[HCRA] W1MBT/R Repeater Status

[Marc]

             Status of the W1MBT/R Repeater
(446.775 MHz, - offset, PL77, repeater IDs as W1MBT/R
PL77)


Progress for the past two weeks:

A.  Added a pre-amp to the receive side.  The minimum
signal to trip 
the 
squelch
is now about -129 dBm before the duplexer (about 130.5
dBm at the recv 
jack).
This is about 11 dB improvement.  I've noted no
intermod or other 
potential problems
associated with pre-amps.

B.  Checked the Sinclair duplexer (notch only type)
and verified notch 
depths
and insertion loss.  Well within specs.

C.  Tuned the Motorola duplexer (pass/reject type) for
installation 
later.

D.  Today I will increase the transmitter power from
30 watts to 38 
watts.  This
should result in about 18 watts (vs 12) at the antenna
for an ERP of 70 
watts
(vs 50 originally).

E.  Temporarily raised the antenna height to 20 ft.  


Items to be added in the near future:

1.  Lightning protection
2.  Better coax line
3.  Antenna to final height at the house
4.  Insert the Motorola duplexer
5.  Final mounting of all hardware in rack


Items to be added in 6 to 9 months:

1.  IRLP
2.  Possibly a power amp.  20 watts to the antenna in
my height 
challenged
spot is not going to work well for any distances over
10 to 15 miles.


Future/future considerations:

1.  I'd like to find a higher spot somewhere in the
vicinity to put 
this
repeater.  Reasonable Coverage on 440 means reasonable
height, 
something 
I do
not have here. It would need to be a spot with 'easy'
physical access
(no snowmobiles needed, etc!) and some reasonable
height over local 
obstructions
(mountains, etc not needed).
Yeah, I know, good luck...  As I said, in the
future...

 
The repeater will continue to be up and down as I work
on it.  The 
schedule for
this weekend and upcoming week:

Saturday:  Down periods for transmitter adjustments,
otherwise up
Sunday through the upcoming week: Up except for
thunderstorms.

Again. thanks for all the help and feel free to give
it a try when you 
are near Westfield.

73,
Marc
K1MZ
Trustee W1MBT



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