[HIham] Lihue, Kauai link to State-wide Repeater System restored

[Ron Hashiro]

The link for the State RACES VHF repeater system to Lihue, Kauai was 
restored on Wednesday morning.

The RACES VHF network is connected via many microwave links throughout 
the State of Hawaii. The network consists of computer controlled remote 
repeater stations tied to a central management controller at Diamond 
Head.  The Kauai repeater is the latest generation of Motorola repeater 
to be integrated into the Hawaii State RACES Network.

Per Robin Liu AH6CP, the system architect and implementor, "I want to 
give credit to the whole team from Hawaii State Civil Defense & the 
State Radio shop that made this possible."

"Coordination and timing was critical in troubleshooting this system 
which required end to end testing between Diamond Head, Round Top, and 
Lihue radio locations. Work on the system started last Friday. The final 
corrective action came in Lihue when Kurt Nagano and Eric Shimabuku 
corrected a critical software parameter within the Motorola repeater to 
enable transmitter audio end establishing full 2-way communications into 
the network. The first contact on the new link came at approximately 
11:45am yesterday when Kurt Nagano WH7GS at the Lihue radio site 
contacted Scotty Beckstrom WH6AVF in Waikea Uka on the Big Island."

This marks a key milestone in re-establishing communications with Kauai 
with a new repeater system.  The system is designed to give timely 
warning and coordination of amateur radio operators state-wide during 
times of emergencies and provides backup communications with the 
Neighbor Islands.  The 147.04 Lihue station played a vital role in 
providing disaster relief communication during the recovery efforts from 
Hurricane Iniki in 1992.  During non-emergencies, the repeaters are open 
to the resident and visiting amateur radio community for general 
contacts and QSOs.


For further information, see:

http://ronhashiro.htohananet.com/am-radio/hawaii/scd.html

http://ronhashiro.htohananet.com/am-radio/articles/iniki.html

http://ronhashiro.htohananet.com/iniki/index.html