SARC's VE7RNH Repeater

Repeater Data

• Frequency: 146.760
• Offset: -600 KHz
• Call sign: VE7RNH
• Equipment Used: Danials Repeater (?)
• Features: Autopatch
  
• Location: Fly Hills, Salmon Arm, B.C. Canada
• Power Source: Solar

The picture to the left shows the repeater site located in the Fly Hills, to the west of Salmon Arm. The installation of a solar panel is shown.

The picture to the right is inside the repeater shack, the equipment that is shown in this picture was changed last summer . The person in the picture is VE7EIL- Arthur (Buck) Rogers.

Solar Power

Since there is no power available at the site power must come from nature, solar was chosen for the application. On the initial setup one Solar panel was installed but as winter further set in one panel was not enough so a second panel was installed to meet power requirements. Further information on uses of Solar energy in ham radio is available from Ham Radio Online - Using Solar Power(Dec 30, 1998 -- Seems to be down :-(

Autopatch

The phone patch is remotely located due to the fact there is no services provided at the site, not even power. The patch is Voice Operated (VOX), this means the person on the phone and the radio operator can not speak at once. To use the patch press the push-to-talk switch on your mic, enter the on code, available from any of the club members, unkey, listen for the CW ID followed by a dial tone, wait till the tone and dial tone end, key up again and dial the number you wish to call and release the push-to-talk switch, you will then here ringing, as you would on a regular telephone. When the person answers, advise them that they are on a ham radio phone patch, people tend to get nervous when you tell them this and they tend to speak in one word answers. If this occurs the words will be clipped, so they should answer in full sentence answers. When you have completed the call, key up, enter the off code and unkey, if you entered ther code correctly the phone patch will send its ID in CW. If something happens that you cannot shut the patch off it will time out.