WBØQXW.NET
WBØQXW VK2STL KDØAWZ
FIVE TWO ONE AMATEUR RADIO GROUP
145.210 444.150 GMRS
Please sign my guestbook. Click the button below. Thanks.
My name is Bob Garavaglia, WBØQXW, and I have been a Ham Radio Operator since 1973. All the members of my immediate family are also Hams. They are, my father Paul, KØYCV; my mother Dolly, WBØSDZ; my brother Carl, KAØPWL; my sister Judy, NØIIY; and my brother-in-law Ron, NØIIZ. Our group also has a club call sign, KDØAWZ for use in group activities such as Field Day or camping trips. I also hold an Australian Call Sign, VK2STL
My father and I have owned and operated two repeaters in the St. Louis, MO area for about 30 years. They are the 145.210 and 444.150 repeaters. Over the years the machines have been updated and serviced to provide excellent coverage and reliability. In 2006, our repeater site underwent six months of renovations as well as equipment upgrades and modifications including the repeater controllers, receivers, and transmitters. In July, 2009, Echolink was added to the system on the VHF side. Many thanks to John, K1IF for providing the assistance to get it up and running. More information on Echolink is further down this page.
Our site also houses our third system, a commercial Kenwood GMRS band UHF repeater. My GMRS license is WPXG847. For information regarding using GMRS, please contact me. A five year license for $85.00 is required. See the FCC website for details. Changes are proposed for FCC part 95 which includes GMRS.
Thanks to all the individuals who have helped and supported our group over the last 31 years. We could not have gotten this far without you. You know who you are. There has been a lot of changes over the years and we keep going.
On the home side, our ham shack consists of a Kenwood V71A duel bander for VHF and UHF, and a Yaesu FT-450 low band transceiver. For antennas we have a G5RV dipole, a Mosely vertical, and a Hustler Duel band VHF / UHF base antenna on our tower at about 45 feet.
I have been a regular attendee at the Dayton Hamvention since 1977 and have not missed a year since. I provide hotel rooms for the people in my group who need one. Contact me if you need a hotel room for Dayton. I also belong to the St. Louis and Suburban Radio Club and volunteer for the club's annual Winterfest Hamfest. I am also a member of the "6-8 Group" on 40 meters, 7.268 mhz. The 6-8 eyeball is held every year on the first weekend in October. I have been a member of the ARRL since 1973.
You can also email me at wb0qxw@arrl.net.
Below are pictures of my repeaters at the site with the rack cabinets.
Above: The 444.150 repeater system on the left picture (left rack). From the bottom are the 440 hundred watt amp, repeater with controller, the 440 duplexer. Next is our GMRS UHF commercial Kenwood repeater with it's duplexer, and the 50 Watt GMRS amp. The picture on the right is the 145.210 repeater system rack. From the bottom are the VHF duplexers, repeater, controller rack, VHF 100 watt amp, control receiver. We also have a battery backup system (not shown).
Above are the repeater site roof pictures. Shown from the left is the 145.210 antenna, the 220 mhz receive antenna, the 444.150 antenna, and the GMRS UHF antenna. Followed by roof view photos, including the downtown skyline with the Gateway Arch and a rain storm. All the antennas are connected via 225 feet of half inch hardline. Click the thumbnails for a larger view. Height above sea level is 825 feet at roof level.
Above are the new updated pictures of the equipment. From left to right are: Hardline head in with Polly Phazers, GMRS Kenwood repeater, 444.150 repeater with duplexers, 145.210 control receiver and 100 watt amplifier, 145.210 controller rack and repeater, duplexers, 145.210 main rack, UHF and GMRS main rack.
View the 145.210 listing on Repeaterbook.com. View the 444.150 listing on Repeaterbook.com.
The Echolink remote base for 145.210 consists of a Kenwood V71A transceiver with the built in node controller, an HP Desktop running Windows XP with the Echolink software, an APC UPS 900VA battery backup, and linked to the Echolink network via a 30 megabit internet connection provided by Charter Communications. For details about accessing the node via the RF link, email me. Anyone can access the system as long as I know who requests the information and that you have the proper FCC license to do so. Keep in mind that you must follow my policy regarding access. A control operator may intervene if there is a violation. This is done so that everyone has a chance to use the system. The 145.210 node number is 466277. For more information on Echolink visit echolink.org.
The ARRL Store has a great book on Internet linking. Click here to order it. It's written especially for Echolink. Also others such as IRLP.
Nifty Ham Radio Accessories publishes the Nifty E-Z Guide to Echolink Operation. Click here to order it.
The 145.210 repeater is a participating Echolink node for the Missouri Conference Net every Monday night at 8 pm central time. The net can also be heard on the 146.850 repeater as a simulcast thanks to the St. Louis and Suburban Radio Club. You can also access the Missouri Conference Net directly from your computer, Android phone, iPhone, or RF link by going to node number 452514. Check ins are welcome. Amateur Radio Newsline and the ARRL Audio News are played after the conclusion of the net. (Only for local stations via 145.210 in the St. Louis area.) For more information on the Missouri Conference Echolink net visit the website at mo-voip.net.
For those that have an Android phone, there is an app in the Android Market called "Echolink Finder". This free app is a great for locating a node near you. It is based on your GPS location. The 21 node is listed. Also, two more Android apps of note: "QSL Mobile" and "RFinder". These are repeater databases. Well worth the small cost. $1.99 and $4.99. They use your GPS location to get you the repeaters and nodes closest to you. Go to these links for further info: RFinder, QSL Mobile, and Echolink Finder.
For those who use APRS, or who want to locate an operator who is currently tracking, click here to find there location. I will be on APRS via Android while out of town only. No RF.
If you would like to donate to the Group, or pay your dues if you are already a member or supporter, click the Pay Pal donate link below. It is easier and safer then sending me a check. I sincerely appreciate the donation. Normal dues are $35.00 per year starting in January. Any donation amount will be accepted to help defray the cost of operating the repeater systems and Echolink. As always, there is no obligation to use the repeaters or Echolink. (Note: The donation page will open in a new tab and will show my TravelingOz.com website email address as this my main email address for my Pay Pal account. Please use wb0qxw@arrl.net address for email.) The thank you list of supporters are listed at the bottom of this page.
If you would like to call me with any questions, or comments regarding Ham Radio, the repeater systems, or GMRS, you can use the Google Voice ® widget below. If you get my voice mail, I will return the call as soon as possible.
The video below is a Ham Radio classic from 1939.
The video below contains a surprise at 1:52 thanks to Joe KØNEB. From Hamvention 2011.
Robert Garavaglia
Create Your Badge
Thank you to the Ham Radio operators listed below who currently support, or have supported the 21 Group in the past. I could not do all this without you!
WBØQXW, KØYCV, WBØSDZ, KAØPWL, WB5OYL, KBØVTK, K1IF, KC9MTF, WA9NE, KAØJCU, WBØWKF, KK2G, W9KTO, KVØW, WAØS, WA9SQE, NØQNV, KAØRGI, KBØRQJ, KDØNHP, NB9E, AAØQE, AIØI, N9NJS, KAØQQN, KAØRFO, KBØZVB, NØUHJ, NØVGG, WØTLP, WS8X, WBØLSR, N9IDD, NØMMM, KØGDI, KCØMAM, KDØOCT, KBØUPN, KDØQCT, NØJLO
Listed below are the silent keys who supported the group through the years. We honor the memory of:
KØTMK, WBØSEA, WAØGGE, WØIFP, WØRKU, KAØFXN, KMØX, WØEKM, KC9KTP
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Page updated Monday, February 20, 2012 01:37:49 AM © 2012 Robert C. Garavaglia
