[MNham] NE MN & NW Wisc Digi Information

[john af9t]

Hi Doug and others,
Matt  KB0KQA was kind enough to forward your recent posting on the MNAPRS
list to me. I have since joined the list.

I have been on aprs for about 4 years have worked with a small group of hams
to install a system of digipeaters in NW Wisc. and NE Minnesota. This
started with K0NDX-10 in Duluth in the Summer  of 2001. The terrain in this
area makes digi locations much more challenging than in "flatland". We have
an area within  the Duluth city limits that even the club voice repeater @
500 ft does not access.  Our coverage area goes across a continental divide
and over some very rugged hills, especially on the north shore. We also have
a much smaller number of stations to act as relay stations.
These factors make a 60-80 mile distance between digipeaters unworkable in
many areas.

Each year we provide a number of aprs trackers for Grandma's Marathon and
the North Shore Inline Skate marathon.
The course for these marathons wind along the rugged north shore of Lake
Superior. Some of the 5 watt trackers are in vans, and some on motorcycles
with ham/EMT combinations. We have cellular phones for backup communications
and they don't work on some parts of the course that aprs covers.

I will pass along the specifics of each digi and approximate mobile coverage
area. Maybe this will help to avoid duplication of coverage areas when
planning future digipeaters.

73, John AF9T

K0NDX-10 Duluth Antenna Farm
Motorola Micor @ 40watts
Diamond X700HNA @ 600ft S face of large tower
KPC3plus ver 8.3 Relay,Wide,Trace, NoID
Coverage: approx 25 mile radius with shadowing to N &NE


W0GKP-10 Mahtowa,MN
GE Delta SX @ 35 watts
M2 4 element yagi @ 125ft pointing 225deg (I35)
KPC3 ver8.2 Relay,Wide,Trace NoID
Covering I35 from Atkinson to Willow River


N0WW-10 Deer River,Mn
Mitrek @ 40watts
Diamond X700 @ 300ft
KPC 3ver 8.2 Relay,Wide, Trace NoID
25-30 mile radius.

KC0FTN-10 Two Harbors,MN
GE Delta SX @35 watts
Diamond CP22 @50ft
KPC 3 ver8.2 Relay,Wide,Trace, NoID
15mile radius  also covers S shore of Lake Superior to Cornucopia & Iron
River,WI
Primary site for start of Grandma's Marathon & N. Shore Inline Skate.
Covers north shore to Split Rock/Beaver Bay.


KA0TMW-1 Hermantown,MN
Ge Delta SX @ 35 watts
4 dipole array @ 120ft  inline to North
KAMplus Relay only
Fills in holes of K0NDX-10 coverage to north.

KC0MKS-10 Knife River,MN
Heathkit @ 10 watts
vertical @ 35 ft
DIGI-ned experimental station.
Relay for marathon mid-point gap.

N0BZZ-10 Washburn,WI
Motorola @ 40 watts
Directional antenna to S
KPC3plus ver8.3
Relay,Wide,Trace NoID.
US Hwy 2 from Iron River to Hurley,WI

KC0KSH-10 Rice Lake,WI
Icom 2100H @ 25 watts
vertical @ 120 ft
MFJ1270b
Relay,Wide,Trace UIDIGI1.83b
30mile radius

KD9FC-10 Hayward,WI
Ge Master II @ 40 watts.
vertical @ 100ft
MFJ1270b
Relay,Wide,Trace UIDIGI 1.83b
20 mile radius

AA0AW-10 Solon Springs,WI
GE Delta SX @ 40 watts
Diamond vertical @ 120ft South face
KPC3ver8.2
Relay,Wide,Trace NoID
Douglas county south of Middle River ridgeline.