The Chelsea Amateur Radio Club sponsors a net each Tuesday evening from 8:00PM except on the 2nd Tuesday of each month when we have our monthly meeting. This is a directed net and is open to all licensed amateurs in the coverage area.
Rules Governing Use of Chelsea Amateur Radio Club WD8IEL Analog/C4FM Repeaters
WD8IEL Chelsea Repeater
Downlink: 145.450 MHz
Uplink: 144.850 MHz
Offset: -0.6 MHz
PL Tone: 100 Hz
The repeater itself is a Yaesu DR-2X C4FM fusion device and its antenna is located high atop the Chelsea water tower behind McDonalds. However, at this time we have it configured to run simple FM rather than C4FM Fusion. Please let us know if there is interest in running it in its digital C4FM mode.
Repeater trustee: Wesley Cardone, N8QM (n8qm@arrl.net)
What Do You Sound Like On Our Repeater?
In an effort to help the amateur community optimize their voice for communications, the WD8IEL repeater (sponsored by the Chelsea Amateur Radio Club), will repeat back to you what you said. You can hear how you sound to others listening to the WD8IEL repeater.
Why Listen to Yourself
The primary objective is for you to optimize your audio skills. How are you speaking into the microphone, how loud are you speaking and how close to the microphone? Learn how you sound the best and the clearest. This learning exercise will not only be applicable to the Chelsea Repeater but it will serve you for all of your amateur radio activities. You will learn how to speak for optimal communication purposes.
Here is the Story Behind It
You give the repeater DTMF tones (dual-tone multi-frequency). These might otherwise be called telephone tones. Most communications microphones have a keypad. When you press these buttons you get a dual-tone sound (DTMF). With the correct sequence of these, the repeater will understand that it is to repeat back to you whatever you say.
When it receives the specified sequencing (see below), it responds with READY. The repeater is now listening (but only for up to 4 seconds) for your signal to begin recording. You begin by simply transmitting–press your PTT button and say your call sign and maybe something like, “Listening for the self-recording feature.”
You will want to keep it short because the controller only has a varying length of recording space available. If you use more than it has available, you get nothing except it will say ERROR. It is also possible that very little space is left if yours truly (the repeater trustee) has recorded a lot of announcement messages and not cleared unused ones left over from days gone by.
Here’s How to Do It
- Make sure your transceiver is otherwise able to activate the repeater.
- Key in the DTMF sequence: “4 1 1” and unkey
- Wait for the repeater to respond with READY. If you don’t hear READY, the repeater is not enabled for that functionality at that time. Try again another day.
- Wait NO LONGER THAN 4 SECONDS after hearing it say READY and then key up speaking an extremely brief ID and announcement.
- When you unkey, listen. If you hear:
- ERROR… you are toast. Try again with a shorter announcement.
- yourself… you are good to go. Do it again and try things to make your voice sound more clear and understandable.
All FCC regulations will be followed, including:
- All licensed operators are encouraged to use the repeaters.
- Operators will yield to emergency communications.
- ID with your complete call sign every 10 minutes and your final transmission must include your complete call sign.
- No political comments or discussion.
- No profanity of any type.
- No music during transmissions. Please turn your car radio down.
Chelsea Amateur Radio Club Repeater rules:
- During all QSOs, leave a 3-second space after the courtesy tone so that others may break in for emergency use or to make a contact.
- You are encouraged to yield to others needing the frequency during extended QSOs. Periodically pause and inquire if any others need to use the repeater.
- There is currently no maximum time limit if this rule is followed.
- Avoid a stuck microphone. Place your mic where it is secure from accidental transmission.
- No kerchunking allowed. Always announce yourself as testing, with your call sign. Otherwise, we might think there is something wrong with the repeater.
- Do not try to use the repeater if a QSO is taking place on the repeater using a different modulation mode. Example: If a party is holding a QSO in C4FM mode, wait for their QSO to complete before keying the repeater up in Analog mode.
Repeater Etiquette
The following information is a simple guide to courteous operations on repeaters. If you operate using these simple guidelines, you will make it more enjoyable for everyone operating on repeaters and set a good example for others. It never hurts to review the guidelines to make sure you are being a responsible amateur radio operator. Remember that repeaters are offered as a public service. General courtesy is expected of all.
- Take the time to listen to a repeater before you talk.
- Do not monopolize the repeater. Simplex may be more appropriate for lengthy conversations. Remember that repeaters are a shared resource and are available to a large community of users. A good operating practice is to use simplex for long conversations (rag chewing) if possible.
- Transmit your call sign when you first come on the air. Make sure you ID once every 10 minutes, but there is no need to identify too often. (47CFR § 97.119.a)
- Our repeaters normally have a 3 minute “timeout” setting. The 3-minute length is a maximum length, not a suggested one. While not required, it is considered good etiquette to keep your transmission length shorter than this.
- Some topics are like land mines – Religion, Politics, Sex, etc. Do not discuss these subjects over the air! It can be more interesting than discussing what you ate for lunch last Wednesday, or the weather conditions you experienced two days ago, or how bad your bunions are troubling you, but “land mine” conversations can sometimes descend into a shouting match and can cause people to become upset (even those listening and not part of the conversation).
- Do not belittle, berate, defame or speak ill of others….period. This includes individuals, groups, nations, aspect of the hobby, etc. Using words such as idiot, stupid, hate monger, etc. in reference to any person, entity or group should not be tolerated.
- Even ‘mild’ obscenities are not good operating practices. This includes suggestive phrases and suggestive phonetics. (47 CFR §97.113.a.4)
- Do not inject a comment into a conversation without saying your call sign. Part 97 of the Code of Federal Regulations, which governs our operations as amateur radio operators, requires that you identify with your callsign. (47 CFR § 97.119.a) Transmitting comments without identifying yourself is prohibited. Interrupting is no more polite on the radio than in the real world.
- Give a pause before keying the mic and speaking. Don’t start speaking as you key the mic. Repeaters have a short delay before transmitting. If you start speaking too soon, your first few words may not be heard. Make sure you have finished speaking before you un-key the mic.
- Pause periodically to see if anyone else would either like to join the conversation or use the repeater for a quick call that is not part of the ongoing conversation.
- When identifying, please say your call sign slowly and clearly. Call signs that are rattled off too fast can make the call sign totally unintelligible.
- Don’t forget that the FCC prohibits the transmission or retransmission of music (and almost anything else that is received over the airwaves; for specifics, see (47 CFR § 97.113.a.4). If you have a radio turned on (this is especially common for many mobile stations), make sure that it’s turned down before you transmit.
- When using “comment” or “break” to be recognized and you are acknowledged by net control or the folks using the frequency, then be sure to identify with your call sign.
The Arcom RC-210 Repeater Controller
The Repeater’s Duplexer Configuration
