[AReU] UHF repeater upgrade

[Tony Stone]

Today I enabled the CTCSS (PL tone) on the Brandon UHF repeater.

The tone frequency is (as always) 127.3 Hz.

Remember to enable the 127.3 Hz tone when you transmit on this repeater.

The repeater has been transmitting the 127.3 Hz tone since its installation 
but
has not required the 127.3 Hz tone to access the machine. With the increase
of activity in the commercial UHF band, the repeater has experienced
much interference lately. The interference reports was everything from
a cab company keying up the machine to sporatic noise bursts that
made the frequency unusable.

I can almost guarantee that the only thing you will hear on the repeater now
is valid signals from amateur transmitters in the area. I am aware of some
folks monitoring the UHF repeater constantly in the past when the
interference was not so rampant. Now feel free to try it out and see
if it is quiet. The coverage is close to the VHF machine and in some
places the UHF frequency makes it superior to the VHF machine.

A new antenna and "pig tail" is coming shortly to alleviate the noise
experienced when the wind blows. This problem was tolerable before
the hurricanes last summer but has become very annoying since then.
A new antenna and "pig tail" are waiting to be installed. It will cost
about $700.00 to get someone to climb the tower and install the
equipment.

73

Tony