[MCARC] Using/Monitoring the New Seneca FUSION Repeater

[WCØAA Bruce Stanley]

I've been getting a few questions from area hams about the new Seneca repeater and so I wanted to pass this along to anyone who might have an interest and doesn't already use/monitor a YSF repeater.  Two NE Kansas repeaters (and others nearby) are now YSF equipped and if you have them in your scan, you might have been wondering what you can do to maximize the experience.The new Nemaha County Amateur Radio Organization's repeater is the second generation’ System Fusion repeater and will operate in AMS, or Auto Mode Select. This allows the repeater to auto select FM or Digital (C4FM) and then re-transmit the same mode, depending on the received signal.  When a user is using their digital C4FM radio, no matter how far from the repeater you may be if you are able to hit the repeater, your communications will be absolutely clear.  We haven't had extensive testing yet, but it appears that the digital function of the repeater is a great addition.
This repeater is open to all users, Analog FM or C4FM Digital on a co-shared basis.

Current Analog FM users will not be affected and can use 146.715 as before as long as you have PL tone of 88.5 programmed

If analog only users don't wish to hear the digital data stream over their rigs speaker, the FM user may wish to program their radios with full CTCSS 88.5  (encode and decode) to help alleviate unwanted noise. Employing full CTCSS will allow any analog user to mask the digital data as is passes over your receiver.

If you don't program your rig to full CTCSS and you happen to turn on your rigs scanning function, any digital traffic that comes across 146.715 will lock on the channel and all you will hear is a very loud white noise, which can be annoying. The actual C4FM signal sounds like like a starts/stop tones, followed by a very loud white noise hiss until the digital user unkeys.   With full decode on, your rigs scan feature should fly right past 146.715, unless there's a FM conversation occurring.

It should be noted that both the analog FM and Digital user will be co-sharing on the repeater, but only one conversation can exist on the repeater at one time. If you hear a digital noise on the channel, and your S meter is showing a strong, yet unintelligible signal AND you wish to break in or make an emergency call, keying up in between their transmissions with any analog transmission will automatically force everyone's Digital radios (including the repeater) back to Analog FM mode.

The NCARO System Fusion repeater will always favor any incoming FM analog signal.
No matter what mode you are using to access our new System Fusion repeater, as long as you have TX CTCSS set to 88.5, you should be good to go. Let us know your experiences with our new repeater so that we may hopefully tweak things as necessary.

Bruce, WCØAA "I can use a phone to call a friend but, I can use Amateur Radio to make a new friend"

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