6m Notes

[Michael Chisena]

Hi all, 
  This seemed to be a good time for a status report.
  If you can please plug the net on your local Northern Virginia repeaters.
   
  Bunch of projects in the works.
   
  Tech Net
   
  Tonight the tech net on 53.61 at 20:00.
  Since last weeks was a total bust, I'm going to suggest an 'open night' where it's bring what you got.
  If your an expert, great. If you got a question or sixty, that's cool too.
   
  Site Access
   
  Was just issued the keys for the 53.61 Ashburn Va. repeater site.
  With the owners approval I may get there this weekend for a familiarization trip and some photographs. 
   
  PL Decoder 53.61
   
  I want to fix the PL on the 53.61 and add a feature I call encode while decode.
  So when a user transmits, the repeater turns on the encoder. 
  When they release the encoding stops.
  All the other users in pl decode, their radios mute. 
  No squelch crash when the carrier goes away.
  No 'commercials' or announcements. Just voices and quiet.
  This sounds a lot like a proper com system to non hams that can hear us.
   
  This also simplifies linking, think about it for a while and it becomes slick.
  
 
  APRS Meteor Scatter Project.
   
   
  That's another thing we are working on.
  Just made a trip to Florida and purchased the remaining supply of these high power radios that convert rather well to 6m.
   
   
  http://www.flickr.com/photos/90108848@N00/sets/72157603828504803/
   
   
  The last photo says it all. 
  That's radios stacked 15 high, seven stacks across.
   
   
  The problem is I have about 130 radios and 60 some odd control heads.
   
  DATA Interface Board Project.
   
   
  Bob Gass sell a fine programing cable for Midland XTR radios.
  (Shameless Plug!)
   
  http://www.greenecountycommunications.com/
   
  He has expressed an interest in producing a kit for the XTR, I call a data interface.
  The goal is to have a board that can plug into the front of a radio. 
  It should support at a minimum...
   
  On/Off
  Monitor switch
  Volume via a trim pot.
  Squelch via a trim pot.
  Power LED
  RX Led
  TX Led
  Audio out
  Audio in
  PTT
  Perhaps a COS output from the radio's PL decoder for remote base functions. 
  This most likely will require a mod in the radio it's self.
   
  This board will supply the necessary interface between a packet TNC and the radio. 
  All of this without requiring a control head, cable, speaker, and brackets.
  In essence the radio becomes a Data Brick.
  Very handy for APRS mobile and base work.
  Packet back bone links.
  ARES/RACES use.
   
  Bob is thinking of selling these as a kit.
  Right now it's a balance of what can be offered for what price.
   
  At our last communication these units were not ready to go. 
  Any new circuit board takes a little time. 
  Prototypes have to be made and tested.
  It's a work in progress so please don't annoy Mr. Gass until he is ready to release his kit.
   
  On the other hand if you want an XTR programing cable, talk to the man.
   
  At the Winterfest in a few weeks we hope to have CDR's available with the radio control program.
   
   
  WB4APR follow up.
   
   
  Bob B. took one of my radios and now seems happy with it.
  My comments are interlaced (   ).
  
Robert Bruninga <bruninga at usna.edu> wrote:
    Mike,

Finally made my first 6m QSO on 52.525, so rig is working.

  (the first one I gave him had a glitch. No mic audio. I feel like such an idiot.)
   
  While scanning, I get activity on these channels:

Hear From Annapolis: 1,9,47,52,61,69,94,98.
Hit from Annapolis: 9, 61

  (for the rest of you...
  53.01
  53.09
  53.47
  52.525
  53.61
  53.69
  51.94
  51.98
   
  You should also hear 
  53.15
  53.25
  53.27
  and I think either 51.86 or 88.)
   
  
Notes: 69 and 98 carry the same QSO's.
I can hit 61, but have to press MON button to hear it.
  
 
  (that's one of the reasons I need to fix the encoder/decoder on 61.)
   
  
I'd be curious to see what other people report from other
locations.

   
  (Fair enough, any coverage reports from Northern VA.
   
  Other nets, pl tone corrections, and simplex frequencies I should slide into the units. 
   
  Data welcome)
   
  
Bob


  So that's the news.
  Be well guys, catch you on the air.
   
  Mike
  
 



"You are, what you do, when it counts"  
The Masso

"Gravity, the quickest way down"  
Mayor John Almafi

"You ever drop an egg, and on the floor you see it break? 

You go and get a mop so you can clean up your mistake.  

But did you ever stop to ponder why we know it's true? 

If you drop a broken egg you will not get an egg that's new?" 

MC Hawking
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