[K3CAL] Update 12-19-22 - Re: Important CARA Repeater Information

KB3WFV kb3wfv at yahoo.com
Mon Dec 19 09:01:56 EST 2022 

 As of December 19 2022,

Too catch everyone up....

On December 1st 2022. The Motorola CDM 1550 Link Radios arrived. Included with the Two radios were Two microphones, Two mounting brackets, and Two power cables.

On December 4th 2022. Matt N3IVK picked up the Motorola CDM 1550 Link radios for testing, programming and the fabrication of the interconnection cables to the Arcom RC210 Controllers.

On December 6th 2022, Contact was finally made with Arcom about the Bad RTC for the 444.950 Lusby Repeater Controller. Arcom has offered to replace the RTC free of charge under warranty. Asking for patience while they work towards getting CARA a new RTC. I will keep an eye on the mail box.

On Decemner 18th. The invoice in the amount of $355.10 for the Motorola CDM 1550 Link Radios was delivered to CARA Treasurer Dick W3RBR. A check for the same amount was picked up from Dick. This reimburses Lisa and I for the purchase of the Motorola Radios from Sunny Communications.

On December 19th 2022. Matt N3IVK arrived at my home with the Tested and Programmed Motorola CDM 1550 Link radios. He also had Two Motorola to Arcom RC210 interconnect Cables and Two mini-UHF to N Female coax adapters. We removed the Kenwood TK880 Link Radios from the repeater test system and installed the Motorolas. Reconfigured the Arcom RC210 and spent the afternoon testing the system. Matt also set up a station monitor and set the levels on the 444.950 repeater controller port 1 and port 2 as well as the levels on the 146.985 port 1 and port 2. These levels are a base line with further minor adjustments to be made in the future.

The system works well and sounds good. Matt's station monitor is very cool. Thanks Matt for all of your help.

Things to do....

A programming adjustment to the Motorola Link Radios. This change will allow the Radios to default to the correct frequencies after a power glitch start up.

Programming adjustments to the Arcom RC210 controller

Audio level adjustments for TX, RX. Tones and messages.

Adjustments to the ADR ( analog to digital adaptor) in hopes of minimizing any PL tone hum.

and more on Air testing.

More Updates to follow

Brian
KB3WFV






On Monday, November 28, 2022, 12:05:08 PM EST, KB3WFV via K3CAL <k3cal at mailman.qth.net> wrote:


As of November 28th 2022,

The Real Time Clock (RTC) for the 444.950 repeater controller arrived Saturday 11-26-2022. It was re-flashed and shipped at no charge. Unfortunately it still does not work. A message has been sent to Arcom. Hope to hear from them soon.

The Motorola CDM 1550s link radios have been shipped. They are expected to arrive in Maryland some time towards the middle to end of this week.

A Beta version of the RC210 controlller programming has been completed. Some limited on air local area testing of both repeaters is being performed as time allows. Bug fixes and adjustments will continue once the Motorola Link Radios have been cabled, programed and installed.

More information will be provided as it becomes available.

Brian
KB3WFV


On Wednesday, November 16, 2022, 05:45:48 PM EST, KB3WFV via K3CAL <k3cal at mailman.qth.net> wrote:


As of November 16th 2022,

A test of the 70cm link between the Sunderland Tower Site and the Lusby Tower Site was conducted today (11-16-2022) by Dave W3PQS, Bob N3PPH and Shawn N3AE. The results indicated a perfectly clear signal between the tower sites at the T-MARC coordinated 5 watts. The signal was full quieting and easily heard at both tower sites. This means that the linking frequencies should perform as designed for the CARA repeaters. A big relief I'm sure for Shawn N3AE and many others, who spent a lot of time designing the antenna layout on both tower sites and has finally confirmed that the design will work. Thanks to everyone.

Many Thanks to Dave, Bob and Shawn for taking the time to travel to both tower sites and do this today.

The 449.950 repeater is now off the air. It has been removed from the Lusby Tower Site. It will be at my (KB3WFV) home in Chesapeake Beach for testing. It will be connected to it's Arcom RC210 controller and run through it's paces with the Kenwood TK880 link radios, the 146.985 repeater and it's controller. This testing will be repeated when the 449.950 Arcom Real Time Clock and the Motorola link radios come in.

Shipment Tracking indicates that the 449.950 Arcom Real Time Clock should arrive at Arcom in Oregon today (11-16-22). Hopefully testing and repair of the RTC will be performed by the end of the week.

During the November 10th 2022 CARA club meeting. Members voted on and approved the replacing of the link radios. The vote authorized the purchase of two used Motorola 1550 UHF radios. Immediately, several members donated money towards the purchase, raising $450.00 to cover the cost of the radios and interconnecting cables.

The Motorola 1550 link radios have been ordered from Sunny's Communications in Colorado. I (KB3WFV) paid $355.10 on a personal credit card to be reimbursed by CARA when the radios arrive. CARA Treasurer Dick W3RBR has a copy of the invoice.

Matt N3IVK has paid for and ordered the parts needed to make up the interconnect cables. Reimbursement arrangements to be determined at a later date.

Documentation of the configuration of the repeater system including the controller programming continues.

Additional updates as the information becomes available.

Brian
KB3WFV


On Thursday, November 10, 2022, 03:21:37 PM EST, KB3WFV <kb3wfv at yahoo.com> wrote:


As of November 10th 2022.

The 146.985 Arcom RC210 controller's programming is working. Most of the bugs have been corrected.

The 444.950 Arcom RC210 controller has a bad Real Time Clock (RTC) module. A return authorization has been received from Arcom. The bad RTC will be shipped to Arcom for testing and repair.

It has been recommended that the UHF link radios which are used to link the repeaters be replaced. The suggested replacement radios are Motorola CDM 1550s. These are used commercial radios designed to opereate in the appropriate frequency range and at the proper power level meeting the TMARC coordination for CARA.

The cost for 2 (two) Motorola CDM 1550 radios including shipping is $335.00. See attached estimate from Sunny's Communications.

Please also know that their will be some additional cost for interconnect cables, antenna adaptor cables, etc. This additional cost is not expected to exceed $100.00.

The radios can be ordered as soon as the CARA Boarrd and it's members approve the purchase and the funding..

Additional information as it becomes available.

Brian
KB3WFV
On Monday, October 24, 2022, 10:50:43 AM EDT, KB3WFV <kb3wfv at yahoo.com> wrote:


As of October 24th 2022,

Dave W3PQS and Bob M3{PPH visited the Lusby and Sunderland CARA repeater sites last week. They removed the Kenwood TK880 link radios from both the 444.950 Lusby repeater site and the 146.985 Sunderland repeater site and delivered them to my home in Chesapeake Beach for documentation, testing of operation and verification of programming.

NOTE: The 146.985 Sunderland Repeater and the 444.950 Lusby repeater are still on the air and are functioning correctly. Please feel free to use either one of them at any time.

Both Kenwood TK880 radios were set up for testing with the 146.985 Yaesu DR1x repeater. the Arcom ADR interface and the Arcom RC210 controller. Both radios were found to have a bad microphone connection in the mic cord. Both radios also had bad interconnect cables which connect the TK880 radios to the Arcom RC210 controllers. Both interconnect cables were found to have broken wiring in their respective harnesses. One cable had a bad TX Audio Out wire and the other cable had a bad TX Audio In wire.

With the help of Dave W3PQS the interconnect cable assemblies have been rebuilt with a third cable assembly built for a spare. Retesting of the TK 880 link radios with the rebuilt interconnect cable assemblies.Indicates that both of the TK880 radios are functioning correctly and will pass audio to and from the 146.985 Yaesu DR1x repeater.

Unfortunately, several attemps to download or read the programming of the Kenwood TK880 link radios were unsuccessful. Bob N3PPH spent several hours with the Dos based Kenwood programming software and a classic Windows 98 laptop. The drivers for the programming cable will not load preventing the software from seeing the radio. CARA might consider purchasing modern commercial radios that can be programmed with current computer operating systems and software. In the mean time, the Kenwood TK880 radios are working correctly and can be placed into service as link radios for the 444.950 Lusby repeater and the 146.985 Sunderland repeater.

Debuggin, documentation and rewriting of the Arcom RC210 controller software continues. Progress is being made. I hope to have,time to work with it some more this week..

Brian
KB3WFV


On Thursday, October 6, 2022, 02:47:44 PM EDT, KB3WFV <kb3wfv at yahoo.com> wrote:


As of October 6th 2022,

I had some time during the past weekend ( Oct 1st 2022 and Oct 2nd 2022 to be specific) to test the Main 146.985 Yaesu DR1x Repeater with the Arcom RC210 controller and the Arcom ADR interface.

The hardware appears to be working correctly. The repeater and the controller will key (transmit) and unkey (recieve), play ID announcements and courtesy tones normally. The programming in the RC210 appears to have several errors and missing files. The program will need to be verified line by line and corrected, if not erased entirely and completely rewritten.

I also was able to get ahold of three (3) spare CARA owned Kenwood TK 880 linking radios. Only one (1) of these radios is wired for connection to the Arcom RC210 for linking the 444.950 Lusby repeater to the 146.985 Sunderland repeater. Connection and testing of this TK880 link radio with the DR1x repeater, RC210 controller and the ADR interface indicated a linking radio that does NOT function correctly or is programmed wrong.

Verifying the programming of the TK880 link radio requires the use of Kenwood programming software and programming cable. These originally missing items, have been recently located. I currently have what is believed to be the CARA owned software and cable needed to verify the programming in the TK880 radios.

The Main TK880 link radios will be removed from the 444.950 Lusby repeater and the 146.985 Sunderland repeater for programming verification and testing.

PLEASE NOTE: The 444.950 Lusby Repeater and the 146.985 Sunderland Repeater WILL continue to operate as is. Removing the TK880 linking radios for testing will have NO impact on the operations of the repeaters Please feel free to use either repeater at any time.

Testing, verification, programming and documentation of the CARA repeater system. Will continue as my time allows.,

Further information will be passed along as it becomes available.

Brian
KB3WFV
On Wednesday, September 28, 2022, 05:23:00 AM EDT, KB3WFV via K3CAL <k3cal at mailman.qth.net> wrote:


As of September 26th 2022:

The 146.985 and the 444.950 Arcom RC210 repeater controllers as well as three (3) ADR interface devices arrived in Maryland. Reportedly, they have been tested, updated and repaired as needed. Deemed to be in proper working order.

Bench Testing, programing and verification of proper operation of the Arcom RC210 controller with the Yaesu DR1x will occur as soon as sighted help is available and when my schedule allows.

Brian
KB3WFV


On Wednesday, September 21, 2022, 05:00:47 AM EDT, KB3WFV via K3CAL <k3cal at mailman.qth.net> wrote:


As of September 16th 2022,

The 146.985 main K3CAL Yaesu DR1x repeater arrived in Maryland. Preliminary testing on FM Analog indicates that the repeater had been repaired and is functioning correctly. The firmware has been updated resulting in a new menu layout. More testing and configuration for K3CAL to be done soon.

As of September 19th 2022,

The two Arcom Controllers and three ADRs have not been fully tested. During a phone conversation with Arcom, Ken indicated that he had reviewed the information sent in with the controllers. Based on his first impressions. He did not think that there would be any major problems with the equipment. Apologizing for being over whelmed with work and the delay with getting to the K3CAL equipment, Ken hoped to get to all of it with in the next several days.

Updates will be provided as information becomes available.

Brian
KB3WFV


On Thursday, September 8, 2022, 01:50:53 PM EDT, KB3WFV <kb3wfv at yahoo.com> wrote:


As of September 8th 2022:

A telephone call to Arcom. Confirmed that Two (2) RC210 Controllers and Three 3 ADR interfaces are tentatively scheduled to be inspected and tested during the week of September 12th 2022 thru September 16th 2022.

As of September 8th 2022:

A telephone call to Yaesu. Confirmed that the 146.985 DR1x Main repeater has been inspected and tested. Results confirm that the repeater requires some repair. The service estimate includes:

Replace diode on relay board
Adjust PL Tone
Firmware Update

Repairs are expected to be completed soon.

Shipment Tracking number will be provided once the repairs are completed.


Additional Updates will be passed along as they be come available.

Brian
KB3WFV


On Thursday, August 25, 2022, 02:42:33 PM EDT, KB3WFV via K3CAL <k3cal at mailman.qth.net> wrote:


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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