THE REPEATER CALLSIGN HAS CHANGED

In Momory Of My Father Clifford W. Richmond

My callsign has been changed from N6WZZ to WA6TJQ which was my Dads call before he became a silent key. I dedicate my 220 repeater and new packet radio network nodes in his memory. He was my mentor, my best friend, but most of all he was my Dad......

Thanks and 73'sss Mike WA6TJQ

Repeater Automated Weather Station

A Davis Weather Monitor II weather station is now linked to the repeater using a dedicated computer and modified audio interface card.

The system is installed at the repeater site here in Twin Peaks, CA.

San Bernardino Mountains (Elevation 5,715ft)

To use the repeaters weather station function

Please do not abuse the weather station function as other hams monitor the channel.

If you are not in range of the repeater you may view weather information from my repeater site by clicking the internet link at the bottom of this page

220 MHZ... USE IT OR LOOSE IT!

Attention Ham Radio Operators

It's a fact, We will soon loose more of our radio spectrum to other radio services, if we continue to quit using real radio RF to communicate in favor of more internet based radio....

The FCC knows this and when the time is right they will step up and take our 2 meter 220,440, and 900 spectrum and chop it up like a nice green salad, and pass it out to the many other radio services just waiting to eat....!

So many hams are not giving 220 a chance as a form of amateur radio communication. Many are leaving real radio, and switching to things like Echolink and IRLP

If you value your radio spectrum start to use 220 and the many other bands amateur radio has to offer....

Why is it that hams use 2 meters and 440, but will not give 220 a try?

I hear many hams talking about loosing portions of the 2 meter or 440 spectrum, but they seem to be missing the fact that 220 mhz a band they have avaliable to them may soon be on the list of cuts to our amateur radio spectrum.

Lately I have monitored dozens of the local 220 repeaters in the Southern California area, and noticed that very few of them, not even the high level systems are active....

The FCC is just looking for a reason to take it from us.

So Use It Or Loose It!

My 220 Repeater

If you live in or around the San Bernardino Mountains, and have 220 mhz capability you will remember the 224.56 repeater which was once located in Running Springs, California.

The radio system is now located in Twin Peaks, California about 7 miles west from it's old location. The repeater, antenna, controller etc are of a new design and have nothing to do with the old Running Springs repeater.

The current coverage of the system is not near what it was when the system was in Running Springs due to the fact that the town of Twin Peaks and the repeater sit back about a mile from the mountain top, This is why radio operators in the High Desert have good results using the system, while people in San Bernardino find areas of good and bad coverage. With the high cost of mountain top rental space for repeaters there is no chance at present of re-locating the system.

The repeater is still under development and there are many changes to made to the system in the future to increase it's coverage, but this will only take place as time and money allow.

You will need a few extra watts to get into the repeater, if you only have ht capability you will need to be fairly close to the system or have something better for an antenna other than the standard junk rubber duck or tuned dummy load.

There are users on the system from Newport Beach, Fountain Valley, San Bernardino, Lake Arrowhead, Running Springs, Riverside, Hemet, Ontario, Pomona, Signal Hill, and many parts of the High Desert, like Victorville, Adelanto, Baldy Mesa, Pinion Hills, Lake LA, and Palmdale using the repeater with great results.

The great thing about the repeater is that it uses Solar and Wind power to charge a 500 amp hour battery bank to power repeater, this enables the repeater to run at 50 watts un-assisted by ac power.

The repeater can run on it's solar / wind power system 24 / 7 with limited usage even during cloudy conditions, and winter rain / snow storms. at times of low usage the amplifier is turned off by DTMF to conserve battery power. During this low power mode, the repeater is running at 15 watts...

This repeater will be one of only a few solar powered systems in Southern California that will be up and running in the event of a local emergency.

Thanks & 73'sss ....Mike WA6TJQ