Spring Valley Lake Amateur Radio Club (svlarc)
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- Navigate this page:
- General Operating Practices (from ARRL Repeater Directory) Starting a contact (QSO) via a directed call
- Starting a QSO via a monitoring call
- Joining a QSO in progress
- Interrupting a QSO to make a call
- SVLARC Operating Practices
- Emergency Operations Procedures EMERGENCY USE OF REPEATER
- Repeater Contact Information
- SVLARC License SCRBBA Application (Partial) Appendix 1 – Repeater Technical Data
- Appendix 2 – Coverage Maps
          
Spring Valley Lake Amateur Radio Club (SVLARC) KK6SVL
Repeater Operating Policy and Guidelines Version 1.2 November 7, 2014 Change Log Notes: Enter most recent change information at top of table
Preface This Guide is intended for use by members of the Spring Valley Lake Amateur Radio Club (SVLARC) and other users of the SVLARC repeater. It offers guidance on the use of the SVLARC (KK6SVL) repeater located on Quartzite Mountain operating at 449.2 00/444.200 MHz using PL Code 146.2. The site began operation on September 23, 2014 and is owned and operated by Spring Valley Lake Association and operated by SVLARC. The SVLARC is an officially recognized Club by SVLA and is governed by the SVLARC Charter, as approved by the SVLA Board of Directors. Special thanks is given to Hi-Desert Communication for their support and assistance in maintaining and operating the SVLARC repeater. This guide will be updated periodically as required. Table of Contents Preface 8 Table of Contents 9 History of KK6SVL 10 Repeater Information 11 Etiquette 13 General Operating Practices (from ARRL Repeater Directory) 15 SVLARC Operating Practices 19 Interference 20 Emergency Operations & Procedures 22 Repeater Contact Information 23 SVLARC License 24 SCRBBA Application (Partial) 25 Appendix 1 – Repeater Technical Data 26 Appendix 2 – Coverage Maps 27 History of KK6SVL The Spring Valley Lake Amateur Radio Club was formed in February 2013 and initially assigned call sign KK6COO on Feb 25, 2013. Vanity call sign KK6SVL was issued on April 9, 2013. Shortly after its formation, the club initiated efforts to install and operate a UHF repeater that would provide reliable coverage in and around the SVL area for three primary purposes:
Repeater Information The SVLARC repeater, KK6SVL, is located on Quartzite Mountain, near Victorville CA, and shares support services with many other local, state, and federal agencies. The system operates at 449.2/444.2 MHz using separate shared UHF transmit and receive antennas through a site-provided duplexer. The antenna tower is at an elevation of 4734 feet above mean sea level. The transmit antenna is mounted at approximately 195 feet above ground level and provides omnidirectional coverage with about 7.5 dB of antenna gain. The receive antenna is mounted at approximately 195 feet above ground level and also provides omnidirectional coverage with 7.5 dB of antenna gain. Emergency power is provided to the site through a Kohler 80 KW propane generator which is capable of providing up to 10 days of operation in the event of a commercial power outage. Generator and Propane Tank pictured at left The repeater began operations on September 23, 2014. Additional technical information can be found in Appendices 1 and 2. Etiquette Courteous and legal use of a repeater is the responsibility of every amateur radio operator. The Spring Valley Lake Amateur Radio Club (SVLARC) has established these guidelines to encourage good operating practices. Individuals who do not abide by these guidelines may be asked to refrain from using the SVLARC repeaters.
General Operating Practices (from ARRL Repeater Directory)
There are two main ways by which a QSO can begin, one is via a directed call and one is via monitoring. A directed call is where one amateur calls another amateur individually, such as "N3XYZ from K3ABC". In such a case, K3ABC is looking for one particular individual, N3XYZ. It generally is not an invitation for anyone other than N3XYZ to return the call. If N3XYZ doesn't answer the call, K3ABC may just clear off by saying "K3ABC clear", or may clear and listen for other calls by saying "K3ABC clear and listening". The "and listening" or "and monitoring" implies they are interested in hanging around to QSO with anyone else who might be listening at that time. "Listening" and "monitoring" doesn't mean you are listening to somebody else's conversation, they mean you are listening for other people who may want to call you to start a new QSO. Likewise, just saying your call by itself with nothing following it is meaningless. If you were to say "N3XYZ", people listening wouldn't know if that means you were monitoring for calls, whether you were testing, or whether they missed the call sign of a party you were calling. Be concise, but be complete.
If the repeater is not in use, simply stating your call sign followed by "listening" or "monitoring" implies that you are listening to the repeater and are interested in having a QSO with anyone else. Calling CQ on a repeater is generally not common, a simple "N3XYZ listening" will suffice. There is no need to repeat the "listening" message over and over again as you might do when calling CQ on HF. Once every few minutes should be more than sufficient, and if someone hasn't answered after a few tries, it probably means there is nobody around. If someone is listening and wants to QSO, they will answer back. Avoid things like "is anybody out there" or "is there anybody around on frequency"; it sounds like a bad sci-fi movie. Joining a QSO in progress If there is a conversation taking place which you would like to join, simply state your call sign when one user un-keys. This is the reason for having a courtesy tone: to allow other users to break into the conversation. One of the stations in QSO, usually the station that was about to begin his transmission, will invite you to join, either before making his own transmission or afterwards. Don't interrupt a QSO unless you have something to add to the topic at hand. Interrupting a conversion is no more polite on a repeater than it is in person. Interrupting a QSO to make a call If you need to make a directed call to another amateur but there is already another QSO going on, break into the conversation during the courtesy tone interval by saying "Call please, N3XYZ". One of the stations will allow you to make your call. If the station you are calling returns your call, you should quickly pass traffic to them and relinquish the frequency to the stations who were already in QSO; don't get into a full QSO in the middle of someone else's conversation. If you need to speak with the party you call for a significant length of time (say, more than 15 seconds), ask them to either wait until the current QSO has cleared, or ask them to move to another repeater or simplex channel to continue the conversation. Demonstrations. From time to time, an amateur may want to demonstrate the capabilities of amateur radio to another non-amateur. The typical way to do this is to ask for a "demo" such as "N3XYZ for a demonstration." Anyone who is listening to the repeater can answer them back. Usually telling the calling party your name, callsign, and location is what they are looking for, not a lengthy conversation. Someone doing a demo may ask for stations in a particular area to show the range of amateur radio communications, such as if the calling station is in the Poconos they may ask for any stations in south Jersey or Harrisburg areas, which is more interesting than demonstrating that they can talk to someone in the same town as they are in. Signal Reports. If you are unsure how well you are making it into the repeater, DO NOT kerchunk the repeater. Any time you key up the repeater, you should identify, even if you are just testing to see if you are making the machine. "N3XYZ test" is sufficient. Do not use the repeater as a "target" for tuning or aiming antennas, checking your transmitter power, etc. Use a dummy load where appropriate, or test on a simplex frequency. If you need someone to verify that you are making the repeater OK, ask for a signal report such as "N3XYZ, can someone give me a signal report?" "Radio check" is a term most often used on CB, "signal report" is what most amateurs ask for. 1. Monitor the repeater to become familiar with any peculiarities in its operation
FCC Part 97.205 (e) states "limiting the use of a repeater to only certain user stations is permissible." There is no rule which requires a repeater sponsor to let everyone use it. Those who do not follow FCC rules and the rules set forth by the KK6SVL Trustee will be disqualified from using the system and may be subject to FCC enforcement action. No communications are permitted with persons not holding a valid Amateur Radio license except for transmissions in compliance with FCC rules on third party traffic and control operator supervision. For an unlicensed person to key a transmitter on Amateur Radio bands, the immediate presence of a properly-licensed operator is required. This means that the control (licensed) operator is within a few feet. FCC Part 97.111(a)1 does not authorize communications with unlicensed operators. SVLARC Operating Practices Interference If an operator fails to identify with his or her Amateur Radio call, consider that person to be unlicensed. After a request for their call sign, do not communicate with or acknowledge any transmissions made by unidentified/unlicensed operators. If you hear someone with a questionable call, you can verify via http://www.qrz.com
Use procedures shown further down this page to assist in determining the location of an unidentified/unlicensed operator. When input from observers is sufficient to identify a source of illegal transmissions, details will be filed with the Federal Communications Commission and other agencies for enforcement action. Penalties for malicious transmissions can total thousands of dollars in fines and legal costs plus several years in prison. KK6SVL Repeater system users are requested to assist in determining the source of interference. In addition to obvious malicious jamming, interference may consist of short bursts or repetitive keying. Follow these steps when you note interference: (1) Switch to the input frequency (444.2 MHz) and note strength of the interfering signal. Even an HT is valuable for this purpose. This is the most important thing to do first. (2) If your station includes a rotatable beam, determine the direction of maximum signal strength on 444.2 MHz. (3) Send a report by e-mail to TBDmailto:n5zxj@arrl.net?subject=Repeater%20Interference noting direction of signal peak and/or strength. Terms such as " no signal...weak signal....moderate signal....strong signal.....full-scale signal" etc. can be used. Also note any background sounds or unique characteristics.
(4) If the signal on 444.2 MHz is very strong, disconnect your antenna and note if the signal is still heard. If so, the source is within a few blocks. (5) If time permits, go mobile around town or the area you’re in and note where signal peaks occur on the input frequency. (6) If jamming consists of very short transmissions (under five seconds or so), using a second radio to monitor the repeater input frequency simultaneously may help you prepare a more accurate report. Remember that reports of "no input signal heard" are very valuable in narrowing down the location of the source. (7) Do not communicate with a person believed to be unlicensed. As reports from users in various parts of the coverage area increase, the likelihood of locating the source also increases.
SECTION 97.113(a) (a) No amateur station shall transmit: (1) Communications specifically prohibited elsewhere in this Part; (2) Communications for hire or for material compensation, direct or indirect, paid or promised, except as otherwise provided in these rules; (3) Communications in which the station licensee or control operator has a pecuniary interest, including communications on behalf of an employer. Amateur operators may, however, notify other amateur operators of the availability for sale or trade of apparatus normally used in an amateur station, provided that such activity is not conducted on a regular basis; (4) Music using a phone emission except as specifically provided elsewhere in this section; communications intended to facilitate a criminal act, messages encoded for the purpose of obscuring their meaning, except as otherwise provided herein; obscene or indecent words or language; or false or deceptive messages, signals or identification; (5) Communications on a regular basis, which could reasonably be furnished alternatively through other radio services.
Emergency Operations & Procedures EMERGENCY USE OF REPEATER In actual emergency situations, SVLARC defers to FCC part 97.101, subparagraph (c):
Please note also that ARES will be given priority but not sole use of the repeaters during actual emergency conditions. Repeater Contact Information SVLARC Rick Danzey SVLARC@charter.net
Director of Operations info@svla.com (760) 245-9756 Emergency: (760) 245-6400 (Public Safety Dispatch 24/7)
Scott Eckert 9358 SVL Box Spring Valley Lake CA 92395 sbeckert@verizon.net
Hi-Desert Communications Tel # (760) 243-2332 SVLARC License SCRBBA Application (Partial) Appendix 1 – Repeater Technical Data Fill in as much as we know Location
Quartzite Mountain - 34° 36´ 43.6"N 117° 17´ 32.1" W Elevation: 4,734 ft Antenna 195 feet above ground Overall repeater block diagram Equipment List VXR-7000 UHF Repeater Back-up power On-site Kohler 80KW Propane powered generator Appendix 2 – Coverage Maps Note: Coverage maps generated May 2014 by Hi-Desert Comm using FALCON (Harris Corp) propagation software 4 Coverage Maps To Follow: Mobile Talk-Back Coverage Appendix 3 – Acronyms Appendix 4 – Recommended Simplex Frequencies Download 48.25 Kb. Share with your friends:
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