Gulf Coast Link System -- WB5GCL

The Gulf Coast Link System is an association of amateur radio repeaters throughout the Gulf Coast Region linked to help coordinate efforts during times of emergency between states and regions. This includes the Interstate 10 Corridor of Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi , Alabama, and Florida.. The region wide network has been designed primarily to support emergency communications regionally, assist with evacuations, and to promote general communication (Rag-Chewing) between states. It can be also used for vacationers to talk back home and for people coming to sporting events in New Orleans, Baton Rouge, Mobile, Pensacola, Tampa, Beaumont, Houston, and other locations around the Gulf Coast. The network is open to all licensed amateurs. Repeaters are primarily linked to the network using either the ALLSTAR network or echolink.

Our idea was to take repeaters that receive little to no use, and link them to the system.

This serves 2 purposes:

  1. It won't tie up the entire system with long QSO's, which was a complaint I received from numerous people that were invovled in wide area links in the past when I was doing my research in starting the link.

  2. Clubs that have 3 or 4 repeaters, and 1 or 2 are hardly used, this gives them the oppurtunity to put them in use with a cool project.

Current Repeaters linked are :

  • WB5GCL - Gulf Coast Link System - LaPlace, LA
    Allstar Node Number 43933
    Echolink Node Number 818881

  • W5RAR - 146.805 - LaPlace, La
    Allstar Node Number 43932
    Echolink Node Number 983582

  • W5RAR - 444.675 - LaPlace, LA
    Allstar Node Number 41224
    No Echolink

  • WB5GCL - 443.675 - Paulina, LA
    Allstar Node Number 48358
    Echolink Node Number 898792

  • W5XTR - 443.475 - Baton Rouge, LA
    Allstar Node Number 503144
    Echolink Node Number 489270

  • W5XTR - 147.195 - Lockport, LA
    Allstar Node Number 503140
    Echolink Node Number 370190

  • N5KWW - 444.025 - Port Arthur, TX
    AllStar Node Number 47308
    Echolink Node Number 977889

  • KC5YSM - 147.200 - Port Neches, TX
    Part Time Link as needed during events
    Echolink Node Number 458549

Under Construction for the link:

  • 70cm Repeater in Mobile, AL

  • 6m Repeater in LaPlace, La

  • 70cm Repeater in Lower Lafourche Parish

Target areas we hope to see added with your help :

  • North of Lake Pontchartain (I-12) to Picayune

  • New Orleans South to Mississippi River Delta (Hwy 23 - Hwy 46)

  • Corpus Christi to Gavelston to Beaumont Tx. (I-45 - I-10)

  • Bay St Louis to Pascagoula, MS (I-10 - Hwy 90)

  • Mobile to Gulf Shores, Al (I-10 - Hwy 98)

  • Pensacola/Milton/ Ft Walton/Destin to Panama Corridor ( I-10 - Hwy98)

  • Talahassee/Ocala/ Orlando/Lakeland/Tampa Corridor (I-75 - I-4 )


  • Membership:

    Membership to the Gulf Coast Link System is by permission only. Repeater owners wishing to join the system, should contact us to express their interest. All that is asked is that a repeater remains full time linked to the system unless issues arise. Gulf Coast Link will NOT lock out repeater owners, they will remain in full control of their respective repeater (speaking to people, this was a concern as some systems lock out the owners). With that being said, the Gulf Coast Link System administrators ask that linked machines use the standard link commands on their systems so that if there is an issue and the local repeater control operator cannot get to machine to address the issue an administrator can drop the link until said issue is resolved. The Gulf Coast Link System Administrators reserve the right to temporarily terminate any associated link in the event that an unacceptable issue becomes a problem. If an administrator drops a link, that link must stay down until the issue that caused it to be dropped is resolved. Together we can build and maintain something enjoyable and lasting.

    Founder and Administration Team:

    • Founder and Admin of the system is Conrad Baker - KG5FQT


    • Secondary Admin is Adam Tamplain - KD5LEH


    • Technical Assistant is Jason Robichaux - W5XTR


    • Website design by Tommy Wells - W5TGK

    For any questions or interest, please email [email protected] or use the form on the contact page of this site.