NE-FL D-STAR System

The Journal of the North East Florida D-Star Repeater Network

Archive for June 15th, 2010

St. Johns Gateway Scheduled for Tonight

Jun 15

Posted by mikelee in D-Star Repeaters, NET Operations | No Comments

If all goes well tonight, we will have D-Dtar Gateway functionality tonight at the St. Johns EOC on KJ4RYF (145.360-). We were informed last week that the Internet link from the EOC’s I/T department has been configured to our specifications (ports opened and forwarded to our server address), so we’re going to install the gateway hardware and router tonight during the St. Johns ARES meeting. If all the configurations by the EOC I/T team have been done properly, we will have a functioning gateway and will put the system on REF034A later tonight. That will complete the initial linkage from south of Daytona Beach to South Jacksonville along I-95.

We’ll post more updates later tonight when we have results from the install.

FPCARC Meeting – Synopsis

Jun 15

Posted by mikelee in Uncategorized | No Comments

I was able to attend the last FPCARC meeting (try to attend all, but don’t always have time) and have nothing but GREAT things to report. President John Woika (W8JW) runs a great meeting, business-like when it needs to be, but mostly just FUN – and isn’t that what Ham Radio is supposed to be..??!!

Bob Matson (KA4VIV) gave a great program on Antennas. Although I wasn’t able to stay for the entire program, I saw where Bob was taking the group, with hands-on training in cause-and-effect by rigging an antenna to a network analyzer and allow the class to change antenna lengths and see the results. This is SO BENEFICIAL to a class, since it allows for realtime-feedback across a broad-range of frequencies (the entire band), unlike a typical SWR meter which only tells you information for a specific frequency. Network and some Spectrum Analyzers “sweep” a range of frequencies, so that you can see where all the points of resonance might be with an antenna – a very powerful training aid.

This is perhaps the 4th FPCARC meeting that I’ve attended and I have felt very welcome by that group. If you’re a new Ham, or a ham looking for a “home” group – I’d highly recommend the Flagler Palm Coast Amateur Radio Club. Great guys, great programs, great fun..!! Of course, we also recommend that you join the Flagler ARES group, which focuses on Emergency Services and service to the community. Joining both would be a great combination.