Search results

Twenty-four repeaters, including D-STAR and Fusion systems, are maintained and operated by MARCA Inc., primarily located on Arizona mountaintops and around the Phoenix metropolitan area. The organization, holding the callsign _W7MOT_, facilitates a wide range of amateur radio activities, such as ARRL Field Day events near Forest Lakes, Arizona, and participation in ARRL FMT contests. Members engage in antenna experimentation, construction, and maintenance trips to repeater sites. The club's interests span diverse topics, including HF voice, digital modes like _WSPR_, _WSJT-X_ (FT8, FT4), and CW, alongside DXing, MESH networking, and EOC operations. It supports technologies from SDR radio building to antique radio restoration and computer-based operations like Echolink, fostering a Single Board Computer (SBC) and Raspberry Pi group. Monthly meetings, held on the third Tuesday, feature business discussions and guest presentations, with informal summer gatherings and an annual holiday dinner in December. Monthly VE testing sessions for Technician, General, and Extra Class licenses are conducted by Ray Vasquez, K4RMV. Post-meeting discussions often cover specialized interests such as repeater operations, technical topics, D-STAR, SDR, APRS, Fusion, and Raspberry Pi projects.

VHF/UHF FM Mobile Transceiver with APRS and EchoLink Functionality official Kenwood UK site

MARCA, Inc. operates approximately 24 repeaters across Arizona mountaintops and Phoenix-area rooftops, supporting modes like D-STAR and Fusion. The club, holding the **W7MOT** callsign, engages in diverse activities including ARRL Field Day events near Forest Lakes, AZ, ARRL FMT contests, and antenna experimentation. Members actively participate in HF operations such as voice, digital, CW, DXing, and various digital HF modes, alongside MESH and EOC operations within the valley. The club's interests span a broad technical spectrum, from SDR radio building to antique radio restoration, and include modern digital modes like WSPR, WSJT, FT8, and FT4. They also explore computer-based operations such as Echolink, fostering a dedicated Single Board Computer (SBC) and Raspberry Pi group. Monthly VE testing sessions for Technician, General, and Extra Class licenses are conducted by Ray Vasquez, K4RMV. Meetings are held on the third Tuesday of each month, typically lasting two hours, with a business segment followed by a technical presentation. These gatherings occur in-person at IHop in Mesa, AZ, and concurrently via Zoom, accommodating both local members and winter visitors. Informal chat groups often form post-meeting to discuss specialized topics like D-STAR, SDR, APRS, MESH, and Fusion.

Over 200 distinct 2-meter band amateur radio repeaters are cataloged for Australia, providing essential operational data for VHF communication. Each entry specifies the repeater's output frequency, often including the input tone (e.g., **91.5 Hz** or **123.0 Hz** CTCSS) and the repeater's callsign (e.g., _VK2RSC_, _VK3RHF_). Locations are precisely noted, frequently referencing specific towns, mountains, or geographical features such as "Kinglake, Kangaroo Ground" or "Adaminaby, Mars Hill." The resource also indicates various digital modes and linking capabilities where applicable, such as "FMEchoLinkFusionWIRES-X" or "DMR," alongside standard FM operation. This detailed listing facilitates local and regional VHF communication, enabling hams to program their transceivers accurately for repeater access. The data is presented in a clear, tabular format, making it straightforward to identify repeaters by frequency and location.

Operating an **Echolink** gateway on the 4-meter band presents unique opportunities for extending VHF communications, as demonstrated by the EI4FMG node. Situated at Fieldstown, Monasterboice, this gateway provides coverage across a significant portion of Ireland's east coast, leveraging a Tait TM8100 radio and an EI4JR Echolink interface logic. My own experience with similar setups confirms the importance of strategic site selection for maximizing reach, particularly with a 122-meter elevation above sea level. Access to the EI4FMG gateway, identified by node 57006, requires a **CTCSS** tone of 88.5 Hz, a standard practice for managing access and minimizing interference on shared frequencies. The system transmits with 15 watts of power and utilizes a Sigma CAT70 @5MAGL antenna, a configuration well-suited for regional VHF coverage. The gateway also features an auto-ID every 8 minutes, ensuring compliance and clear station identification. Users can interact with the gateway using various DTMF commands, allowing for connections to specific nodes, random repeater/link or conference nodes, and managing disconnections. These functionalities streamline the process of linking into the broader Echolink network, enabling local VHF operators to communicate globally through the internet backbone.