The Clearfield County Amateur Radio Club has embarked on a project which is intended to complement the existing W3CPA 147.255+ repeater at Rockton Mountain (mid-way between DuBois and Clearfield along I-80). This project will add a remote receiver system to the repeater and vastly improve the received signals.
For years it has been noted that the 147.255 repeater has a rather significant coverage area, providing nearly blanket coverage over Clearfield County and extended coverage into every county bordering Clearfield County. But within the coverage are are some shadow areas with reduced signal levels. This results in 50 watt mobile coverage in select areas, but a handheld TH radio can only receive the repeater without the power (most HT’s have a maximum power output of 5 watts) to transmit back to the repeater. Within Clearfield County we have identified two areas experiencing this issue: The downtown Clearfield area which is shadowed from the repeater by terrain, and the southwester region of Clearfield County including Luthersburg, Mahaffey and into Jefferson county with the Punxsutawey area.
CCARC is in the process of gathering the needed equipment to add a voting receiver system to the existing county-owned repeater equipment.
For the main repeater site CCARC has obtained a LDG RVS-8 voter unit which compares all received signals and selects the signal with the lowest signal-to-noise ratio for transmission over the repeater’s main transmitter. Also on hand are a bank of Motorola Radius GM-300 receivers, two UHF 70 CM band Motorola Radius GM-300 receivers for the link receivers, and one VHF 2 meter band receiver which will replace the existing Kenwood receiver. CCARC is hopeful we will be able to tie into an existing unused 70 CM band receive antenna on the tower. If that plan works out, we have everything needed to build out the main site modifications necessary to add two voting receivers. With additional UHF receivers, this system is capable of handling and additional five more remote receiver sites.
Each remote receiver site will require a VHF receiver to receive the local repeater users, a UHF 70 CM band transmitter to relay the received signals to the main repeater site, a 2 meter band omni-directional antenna, a 70 CM band beam antenna, appropriate antenna coax and connectors, and a power supply.
As of this moment, Rich N3RBJ is in possession of most of the gathered equipment. He is planning to test the Motorola Radius transmitters and receivers to ensure they are operating up to spec. The next step will be to pre-wire as much of the main site components as possible before installing the assembly at the Rockton Mountain repeater site. Remote receivers will be brought on-line as each site is completed. Plans are to address the downtown Clearfield remote receiver fist, which will very quickly be followed up with the Southwestern Region remote receiver.
Clearly this is an expensive project and we are still in need of additional items to complete the system. Several CCARC members have already made sizable contributions, however more is needed. If you would like to contribute funds or materials to this project please contact CCARC Treasurer Ed KC3CLZ.
