[Repeater-Builder] Hustler G6 440mhz
FYI, A buddy installed a G6 on his repeater here locally atop a 5,000 ft + Mountain. They went back up about 30 days later and could not believe what condition it was in. I kept hearing stories over the radio about how it looked like it had been up there years. When they took it down, and brought it to one of our club meets, the radials were either broken off or bent, and the antenna did over-all look a but rough for wear. This was after having been subjected to heavy now and ice build up on Mt Wilson. The repeater owner swore by those antennas until he witnessed what effect the snow and ice had on it. My 2 Cents . . . . Paul Metzger
Re: [Repeater-Builder] Re: SCOM 7330 Experiences anyone? (let's have some fun)
At 10:00 PM 08/05/08, you wrote: Re: SCOM 7330 Experiences anyone? (let's have some fun) Mike Morris WA6ILQ [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: My own experience is that owners prefer the one that they had their first really positive experience with, learned the ins and outs of, and are loath to change due to the learning curve. Well... we don't mind changing when the new controller works well and has the features we want without an episode of Punch the Clown Face related to hardware problems, the software and user programming. True - but I find myself (and see others) trying to do things the (brand A) way when programming brand B). This is similar to the scenario I've seen several times while working on software projects - many times you can tell if a person's first programming language was BASIC, assembler, FORTRAN, COBOL or C by reading some of their code and looking at the style. My first controller was programmed with solder - it drove a tube-based 2m repeater receiver and transmitter so it had a tube-based COR and PL decoder, Repeater Poker 2008 I'll anti the pot and raise the blinds by guessing... Motorola Sensicon, Research Line GE Pre-Prog, GE Prog or even an RCA Carfone? The receiver was a Sensicon-A, and the transmitter was a 60 watt K strip. The IDer was a code wheel on a clock motor. After the box was retired (political problems - the frequency changed hands and the new owner put up a Master-Pro) the receiver got converted to 220 MHz. Never had to flip the chassis over. Short the lines with copper disks, change the crystal and tune. You didn't have a Link or Allen B Dumont Repeater did you? Never had a DuMont - but did have some manuals (one of my finds was a shop that went out of business and dumped two 5-drawer file cabinets (contents and all) into a dumpster. Both cabinets came home in the back of my station wagon). One of my base receivers was a Link 1905ED2A that I had baseified with an internal 120vAC supply, and speaker grille drilled into the top left of the front panel (one 1 hole at a time) and a speaker mounted inside. Other receivers that lived in the garage rack were more Sensicon As and Gs, and my first UHF radio was a RCA CMU-15 mobile. My first car was a 1957 Buick and had a vibrator based Globe CB plus dynamotors (dynamic braking, anyone?) on 6m and 2m mobiles. My 1971 Ford Falcon wagon had one P mount and five NMO mounts, all Motracs except for a Johnson Messenger 323, a Standard 24-channel crystal based monitor receiver, and a Heathkit siren-PA (with the siren section modified to be a car alarm). Some crystals I got from International, and some I hand-ground with BonAmi and a piece of glass (the local surplus store had FT243 mil-surplus crystals in the 5.5 to 7.5 MHz range for 25 cents each and over the years I moved bunches of them as much as 900KHz (at the fundamental) to land everywhere from 146.01 to 147.96Mhz in the As, Gs, and Motracs. Even the Motracs that expected 12Mhz and 15Mhz rocks were happy with the FT243s. My first home-made PL encoder was a twin-T transistorized oscillator that went into the 2M K-strip transmitter, another into the CMU-15, and a third that lived in the basement of a universal-case HT200 handheld. everything else was Agstat pneumatic time delay relays, clock motor timers, and KRP DPDT and 3PDT relays. It had a rotary dial (!) autopatch and a a 6m remote base. Raided some surplus electronics outlet..? C and H surplus in Pasadena, California. My dad and I discovered them in 1960 and we moved into bicycle range in 1965. I used to ride over there two or three times a week. I got to know the place so well that the staff used to ask me where stuff was - and in the mid 1970s we camped out on the roof and watched the Rose Parade go by right under our feet. Unfortunately C and H is no more - they closed in May of this year (the owner was in his 70s and had suffered a stroke after his second heart attack - and the kids and grandkids had no interest in running the store...) They had a blowout of Tek 7000 series scope plugins maybe found a good deal or surplus commercial (tube-type) radio gear... even betta' the parts were free (donation)? A friend of mine worked for a MSS in Glendale, CA. He had some interesting opportunities to creatively (but legally) acquire some good stuff Such as the weekend that almost all of the UHF Mastr Pro-based repeaters and remote base stations all over the southern California area went dark. Seems that the MSS had made a major fleet sale and a large quantity (close to 100) late model UHF Mastr-Pros were traded in... and were headed for the Motorola crusher come Monday morning. Seems that the early Pros had a major design flaw that caused major grief. It also seems that the nice late model traded-in Pros were stacked behind the MSS out in the open. Seems that all day Saturday and Sunday there were folks showing up from all over (some drove 200 miles each way) that pulled
[Repeater-Builder] Re: Hustler G6 440mhz
--- In Repeater-Builder@yahoogroups.com, Paul Metzger [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: A buddy installed a G6 on his repeater here locally atop a 5,000 ft + Mountain. They went back up about 30 days later and could not believe what condition it was in. I've got a G6 on top of the house being used as an antenna for one of my remotebase radios. Here in the desert southwest [Tucson] the warm [most of the year] climate is just right for this antenna but in a more harsh environment [mountaintop], I don't think it will stand up very well. Like Shorty K6JSI suggested, go with the Hustler Spirit series UHF vertical. It should do well for your specific application. 73 Doug W7FDF
Re: [Repeater-Builder]SCOM 7330 Question
Was so busy this week with school starting...didn't reply to this thread. But really feel like I should now. Seems like the gentleman who started this has made up his mind though. For the onlookers...here is my 2 cents worth. Worked on a SCom 7k for our local NWS. Found it extremely difficult to program at the time. In fairness, I am sure with more time..it would become easier as with every controller. When I got my RC210 as a typical new kid on the block I was pretty dumb in it's workings. However after studying over the program manual everything seemed to be VERY logical in how it was setup. Long and short of it. I own 2 RC210's now. Our local club will be buying it's 2nd one soon. Several other repeater owners here on the southside of ATL own them. Ken is very supportive of his product. I have seen him exchange parts and pieces...even when it wasn't his fault. I have experience this myself ;-) Very good forum board on his product too. I'm sure this is probably the same with all the controller makers. This is just the experince I have had with Ken's. Love mine and will probably buy more. Robert KD4YDC --- In Repeater-Builder@yahoogroups.com, Ken Arck [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Ok Jim. I have to say I find that hard to believe as every single 210 that is purchased assembled tested is tested on all 3 Ports for proper operations. If lands were missing, it would have never left here. Unless your friend purchased a kit in which case we have no control over its construction, so who knows what may have happened there. But fair enough. Good luck with your endeavors and hope your project goes smoothly Ken At 03:05 PM 8/6/2008, Jim Brown wrote: One last comment Ken, and I won't pester you any more. If a partial trade would be for an RC-210, I am afraid I am not interested. I got the RC-110 that I have from a friend who was anxious to get a repeater on the air and rather than mess with the RC-110, which was not working, he bought an RC-210. When he hooked the RC-210 up he found LANDS MISSING on one of the ports for the audio. It was not just a bad etch, the lands had never been there so far as he could determine. That sure does not speak well of the Quality Assurance for the RC-210 product. I hate to bring all this up, but once bit - twice shy is my motto. 73 - Jim W5ZIT --- On Wed, 8/6/08, Ken Arck [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: From: Ken Arck [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: Re: [Repeater-Builder]SCOM 7330 Question To: Repeater-Builder@yahoogroups.com Date: Wednesday, August 6, 2008, 3:11 PM Let's take this offlist. Perhaps we can work something out that is workable for us both (for example, might you be interested in us taking the 110 back in partial trade?) Ken At 01:04 PM 8/6/2008, Jim Brown wrote: Ken, my problem is that when a company sells me something that turns out to be totally useless and then fails to offer any solution or compensation, it is hard for me to have any confidence in their products. I attempted to join the RC-110 Yahoo group twice and both times I was refused entry by the moderator. I thought there I might be able to find out what some other folks were doing to solve the problems. I understand that some technical problems are difficult if not impossible to fix, and that the microprocessor chosen for the RC-110 was a bad choice, but I don't understand the attitude of 'you bought it - now go live with it'. That just does not instill any confidence in that companys products. Sorry - but that is my feeling. 73 - Jim W5ZIT --- On Wed, 8/6/08, Ken Arck [EMAIL PROTECTED] net wrote: From: Ken Arck [EMAIL PROTECTED] net Subject: Re: [Repeater-Builder] SCOM 7330 Question To: Repeater-Builder@ yahoogroups. com Date: Wednesday, August 6, 2008, 11:29 AM At 08:28 AM 8/6/2008, Jim Brown wrote: I have a commercial application to monitor the battery status and charge current at a solar site and asked for information on controllers that would allow me to monitor these parameters by requesting a voice readback. I was immediately answered by Ken Arch (sp?) and another RC-210 owner with info on the RC-210 capabilitys. As the proud owner of an Arcom RC-110 with it's total lack of support, I am a bit leary of going that road again. ---Hi Jim. I can assure you that support for the RC210 is not only readily available, most of our customers tell us it is exemplary. And while true that we no longer support the RC110 (what happened there is we are totally unable to obtain support for the CPU system which effectively killed the 110), RC210 is available not only from us but from the RC210 mail list in Yahoogroups. With literally hundreds and hundreds of RC210s in use around the entire world, support is quite good from our users as well. Ken - - - - - - President and CTO - Arcom Communications Makers of
Re: [Repeater-Builder]SCOM 7330 Question
Jim, To answer your question and not to start a war, all these guys (Ken, Bob, Ed, Alan/Steve - Controller owners know who I mean) make a great product. I have several of their units and have thoroughly been very happy over the years. No one controller maker can make everyone happy, it's just a factor of life. There does come a point in time where a unit has to be retired because electronics can no longer be supported. It's the same way with everything that ages over time. Most of the units that these guys make will easily do what your asking including the RC-210. All the controller makers are trying to keep the price down, up to date and be competitve with feature sets so I am not recommending one over the other. But I am simply saying that for the money and time you will invest for what feature(s) you say you want, the RC-210 will do the job. Thanks for reading this - Keith
RE: [Repeater-Builder] Hustler G6 440mhz
ANY Ham grade antenna should never be installed in a commercial environment. They are cheap for a reason. Go with a Decibel Products, Celwave, ASP or, Scala. The problem you get into with used antennas is that they are usually 450-460, 460-470 or, 450-470 The 450-460 will normally work down into the lower part of 70cm but they are hard to find. The 460-470 is a looser all the way around for ham use. Some of the 450-470 antennas will work for most of the band but may lose gain (and exhibit some down tilt) lower down the 70cm band. There was a lot of paging, Mobile telephones and, air to ground out there before (454.025 to 454.950) Paging died, cellular killed IMTS and, air to ground went to 900MHz. some of these antennas were ordered frequency specific and will work well. Also Radio stations use RPU (Remote PickUp) on 450 and 455 if you find one of the 450s you hit a home run. Antennas that I have used that work well. DB-410(old) or 420(newer) are exposed dipole arrays they and any antenna in that family (DB-408,DB413) Work good down to about 443.000 then they lose gain. ASP705K made by ASP works well to about 443.000 as well. Lower that that they lose gain and exhibit down tilt. PD-455 and most of the Phelps Dodge, Celwave or RFS antennas in the 450-460 versions works down to 441.000 or so. (PD-455-5 IS 440-450, PD455-6 id 450-460) PD-1151-2 HOME RUN this is a 440 to 450 antenna PD-1151-3 is a 450-460 and works about the same as the PD-455 Just test an antenna before you install it find a buddy at any paging company and get him(or her) to sweep it for you. That way you will know where it works and where it won't. Hope this is helpful. Robert / KD4PBC
[Repeater-Builder] Re: Hustler G6 440mhz
Jim, Don't waste your time effort on the G6/440. Get a Hustler Spirit series antenna and be done with it. It's great and you don't have to worry about weather problems. Keith --- In Repeater-Builder@yahoogroups.com, jimmyrtle [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: We are considering replacing a damaged antenna on a 440 machine. Anyone have any comments on using a Hustler G6. The antenna will be exposed to normal weather conditions for the northeast.( wind ice...etc..) Jim
[Repeater-Builder] Spectrum Comminications Corp Question?
Does anyone know how to get in touch with Spectrum Communications Corp? I have tried calling the phone number listed on their web site and it has been disconnected. I have also tried emailing the sales email address listed on their web site and the email bounces. I am beginning to believe they are no longer in business. Any help as to how to contact them would be appreciated. I am looking for help with a S-7R 6 meter repeater. Thanks, Glenn Maclean WA7SPY
[Repeater-Builder] Re: RITRON PATRIOT RRX450
Jack my model is rr-450 ., no x., what do you need? Jerry VE3 EXT
[Repeater-Builder] Re: CAT300 programming?
WRONG!If the repeater isn't used until next month, then the beacon won't be sent till next month! Cheers Dave UZN --- In Repeater-Builder@yahoogroups.com, Mark Cindy Cosgrove [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Hi, I hpoe this helps. 1) Enter the 7number code. 2) Enter *607* 900 3) Enter *0 to exit Mark N8TSK [EMAIL PROTECTED] --- On Thu, 7/24/08, dave_g7uzn [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: From: dave_g7uzn [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: [Repeater-Builder] CAT300 programming? To: Repeater-Builder@yahoogroups.com Date: Thursday, July 24, 2008, 9:03 AM Hi All, I have a cat300 controller (not DX) and am wading my way through the manual. The problem is that in the UK a repeater MUST send out it's ident every 15 minuets and as far as I can see although the id timer can be set for 15 mins, it will only send it out when the repeater is bought up! Is there a timer or other way of forcing the controller to give it's ident even if it has been idle? Any help much appreciated. ...Cheers Dave G7UZN London
Re: [Repeater-Builder] Re: RITRON PATRIOT RRX450
Hi Jerry The guy I dealt with is/was a dealer and set one up for me for $25 plus shipping. I don't have the equipment to do it and since he doe them often I figured I'd get it done right the first time. Thanks much! Jack --- On Thu, 8/7/08, [EMAIL PROTECTED] [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: [Repeater-Builder] Re: RITRON PATRIOT RRX450 To: Repeater-Builder@yahoogroups.com Date: Thursday, August 7, 2008, 6:35 AM Jack my model is rr-450 ., no x., what do you need? Jerry VE3 EXT
Re: [Repeater-Builder] Re: SCOM 7330 Experiences anyone? (let's have some fun)
The majority of my controllers are ACC products. I own an RC-850, 2 RC-85s, 2 ITC-32s, one of those with the 'Digitalker' board. Long dead, but can't get the guy that bought the rights to release the source code or even license it. I did want to get the supposed v6 update that was rumored finished and distributed.
Re: [Repeater-Builder] Hustler G6 440mhz
At 8/7/2008 00:09, you wrote: FYI, A buddy installed a G6 on his repeater here locally atop a 5,000 ft + Mountain. They went back up about 30 days later and could not believe what condition it was in. I kept hearing stories over the radio about how it looked like it had been up there years. When they took it down, and brought it to one of our club meets, the radials were either broken off or bent, and the antenna did over-all look a but rough for wear. This was after having been subjected to heavy now and ice build up on Mt Wilson. The repeater owner swore by those antennas until he witnessed what effect the snow and ice had on it. How strange. My G6 was on Sunset Ridge (similar elevation/climate) for over 15 years. When it came down it looked ~15 years old - not too bad. Are you sure someone didn't pull an antenna switcheroo on you? Bob NO6B
[Repeater-Builder] ACC ITC-32 Controller
Re: ACC ITC-32 Controller I have much ITC-32 information in addition to being able to reprogram the firmware (eproms) for free. Some years back I reversed out the source code using a very nice Micept software product and numerous pots of non decafe coffee. Wasn't anything super great to get excited about. I've shared much of my ITC-32 information with Chris on the ACC group and a lot of it is in that group's files section. I would not expect you to gain a lot of functions or capacity revising the ITC-32 code. Might be handy if you want to change some specific function values. cheers, s. DCFluX [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: The majority of my controllers are ACC products. I own an RC-850, 2 RC-85s, 2 ITC-32s, one of those with the 'Digitalker' board. Long dead, but can't get the guy that bought the rights to release the source code or even license it. I did want to get the supposed v6 update that was rumored finished and distributed.
Re: [Repeater-Builder] Re: Hustler G6 440mhz
At 8/6/2008 15:08, you wrote: Jim, Don't waste your time effort on the G6/440. Get a Hustler Spirit series antenna and be done with it. It's great and you don't have to worry about weather problems. Keith Geez, I must have the only good G6 in existence! Actually make that 2, though one did get smashed when the 90' pine tree it was in got cut down. Maybe the ones they're making now are no good? The 80's vintage G6s were definitely rugged. Bob NO6B
Re: [Repeater-Builder] Re: Hustler G6 440mhz
Funny you should mention that. I had several G6 and G7s for two meters and 220 from the 1980s that played well. Recently, friends bought a couple of G7-144's and they were nothing but trouble. They would not tune up properly. Joe [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Geez, I must have the only good G6 in existence! Actually make that 2, though one did get smashed when the 90' pine tree it was in got cut down. Maybe the ones they're making now are no good? The 80's vintage G6s were definitely rugged. Bob NO6B
Re: [Repeater-Builder]SCOM 7330 Question
It seems the company that produces the BX-24 is still around and producing it. Seems a bit pricey to me and they are back ordered at the moment. But it looks like the support is still there: http://www.basicx.com/support.htm ---Hi Jim. I can assure you that support for the RC210 is not only readily available, most of our customers tell us it is exemplary. And while true that we no longer support the RC110 (what happened there is we are totally unable to obtain support for the CPU system which effectively killed the 110), RC210 is available not only from us but from the RC210 mail list in Yahoogroups. With literally hundreds and hundreds of RC210s in use around the entire world, support is quite good from our users as well. Ken -- President and CTO - Arcom Communications Makers of repeater controllers and accessories. http://www.arcomcontrollers.com/ Authorized Dealers for Kenwood and Telewave and we offer complete repeater packages! AH6LE/R - IRLP Node 3000 http://www.irlp.net We don't just make 'em. We use 'em!
Re: [Repeater-Builder] Source for Telewave Multicoupler FET's
At 04:13 PM 8/6/2008, Joe Burkleo wrote: Anyone know the correct part number and a source for the FET's that Telelwave uses in their TWR series of multicouplers for 150 and 450? Joe, I have info for you. Give me a call. Ken -- President and CTO - Arcom Communications Makers of repeater controllers and accessories. http://www.arcomcontrollers.com/ Authorized Dealers for Kenwood and Telewave and we offer complete repeater packages! AH6LE/R - IRLP Node 3000 http://www.irlp.net We don't just make 'em. We use 'em!
[Repeater-Builder] Re: Source for Telewave Multicoupler FET's
Ken, As always, thanks a lot. Russ, KD7IOP gave Telewave a call after I talked to you, and it looks like we are just going to put one of the new updated preamp boards in our VHF unit that is down. Russ did find out that the preamp board is 50 ohms in and out, so in an emergency, one could get creative if needed. 73, Joe - WA7JAW --- In Repeater-Builder@yahoogroups.com, Ken Arck [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: At 04:13 PM 8/6/2008, Joe Burkleo wrote: Anyone know the correct part number and a source for the FET's that Telelwave uses in their TWR series of multicouplers for 150 and 450? Joe, I have info for you. Give me a call. Ken -- President and CTO - Arcom Communications Makers of repeater controllers and accessories. http://www.arcomcontrollers.com/ Authorized Dealers for Kenwood and Telewave and we offer complete repeater packages! AH6LE/R - IRLP Node 3000 http://www.irlp.net We don't just make 'em. We use 'em!
