County-wide Propagation Test Sep 10, 2011

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N4CZ
Posts: 99
Joined: Sat Oct 11, 2008 8:32 am
First Name: Doug
Last Name: Mathes
City: Huntsville
State: AL
Mail Zip Code: 35803
License Class: Extra
Location: SE Huntsville

County-wide Propagation Test Sep 10, 2011

Post by N4CZ » Sat Jul 16, 2011 8:00 am

Calling all amateur radio operators: we need volunteers for the Madison County Simplex and Repeater Propagation Test on Sep 10, 2011 from 10 am to 12 noon.

The mobile routes cover areas that are shadowed from the 146.94 repeater by various mountains. We will use FM on 2 m, 70 cm, and 6 m, and D-STAR on 2 m and 70 cm. We will use the EMA's D-STAR HTs. This test will enable us to determine the best alternate repeaters and simplex coverage for those "black holes" in our county.

We need mobile stations to cover the checkpoints on 1 of the 8 routes from 12-20 miles in length. We can use mobiles that have one or more of 2 m FM, 70 cm FM, 6 m FM, 2 m D-STAR, 70-cm D-STAR. Mobile stations will use 2 power level settings - 5 w or 50 w (or 35 w). Hams are encouraged to team up to fully equip each mobile station for all bands and modes used in this test.

We need mobiles to take one of the 3 EMA D-STAR HTs and use it with a mag mount dual-band antenna on 1 of the 3 HT routes. These routes are in the vicinity of the D-STAR repeaters on Monte-Sano, Green Mountain, and in Madison.

D-STAR operators will link the 2m D-STAR repeaters to Reflector 2B: KI4PPF Module C (Monte Sano 2 m), W4WBC Module C (Green Mountain 2 m), KJ4NYH Module B (2 m simplex node); and the 70 cm D-STAR repeaters to Reflector 4A: KI4PPF Module B (Monte Sano 70 cm), KI4SBC Module B (South Huntsville 70 cm) and KJ4NYH Module B (Madison 70 cm). Base stations will cover each Reflector. A DV Dongle will be used also to link to KJ4NYH Module B as a pseudo base station.

We need base stations to cover the 2 m, 70 cm, and 6 m bands. We will assign a base station to each frequency to exchange signal reports with the mobiles.

The mobiles and base stations will exchange and log signal reports at each checkpoint. The log needs to include the contact time, checkpoint location if mobile, frequency, mode, power, station worked, signal report given and signal report received, as well as one-time station info of antenna gain and height plus station location if base. Signal reports will be exchanged as per cent time copied, e.g. "100% copy" or "80% copy." Refer to the "Typical Contact Exchange" file.

We need stations to sign up to participate and submit station information in advance - see the sign up sheet and participant info form posted here. Sign up for either a base station for your area or a route near your QTH (one of the routes requires Arsenal access). Send the completed form to my callsign at arrl.net.

We need operators to program their radios in advance with the frequencies and submit their logs within a week of the event - see the frequency list and logsheets posted here.

We need the base stations to test the signals to/from each repeater on the list and report the repeaters not full quieting (either direction) in advance so we can make arrangements to cover those.

We will discuss final preparations at the ARES/RACES meeting on Sep. 8.

Doug N4CZ
Attachments
Sign-up sheet.xls
Sign-up Sheet
(35.5 KiB) Downloaded 1946 times
Station Log HT.xls
logsheets - D-STAR HTs
(95 KiB) Downloaded 1928 times
Propagation Test Routes.xls
Mobile Log Checkpoint vs Map Point table courtesy KO4QV
(38.5 KiB) Downloaded 1959 times
Typical contact exchange.doc
Typical Contact Exchange
(24 KiB) Downloaded 1929 times
Base Station Log.xls
Base Station Logsheet
(50.5 KiB) Downloaded 1987 times
Link Command Channels.xls
D-STAR Link Command Channels
(25.5 KiB) Downloaded 1934 times
Memory Programming for Prop Test.xls
Radio programming freq list
(19 KiB) Downloaded 1946 times
Maps.zip
Route Maps
(1.11 MiB) Downloaded 1917 times
Station Log mobile.xls
logsheets - mobiles
(532 KiB) Downloaded 1952 times
Participant Form.doc
Participant info form
(24.5 KiB) Downloaded 1973 times

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