Author Archives: Dave

EchoLink on GGARC 447.35 (-) 151.4

During last week’s net neither Mike KE0BIQ nor I were able to check into the weekly Hammin Sams net via EchoLink. We could hear what was going on, but could not get the node to respond to our requests to transmit. Well after some investigation, I found and fixed a couple of issues. But all of you using the Smart Phone app should check your settings after installing the recent update to the app. In mine it meant changing the source from SPEAKER to HANDSET/HEADSET and increasing the ‘mic’ gain. While this helps, it’s not a fix as the audio via the internet is still much lower and more distorted than it used to be.

So while I continue to investigate why the levels changed; I’ve left the node online. Note I linked the node to both test reflectors and using my HT that audio path did not change so the low/distorted audio is only heard on the repeater when using a smartphone.

Don, WA9WWS

KØHSC Hammin’ Sams RV net Thursday June 11th
GGARC repeater: 447.350, Offset – minus 5MHz. PL 151.4

Repeaters Used for Garden of the Gods 10 Mile Run

Pikes Peak ARES support of the Garden of the Gods 10 mile run on 6/13/2015 will use the 447.350 repeater as primary and the 146.910 as backup. The event coordinator will announce, both before and periodically during the event, their use of these repeaters.

Expect event traffic on these repeaters from 0600 to 1100 that day. Feel free to use these repeaters as you normally would, but please be courteous enough to yield to event traffic.

IRLP Hint #1

IMPORTANT: Whenever engaged in a conference using either IRLP or EchoLink, you must let the repeater drop its carrier to reset the internal IRLP/EchoLink timers.

Here is a current list of commands that are now available on the GGARC IRLP/EchoLink node:
a) 411 tells the node to ID itself
b) C says speak the current node time
c) CC says speak the current node date
d) Star (*) 69 is like on the phone tells the node to ID the last inbound call

And as before
a) Before you start always enter 73 to disconnect any active sessions.
b) A four digit codes connects the local node to the IRLP node with the 4 digit code. If you’re looking for possibilities, check out the list of IRLP nodes at http://www.irlp.net/status/
c) A Star (*) followed by a code, connects the local node to the EchoLink node with that ID. If you’re looking for possibilities, check out the search tool at http://www.echolink.org/links.jsp

Don, WA9WWS

CO PRB-1 Bill Passed

Senate Bill 15-041, the state PRB-1 bill regarding amateur radio antennas, has passed both houses and has been sent to the Governor. Having now passed both the Senate and the House unanimously, the Governor will almost certainly sign it.

In the following extracts, capital letters indicate new material added to existing statutes; dashes through words indicate deletions from existing statutes and such material not part of act. So, it looks like this bill sailed through without change or amendment.

HOAs and local governing entities must now craft a policy that prescribes that in order to comply with this law, either covenants are to be changed or other rules are to be interpreted as permitting amateur radio antennas complying with the provisions of that FCC preemption. Note that in doing that, all three provisions (a), (b), and (c) carry equal weight. Therefore, no HOA can give more weight to aesthetic considerations than to accommodating amateur communications.

CONCERNING A REQUIREMENT THAT LOCAL GOVERNMENTS REGULATE AMATEUR RADIO COMMUNICATIONS IN ACCORDANCE WITH AN EXISTING FEDERAL PREEMPTION ESTABLISHED BY THE FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION.

29-20-109. Local government regulation of amateur radio antennas.

(1) NO LOCAL GOVERNMENT SHALL ENACT OR ENFORCE AN ORDINANCE OR RESOLUTION REGULATING AMATEUR RADIO ANTENNAS THAT FAILS TO CONFORM TO THE LIMITED PREEMPTION SET FORTH IN THE MEMORANDUM OPINION AND ORDER PRB-1 ENTITLED “FEDERAL PREEMPTION OF STATE AND LOCAL REGULATIONS PERTAINING TO AMATEUR RADIO FACILITIES”, 101 FCC 2d 952 (1985), ISSUED BY THE FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION AND FURTHER CODIFIED IN 47 CFR 97.15 (b). AN ORDINANCE OR RESOLUTION ADOPTED BY A LOCAL GOVERNMENT THAT REGULATES AMATEUR RADIO ANTENNAS SHALL CONFORM TO THE LIMITED FEDERAL PREEMPTION WHICH PROVIDES THAT LOCAL GOVERNMENT REGULATIONS INVOLVING THE PLACEMENT, SCREENING, OR HEIGHT OF ANTENNAS MUST:

(a) BE BASED ON HEALTH, SAFETY, OR AESTHETIC CONSIDERATIONS;
(b) BE CRAFTED TO REASONABLY ACCOMMODATE AMATEUR COMMUNICATIONS; AND
(c) REPRESENT THE MINIMUM PRACTICABLE REGULATION REQUIRED TO ACCOMPLISH THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT’S LEGITIMATE PURPOSE.