[MRIC] D-STAR Is Coming to Harford County!

[Pat Scolla]

It is with great pleasure and excitement that I announce that a D-STAR
digital repeater system is coming to Harford County, Maryland.  The D-STAR
repeater system will operate on the 144, 440 and 1200 MHz amateur frequency
bands and it will be an open repeater system just like the current analog
146.776 and 4409.775 MHz repeaters are.  

The D-STAR repeaters WILL NOT be replacing the existing 146.775 and 449.775
MHz RACES sponsored repeaters.  The D-STAR repeaters will be an addition and
enhancement to the Harford County Division of Emergency Operations RACES
repeater system.

I repeat: the 146.775 and 449.775 MHz repeater systems ARE NOT going away.
They will continue to operate as open repeaters just as they have for the
last two decades, and they will remain on the air for many, many years to
come.  We will continue to maintain and enhance the both the 146.775 and
449.775 MHz repeater systems to ensure reliable communications as time goes
on.

The 440 and 1200 MHz D-STAR repeaters will be installed and go online first
because T-MARC, the amateur repeater coordinating organization for this
area, has issued frequency pairs for the 440 and 1200 MHz D-STAR repeaters
along with a frequency for 1200 MHz D-STAR data operation.  We are currently
working with T-MARC to find a frequency pair for the two meter repeater that
will not cause interference to any existing repeaters in the greater
Baltimore and surrounding areas.  When a two meter frequency pair for two
meters is finally assigned to Harford County RACES for D-STAR use, I will
let everyone know.

It is anticipated that the 440 and 1200 MHz D-STAR systems will be installed
and online by September 1, 2009.  

It is realized that D-STAR is not for everyone and we are not trying to
force D-STAR on anyone.  However, in an effort to better serve our
community, RACES leadership believes that offering a D-STAR repeater system
to amateur radio public service minded amateurs will be a very good thing in
the coming years.  D-STAR repeater systems offer certain capabilities that
analog repeater systems do not offer.

Thank you for your time and we look forward to hearing new voices on not
only the D-STAR repeater system, but also on the existing analog repeater
system.

As we get closer to putting the D-STAR repeaters on the air, information on
the repeater frequencies, antenna heights, etc. will be announced.

73,
Pat Scolla, WB0EGR
Harford County RACES Officer and ARRL EC