FWRC president proposes high-profile repeater project

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Category: News
Last Updated on Thursday, 23 July 2015 10:45
Published on Wednesday, 22 July 2015 16:53
Written by Jay Farlow, W9LW
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New WLDE tower in New Haven Indiana is the possible site of new Fort Wayne Radio Club amateur radio repeatersFWRC President Steve Nardin presented a proposal for installing high-profile repeaters at a new tower site during the July general meeting.

Broadcast radio station WLDE has offered the club space at 280 feet above ground level on its new tower in New Haven, near the geographical center of Allen County. Power (including automatic emergency power) and Internet access would be free. The club would have to provide a building for its equipment.

Steve also expressed concerns about existing sties for FWRC repeaters:

  • The 146.76 MHz and 444.875 MHz systems on north Clinton Street at a site historically referred to as Robison Park might see a degradation of the noise level environment because of an AEP substation upgrade.
  • The D-STAR system might lose its home at the Masonic Temple in downtown Fort Wayne.
  • The Echolink 146.910 MHz machine is located at IPFW, where Steve expects the club to lose its internal contact and champion in the near future.

Steve proposed that the club:

  1. Install new two-meter and 440 MHz antennas and feed lines at on the WLDE tower.
  2. Construct a small building at the tower to house repeaters.
  3. Move the club’s 146.76 MHz, 146.94 MHz or 146.91 MHz repeater to the WLDE site to become Fort Wayne’s high-profile two-meter repeater.
  4. Move the D-STAR or 444.875 MHz machine to the same site.
  5. Mothball decommissioned site(s).

The total estimated cost would be slightly more than $6,800, including new antennas, feed lines, building and the services of a professional tower climber. Steve suggested a number of ways that the club might raise the money for the project.

Steve displayed a PowerPoint file while presenting the proposal during the club meeting. Download a PDF version of the slide deck by using the link below.

Steve plans to write more about the proposal in the August issue of Allen County HamNews. He said the plan would require a vote by the FWRC membership “at some point in the future.”


Files:
High-profile repeater proposal, July, 2015
Date 2015-07-22 Filesize 675.77 KB Download 1972