[CTSARA] [GNARC] Projectsand Activites: AnIdea and InformalSurvey

Sun Aug 23 12:39:44 EDT 2009

Jon-

While all ideas need to be ironed out, I think you are making some odd  
points...

I agree with you that if it's not already being used, how will linking  
help.  Truthfully, I think the NLK repeater has a little more coverage  
and therefore gets more use.  Everyday I get in my car (workday) I  
sign on.  After 9am, I usually have a nice conversation with 'GRB.   
But other than that, rarely do I get a beep back.  I'll hop up to NLK  
and down to the WECA, but usually nothing there.  My 8 minute commute  
doesn't coincide with anyone else's.  True, I work only VHF right now;  
no reason, I just do.  BUT, I do wonder if, rather than having to call  
on three different repeaters (and how long do I wait, I mean my  
commute /is/ short) I can give one call and find someone to talk to.   
I also think that we should consider unlinking them for heavy talk  
times.

Repeaters don't seem to get as much traffic in this area as they did  
when I was in MD, especially during rush hour.

As for a linked system on 95 (and the Merritt!) it's NOT cheaper to  
use a cell.  We're already paying for the gear, power and HVAC.  The  
repeaters are installed and there to use.  And they SHOULD be used.   
(Cell phones, on the other hand use minutes and battery power.)  As  
operators, it's best if we become familiar with the local call signs,  
as well as familiarity with the voice of  said calls.  The last thing  
you want in an emergency is not knowing if you are talking to someone   
next door, or out of the emergency area.  It also gets users familiar  
with there radios so in the time of an emergency (hurricane, snow  
storm), they can pay attention to their surrounding and not their  
radios.  Besides, cell phones are more dangerous, IMHO.  With a radio,  
if something happens that you need to react to, I don't think a person  
has any qualms with dropping the mic and doing what they need to do;  
most people try to hold their cell phone.  And you can't talk in a  
group on the phone (except a conference call!)

Of course, that's why you pause before picking up the QSO; for  
emergency traffic.  Pausing is NOT something that is done often enough  
on most of the repeaters around here.

As for the tower of the new repeater, I don't have the answer; but we  
are sharing it with the local first responders; I presume it will hold  
up.  Will yours?  My mobile 1/4 wave sure will (as along as my car  
does ;)

So, I'll be on tomorrow around 9am.... who will be there?
(I'll probably miss the 'net tonight because of work.)

My $0.02, see you Thursday...

'73s

Jon S.
W3EIC

On Aug 23, 2009, at 11:14 AM, Dr. Jon Shapiro wrote:

>
> Why dont you guys use the repeater that is there. I have it on for  
> hours
> this week end ( prompted by these emails)  and hear a few key click  
> at the
> most.
>
> Its hard from the thread whether you all want to link the repeaters,  
> or come
> up with some innovative new system.
>
> If the repeaters are tied up on I95 for one big long rag chew so you  
> can
> drive from New Rochelle to Bridgeport, ... use a cell phone. Its  
> cheaper and
> clearer.
>
> The repeaters should be  for local use to get local help ( drive  
> assistance,
> local info, emergency), . If no one is monitoring each repeater, as  
> is done
> for groups such as ECARS  ( 7255 khz) which is on for 8 hours a day,  
> then
> the repeater is just a toy to be saved for emergencies... what is  
> the tower
> wind rating? Hurricanes anyone. The only one I ever hear and/or   
> talk to on
> the Stamford Repeater  regularly is John Sabini.
>
>
> Jon Shapiro
> AB1HI
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Curt Seaton" <seaton.1 at netzero.net>
> To: <kb1qxr at arrl.net>; "ctsara Mailman" <ctsara at mailman.qth.net>;
> <gnarc at mailman.qth.net>
> Sent: Saturday, August 22, 2009 3:32 PM
> Subject: Re: [CTSARA] [GNARC] Projectsand Activites: AnIdea and
> InformalSurvey
>
>
>> Whew, my eyes are tired.....    Thank you for the Asterisk info, I  
>> still
>> want to discuss how this will be used as compared to what already is
>> available once we program the controllers to do some of these
>> functions.   But I still want to talk with you folks about the
>> considerations of incomplete DTMF tones, due to improper touch tone
>> levels into various radios, and the 'twist' of the difference in  
>> levels
>> of the high and low groups of touch tones as in certain radios that  
>> are
>> 'marginal' in deviation.   Also what happens when the RF carrier is
>> 'weak' or a momentary noise burst or pop makes the touch tone decoder
>> think it received two digits instead of the desired 'one' digit,
>> etc...   there are many things we 'could' do, and as you may have  
>> read
>> in the Arcom manual there are specific digits 'reserved' for specific
>> tasks unless the control operators elect to change them.  I  
>> understand
>> some other controllers (like the CAT family) do things a little
>> different also..   It is just not a simple bee-boop and all works  
>> as you
>> wish always...  Also consider the 'cover tones' that some other  
>> user may
>> not have heard and then he elects to send some DTMFs and over-ride  
>> your
>> sequence...  lots to consider and that is why I feel pretty strongly
>> about discussing this eyeball to eyeball.
>>
>> If we conclude that some of these features are worth persuing, I will
>> offer up an Arcom controller to 'experiment' with, so we can evaluate
>> what it will and will not do.  In order to do this, and test  
>> properly, I
>> would ask one of you guys to build up a "repeater simulator" box that
>> would have some LED's and switches  that could be used to simulate  
>> the
>> COS, CTCSS decode, and the controller's LED will need a PTT pullup to
>> activate it.  IT would be super helpful to have a small audio  
>> amplifier
>> and loudspeaker for the repeat audio in order to 'hear' what would
>> normally be transmitted over the repeater.  A pair of these test  
>> boxes
>> would allow us to test two ports at the same time, to test out  
>> linking
>> and unlinking also...   I can provide a drawing of what is needed  
>> if you
>> guys wish to build them up... maybe make them nice enough to sell to
>> other repeater owners to test their controllers as controllers  
>> without
>> having a radio always...    I can explain this more later too...    
>> Hope
>> to see you all Thursday evening...
>>
>>
>> Curt
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