IP Networking for Mesh Users – Advanced Topics – 14 NOV 2024

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This was a long one, folks.  We went almost 50 minutes over our normal meeting time and I still don't think justice was done to the topic.  This class will be restructured as a three parter, with two parts dedicated to understanding networking concepts and how IP networking works, and a third part dedicated to AREDN networking.  Possibly a fourth part for packet radio and how IP networking works in the packet environment.  We'll have some discussions among the education committee and see what we can come up with.  Also, the IP part of this presentation likely will go over the head of most amateur operators.  More information is needed here and it needs to be simplified to the point that the average person who has been a ham for a while can follow along.

All that said, I did record the meeting and I want to give people a chance to review it.  You'll probably have questions... please ask them here on the MARC site and I'll try to answer them as I can.

Here's the recorded video:

Here are the slides:  IP Networking for Mesh

And here are the slides in-line so you can page through them right here:

IP_Networking_for_Mesh

HamCon:Zion Recap – General Topics – 18 JUL 2024

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Dan (N7XDL) talks to us about ham conventions in general and HamCon:Zion in particular.  HamCon:Zion was held in St George, UT on the 12th and 13th of July, 2024.  For more information about HamCon:Zion, please see HamCon:Zion.  Presentations were recorded and this post will be updated with a link to them after they have been published.

Slides are available for download here: HamConZion_PostAnalysis

Or read them on the site right here:

2024_HamConZion_PostAnalysis

Public Service Events and Utah SAG – Getting Started With Amateur Radio – Basic Topics – 6 JUN 2024

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Dan (N7XDL) briefs us on using your radio and building your radio skills through Public Service events and also talks about Utah SAG, an organization devoted to connecting amateur radio volunteers with the organizations that need their services.

Download the slides here:  Public Service Events and Utah SAG

Or view them directly:

Public_Service_Events_and_Utah_SAG

Winlink Deep Dive – Advanced Topics – 9 MAY 2024

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We had another Winlink session this week, with a concentration on P2P with packet.  P2P is peer-to-peer, sending messages directly from one Winlink client (i.e. Winlink Express) to another without going through an RMS or the CMS.  Five people brought their equipment this week, and we successfully accomplished P2P message transfers between three of them.

Next month we'll be playing catch up, trying to get everyone up and running with working Winlink accounts, getting RF working, and getting P2P working with both packet and VARA FM.  If you're planning to attend the Advanced Topics class next month, please plan to bring your radio(s), computer or other computing device, and an interface if required (some radio/computer combinations do not require an interface device).  If you need help figuring out what you need, let Jan (KD7ZWV) know or use the Contact Us form.

Our ultimate goal is to be able to haul our gear out into the wild and pass messages with Winlink.  To that end, we want everyone comfortable with the following:

  • Winlink Account Creation
  • Telnet Connections
  • RF Connections to the CMS via an RMS
  • RF Connections P2P with packet
  • RF Connections (to RMS and P2P) with VARA
  • Using Winlink Forms

Being comfortable doesn't mean you are ready to teach someone how to do it, but it does mean that you're able to get your own setup working.  You're encouraged to practice using Winlink often, send messages to each other, take your setup apart and put it back together, and understand the Winlink concepts.  If there are any of these you're uncomfortable with, come to the meeting in June and ask!

Get On The AIR! – Getting Started with Amateur Radio Series – Basic Topics – 2 MAY 2024

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The fifth session of the Getting Started With Amateur Radio series, this session covers actually getting on the air... that includes things like finding frequencies, nets, repeaters, and other amateurs in your area, getting your radio set up, and the most dreaded first you will ever experience as an amateur radio operator:  pushing the PTT button for the first time!

Download the slides here:  Get On The AIR!

Or look at them right on the site below.

04_Get_on_the_AIR

Repeater Status – MARC Repeater is OFFLINE

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REPEATER UPDATE

Murray City is still trying to find a suitable contractor to perform the tower work.  Sammie (NA7EGC) has offered the use of one of his repeaters on Ensign Peak for the interim period.  This repeater is at 224.080 MHz, negative 1.6 MHz offset, and tone of 136.5 Hz.  As this is a new repeater, it is not currently included in any standard load files.  If you need help programming this repeater into your radio(s), please bring your radio(s) to a club meeting and someone will help you.  We will be using this repeater for Sunday nets moving forward until our club repeater is back in operation.

PREVIOUS UPDATE

We have been advised that the tower contractor is unable to perform the work this week, so the repeater will NOT be back on line this Thursday as planned.  Please do NOT come to the tower site at 8:00 AM on Thursday 25 JUL 2024 or you will be lonely.

We will advise when we have more information.

PREVIOUS UPDATE

Thursday, 25 JUL 2024, at 8:00 AM any member of MARC who is available is requested to meet at the repeater site to assist with the installation of the new heliax feed line to the antenna.  Murray City and the Murray FD have purchased sufficient foam core heliax cable to go from the shack to the antenna and have contracted an installer to climb the tower, install the new cable, and adjust/tune the antenna in situ.  If you are available to help that day, please come to the tower site at 8:00 AM.  Bring a hard hat if you have one and you'll probably want gloves as well.

Expectations are that the repeater will be back on line later that day!

ORIGINAL MESSAGE FOLLOWS

Until further notice, the MARC repeater (223.960 MHz, standard load channel 27) is OFFLINE.

A few weeks ago, the repeater failed with a "PA FAIL" indicator.  At the time, we were able to bring the repeater back online, but a week later it failed again in the same way.  MARC members pulled the repeater from the rack and had it examined by a local repeater tech, who identified a blown cap in the finals.  The cap was replaced and the repeater is once again functional... HOWEVER:

When reinstalling the repeater, some additional testing on the feedline and antenna configuration took place.  You may recall that when the repeater was initially installed, we had a length of Heliax cable donated to the club, but the cable was not long enough to reach all the way from the antenna to the repeater.  The final 70 feet or so was bridged with LMR-400 cable.  Analysis of the installation showed that the feedline and antenna is presenting an SWR of 1.6:1.  With the repeater pushing 35W of power up the cable, this results in a reflection of about 4W of power back into the repeater's output finals.

While many repeaters would be able to handle this, the Quantar repeater we have appears to be extra sensitive to this type of SWR condition.  We need to replace the coax with a continuous length of Heliax cable and retune the antenna in situ (on the tower).  We have chosen to make plans to do this BEFORE putting the repeater back online.

We have identified a source for the cable we need, but it is quite expensive.  In addition, installation of the new cable will require someone climbing the tower, and Murray City (the owners of the tower) require that this be done by a professional tower crew for insurance purposes.  We have brought the requirements and numbers to our contact with the fire department and the city is currently working on providing the funds required.  Unfortunately, this may need to wait for the next budget year (which starts in June).

For now, we will continue using the 223.440 simplex frequency (standard load channel 29) for our Sunday evening nets, and we are also exploring other options for temporary use.  Stay tuned to this post for more details as they become available.