[SMCARA] 64 Repeater

[Clarke, Frederic]

Hi Folks,

I have adjusted the levels and the beep is not quite as prominent as before. I brought the received audio up to match the computer voice. Remaining to be done is to check the overall deviation of the repeater transmitter and to bring up the CTCSS tone on the transmit side.  I didn't have the tool required with me today when I made the adjustments.  Wouldn't you know it takes a super small insulated screwdriver to make the adjustment!

I have noticed a lot of "kerchunking" on the repeater.  For those that don't recognize the term, it means keying up the repeater without identifying.  It dates back to the early days, when repeaters were big, full of tubes and relays.  Kerchunk is the noise that the relays make as you key up the machine.  Some refer to that noise as "ping" and "schwack", but kerchunk will do nicely!

At first I thought everyone was just being rude and kerchunking for grins.  Now the truth comes out!  Many users enable the "CTCSS Squelch on Receive function on their radios.  Because the transmitted CTCSS level is low, it is not triggering some radios.  This is a handy feature if you are suffering from interference from another 64 repeater, but that isn't too bad a problem around here unless we have some ducting or other kind of propagation enhancement. The downside is that you don't hear the repeater respond when you "kerchunk". Unless this is a big problem for you, I suggest turning that feature off, at least until we get the repeater tuned up at the permanent site in Hermanville. I will get the CTCSS tone up to the correct level (0.5 KHz deviation) soon. The repeater signal to a station out on the fringe also might not get enough tone to trigger the squelch.

I might get real brave and try to set the clock tonight! Canned messages on the scheduler are: "Meeting tonight at 7 30PM" (4th Thursday) and "Net tonight at 7 30PM" (Every Tuesday). Got any ideas for additional message?

73 Tom/W4OKW


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