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The KBARA Carrier
Hot News for our members!
News contributions welcomed and encouraged

From the Listening Post
Posted August 25, 2008

The new KBARA application form and the new listing of KBARA officials is now available for downloading from this website (home page).
73,
Mike Maxson
N1NG

From the Listening Post
Posted August 19, 2008

Hi All,

On August 16, round the Frankie Doodle Restaurant table, a gentlemen's agreement was struck between Neil, N7LVO, & Mark, KE7HPT.
Mark will become the new co-owner of the Look Out Pass repeater, along with John, W7OE.
And Neil will donate the proceeds from the sale, $900, to KBARA.  Mighty fine, mighty fine!!  

Thanks very much, Neil, from all of us, and we wish Mark the best now as a KBARA owner.
 
This from Dan, K7MM, on the activities also on the 16th......unbelievable!  It just can't get any better.  Thanks Dan & Jim.
****************
Betsy,
 
11 hours at the site today, and well worth it.  Jim, KE6DWM and I did the following
     •Installed the CommSpec TS-64 tone decoder on the 223-MHz link receiver
     •Upgraded the S-Com S7 controller to v2.03b from v1.15
     •Reprogrammed the Kamiak controller with parameters for the 146.74-MHz repeater and for the 223-MHz link
     •Inserted an antenna surge arrestor on the 223-MHz feedline and grounded to the building entrance ground
 
The benefits of our work today are that '74 repeater users no longer hear the 223-MHz repeater tail (listening is easier and there is less
transmitter run time), the '74 repeater has separate courtesy indicators for local and link traffic, local DTMF 9* for the time of day in
Morse code, and other operational enhancements.  We now have surge protection on the 223-MHz feedline.
 
Plans include a 223-MHz circulator/isolator (contractually required by the site owner) and a new controller.
The new S-Com 7330 controller should arrive in a few weeks, so we can make further upgrades in local-area performance, including
voice announcements.
 
73,
 
Dan at K7MM, VU3MMW
*********************
And, Karl, AK2O, & John, W7OE, headed up the hill on August 17th to Stensgar to make repairs to the hub repeater power supply.
After all this, not only will we be looking good, we'll be sounding good too.
 
Thanks all, and stay cool.

73,
Betsy, N7WRQ

From the Listening Post
Posted August 10, 2008

Hi All,

Hope you don't mind, Dan, if I relay your info to the group so the right hand knows what the left hand is doing. Thanks a million to you & Jim for 
adopting the Kamiak repeater. It's sounding magnificent now.

Too, Ken & John made their mission to Pikes Peak. As I hear it, which isn't always right, the old RLC controller did not have a tone board, so they 
could not swap Mitreks. The current repeater was re-re-tuned, now with 30 watts out, so we'll keep our fingers crossed.

As I understand it, Mike, N1NG, will be posting these notes to the KBARA web site, (http://www.kbara.org) , so the members can 
keep track of the happenings, if they wish.

Thanks again for all the help & 73,
Betsy, N7WRQ
KBARA Treasurer & Control Op
-----
Jim, KE6DWM, Bob, W7HFI and I discovered that the mangling, wandering antenna was the 146.740 MHz repeater antenna. Only one bay of the four-bay dipoles 
was vertical, the rest were horizontal and blowing in the breeze!

Because of the kindness of the Whitman County government, they allowed us to use the abandoned Whitman Fire District 12 hardline and Super StationMaster 
antenna. As of 8/8/08 the Kamiak FM voice repeater on 146.740 MHz is much improved.

We attempted to install the old CommSpec TS-32 subaudible tone decoder, but we found that the decoder portion is broken. I will be getting another one 
soon. The goal for this hardware is to eliminate the 223 MHz hub repeater tail on the 146.740 MHz output.

Also, today the Postal Service delivered the upgrade for the Kamiak controller from SCom S7 v1.15 to v2.30. Better beeps, IDs, and messages to follow.
p.s. Ruth, W1MOM, is EC for Whitman County.

73,
Dan at K7MM, VU3MMW

From the Listening Post
Posted August 10, 2008

Karl (AK2O) found a problem with the link system.  The power output is down from what it should be.  It turns out his power supply is not working well.
John (W7OE) and Mike (N1NG) will be "lending" another power supply to him.  
He also reported that work at the Stensgar site is progressing.

From the Listening Post
Posted July 25, 2008

Hi All,
These are my latest gatherings regarding the health of the KBARA repeater system.  Too, I've added a few names to our e-mail list.
Along with all the repeater owners & officers, I've added Dan, K7MM, a life member who started the whole thing (KBARA); Royal, KB7WTO, past
co-owner/officer & life member who now lives in Hemet, CA; one of our newest repeater technicians, Jim, KE6DWM, living in Pullman; and Barney, 
KL7HNY, who has offered to help with repeater work as well.
From what I could hear, Dan, K7MM, Jim, KE6DWM, & Bob, W7HFI, spent most of last Sunday on Kamiak Butte installing the "new" Mitrek.  It sound
fabulous!!  More work is to be done with installing the hard line & repointing the link antenna to Stensgar when the new lease with WSU has been
negotiated.  Thanks a million guys!
The Lookout Pass repeater has been taken off the mountain by John , W7OE, who says the squelch circuit in the radio is bad.  This is his umteenth
trip to the site.  His plan is to take that repeater to Pikes Peak in two weeks with Ken, KD7DDQ, & switch that repeater for the one there, which is
pooping out.
The 3 Mitreks will be shipped by John to Royal for reconfiguring in "one Amateur time unit", according to John.
The new 430 MHz ice-shield covered link antenna (antenna donated by Art, WB7AUK, & ice cover made by Ken) will be installed at Mica, once the
Lookout Pass repeater is back up & running.
And the hub repeater amplifier, located on Stensgar, suddenly does not seem to be working, which means the signal is now suddenly "qrp".  Does this
mean buying a new amplifier??
"So many things, and so little time".  Thanks all for your efforts, and hope this helps in keeping you up-do-date with tidbits from the "Listening Post"
73,
Betsy, N7WRQ
KBARA Treasurer & Control Op

Moe Award Winner Comments
Posted July 23, 2008

Hi Betsy;
Thanks so much and thanks to all owners/ops and KBARA Et 'All for the nomination and award of MOE..  I've enjoyed doing the nets... and even have
my XYL Judi involved looking up names and calls etc...
Thanks again.. MOE is prominently displayed at the QTH... and BTW.. our cat Flea... hates the noise.. she comes running and meows at Moe... poor Moe... ...
 
73  88   Duff, WA7BFN

70cm Repeater Now Located at Mica Peak
Posted May 2, 2008

The 70cm repeater used to be located on the South Hill of Spokane.  That location was good for Echolink, poor for propagation.
Once we get our hands on two 1.25m radios, we plan to "beam" Echolink up to Mica Peak much the same way we currently do with IRLP.
What all this means is the repeater is working, but is not tied to Echolink.
There is still fine tuning being done, but the system is available for your use.  The freq and tone are the same:  444.35 +, 192.8
 
73,
Mike, N1NG

KBARA Newsletter Electronic Delivery Option
Posted Mar 6, 2008

In our on-going efforts to be conservative in our spending and save postage, KBARA members now have an option to receive their newsletter via email, web site, or USPS.  
The membership form now has an area where you can specify how you want your newsletter sent.  
 
73,
Mike, N1NG

147.36 ownership changed
Posted Sep 10, 2007

Hi All,
 
To keep all the KBARA owners & officers "in the loop", last night Royal  & Barbara Moore, KB7WTO & KB7WTN, sold their half ownership of the  147.36 
repeater to Mike Maxson, N1NG.  Needless to say, we are greatly  indebted to Royal & Barb for their great service over the years, and  congratulate Mike on taking 
on this tremendous responsibility.
 
In going over my sketchy records, I wrote on February 8, 1997,  "Stensgar repeater 147.36 sold to John Dempster, W7OE, & Royal Moore,  KB7WTO, by Art 
Gemmrig, WB7AUK, with the call sign being changed from WB7AUK to  KB7WTO".  The call sign "N1NG"  now will follow.
 
73,
Betsy, N7WRQ
Secretary, KBARA

Evergreen Intertie Information
Posted Mar 5, 2006

W7ZVD just shared with me a great source of info on the status of the Evergreen Intertie.  There is a Yahoo group called evergreenintertie.  All you need to do is join that group and you will be in the know.  I will post an example above.

N1NG

ARRL Eastern Washington Section
Web Site
October 31, 2003

Be sure to check out the latest updates on the ARRL EWA web site!

Evergreen Intertie Contributions Sought
June 7, 2003

Please alert users of the KBARA system that contributions are needed to maintain our link to the west side of the state through the Evergreen Intertie.  Contributions may be sent to:

                  John Williams, WA7HNH
                  P.O. Box 603
                  South Cle Elum, WA  98943-0603.

Please make checks payable to John Williams, not the Evergreen Intertie, as the Intertie has no federal ID number from the IRS, which the banks require
Thanks,
Betsy, N7WRQ

KBARA Pin


The official KBARA pin is available for purchase.  Also, at the September 27 Spokane Hamfest, TopHat Novelties/Engraving will be making the official KBARA pin available.    Please get the word out as folks have been wanting these for quite some time.

73,
Betsy, N7WRQ
.........
The KBARA badges are 90% ready to start accepting prepaid orders.  The yellow hangers only are $6.50 and the full badge is $8.50.  We can mail up to 3 badges to the same address for just a $1.00 extra for shipping....
Be sure to send us a list of names and calls, with a single check, and which they want (hanger or full badge).  We never cash a check until the order is on its way.

Dan & Dawn, n7QHC & KC7YYB, TopHat Novelties/Engraving, 232 So. 107th St., Seattle, WA 98168, 206-243-0163, fax 206-444-9973