East Alabama Amateur Radio Club Repeaters and Nets
Repeaters
The East Alabama Radio Club utilizes several local repeaters. Some of these repeaters are directly sponsored and maintained by The Club. Repeaters receive weak or low-level ham radio signals and retransmit those signals at a higher power level and from elevation such as hilltops, buildings, or towers providing for transmission over longer distances (larger "footprints") with minimum degradation. To make this simultaneous reception and transmission possible, the frequency of the signal into the repeater (the "uplink") and the signal sent back out by the repeater (the "downlink") are different or "offset". These repeaters are the most frequently used means of communication among club members and others in emergency situations, for nets, and on an everyday basis. Below is a list of some of the popular repeaters and nets in the area.
147.150 2-Meter Repeater: Salem Hill, Alabama - WX4LEE
Downlink from Repeater 147.150 MHz
Uplink to Repeater 147.750 MHz
Offset +0.6 MHz
Input Tone 123.0 Hz
Location 32.6426 N, 85.2379 W
147.060 2-Meter Repeater: Beauregard, Alabama - KA4Y
Downlink from Repeater 147.060 MHz
Uplink to Repeater 147.660 MHz
Offset +0.6 MHz
Input Tone 123.0 Hz
Power 60 W
Location 32.5652 N, 85.3700 W
147.300 2-Meter Repeater: Loachapoka Water Tower - W4HOD
Downlink from Repeater 147.300 MHz
Uplink to Repeater 147.900 MHz
Offset +0.6 MHz
Input Tone 123.0 Hz
Location 32.6120 N, 85.6039 W
147.120 2-Meter Repeater: Atop the East Alabama Medical Center - W4LEE
Downlink from Repeater 147.120 MHz
Uplink to Repeater 147.720 MHz
Offset +0.6 MHz
Input Tone 123.0 Hz
Location 32.6389 N, 85.4044 W
145.230 2-Meter Repeater: Gold Hill, Alabama -KE4COL
Downlink from Repeater 145.230 MHz
Uplink to Repeater 144.630 MHz
Offset -0.6 MHz
Input Tone 123.0 Hz
Location 32.7364 N, 85.4983 W
444.425 70-Centimeter Repeater: Opelika, Alabama - WX4LEE
Downlink from Repeater 444.425 MHz
Uplink to Repeater 449.425 MHz
Offset +5.0 MHz
Input Tone 123.0 Hz
Location 32.6436 N, 85.3816 W
442.175 70-Centimeter Repeater: Gold Hill, Alabama - W4LEE
Downlink from Repeater 442.175 MHz
Uplink to Repeater 447.175 MHz
Offset +5.0 MHz
Input Tone 123.0 Hz
Location 32.7364 N, 85.4983 W
147.240 2-Meter Repeater: Auburn University - K4RY
Downlink from Repeater 147.240 MHz
Uplink to Repeater 147.840 MHz
Offset +0.6 MHz
Input Tone 156.7 Hz
Location 32.6034 N, 85.4868 W
444.800 70-Centimeter Repeater: Auburn University - K4RY
Downlink from Repeater 444.800 MHz
Uplink to Repeater 449.800 MHz
Offset +5.0 MHz
Input Tone 156.7 Hz
Location 32.6034 N, 85.4868 W
NETS
Nets are essentially get togethers that are conducted via radio. They can be regularly scheduled nets or ad hoc nets. Often they are set up as a way for club members or local hams to meet and to stay in touch with each other and to be aware of news and events that might affect the ham radio community or the community at large. These promote friendship among hams and help to raise interest in clubs. Some nets are set up to discuss specific topics like technology, digital radio, cars, trivia, and so on. And then there are traffic nets intended to exchange messages and pass them over long distances. Exercise or test nets serve the purpose of testing equipment, repeaters, procedures, or other systems to ensure readiness in the event emergencies arise or other factors require the reliable and prompt involvement of ham radio operators. There are many other types of nets on various bands that you will enjoy learning about in ham radio, both purpose driven and just for fun.
LOCAL NETS
EAARC WEEKLY 2-METER NET
The East Alabama Amateur Radio Club sponsors a 2-Meter net each Thursday evening beginning at 7:30 P.M. Central Time. We welcome any amateur operator to this net, both members of the club and any ham operator at all who can join! This net fosters friendship among amateurs in the area and improves our preparedness in the event of an emergency. Don Simmons - WX4DON of Phenix City is Net Control.
The net is carried on the 147.150 Repeater at Salem Hill, Alabama
(offset +0.6 MHz and input tone 123.0)). In the event that repeater is not available, the net will be carried on the Beauregard, Alabama Repeater 147.060 (offset +0.6 MHz and input tone 123.0).
WEEKLY ARES REPEATER TESTING
On a weekly basis a number of repeaters are tested by local amateurs to ensure our ability to communicate in the event of an emergency. ARES ® is "Amateur Radio Emergency Service," and is part of the ARRL field organization. This net is check-in only.
Net Control is Richard Battles - WB4BYQ of Opelika, Alabama.
This net starts at 4:00 P.M. Central Time each Sunday afternoon beginning with the Salem Hill 147.150 repeater (offset +0.6 MHz and input tone 123.0) and rotates through several machines.
The list of ARES Net repeaters normally tested can be seen in the link, but pay attention to Net Control for the sequence.
SIMPLEX EXERCISE NETS
An informal simplex exercise net is conducted weekly:
Saturdays at 9:00 A.M. Central Time
Monitor both the 147.150 Repeater (offset +0.6 MHz and input tone 123.0) as well as the National Simplex Calling Frequency 146.520 MHz for instructions.
(Note: Limit your output power to 5 watts and remember to turn your squelch completely off when doing simplex)
See the Simplex Network page on this website for further information.
LAKE MARTIN AMATEUR RADIO CLUB WEEKLY NET
Sponsored by the Lake Martin Amateur Radio Club, this weekly net is held each Thursday evening at 7:30 P.M. local time on the linked repeaters:
145.330 MHz, offset -0.6 MHz, and input tone 179.9
and
444.525 MHz, offset +5.0 MHz, input tone 146.2
CHATTAHOOCHEE VALLEY AMATEUR RADIO NET
Sponsored by the Columbus Amateur Radio Club, this weekly net is held every Wednesday evening at 8:00 P. M. Eastern time, (7:00 P.M. Central time) on the linked Columbus Club repeater network which is comprised of:
146.625 MHz, offset -0.6 MHz, input tone 123.0
146.745 MHz, offset -0.6 MHz, input tone 123.0
146.880 MHz, offset -0.6 MHz, input tone 123.0
442.100 MHz, offset +5.0 MHz, input tone 123.0
All licensed Hams are encouraged to check in.