2 meters

Repeater System Update

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Hello all,

Last month, a vote was cast to link the Williamstown repeater back into the larger system of VHF repeaters, comprised of W1BD Cabot, K1VIT Lincoln Peak, and W1AAK Killington (146.88).

Williamstown (W1BD)
Yesterday, after correcting a receiver de-sense issue on the link radio, the link was once again enabled and tested, performing quite well in both directions. We are once again using the club’s analog MSF5000 repeater. However, a recent unknown issue has caused radio traffic to pass only in one direction; from Lincoln/Killington/Cabot to Williamstown, but not back. We are going to unlink from the rest of the system until this problem is solved.

Cabot (W1BD)
The Cabot machine continues to perform very well on the receive side. The power amplifier is running 25 watts out, which doesn’t cover quite as far as intended. The audio level was noted to be higher than that of Williamstown, and slightly more “harsh” sounding. There are plans to work on this machine to correct the audio issues, and possibly increase the output power so transmit and receive patterns match each other more closely.

Lincoln Peak (K1VIT)
More information here: http://www.k1vit.com/repeaters/

Killington (W1AAK)
This repeater is owned and operated by the Northeast FM Repeater Association.

Should you have any questions, comments, or concerns about these repeaters, please don’t hesitate to reach out:
CVARC – contact (at) w1bd dot net
NFMRA
Vermont Interconnect Team

September Foxhunt

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Good afternoon all,

I’m happy to announce CVARC is planning a foxhunt for Saturday, September 19th! This event is expected to run from mid-morning until the afternoon. We encourage everyone, club member or not, to participate in this event.

“Foxhunting”, transmitter hunting, “t-hunting” or radio direction finding is a practice to locate a radio transmitter or source of RF. Hams often do it for fun, but it also has practical applications like locating downed aircraft in an emergency, locating stolen equipment, or sniffing out sources of RF interference. Since the main operation that takes place during the hunt is receiving, even those without a license may participate, and so it’s a great exercise for those looking to join the hobby.

Spread the word, but not the virus: COVID-19 information here

Since this event will be outdoors, we can still comply with local restrictions regarding the pandemic. What will likely happen is the fox transmitter will have a laminated score sheet attached to it with a marker. Those that find it should put their name or call sign and the local time they found it. While on the hunt, please wear a mask if you’re unable to keep a safe distance from others in public. CVARC is a part of the local Vermont community, and we want to set a positive example when representing the club.

Preliminary details: The ‘fox’ is expected to hide within the limits of Washington County and transmit on the nationally-accepted RDF frequency of 146.565 MHz. Please keep your eyes open for website posts and further details or rules closer to the date.

Foxhunt information page with tips on radio-direction finding

Please contact us with any questions.

73,
-Patrick, KC1DPM
CVARC President