[K3CAL] Update 8-25-22 - Re: Important CARA Repeater Information

[KB3WFV]

 Yaesu Service in California acknowledge the arrival of the 146.985 DR1x repeater on August 4th 2022. They generated a Service Order which indicated an estimated completion time of August 23rd 2022.

As of August 25th 2022. After two days of leaving voice mails which resulted in no-one calling back. On a call made today 8/25/22, I finally spoke to a human being who advised that the DR1x had not been inspected or repaired, but the service order had finally been assigned to a bench tech. No further information is available at this time.

Brian
KB3WFV


     On Saturday, August 6, 2022, 07:11:59 AM EDT, KB3WFV <kb3wfv at yahoo.com> wrote:  
 
  The main 146.985 DR1x repeater was shipped from Dunkirk Maryland on Monday July 25th 2022. UPS tracking indicated that it had arrived in Cypress California on Monday August 1st 2022. Late in the day of August 4th 2022. Yaesu confirmed receipt of the DR1x and has created a Service Order. The service order estimates a completion time of August 23rd 2022.

Additional updates will be passed along as the information becomes available.

Brian
KB3WFV


     On Thursday, July 21, 2022, 05:00:06 PM EDT, KB3WFV via K3CAL <k3cal at mailman.qth.net> wrote:  
 
 
At the July 14th 2022 CARA club meeting.   A discussion about replacing the ARCOM RC 210 repeater controllers was held. Ultimately it has been approved to replace both the 146.985 and the 444.950 ARCOM RC 210 controllers. As well as sending the existing RC 210 controllers into Arcom for updating and testing. This would provide CARA with two new controllers and two older controllers. The older controllers could be kept for backups or sold. Almost instantly approximately $800.00 in donations to assist with the purchase of new RC210 controllers was raised from those in attendance at the meeting. This purchase has been 'temmporarily placed on  old.

Since the meeting. Further testing has been performed on the 146.985 Yaesu DR1x main Repeater, the Arcom ADR Interface, and the Arcom RC 210 controller. The testing indicated an internal problem within the Yaesu DR1x repeater itself. In a nut shell. A circuit which indicates to the RC 210 controller that a signal is on the air, has failed. This failed circuit coming from the repeater, incorrectly tells the controller that a signal is on the air at all times. Regardless of the true state of the repeater. Thus preventing proper operation of the controller.

At the moment it is unclear which came first. The chicken or the egg? Did a repeater failure cause a controller failure? or Did a controller failure cause a repeater failure? or Did a ADR Interface failure contribute to the failure of the repeater and the controller? Since there is a possibility that a new controller could be damaged by the known fault  inside the repeater itself. The decision to purchase new controllers has been 'temporarily placed on hold.'

Currently the 146.985 Yaesu DR1x main repeater, the Arcom ADR Interface and the Arcom RC 210 controller are at my home in Chesapeake Beach. The test results have been confirmed with the assistance of both Yaesu Technical Support and Arcom Technical Support. Both manufacturers have requested that their respective products be returned to them for further testing and repair.

In addition the 444.950 Arcom RC 210 controller and the Arcom ADR Interface. Have been removed from the Lusby tower site. They are also at my home in Chesapeake Beach. . They will be returned to Arcom for Firmware Updating and testing.

With the cooperation and understanding of members on the CARA Board of Directors as well as the CARA Repeater Committee. All of these items will be prepared for shipping and shipped within the next couple of days.

PLEASE NOTE: The 146.985 in Sunderland and the 444.950 in Lusby are on the air. Using a backup Yaesu DR1 for 2 meters and the main Yaesu DR1x for 70cm. They are operating in Stand Alone mode without external controllers. They are configured to operate in AMS (automatic mode select). This means they will switch automatically between FM analog signals and C4FM digital signals. They will ID using only CW and their squelch tails are very short. Feel free to use them at your leisure.

Additional updates will be passed along as they become available.

Brian
KB3WFV
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