All indications are that the Daytona D-Star repeater is operating better than our original. See the post from yesterday for more details on coverage, but thus far, things have been humming along. Only a few users on the system thus far, but we know that it will pick-up in the near future as the gateway is installed and the system is linked to Palm Coast and St. Johns on a full-time basis thru REF034A.

Charlie (AA5QJ) and I will be working on configuring the Gateway tomorrow afternoon and plan to have it ready for installation on Sunday. We will be using a ClearWire modem at the site for internet connectivity – this is the first time that we’ve used ClearWire, so we’re not sure of what to expect. Things should go well – but we’ll see by Sunday afternoon. The ClearWire antenna is only 400-meters from the hospital, so signal should not be an issue.

We’ll give a report after Sunday’s activities. Under normal circumstances, Daytona will be linked to REF034A, but users are welcome to link the system to other activities, at will (example: the Sunday eve SE D-Star Weather Net on REF002A at 21:00 local). Please just remember to link-back to REF034A when done with your nets. I will put “MONLINK” on the system so that it automatically re-links back to REF034A if somebody forgets in the future.

I know that all of you on the north side (St. Augustine and north) are anxious about our install of the D-Star repeater in Switzerland – believe me, we are as well. However, we need to be patient. Our friend (let’s call him “Dick”) who works in the broadcast industry and who is responsible for a large number of 500ft towers in the area has been VERY GRACIOUS in offering whatever facilities he can – actually more than gracious.

I stay in contact with “Dick” every few weeks – and he sends me “heads-up” emails when there is a potential install opportunity. Thus far, there have only been repairs, maintenance and re-tuning of the broadcast antenna on the tower – no “rigging” where new feedline is run to the top of the antenna. That will happen, but we just don’t know when (cellular and broadcast companies replace their hardline on a regular basis).

“Dick” has even offered to have us “piggy-back” on an existing piece of hardline, while inserting a diplexer so that we can take VHF and split it from a microwave signal that would be used for broadcast, but I declined the offer for one simple reason: We WILL NOT jeopardize the operation of a paying customer and thereby jeopardize the job of our friend. We are non-paying guests. If we want to be on the tower on our schedule, we have an alternative – we can PAY to have the hardline installed, and PAY have our antenna on the tower. I would guess that the hardline install would cost about $5k or more and the monthly rent on the tower to be about $500-$,1500 per month.

As much as I’d like to be there NOW, I cannot afford that kind of additional cost. So…. unless someone comes up with a wad of cash on a recurring basis, PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE  stop bothering “Dick”. Please let me continue to deal with “Dick” – the situation is under control and we are working on contingency plans for temporary installations in the near future.

Thanks for your collective patience and understanding – please be assured that we ARE working as fast as we possibly can.