Repeaters On Mt. Mitchell (NC) To Be Removed.

So, from the content of the Posts below....

I should conclude that WMIT is looking for their Thirty pieces of Silver.
Typical.

 

Not sure if this may be the 'actual' reason, but have some experience with this sort of thing....

IF Clingman's is a GOVT (USFS?) communications site, then there may be a misunderstanding between parties, as to the status of the WMIT site as it relates to 'commercial-leased space' or 'non-commercial-donated space'.

I have several repeaters is western Arkansas on a USFS COMM SITE. The repeaters are located in a building belonging to a natural gas company's communication system. The gas company pays a fixed fee to the USFS for this site under a certain permit definition. If they allow someone else to occupy the same building and place radios/antennas on that same site, then the definition of their operation changes to the 'commercial-leased space' permit. This would cost them THOUSANDS of dollars in permit fees, above what they are already paying.

Since our group is a 'not-for-profit / public service organization' and the gas company doesn't charge us anything for the space, the USFS (at least in our area) doesn't see that as a 'commercial' venture. We USED to have to have our own permit (there is a permit specifically for Amateur Radio) for the site ($89.00/yr). But, at our last site inspection, the USFS communications specialist decided that since we were not operating a SEPARATE site (building/tower) from an already permitted operation, that we were NOT REQUIRED to maintain our own permit for that same site. Saves us $$ and the USFS paperwork!

I hope they settle this quickly/quietly and allow the repeaters to stay. I have visisted the area MANY times and hiked the Clingman's trail. Love the BRM area.

GOOD LUCK GUYS!

W5LVB

 

Truly hard to believe.

I have used the 145.190 MHz machine on several occasions. This repeater has some awesome coverage. I live in the central part of the state NC; approximately 165 miles from the transmitter site. This repeater has also been known to easily cover the Pigeon Forge and Knoxville, Tennessee area. This would give my VHF radio an effective range of over 250 miles.
Also, I normally make a yearly exodus to my home state Tennessee for the annual Ten-Tec hamfest. This is a perfect chance to use the Mt. Mitchell repeater in the mobile.
I will miss this machine.
It leaves a great opportunity for someone to fill a great need.

 

I blame the Democrats

I live on the Eastern Shore of Maryland, and have made it into the machine several times and have met some very fine people thru this repeater. I sure hope that this can be resolved before the machine goes qrt. I blame the Democrats

 

One comment. The USFS and BLM have set fees for communications sites, based on the population covered. Amateur radio operations are in the very lowest category, and are a fixed rate, regardless if they are set up as non-profit or not. Adding an amateur repeater to anyone's site will not increase the FS fees to that user, since the FS fees are based on the highest level of use in that site. It's kind of complicated to explain, but the most a ham repeater would ever have to pay would be somewhere around $100 per year, and most of the time they pay nothing, if located in a site with more "valuable" users.

Joe

 

Isn't there a 53.630 repeater there with a PL of 100? I would hear that up here at different times.

 

I hope something can be worked out for this situation. The Mt.Mitchell repeater has massive coverage into many remote areas that don't have cellular access, including the Blue Ridge Parkway. You have a vehicle breakdown on the parkway, and it can be a long, long walk for help. Don't know how much good it will do, but I have emailed Dr. Graham asking for his support.

 

I used this repeater in 1999 while hiking on the Appalchian Trail, great coverage.
This makes no sense. I hope it's just someones idea of a bad joke.

Terry

 

2-meter thing

In the name of religion, probably all that is required is MONEY, pass the plate to those that use this 2-meter thing!

Amen

 

In reading the non-reasons for wanting all amateur equipment removed, I must assume that they no longer find a free service to the people of our part of the country feasible. We all know that the space and electricity for the repeaters is nearly too small to even be measured. Therefore, financial gain can only be the real reason and THIS at the expense of emergency and public service communications. The safety and welfare of the public (in the owner's eyes) is no match for the possibility of monetary gain. Of course, is it that they are being pressured from the highest authority in the land to reduce the ability of the people to communicate, organize, etc.? To "Follow the money" is usually the most likely reason for ANYTHING, but in recent times it also pays to automatically think of the most sinister possiblilities too.

 

As previously posted, please send an e-mail to Dr. Graham expressing your concerns about this issue. This is a wide-coverage repeater at stake here. You all know what Emergency Communications efforts stand to lose by moving this repeater. The more requests we can send, the more likely we are to gain a favorable outcome in this matter. Or we can choose to sit quietly by and watch all commercial stations follow suit.

 

Help in emergencies

Several years ago, the southeast experienced a blizzard that shut down roads, took down power and phone lines, and left people stranded. During this time, the 145.190, a wide area repeater, was manned 24/7 during this event to pass along emergency and health and welfare traffic. This month, Western North Carolina will be undergoing a drill for emergency preparedness with an earthquake drill, and the 19 machine will again be called upon to do the same. With coverage reaching into the central part of the state, this repeater is very valuable in times of emergencies.

According to one of the statements, ham radio is an outdated technology that is not needed. Sure, the repeater is used to make contacts with others for friendship and meeting new people, but the real reason is, "When all else fails, ham radio." One only needs to look at the communications developed by ham radio in the past, and new ideas forming today, to see this is not an outdated technology. Two come to mind quickly, APRS and VoIP. APRS was developed by ham radio and is used today in the transportation industry to track and send messages to vehicles on the road. VoIP was left alone for some time, then ham radio got involved, developing it further by using it with Echolink and IRLP, and now D-Star.

Is ham radio a dying technology, no. I hope those making the decisions will see the good in allowing the repeaters to remain and ham radio is still very much alive and well.

 

Just a thought, and I don't know what the status of Homeland Security and EMAs are in N.C., but I wonder if these repeaters could get a grant under an agency for "emergency service". And, I wonder if some politician wanting some press might be interested in saving these machines for public service reasons.

It's easy to remove an individual or club that uses their repeater as a play toy. It's pretty difficult to remove one that is chartered, sponsored, or supported by a government entity.

 

Loss of the Mt Mitchell Repeaters

The removal of the amateur radio repeaters from Mt. Mitchell will deal a major blow to amateur radio support of our local NC communities and to "homeland security." As I review our club's ARES contingency plan, I
see a gaping hole in our projected responses to any regional emergencies. Even as I write this letter, ARES groups across North Carolina are gearing up for a state-wide emergency drill on June 23d-24th based on a notional major earthquake hitting western NC. While the Mitchell repeaters may initially be "taken out" under the exercise scenario, they would certainly have been projected to play a major role in enabling emergency communications, provided by "hams", in the rebuilding phase that followed a major 'quake. The loss of the Mitchell repeaters, particularly the 2 meter repeater, will mean that all of our regional ARES support plans will have to be seriously revamped. A glance at a map will show you why: the Black Mountain range in which Mt. Mitchell lies, represents a major blockage to VHF/UHF communication in the western part of NC. The range divides our region in half and only a series of repeaters atop this range will allow amateur operators in our southern Appalachian communities to talk with one another. Radio clubs in our region have tried in vain to create other repeater systems to facilitate regional communications; none approach the Mt. Mitchell system in its' capabilities. Recently, in May, our club's ARES group supported a major 100 km bicycle ride, the Burnsville (NC) Metric Ride.We got permission to use the 2m repeater on Mitchell because it was the ONLY one that enabled us to communicate among the scattered rest stops along this challenging course. We were scheduled to support another "ride" in July, the "Roan Moan", a 100 mile plus 100km. ride through some of the most rugged and beautiful scenery you can envision. The routes are winding and steep and the potential for accidents is very real. We had planned to again use the Mitchell 2 meter repeater since our tests show that no other repeater system or simplex will work in this rugged terrain. The removal of the Mitchell repeater kills that plan. Yes, we will still support the race, somehow. But the "fix" won't be easy or economical. We spend a lot of time in this country talking about emergency preparedness and "homeland security." But when it comes down to making solid, meaningful decisions about supporting organizations and facilities that actually promote preparedness and security, we as a nation are often short-sighted. I do not know of any regional amateur radio clubs that can afford to pay $1000 per month fees atop the costs for our equipment that "hams" already pay out-of-pocket. All of our local members are either retired or else they have very modest incomes. We have to "pass the hat" just to pay the monthly electric bills for the several repeaters that we support locally. Amateur repeater support by regional agencies and organizations, at least in the continuation of permissions to position repeaters on existing mountaintop facilities, is a very modest contribution to the survival of a contingency communications capability that this country cannot afford to loose.

Stephen Williams, KI4ZUI, Mayland Amateur Radio Club, Mitchell County, NC

 

In Reply

To the best of my knowledge, all the repeaters on Mitchell are privately owned and not supported by any clubs or group. These machines were put up and are maintained by individuals at their expense for the use and betterment of amateur radio.

Thinking that someone maybe made a bad decision based on partial or erroneous information or rumor.

Lets hope this gets resolved to everyone's satisfaction and the repeaters, all of them, stay on the mountain.