447.900 (-) 100 Hz
447.900 (-) 100 Hz BASIC RULES / FYI:
* When transmitting, allow a second before speaking or transmitting any touchtones to give the receiver enough time to process. This will be true if I ever design a link transceiver to expand the overall footprint of this repeater to others in this region of eastern Wyoming. Areas further east and into neighboring Nebraska aren't out of the question, depending on the potential demand for this in the future. There will be some people I'll need to speak with about the possibilities, but for now, it's just Converse County and portions of Platte County I'm looking at.
* The repeater has a very short 1500 Hz courtesy tone and tail, under a second for the whole thing. This is because I may plan additional repeaters with a 2-meter input/output in the future. So far, I have local and Echolink access planned. If pursued, expect updates here.
* The subaudible tone (CTCSS) is 100 Hz and uses a minus 5Mhz offset.
* As of now, the repeater is on grid power at my home QTH east of Douglas, but is fully capable of solar powered operation and occasionally tested on such. Because of the significant amount of computing consumption, I will give it a rather-beefy battery and solar cell panels to feed it and other electronics I plan to house with it, once moved to Hex Hill. It'll be a learning experience to see how it performs in sub-zero weather, yet this is a very new deep-current marine battery (or two) to power it.
* If you hear the ever-popular and anticipated CW ID, do not transmit as whatever you say will not be broadcast. Wait until after the ID has completed. I've never gotten a solid answer from the manufacturer of why this is, but it's not a deal-killer.
PRESENT COVERAGE
The repeater is solid-state and solar-capable, presently connected to a colinear antenna I built myself. Considering the estimated 8db omnidirectional, I'm likely giving it nearly 200w ERP from the short distance of coax feed. It's presently mounted on my front deck, yet the height is sufficient to cover many areas on the north portion of Douglas a few miles away and does very well northward toward the Bill community on WY 59. I can kerchunk it as far west as the 167mm of I-25, west of Glenrock on the 6,000'+ hilltop and many portions of Rolling Hills community with my handie-talkie, and as far as the eastern portion of the hiking trail at Crimson Dawn Park on Casper Mountain, nearly 50 miles away. Within the Douglas City Limits is presently my biggest issue as the hill effectively blocks much of any input signals given it from the other side, It works decent along western portions of Center and Yellowstone from the State Fair to I-25, much of Riverfront and northern Douglas, north of the Historical District. My future tower should make a truly powerful transformation with far more surface area of nearby Sheep Mountain to reflect UHF signals to the antenna and vice-versa as I really hope local hams will regularly use it. Expect this page to be updated with developments, so check back often.
HEX HILL
When I bought my beautiful property in 2021, I was barely able to pay for the whole package and have enough remaining to pay the taxes! It was definitely a bonus to discover a nice Easter Egg. The small hill some 900' from the house has a USGS monument, the tallest point on the entire section, giving me a near-perfect horizon to plan for a communications tower which I plan no higher than 120' and discussions with nearby airport DGW have given me to 150' to ponder my decision. I've named the point "Hex Hill" since I primarily used Hex cryptocurrency mixed with some Bitcoin in purchasing the house and property during Fall, 2021. Occasionally, some low-altitude aircraft and helicopters will fly overhead on their way northward, then bank a bit left for a long approach to "runway two niner" but I'm not expecting any requirements for obstruction lighting, although I'm giving serious consideration to having the FAA add it to flight maps. After construction, expected during 2025, I will choose an adjacent site for a small building to house ham radio gear and operate from.
FUTURE COVERAGE?
Looking at mobile mapping software, it's amazing what is possible. Repeater output using the microwave cable I have ready, calculates to 120w ERP at 100' On that tower, areas to the south will finally receive decent coverage and to the west? Very much improvement is expected with the calculations using Radio Mobile being good enough to be kerchunked on Metro Road near the landfill, animal shelter and elsewhere on that hill. It could reach well into Wheatland, especially just west of town with other hotspots within. This is because the antenna's height will be far above average, headed southward. Of course there will be many dead spots along I-25 between Douglas and Wheatland, but there are many licensed hams there I think could use another repeater. If I can work it well enough through either a mobile or handie talkie from there, I'll certainly encourage usage and for those in Platte County to pass along the word! Glendo and Guernsey, I can't yet see how the coverage may play out.
AWAITING COORDINATION? IT AIN'T IN THE BOOK!
There's no word from the Wyoming frequency coordinator concerning my submission for 447.900 and associated input. So far, I've received no notification of approval. It was sent (I think) in 2022. The nearest coordinated co-channel is in Denver, well over 225 air miles from me with no known usage in western NE or western SD. I chose this frequency because of the research given toward it and the availability of another limited resource, an Echolink node number which happen to match the frequency!
ECHOLINK
If you happen to use Echolink on your computer or phone, watch for node 479000 and NN5NN/R. If seen, I'm either doing tests or have Echolink operational. It uses a 400mW transceiver to connect the computer with the repeater by radio and will become continuously used once sited on Hex Hill. It's been a chore and puzzle, trying to cleanly connect certain ports which are required to the satisfaction of consistent performance using Echolink. Nevertheless, check from time to time and I hope I have enough internet bandwidth and performance to host several inputs.
Now for the older, historical context of the Arkansas NN5NN repeater:
145.110
(minus offset)
This repeater
is located in western Stone
County, AR near the Fox community, covering much of northern Arkansas and
extreme south central Missouri. Click the links for information on
this repeater which any currently licensed radio
amateur, Technician class or greater, is invited to use.
FLASH!! The latest news on the
NN5NN "Fox" repeater and upcoming changes available here. Pictures should
appear in the new Scrapbook section
of this website. If vacant, please check back from time to time!
The
history behind this project
Northern
Arkansas' "BIG STICK"
The
Holley Mountain link system
"Quick View" tables for pics
and documentation. Click image for larger pictures or docs.
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| Arkansas Repeater Council & MACC findings. 4/95 | Repeater coordination update done 4/95 for 100W ERP due to findings. | FCC Part 17 notification letter from AETN 5/98. | FCC tower registration for KEMV-TV Ch. 6 | Picture of the KEMV tower, total height 995' total AMSL 2515'. |
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| Picture of the old Towerspace Road sign and my real estate near Heber Springs sold in 2005. | Map of repeaters in the now-defunct Holley Mountain linked system. Some repeaters today part of ARLinks. |