Report from Phil VE3HOA Repeater Manager:
The new Yaesu DR-2X repeater was installed at Union Hall, in place of the poor performing Allstar repeater, on Wednesday Jan 16, 2025. It has the following features:
Callsign – VA3UHR
Dual mode – capable of either C4FM digital or FM analog
Operational frequency info:
TX = 145.55 mhz
Rx = 144.95 mhz (aka negative offset)
TX power to the antenna (after the filter system): 50 watts
FM analog CTCSS tone = 88.5hz
Digital capabilities:
Digital C4FM comms via RF through the repeater will also be exchanged with internet based networks to which the repeater has external connections as follows:
– Linked to the XLX197B reflector via the site internet
To be able to have your C4FM RF communications via the repeater pass through to the XLX197B reflector, the DG-ID on your Yaesu radio must be set to 11 for both TX and RX.
Check your radio’s manual to find out how to access that setting. On my radio, I needed to press and hold the “GM” key to access it.
– Linked to the Yaesu Wires-X network via RF (wires-x node is located at VE3HOA’s QTH)
Wires-X info:
Node ID – #35008; name: VA3HOA-ND
Room ID – #45008; name: ALMONTE-ARC
Although I created an “Almonte-ARC” room, currently the repeater has been connected to a default room which is “SLEEPING-GIANT” (id# 03288) due to interest within the club membership. This has worked out very well for exercising the system, and has fostered new relationships. We may continue with this for some time. The default room can be changed at any time by a ham using a Yaesu transceiver with Wires-X capability. The change will timeout after one hour, and it will revert to the default room.
Note that when the FM analog mode is used, the communications will not be passed onto the linked systems. Only radio to radio RF comms through the repeater will take place.
Future activities – it is planned that a repeater will be installed at the Almonte hospital site later this year (callsign VA3HSP). This should provide good coverage of the downtown core for any club activities there. The operational frequency is yet to be confirmed. However, I’m thinking that the 444.225- Mhz pair used for testing of the DR-2X repeater may be the best option. This would avoid the inevitable noise and intermod problems typical of a two meter repeater. This may involve a re-host of the TX and RX radios in the Allstar repeater that was removed from Union Hall. I have some spares on hand that I believe will do the job.