WHAT DO YOU NEED FOR AN ATV STATION IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA?

By Tom O'Hara, W6ORG

Watch the Amateur Action or Space Shuttle Video on a Repeater.

Start with a 1200 MHz or 900 MHz downconverter and antenna to see what is going on. Anyone who comes on 434.0 ATV in So. Calif. will be seen in one or more of the ATV repeaters. Coverage on some are over 100 miles and are linked. Talk back to ATVers at the same time on 146.430 FM simplex. Check the locations of the listed ATV repeaters to see which one(s) you have a line of sight path to.

TVC-9G
or
TVC-12G		900 MHz Downconverter
 
1200 MHz Downconverter		$99
 
$109
3318 LYARM
or
2424 LYRM		900 MHz Loop Yagi
 
1200 MHz Loop Yagi 		$99
 
$99

Vertically polarized loop Yagimast
9913 coax
Directive Systems Loop Yagi End mounted
6 ft boom

Area Repeaters - common input 434.0

Output

Mt. WilsonLos Angeles Co.K6KMN1241.25
Santiago PeakOrange Co.WA6SVT1253.25
Loop CanyonSan FernandoWA6ZVE1277.25
Oat mtn.San FernandoWA6SVT919.25
Blue RidgeSan Bernardino Co.WB6VVV919.25
Little San GorgonioSan Berdo.WQ6I1277.25
Mt. San MiguelSan DiegoWA6VLF1277.25
Santa Barbara WB9KMO1277.25
Figueroa Mtn.Santa YnezK3NXF1253.25
Santiago Peak KC6CCC10.40 gHz FM in, 3.48 gHz out
Mt. PalomarSan DiegoW6NWG1241.25 *(input 919.25)
Heaps Peak KC6CCC10.40 gHz FM in, 3.38 gHz out

Ready to transmit video from your camera?

With crossband repeaters, you can transmit and receive simultanioursly - no connection is needed between transmitting and receiving gear. Antenna vertical separation of about 10 ft will allow you to see your own video coming back. To transmit to the repeater on 434.0 MHz most get the TC70-10 Transceiver or TX70-1b Transmitter (catalogue pages 1 & 3) with both 434.0 and 426.25 MHz (for simplex) crystals. Use your two meter FM transceiver to talk back and coordinate transmissions with other ATV transmitting stations on 146.430 MHz while they talk to you on the sound subcarrier. In addition to a two meter FM transceiver, you will need a 13.8 Vdc regulated power supply such as the Radio Shack 22-120 for the TC70-10.

It is said that your signal will only be as good as your antenna system. If you want to work simplex or DX then the bigger the better. If you only want to get to the selected repeater the 10 Watt Transceiver will get you up to 24 miles snow free line of sight with the 440-6X, 36 with the 440-10X, and over 48 miles with the 440-16X or FO25-ATV. With the 1.5 Watt transmitters it�s 6, 9 and 12 miles line of sight with the respective antennas for a snow free picture. There is no way to predict non line of sight conditions - trees, buildings, etc. absorb and attenuate the signal differently. Heigth to get line of sight is more important than longer coax loss. Ask an ATVer near you on 146.43. The 6X & 10X antennas are small and can be end mounted on a mast for base use and are also popular for portable operations. The 440-16X and 17 ft FO-25-ATV are center mounted. Weather proof all outside coax connections. Note that every 6 dB (4 times power) of increase due to raising power, antenna gain or less coax loss doubles the distance or adds a P unit to the picture quality. Snow free video (P5) is about 200 micro volts at the downconverter input - large call letters can be seen into the snow as low as a few micro volts.

COMPLETE 420-450 MHz 70cm BAND ATV STATION

Your TV set TC70-10....$499 + ATV Transceiver Antennas - see catalogue page 5 10 Watts p.e.p. min. Optional 100 Watt Amplifiers Dir. Syst. FO25-ATV 16 dBd $149 Downconverter tunes 420-450 MHz RF Concepts 4-110......$359 KLM 440-16X 14dBd $142 Req. 13.8 Vdc @ 3A power supply Teletec DXP-150U........$429 KLM 440-10X 11 dBd $82 Your video camera Specify transmit frequency(s): Req. 13.8 Vdc 25 Amp pwr supply KLM 440-6X 8.9 dBd $65 or camcorder 434.0 & 426.25 MHz in stock Prices include UPS surface shipping before sales tax. 8/98 ++To Receive the Repeater video and audio:(See Catalogue page 4) Space Shuttle video is on the Mt. Wilson K6KMN 1241.25 MHz repeater. Talk to other ATVers in your area on 146.43 simplex to get their advice, or ask for some video to be beamed to the repeater you are set for. Check into one of the ATV nets: Mt. Wilson 7:30 pm Mon, Santiago/ATN 8:00 pm Tu. - 146.430 FM simplex audio only check-ins are welcome also. 426.25 MHz is R/C and simplex. The TVC tunable downconverter versions allow you to tune in more than one repeater. Emergency groups may prefer a crystal controlled TVCX version. Get some Belden 9913 or 8214 coax and N connectors from your favorite local ham store for the antenna and connect it all up together with your TV set. Make sure the antenna is fastened to the mast for vertical polarization and that you weather proof the outside coax connectors. More info comes with the down- converters. You may purchase directly from us by mail or telephone - zoning ordinances prevent direct customer contact, we can only ship UPS. However you may see one of our local dealers listed on our catalogue page 8. GET THE ATV BUG!

ALL So. Calif. ATVERS PLEASE NOTE:

Anyone transmitting on 434.0 at any power level should announce and monitor 146.430 simplex to avoid interfering with others. Interference video bars can be seen in a picture as far as 40 to 50 dB down - 80 mw from a R/C model using a dipole can interfere in a repeater up to 15 miles. It is for good reason that all the ATV repeaters are located on the best wide coverage mountain tops. Also note that aiming your beam at one repeater, does not mean that you are not getting into others and possibly interfering with an existing repeater or simplex communication. Use 146.43 (a few simplexers may be using 144.34 instead) to work out power, beam headings and time shifts with fellow ATVers so we can all enjoy the few ATV frequencies we have. QSY to 426.25 simplex and the corresponding 144.345 when practical for long local contacts or public service events. 146.43 is also repeated with the sound subcarrier on may of the ATV repeaters. Power limitation is 50 Watts. If you add a 100 Watt amp, set the peak power out with the RF level pot on the TXA5-70 board to 50 Watts instead of 90 in the set up procedure. You can get permission from the local FCC for higher power - call me for info - but 10 Watts is usually enough. Always use lowest power to do the job, and don't use excessive video gain (white smearing).

SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA COORDINATED ATV FREQUENCIES

144.345FM simplex, ATV simplex coordination, pairs with 426.25 video.
146.430FM simplex, ATV repeater & simplex coordination, pairs with 434.0 video.
426.25ATV simplex, radio control models, public service point to point events, use 144.340.
434.0 ATV repeater input. All ATV repeaters use this freq., and some simplex operation
913.25ATV simplex. Shared with other primary services, and part 15 devices.
919.25Oat Mtn. WA6SVT (San Fernando) repeater output. ATN
Blue Ridge WB6VVV repeater output. ATN. Linked to Santiago
Mt. Palomar W6NWG repeater input. 146.43 (79.7 Hz) mixed. ATN
1241.25Mt. Wilson K6KMN repeater output. NASA Select Space Shuttle video.
Mt. Palomar W6NWG repeater output.<
1253.25Santiago Peak (Orange Co.) WA6SVT repeater output. 146.43 (100 Hz) mixed. ATN.
Figuroa Mtn. (Santa Ynez) K3NXF repeater output.
1265.0ATV (AM or FM with no audio) simplex shared with wideband experimental & satellite.
1277.25Loop Canyon WA6ZVE (San Fernando) repeater output. ATN
Santa Barbara WB9KMO repeater output. ATN
Mt. San Miguel WA6VLF (San Diego) repeater output.
Little San Gorgonio WQ6I (San Bernardino) repeater output.
1289.25ATV simplex. Novice ATV. Portable public service event repeater output/426.25 in.
2410-2450ATV mixed AM or FM simplex, repeater or link as requested thru SCRRBA.
Santiago peak alternate input 2441.5 NBFM. 2418.5 MHz FM ATV experimental.
3380Heaps Peak KC6CCC WBFM ATV, 6.8 MHz sound, repeater output. Input 10400
3480Santiago peak KC6CCC WBFM ATV, 6.8 MHz sound, repeater output. Input 10400
Both linked and have remote controlled cameras on site.
10.40 gHzATV mixed AM or FM simplex, repeater or link as requested thru SCRRBA.

Outside our coordination area but of interest to the more mobile:

434 simplex, 913(fm)/1241.25Mt. Potosi (Las Vegas NV) ATN KB7BY 146.43s
434/421.25 & 1253.25Phoenix AZ KS8J 145.170s or 147.28+ net Wed 7:30 pm
434/421.25Visalia WA6YLB 146.88-
1241.25(v)/421.25(h)Fresno - Bear Mtn. W6YEP 146.73- 141.3, 443.45- 141.3, 1283.45
1265.25(v)/427.25(h)Mt. Bullion (Merced) WB7UGZ 146.88-, 441.350+ 107.2
1253.25/427.25Mt. Diablo W6NKF 147.06+ net Thurs 8 pm
434,426.25 & 910.25/2425Black Mtn (Palo Alto) WA6CGX 145.27 or 145.51
1277.25/923.25Sacramento N6HOS
910.25/434Monterey KC3RL 147.43s

The information on this page was provided by P. C. Electronics
2522 Paxson Lane Arcadia CA 91007-8537 USA �1999
Tel: (626) 447-4565 m-th 8am-5:30pm pst (UTC - 8)
Tom (W6ORG) & Mary Ann (WB6YSS) O�Hara
24 hr FAX order line (626) 447-0489
Email:[email protected] Web site: www.hamtv.com

Reprinted by permission of W6ORG
copyright ©1996, 1999 W6ORG all right reserved.

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Changes last made on: Sunday Feb 21, 1999
This page provided by Don Hill (KE6BXT)
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