The loss of parts our simulcast system is a significant event and the full response will take some time. The first phase was determined by a hard date when we had to be out of Big Rock and San Pedro Ridge. That date was met. We have removed all our assets from those sites.
The current state of the K6GWE Simulcast System is that it now has two nodes. Mt Tam, and Mt Barnaby. The input and PL tones for the receivers have not changed Mt Tam is still 179.9 and Mt Barnaby is still 167.9. Coverage in northern Marin county is less than it was but a number of folks who used the Big Rock site can get into the Mt Barnaby site and I recommend you try it if you have not. There has been some anecdotal evidence that the Mt Barnaby node is timing people out after about 30 seconds. We are investigating the cause of this but be aware and drop your carrier more often than you usually do when coming in through that node.
The next phase of the process is to incrementally improve what we have. To do this we are looking at two options. The first is to add the Big Rock PL tone to the Mt Tam node. This won’t have any effect on coverage but it would be let people set up for Big Rock access Mt Tam if they can hit it. The second option is to set up a temporary receive only node up in the Novato area. We have the hardware to do this and are evaluating possible sites.
At the same time we are pursuing the next phase which is to add one or more full simulcast nodes to bring us back to a set up with as good or better coverage than what we had. This is a more long term process.
I want to thank everyone who has volunteered to help. Some of you have been doing the physical work and some have been doing the cranial work on this. Some of you have not yet been tasked with anything but we are still in quick fix mode and your skills are more appropriate to the next parts of the solution.
I finally want to thank all of you for your support in all its forms including donating time, money and most of all patients.
More news will come when I have it
73 de wa6uds
Curtis Ardourel
President and Membership Chair
Marin Amateur Radio Society
