned.
If the controller doesn't understand the function, a - is returned.
Second, and more importantly, the serial transmission default information changed as of ARCOM version 7.60. The default was 9600,8,1,N. However, with the version that we received in our controller, 7.60 and following Ken changed the default to 57600,8,1,N. Ken said there was a nasty bug in the 7.60 software, and it was pulled from production and replaced with 7.61. He also said that the desktop shortcut issues that we found with 7.61 were a known issue, and he fixed that in the most current 7.67 version. Ken said that the software should automatically select 57600 baud, but from our previous visits, we knew that the computers were using 19200 baud.
So, what this means is that we’ve been using 19200 baud for a couple of months when the controller was expecting 57600 baud.
Thunderstorms, bad weather, and Hurricanes Florence and Michael slowed down the next trip to the repeater, but Mark, N5HZR, found a beautiful weather day on 10/11/2018 and stopped by the repeater site on the way into town at 9:28 am. He connected the computer and the USB Serial cable. The USB serial connector showed up on COM7 and changed the baud rate from 19200 to 57600. This connection still did not work. Mark opened the controller, flipped the TX/RX connector around, and opened the program one more time.
This time the software was able to download the information. Mark saved the .dat file and the .log file that detailed the errors in this configuration. For good luck, this process was repeated and create a second set of files. One push of the button set the clock in the controller to the computer’s time. Mark put the cover back on the controller, unhooked the computer, verified that the APRS repeater, the UHF repeater, and the VHF repeater all worked. A quick 15-minute visit and the serial data has now produced a good .dat file.
After dropping off the key, and driving down the road, the controller ID’d properly. At 10:00, the controller came on and said “error error 10:00”, which meant the clock reset worked.
Later in the day, Mark emailed the .dat and the .log files to Peter, N5UWY, for him to review, and readjust. His initial reply was that the macros didn’t update properly and a couple of wav files got ‘lost’ during the update. Peter has copies of the wav files. Since Peter now has a ‘current state’ document, he’ll try to do some tweaking over the air to remove the “error error” macro. When Peter reworks the controller, we’ll load in the new config.
2018-08-09
8/8 Update
It's the 30th anniversary of the first night game in the Friendly Confines of Wrigley Field in Chicago. The game was called due to rain and was replayed on 8/9. Many remember the "8/8/88" thing but forget that it was a rain-out.
The SCARS Tech Committee was almost rained out, or more accurately, lightning-ed out on their trip to the repeater site today. However, the electrically charged clouds moved out and even the rain clouds were largely gone before the task force arrived at the site.
Unfortunately, the changes we made a couple months ago had no effect on the interference we've been suffering on the VHF system (147.06 MHz). So today, the loaner duplexers (thanks to N5MS) were removed and replaced by the club's WACOM duplexer. While there, the NORMAN APRS digipeater was also placed back in service.
We had also removed the Arcom RC-210 repeater controller (the device that gives us the auxiliary functions) as part of the diagnostic process. While it was out, we had it updated by the vendor with their now-standard more capable CPU. Embedded CPUs in this type of situation have built-in RAM and the new unit has a lot more of that (I don't have numbers) meaning more possible functions - the software author had run out of space in the old CPU's memory. The real-time clock module was also "flashed" (new firmware) which hopefully means that the clock (and therefore the scheduling features) will work correctly now - the clock was a poor time-keeper in the past which is why it had been shut off.
Unfortunately, we were unable to communicate with the controller over its serial console which means we couldn't pull the config that's in there (to make sure it was correct and as we expected) nor could we properly set the clock - you'll probably note that we've moved to the Pacific Time Zone. We'll get back out there in the near future and see if we can't beat it into submission.
In the meantime, the interference is still a problem.
The SCARS Tech Committee was almost rained out, or more accurately, lightning-ed out on their trip to the repeater site today. However, the electrically charged clouds moved out and even the rain clouds were largely gone before the task force arrived at the site.
Unfortunately, the changes we made a couple months ago had no effect on the interference we've been suffering on the VHF system (147.06 MHz). So today, the loaner duplexers (thanks to N5MS) were removed and replaced by the club's WACOM duplexer. While there, the NORMAN APRS digipeater was also placed back in service.
We had also removed the Arcom RC-210 repeater controller (the device that gives us the auxiliary functions) as part of the diagnostic process. While it was out, we had it updated by the vendor with their now-standard more capable CPU. Embedded CPUs in this type of situation have built-in RAM and the new unit has a lot more of that (I don't have numbers) meaning more possible functions - the software author had run out of space in the old CPU's memory. The real-time clock module was also "flashed" (new firmware) which hopefully means that the clock (and therefore the scheduling features) will work correctly now - the clock was a poor time-keeper in the past which is why it had been shut off.
Unfortunately, we were unable to communicate with the controller over its serial console which means we couldn't pull the config that's in there (to make sure it was correct and as we expected) nor could we properly set the clock - you'll probably note that we've moved to the Pacific Time Zone. We'll get back out there in the near future and see if we can't beat it into submission.
In the meantime, the interference is still a problem.
2018-05-03
Still Fighting ...
But is it a good fight? Ahhh ...
The fight with VHF repeater continues. On April 11, 2018, the RC-210 controller was removed from the repeater (that's why there is no courtesy tone). There are actually two auxiliary receivers connected to that controller and while it was unlikely that this was injecting the interfering signal into the system, it was easy enough to remove it to test. Removing the controller was not expected to magically fix everything, and it didn't, but it did give us some more data - in the interval between a mobile unit unkeying and the repeater's transmitter dropping, the "other" signal was apparent. That's the good news. The bad news is that the signal is probably the repeater's transmitter on 147.0600 MHz.
The duplexer (not diplexer) is the filter that is supposed to keep the repeater's receiver from hearing its own transmitter. This is no small trick given that there is a 25-W signal on 147.0600 MHz and the repeater is trying to listen for signals 600 kHz away (147.6600 MHz) that are in the microvolt range ... at the same time ... on the same feedline and antenna.
Miraculously (or maybe not if you know N5MS), Mike had a duplexer "in stock". The unit was tuned up on "66/06" (that's how hams 40 years ago described a repeater - input/output) and placed in service today by N5HZR and N5UWY. If this "cures" the problem then the next steps are pretty clear. Note that in the repeater rehabilitation work that the Technical Committee has done over the past several years, the duplexer was the only component not replaced.
Unfortunately, in order to install the temporary duplexer, the NORMAN digipeater (on the APRS frequency of 144.3900 MHz) was removed from service. The digipeater shares the VHF repeater's antenna and feedline by use of a multi-coupler (similar to a duplexer - a tight filter that keeps 147.0600 MHz RF away from 144.3900 MHz). This is unfortunate for a couple reasons - 1) APRS users are deprived of a high-site digipeater and 2) it's possible that the digipeater itself was an issue (it's not at all clear that it was).
Time will tell if this is the "cure."
The fight with VHF repeater continues. On April 11, 2018, the RC-210 controller was removed from the repeater (that's why there is no courtesy tone). There are actually two auxiliary receivers connected to that controller and while it was unlikely that this was injecting the interfering signal into the system, it was easy enough to remove it to test. Removing the controller was not expected to magically fix everything, and it didn't, but it did give us some more data - in the interval between a mobile unit unkeying and the repeater's transmitter dropping, the "other" signal was apparent. That's the good news. The bad news is that the signal is probably the repeater's transmitter on 147.0600 MHz.
The duplexer (not diplexer) is the filter that is supposed to keep the repeater's receiver from hearing its own transmitter. This is no small trick given that there is a 25-W signal on 147.0600 MHz and the repeater is trying to listen for signals 600 kHz away (147.6600 MHz) that are in the microvolt range ... at the same time ... on the same feedline and antenna.
Miraculously (or maybe not if you know N5MS), Mike had a duplexer "in stock". The unit was tuned up on "66/06" (that's how hams 40 years ago described a repeater - input/output) and placed in service today by N5HZR and N5UWY. If this "cures" the problem then the next steps are pretty clear. Note that in the repeater rehabilitation work that the Technical Committee has done over the past several years, the duplexer was the only component not replaced.
Unfortunately, in order to install the temporary duplexer, the NORMAN digipeater (on the APRS frequency of 144.3900 MHz) was removed from service. The digipeater shares the VHF repeater's antenna and feedline by use of a multi-coupler (similar to a duplexer - a tight filter that keeps 147.0600 MHz RF away from 144.3900 MHz). This is unfortunate for a couple reasons - 1) APRS users are deprived of a high-site digipeater and 2) it's possible that the digipeater itself was an issue (it's not at all clear that it was).
Time will tell if this is the "cure."
2018-01-27
Repeater Site Expedition Report - 2018-01-27
A number of us visited the county yard on Friday the 26th (N5UWY, KD5UGO, N5HZR, W5HLG, WE5Z, WB5ULK, AG5DB, AG5LB, KB5LSB). We looked only at the VHF system and not the UHF system.
A couple of numbers for posterity:
KD5UGO provided several tons of test equipment and knowledge to operate it. We looked at the parameters quantified above.
We listened to the input frequency through the duplexers as well as straight from the antenna and we were looking at it on the spectrum analyzer at the same time; No unusual signals were heard or seen, only the signal of the HT (or the service monitor) we were using to key the repeater.
We "swept" the Bp (Tx) and Br (Rx) sides of the duplexer and found no anomalies. Yes, we wiggled wires and tapped on connectors while watching signals, none of which had any effect. We checked their tuning and were able to coerce another 2 dB of rejection from the receive side (I do not have the initial or resulting values, only the 2 dB difference). We saw no evidence that the transmitter on 147.06 was being heard by the receiver on 147.66 via the antenna system.
Bottom line: No Trouble Found.
Clearly, there is a signal from somewhere mixing with the signal being received from stations trying to use the repeater. None of the tests we did yesterday revealed the source of that signal. In fact, we saw no evidence of another signal. But it's there because we heard it on repeated stations within an hour of our visit. It's real, we just have yet to find it.
A couple of numbers for posterity:
- Squelch opens at 0.2 μV.
- Full quieting is reached at 1.0 μV
- Modulation bandwidth is 9 kHz
- Deviation of repeated stations is 3.5-4 kHz
- Transmitter frequency error +30 Hz
- Power output is 20 W
- 70 dB reject on transmit.
KD5UGO provided several tons of test equipment and knowledge to operate it. We looked at the parameters quantified above.
We listened to the input frequency through the duplexers as well as straight from the antenna and we were looking at it on the spectrum analyzer at the same time; No unusual signals were heard or seen, only the signal of the HT (or the service monitor) we were using to key the repeater.
We "swept" the Bp (Tx) and Br (Rx) sides of the duplexer and found no anomalies. Yes, we wiggled wires and tapped on connectors while watching signals, none of which had any effect. We checked their tuning and were able to coerce another 2 dB of rejection from the receive side (I do not have the initial or resulting values, only the 2 dB difference). We saw no evidence that the transmitter on 147.06 was being heard by the receiver on 147.66 via the antenna system.
Bottom line: No Trouble Found.
Clearly, there is a signal from somewhere mixing with the signal being received from stations trying to use the repeater. None of the tests we did yesterday revealed the source of that signal. In fact, we saw no evidence of another signal. But it's there because we heard it on repeated stations within an hour of our visit. It's real, we just have yet to find it.
2017-07-26
Callsign Cobwebs From The Mental Attic
Heard some chitterchatter recently on one of the repeaters regarding callsign structures. I thought I'd clear out some of the stuff in my mental attic, so here goes:
- By international treaty, the USA is allocated W, K, N, and AA-AL, technically WAA-WZZ, KAA-KZZ, NAA-NZZ, AAA-ALZ (AMA-AZZ being allocated to other nations).
- Internally, the FCC decides how to break up those allocations into the various services.
- Way back in the day, when their were true regional offices for the Department of Commerce (before the Federal Radio Commission or the Federal Communications Commission), each district office had a number. Oklahoma's licenses were handled out of the New Orleans office, which was #5. You see where this is going.
- Initially, US hams got a number (corresponding to the issuing office) and then letters assigned in sequence starting at AA. When they got to WZ, they started again at AAA (because for a while, if the first letter after the number was X, Y, or Z, it had a special meaning). There was also a period when some stations, usually a portable station operated by an amateur away from his usual address, that had 4 letters after the digit.
- After one of the international radio conferences, c.1923, everyone agreed that all callsigns should start with the letters that had already been assigned, so US hams all grew Ws ahead of the digit.
- For about 40 years now, more or less, in the Amateur Radio Service, callsigns have been grouped. Amateur Extra Class licensees were assigned calls from Group A, 1x2 or 2x1 starting with W (e.g., WE5Z, W5TC) . When those ran out (and in the 5th district they ran out about 1992 or so) they "refreshed" the group with calls starting at AA5AA. Advanced Class licensees (none issued since 2000) got calls from Group B, 2x2 starting with K (e.g., KK5IO). Technicians and Generals got assigned calls from Group C, 1x3 calls starting with N (e.g., N5ZZM). Remember, until 1987, the only difference between the test or Tech and General was the Morse code, so they got calls in the same group - the written exam was the same and if you passed the 13-WPM test, you got General, if not, you got Technician. Group C was exhausted in our district about 1992 as well (N5ZZM just squeaked in!) Novices (none issued since 2000) got calls from Group D, which were 2x3 calls starting with K. Once Group C was exhausted, instead of "refreshing" it with some other pool, the FCC started pulling from Group D, which is why all new Tech and Generals get 2x3 calls.
- Now, then. When it comes to vanity calls, you are still restricted to the group that corresponds to your license class. So Technicians and Generals can get any available 1x3 callsign (starting with an N, K, or W) or any available 2x3 call (starting with WA-WZ, KA-KZ, NA-NZ, or AA-AL) with some restrictions. To get a 1x2, a 2x1, or a 2x2, you have to hold an Amateur Extra license.
References
Edit: Looks like Group A in the 5th District was exhausted on 1987-06-02 from looking at QRZ's 1993 database causing the FCC to start at AA5AA after WZ5Z was issued.
2017-06-03
OUARC Repeater Update
Your host is not only the Technical Committee Chair for SCARS but also a member in good standing (and past treasurer) of the OUARC so he ends up working on the OU repeaters, too (D-STAR on 444.7500 MHz, DMR on 443.8250 MHz, and good old FM on 146.8800 MHz).
Several weeks ago, the DMR system fell off the network. The RF side was still up and usable on the local talkgroups; only the remote talkgroups were unusable. N5HZR and your host visited the site and were able to get the repeater connected back to the network.
Several weeks ago, the DMR system fell off the network. The RF side was still up and usable on the local talkgroups; only the remote talkgroups were unusable. N5HZR and your host visited the site and were able to get the repeater connected back to the network.
The next week, same thing. Appeared, over the network, to be the same problem so your host visited the site but determined that the repeater was unrecoverable. What your host didn't realize, possibly because the lightning was closer than absolutely necessary, was that the .88 FM repeater was also dead.
Another visit was organized and it was determined that the power supply for the .88 repeater had taken a hit. We removed the power supply as well as the DMR repeater as both would need to be repaired. We're not 100% certain, but we are assuming that Thor played havoc with the equipment.
Forward to today and N5HZR, AG5DV, and your host returned to the site with a new DMR repeater (the other is being repaired and will be used elsewhere) which was placed in service. We have some other clean-up work to do there so we'll be back soon. Hopefully, we'll have the repaired power supply for the .88 repeater by then and we'll get that back on the air as well.
2016-11-12
Nearly Thanksgiving Update
This update was delayed in the hope that the Stadium Remote would be back in operation, but that has yet to happen. There are, however, other developments, most of which are probably generally known by now through other channels (RF channels, maybe, even).
Members of the Technical Committee mounted several expeditions to the County Yard in September and October. Over the course of the visits, the following tasks were accomplished:
Three things were driving these recent efforts. Back a few years ago, the county needed to use one of the "retired in place" antennas that SCARS was using for the digipeater. The expectation was that the county would only be using that antenna for a short period but that ended up not being the case. No matter. In the meantime, the RF portion of the digipeater was replaced with a new transceiver and, as noted, a shelf for it was built in the existing cabinet. More importantly, the system was re-engineered to use a multi-coupler between the club's main two meter antenna and the duplexer for the repeater. This allows both the digipeater and the repeater to use the same antenna at the same time without interference.
The needs of our hosts, Cleveland County, were the second driver. The sheriff's office is in the process of installing new radio equipment at the county yard and SCARS needed to "reduce the footprint" occupied by club equipment. With the wall mounting of the duplexer and new multi-coupler and inclusion of the digipeater in the cabinet that houses the repeater, this has been accomplished.
Lastly, the repeater controller needed to be returned to service. The RC-210 controller was checked while it was out of service (See entry from July 10). Unfortunately, no trouble could be found on the test bench. When being re-installed, it was noted that the serial port interface was not behaving correctly as the configuration could neither be updated nor retrieved from the unit. Reloading the firmware seemed to correct this issue.
Since the ATA that connects the controller to the PSTN was found to be dead and the WISP that has equipment at the same location had also needed to replace some equipment around the same time that the repeater controller failed, the general consensus of the Technical Committee was that lightning got into the building at some point this past summer. If this is indeed what happened, it is entirely possible that the programming of the controller became corrupted without the controller itself being physically damaged. Members of the TC will be monitoring the controller's operation in order to determine if there are any other anomalies.
Members of the Technical Committee mounted several expeditions to the County Yard in September and October. Over the course of the visits, the following tasks were accomplished:
- Replaced the Arcom RC-210 repeater controller;
- Wall-mounted and connected the Telewave multi-coupler ("cavities") for the NORMAN APRS digipeater;
- Wall-mounted the existing Wacom duplexer;
- Installed the new radio for the digipeater and a new cabinet shelf to hold it and the TNC;
- Relocated cabinet to allow more county equipment to be installed.
 |
| Cabinet with digipeater, repeater controller, repeater and power supply. Above cabinet is multi-coupler (toward the rear) and duplexer (toward the front). |
Three things were driving these recent efforts. Back a few years ago, the county needed to use one of the "retired in place" antennas that SCARS was using for the digipeater. The expectation was that the county would only be using that antenna for a short period but that ended up not being the case. No matter. In the meantime, the RF portion of the digipeater was replaced with a new transceiver and, as noted, a shelf for it was built in the existing cabinet. More importantly, the system was re-engineered to use a multi-coupler between the club's main two meter antenna and the duplexer for the repeater. This allows both the digipeater and the repeater to use the same antenna at the same time without interference.
The needs of our hosts, Cleveland County, were the second driver. The sheriff's office is in the process of installing new radio equipment at the county yard and SCARS needed to "reduce the footprint" occupied by club equipment. With the wall mounting of the duplexer and new multi-coupler and inclusion of the digipeater in the cabinet that houses the repeater, this has been accomplished.
Lastly, the repeater controller needed to be returned to service. The RC-210 controller was checked while it was out of service (See entry from July 10). Unfortunately, no trouble could be found on the test bench. When being re-installed, it was noted that the serial port interface was not behaving correctly as the configuration could neither be updated nor retrieved from the unit. Reloading the firmware seemed to correct this issue.
Since the ATA that connects the controller to the PSTN was found to be dead and the WISP that has equipment at the same location had also needed to replace some equipment around the same time that the repeater controller failed, the general consensus of the Technical Committee was that lightning got into the building at some point this past summer. If this is indeed what happened, it is entirely possible that the programming of the controller became corrupted without the controller itself being physically damaged. Members of the TC will be monitoring the controller's operation in order to determine if there are any other anomalies.
2016-07-12
147.060 back - as of 7/11
The 06 repeater is back in service. The RC210 controller failed in an unsafe way (with PTT asserted). The Kenwood repeater has its own time-out timer, so it shut off the transmitter when that timer expired.
While your SCARS Technical Committee considers the next steps (diagnosis, repair/replace) the repeater remains in service. Because the repeater is running "stand-alone", the only noise it will make is the CWID at the appropriate interval.
While your SCARS Technical Committee considers the next steps (diagnosis, repair/replace) the repeater remains in service. Because the repeater is running "stand-alone", the only noise it will make is the CWID at the appropriate interval.
2016-07-10
147.060 off the air - 7/9
147.060 off the air
Shortly after the July SCARS meeting, the 147.06 repeater failed. In its absence, please make use of the W5NOR UHF repeater on 443.7 (141.3 Hz tone) or the N5MS OU repeater on 146.88 (no tone).Your Technical Committee Chair happened to be listening at the time. The transmitter came on about 1220 or so and stayed on for several minutes. Usually, when a mobile station "sits on their key", you can hear other stations trying to key up. Their signal will often heterodyne with the station holding the repeater open; sometimes their signal is stronger and they capture the receiver. No activity of this type was noted. The repeater did not ID or make any other sounds or announcements (i.e., "Repeater Time Out"). Since the Technical Committee Chair happened to be on Alameda at the time, and on his way home, he stopped in front of the repeater site and attempted to execute some commands on the regular input as well as the discreet control channel to no effect. In addition, and of interest, he tried to key the repeater from his mobile while listening on an HT. From that location, his signal should have easily overridden any other signal. No heterodyning or other evidence of the mobile signal was heard.
Some time later, the transmitter dropped and has not been heard from again.
Several weeks ago, it was noted that the repeater controller (a component separate from the repeater itself that handles ancillary functions) was no longer answering the telephone line when a connection was attempted. A visit to the site has been planned since then but schedules haven't permitted it.
It is hoped that members of the Technical Committee Tactical Squad will be able to visit the repeater site on Monday, July 11th, to investigate.
NORMAN APRS digipeater
On a happier note, some updates to SCARS APRS node are upcoming. As readers will recall, the county required the use of the antenna the club had been using (but did not own) for the APRS digipeater and the digi has been off the air for the most part since then.Using a new transceiver, this node is back on the air from a temporary location (the location shown on the aprs.fi map may be inaccurate). More importantly, the TC has ordered a multicoupler which will allow the digi to be connected to the same antenna as is being used by the W5NOR 147.060 repeater. More information about APRS can be found at the links above as well as kcaprs.org.
2015-12-28
2015 Report
Let's see if we can wrap up the year in SCARS -- and other -- radio infrastructure.
- The tower project is finally finished. This took way longer than anyone expected when we started in 2007 but it's done. The 147.06 repeater (radio, controller, power supply, cabinet) has been replaced. The 443.7 repeater has been replaced -- a side project entirely done and paid for by KC5OU. Those parts of the project were done a few years back. Recently, both antennas (DB224E for 2m and DB404 for 70 cm) were been replaced and both have new 7/8" Andrew Heliax feeding them. Finally, there is a new Yagi and new feedline for the link to the remote receiver at the stadium.
- The NORMAN APRS digipeater remains out of service. Members of your SCARS technical committee installed what was thought to be a working digipeater (radio, TNC, power supply) in December but, unfortunately, while the radio would transmit, no AFSK was heard.
- The Stadium remote receiver ("In Town") also remains out of service. New (to SCARS) land mobile radios and assorted parts are in the committee's possession but system integration has gone slower than expected.
In other news, the N5MS repeater on 146.88 MHz has been back on the air since August. N5MS has also put into service a new UHF repeater at 443.825 MHz. This repeater is a DMR repeater. Time Slot 1 is set on the "North America" talkgroup and Time Slot 2 is set to "local". Like OU's D-STAR repeater, this DMR repeater is connected to others via the internet. Watch for another D-STAR repeater to come online in 2016, also sponsored by N5MS.
Keep an ear on 444.55 MHz as well - KE5CZA has taken over the coordination of the W5IF repeater that used to be in Purcell and hopefully it will be in service soon.
2015-08-16
N5MS/R Returns To Air
2015-07-11
D-STAR Calculator
When you first start working with D-STAR, getting the callsigns and gateways and whatnot all in the correct spaces can be daunting. Fortunately, the folks behind one of the D-STAR websites have built a calculator that will tell you exactly which items to put in which fields. And once you set it the way you want, it gives a nice graphic of what those settings allow you to do. Try it!
D-STAR Info Calculator
D-STAR Info Calculator
 |
| Sample output from http://www.dstarinfo.com/dstar-web-calculator.aspx |
2014-02-10
Timers
Timers on the VHF system are set as follows:
(Updated) Note: When a signal is sent to the repeater via the Stadium link, there is an extra delay. Ordinarily there is:
- Hang time: 3 s
- time repeater carrier stays up after a user unkeys
- Courtesy tone delay: 250 ms
- time between when user unkeys and courtesy tone sounds
- Repeater time out: 180 s (3 min)
- Kerchunk timer: 150 ms
- filters out many kerchunkers and lots of key-ups from interference
- ID timer: 540 s (9 min)
(Updated) Note: When a signal is sent to the repeater via the Stadium link, there is an extra delay. Ordinarily there is:
- a delay from the time the operator pushes the PTT until the time the transmitter in the radio starts transmitting;
- a 150-ms delay to eliminate kerchunkers and stray keyups;
- a delay from the time that the receiver "sees" the CTCSS tone and activates the repeater transmitter;
- a delay while the repeater transmitter begins transmitting.
2013-02-24
Digi Update, Other News
Your editor apologizes for the lack of updates. The NORMAN digi remains off the air. During this hiatus, the Technical Committee is taking the opportunity to clean and test the equipment. The digi will be off the air for some time, for reasons explained at the last club meeting.
The antenna/feedline replacement project is proceeding. We expect to have both the VHF and UHF antennas and their associated feedlines replaced before storm season peaks. A new link to the Stadium Remote will also be installed. This job will not be cheap, but we expect the upgrades to last for the next 20 years, weather permitting.
On a recent visit, settings were tweaked on the repeater in an attempt to prevent unannounced repeater time-outs.
The antenna/feedline replacement project is proceeding. We expect to have both the VHF and UHF antennas and their associated feedlines replaced before storm season peaks. A new link to the Stadium Remote will also be installed. This job will not be cheap, but we expect the upgrades to last for the next 20 years, weather permitting.
On a recent visit, settings were tweaked on the repeater in an attempt to prevent unannounced repeater time-outs.
2012-01-31
Interference Mitigation on 06
As many members know, there has been an intermittent interference issue affecting the VHF repeater.
What the committee believes is happening is that two signals are mixing with the product of the two showing up at the link receiver. This is why members hear the Stadium courtesy tone after the repeater drops.
One of the two signals mixing is SCARS' own UHF system; the other is unknown.
The receiver for the link to the Stadium Remote is protected by a CTCSS tone. Unfortunately, until recently that tone was the same as the tone for the UHF system (141.3 Hz). Since the new UHF repeater transmits a tone (the old one only required a tone for access), the mixing product was being passed to the controller and repeated on VHF just as if someone was using the Stadium Remote.
Members of your Technical Committee recently visited both the Main repeater site and the Remote receiver site to change that tone.
Remember, changing the CTCSS tone at both ends of the link only mitigate the interference issue; the interference was not eliminated. Since the mixing product is still present at the link receiver, it is possible that members will hear the interfering signal while the
Stadium Remote is in use.
Note: This tone change was done "behind the scenes" - no user changes are needed!
What the committee believes is happening is that two signals are mixing with the product of the two showing up at the link receiver. This is why members hear the Stadium courtesy tone after the repeater drops.
One of the two signals mixing is SCARS' own UHF system; the other is unknown.
The receiver for the link to the Stadium Remote is protected by a CTCSS tone. Unfortunately, until recently that tone was the same as the tone for the UHF system (141.3 Hz). Since the new UHF repeater transmits a tone (the old one only required a tone for access), the mixing product was being passed to the controller and repeated on VHF just as if someone was using the Stadium Remote.
Members of your Technical Committee recently visited both the Main repeater site and the Remote receiver site to change that tone.
Remember, changing the CTCSS tone at both ends of the link only mitigate the interference issue; the interference was not eliminated. Since the mixing product is still present at the link receiver, it is possible that members will hear the interfering signal while the
Stadium Remote is in use.
Note: This tone change was done "behind the scenes" - no user changes are needed!
2011-11-14
Another 06 update
A representative of the Technical Committee visited the main repeater site on Friday, 11/11. The repeater controller was re-initialized using special software from the vendor then had the firmware and our configuration reloaded. As of this writing, all seems well.
The recorded announcements were not reloaded due to a "connector failure" (as in the TechComm rep did not have the correct adapter!) so those will be added back at a later date.
The TechComm is still very interested in user reports especially if the repeater is heard to reset itself. When the controller resets, it announces that it is an RC-210, reads its firmware version, then tells the world that it is "ready".
Again, the committee wishes to thank the membership for its patience!
The recorded announcements were not reloaded due to a "connector failure" (as in the TechComm rep did not have the correct adapter!) so those will be added back at a later date.
The TechComm is still very interested in user reports especially if the repeater is heard to reset itself. When the controller resets, it announces that it is an RC-210, reads its firmware version, then tells the world that it is "ready".
Again, the committee wishes to thank the membership for its patience!
2011-11-06
Repeater Status Update - November 6
Your SCARS Technical Committee has not been having fun over these past few weeks. About the end of September, the crunch monster returned to the VHF repeater. Since then, things have become less-fun.
There are two things going on; RF issues and controller issues.
RF
Signals are appearing in the repeater that are unwanted. Sometimes, these signals are retransmitted by the repeater because they act like signals that we would want repeated. There are at least two different (at least, they seem to be different) scenarios.
The first scenario is a mixing product getting in to the UHF link that brings the signal from the stadium receiver to the main site. This happens when two or more transmitters' signals heterodyne together to create signals at other frequencies. It's how a superheterodyne receiver functions!
In our case, one of the transmissions was easy to ID: it's the club's UHF repeater! You can, at times, clearly hear either the voice ID from the CAT200 controller or the voices of club members chatting (Hi Gordon! Hi Michael! Hi Allan!).
What's harder to hear -- and ID -- is the second signal. It's there, but so far no one has been able to identify it. It's definitely not another amateur signal and so far it has not sounded (to this 30-year scanner listener) like a public safety signal. Perhaps a local government agency or a commercial repeater?
No idea what (fundamental) frequency it is on since we have yet to ID it, but one of the mixing products is entering the VHF repeater via the UHF link receiver and being repeated. You can tell that's how it's getting in because the stadium link courtesy tone is sent at the end just as if a station was transmitting into the remote receiver at the stadium and being relayed through that same receiver.
The other scenario appears to be the repeater "hearing itself". This is more along the lines of the traditional "crunch monster" that has plagued our repeater for years (long before the recent technology refresh). The noise usually appears while, or just after, the repeater is in use. It sounds a little like what happens when you you key up an HT while in audio range of another HT and the audio bounces around between the two. The difference in this case is that the transmitter and receiver make up the repeater and not a pair of HTs. This scenario is why the hang time was dropped to zero seconds (see below). And that actually seems to have helped a little.
One thing argues against this strictly being the repeater "hearing itself": sometimes it happens when the repeater is otherwise quiet and hasn't so much as IDed itself in some time. We may find that the two scenarios have the same root cause.
Root causes for either of these scenarios have yet to be definitively determined nor has a course of action been decided.
Controller
In order to try to make the repeater less annoying, the hang time of the repeater was set to zero by entering a control code on the controller. Macros were created to set and unset this, but those macros do not function (and the vendor is stumped as to why). Instead, the hang time was set to zero seconds manually.
The hang time is the period of time from the squelch closing on the repeater's receiver (because the user unkeyed) and the repeater's transmitter dropping. Ordinarily, this is set to about 3 or 5 seconds. With it set to zero you hear that double chunk at the end of a transmission instead of a proper courtesy tone (no idea why there is a double chunk, but there it is). This change has seemed to help, at least a little, with the "crunch monster" noise.
As members have heard, somehow the macro that announces the upcoming meeting when it's at City Hall has decided to run. It's not being run by the Set Point, a scheduler feature that runs the macro at the top of each hour the week before a meeting, because those have all been cleared. Possibly, it is running as a "tail message". The tail message was never intentionally set to do this, but there it is.
At the time of this writing (Sunday afternoon), both the tail counter (where the number of "overs" that happen before the announcement is set) and the tail timer (where the announcement runs so many minutes after the last transmission is set), have been "zeroed out". Hopefully, this "fixes" that issue.
So ....
We're still in the evaluation stage. Likely, there will be a site visit in the coming week. If the most recent changes did not effect the controller issues, we will probably replace the controller in order to bench-test it and, possibly, return it to the vendor for evaluation. The committee is also identifying the testing equipment that it has as its disposal, which turns out to be substantial. Before embarking on a visit to the site, a test plan will be in place. What is done after that depends on what is discovered!
The Technical Committee wishes to again thank members for their patience!
There are two things going on; RF issues and controller issues.
RF
Signals are appearing in the repeater that are unwanted. Sometimes, these signals are retransmitted by the repeater because they act like signals that we would want repeated. There are at least two different (at least, they seem to be different) scenarios.
The first scenario is a mixing product getting in to the UHF link that brings the signal from the stadium receiver to the main site. This happens when two or more transmitters' signals heterodyne together to create signals at other frequencies. It's how a superheterodyne receiver functions!
In our case, one of the transmissions was easy to ID: it's the club's UHF repeater! You can, at times, clearly hear either the voice ID from the CAT200 controller or the voices of club members chatting (Hi Gordon! Hi Michael! Hi Allan!).
What's harder to hear -- and ID -- is the second signal. It's there, but so far no one has been able to identify it. It's definitely not another amateur signal and so far it has not sounded (to this 30-year scanner listener) like a public safety signal. Perhaps a local government agency or a commercial repeater?
No idea what (fundamental) frequency it is on since we have yet to ID it, but one of the mixing products is entering the VHF repeater via the UHF link receiver and being repeated. You can tell that's how it's getting in because the stadium link courtesy tone is sent at the end just as if a station was transmitting into the remote receiver at the stadium and being relayed through that same receiver.
The other scenario appears to be the repeater "hearing itself". This is more along the lines of the traditional "crunch monster" that has plagued our repeater for years (long before the recent technology refresh). The noise usually appears while, or just after, the repeater is in use. It sounds a little like what happens when you you key up an HT while in audio range of another HT and the audio bounces around between the two. The difference in this case is that the transmitter and receiver make up the repeater and not a pair of HTs. This scenario is why the hang time was dropped to zero seconds (see below). And that actually seems to have helped a little.
One thing argues against this strictly being the repeater "hearing itself": sometimes it happens when the repeater is otherwise quiet and hasn't so much as IDed itself in some time. We may find that the two scenarios have the same root cause.
Root causes for either of these scenarios have yet to be definitively determined nor has a course of action been decided.
Controller
In order to try to make the repeater less annoying, the hang time of the repeater was set to zero by entering a control code on the controller. Macros were created to set and unset this, but those macros do not function (and the vendor is stumped as to why). Instead, the hang time was set to zero seconds manually.
The hang time is the period of time from the squelch closing on the repeater's receiver (because the user unkeyed) and the repeater's transmitter dropping. Ordinarily, this is set to about 3 or 5 seconds. With it set to zero you hear that double chunk at the end of a transmission instead of a proper courtesy tone (no idea why there is a double chunk, but there it is). This change has seemed to help, at least a little, with the "crunch monster" noise.
As members have heard, somehow the macro that announces the upcoming meeting when it's at City Hall has decided to run. It's not being run by the Set Point, a scheduler feature that runs the macro at the top of each hour the week before a meeting, because those have all been cleared. Possibly, it is running as a "tail message". The tail message was never intentionally set to do this, but there it is.
At the time of this writing (Sunday afternoon), both the tail counter (where the number of "overs" that happen before the announcement is set) and the tail timer (where the announcement runs so many minutes after the last transmission is set), have been "zeroed out". Hopefully, this "fixes" that issue.
So ....
We're still in the evaluation stage. Likely, there will be a site visit in the coming week. If the most recent changes did not effect the controller issues, we will probably replace the controller in order to bench-test it and, possibly, return it to the vendor for evaluation. The committee is also identifying the testing equipment that it has as its disposal, which turns out to be substantial. Before embarking on a visit to the site, a test plan will be in place. What is done after that depends on what is discovered!
The Technical Committee wishes to again thank members for their patience!
2011-09-27
Noise on 06
Boy, if it's not one thing, it's another. Sometime on 2011-09-26, we started getting noise on the 06 repeater. Sometimes, the noise is near the tail end of a user's transmission, sometimes it appears on its own. Occasionally, the UHF repeater voice ID can clearly be heard, other times not.
Whether this is the old "Crunch Monster" that used to appear on the system years ago and not heard in a good two years, is unknown.
The good thing is that, whatever it is, stations can transmit over it and be heard.
Your SCARS Technical Committee is aware of the issue and is in evaluation mode.
Whether this is the old "Crunch Monster" that used to appear on the system years ago and not heard in a good two years, is unknown.
The good thing is that, whatever it is, stations can transmit over it and be heard.
Your SCARS Technical Committee is aware of the issue and is in evaluation mode.
2011-09-15
06 power update (UPDATED 9/22)
06 (and the UHF repeater and the Norman digi) are back on the air.
There was a fault in the underground power feed to the county radio hut. The power provider has connected a generator to keep the radio equipment and tower safety lighting on.
Please note that repairs are not yet complete with no time-line known to this reporter.
It is expected that repeater service will be interrupted at least once and perhaps multiple times when commercial power is restored.
Your patience is appreciated.
UPDATE 2011-09-22: OEC has completed its work as has AT&T. We now expect another 5+ years of uninterrupted service. Many thanks to John G of the Cleveland Co Sheriff's Office for allowing us access to the site and coordinating repairs.
There was a fault in the underground power feed to the county radio hut. The power provider has connected a generator to keep the radio equipment and tower safety lighting on.
Please note that repairs are not yet complete with no time-line known to this reporter.
It is expected that repeater service will be interrupted at least once and perhaps multiple times when commercial power is restored.
Your patience is appreciated.
UPDATE 2011-09-22: OEC has completed its work as has AT&T. We now expect another 5+ years of uninterrupted service. Many thanks to John G of the Cleveland Co Sheriff's Office for allowing us access to the site and coordinating repairs.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
