Great progress has been made at the new repeater site. Over the past week, the team has completed the equipment move, secured power and grounding, and begun on-air testing of both repeaters.
Recent adjustements to the initial configuration has resulted in significantly improved system performane on both bands.
The 147.000 MHz repeater is now transmitting with range comparable to the previous site, though receive sensitivity still needs minor adjustment. The likely cause is a shifted tuning stub on the VHF duplexer, which will be corrected soon.
The 443.850 MHz repeater is performing markedly better. Additional signal reports from outlying areas are welcome to help with fine-tuning.
Next steps include final duplexer alignment, adding battery backup, and reestablishing Wires-X and remote access.
Information courtesy of Mike WQ5C and others involved in the project.
“It is once again time for our quarterly meeting. It will be held on Oct 11th at Granzins BBQ and will convene about 8 AM. As always, in respect for the serious, ongoing discussions this will interrupt, we will do what we can to complete the meeting as quickly as practical.”
— Dave, AF5PL
“Mark it on your calendar; the GVARC Christmas Party is on Saturday, December 13th at Granzins BBQ in the same location as we have our normal Saturday breakfast.
Plan on being there at 6’ish PM or a tad before. Get a beverage of your choice and meet in the private room. About 6 or when stomachs demand, we’ll all go and order what we wish for dinner off of the menu.
All GVARC members and family are invited. Additionally, any other friends of GVARC are welcome whether licensed or not or an “official” member of GVARC or not.
Please join us to celebrate friendship, our hobby, and the holiday season.
NOTE: In addition to the Christmas party, the normal Saturday club breakfast get together is still on so come to one or both as you wish.”
— Dave, AF5PL
Work on relocating the club’s repeater continues to move forward. GVARC project team members visited the new site last Monday, and are pleased to report steady progress.
We now have a functioning electrical outlet at the location, along with a proper ground wire — a significant step that ensures reliable and safe operation. We also met with Henry, who will be our primary point of contact at the site going forward.
The repeater racks have been bolted down and secured. Space is tighter than we’d like, so the racks sit closer together than ideal, but everything fits. With some careful planning, we’ll work around the challenges.
We still need to mount our own ground plate and perform some prep work before the final move. The plan is to hold off until after the MS 150 bike event on October 4–5, which will use the current repeater setup. We anticipate completing the move the following week.
Thanks to everyone lending their time, tools, and ideas to ensure the move is smooth. Stay tuned for more updates as we approach the final installation.
As of August 2, 2025, GVARC has completed a joint site visit with NBU staff to review the new repeater equipment location. Mike (WQ5C) reports that initial tests showed that both UHF and VHF SWR readings at the site are acceptable.
The final piece blocking progress is the installation of a dedicated electrical outlet and ground wire for GVARC’s equipment. NBU staff had earlier indicated they “would take care of it,” but the timeline and scope of that commitment are unclear at this time. This step is critical, as the team cannot move forward with installation until power is available.
Once power and ground are in place, and equipment racks are installed, the move itself is expected to require three people with pickup trucks and will be scheduled for an afternoon. The goal is to complete the relocation quickly, with all work wrapped up well before the current tower is dismantled.
“We’re ready to move as soon as NBU finishes the electrical work. Everything else is lined up—we just need the green light.”
— Mike, WQ5C
Stay tuned for further updates and potential volunteer needs once a move date is confirmed.