always blame the REPEATER

[AI4EP]

What is it with these folks on 10 meter / 6 meter / 2 meter / 440 that use the repeater systems that; when their last transmission (s) were not half copyable by any one else listening, to AUTOMATICALLY not accept any responsibility for their equipment , but to blame the REPEATER ? Why will these folks not check out their own systems ( power connections, coax, antenna ground / swr ) out more than the first time it was all hooked up ; and not since ? It guess it is just an EASY OUT to blame something you personally have no control over, than to accept FULL responsibility for your own rig / antenna in your own vehicle. Plus, if that REPEATER is " sooo lousy, and sooo UN - dependable " , why not go to another REPEATER ( almost every small town has at least one, with major cities having many to choose from ); or is that too complicated ? No, it is just an " easy way out " for a LID ( no matter what is his class of license ) to blame something they have no control over for their system not being up to the MINIMUM standards that others can and do maintain. Is this problem nationwide/worldwide or just in this area with LIDS always blaming the REPEATER for the reason they are not copyable ?

The reason many folks act that way is that they have very little real understanding of the entire SYSTEM that comprises the FM repeater environment.

Since most of 'em have NOT had much experience (or Elmering) with the FM world beyond what they see others do the ins and outs of the FM world are not in their sphere of understanding when they get licensed and get on the air.

They get their ticket. They buy an HT or a mobile. They hook it up and dial up local repeaters and start talking. They have fun. BUT as far as knowledge of the technical side and the WHY of system operations, they just don't know.

It's this lack of knowledge that drives them to blame the system, not their side of the transmission. HOWEVER! (and this is the good part&#33 MANY of them DO go ask, learn, and begin to understand the SYSTEM aspect of the repeater world.

They learn about 'picket fencing', 'capture effect', 'terrain effects', 'overdeviation' and 'chopping out'. They learn about the various idiosyncracies of the repeater world and how those things affect SYSTEM operations.

These folks, like those who learned before them quickly move ahead. However, the rest just remain in their state of 'lack of knowledge' and continue to blame the repeater for the problems but never 'get a clue' that they are normally the reason for the things they hear and/or observe.

Not a pick on them, it's usually due to lackof knowledge, not an desire to appear ignorant (unlearned) about it.

Recommendation? - If you know somenoe like this -- and YOU have accurate knowledge about the system and can get them 'off air' and helpthem byexplaining things.. DO SO!

Strike a blow for improved users of the system.. That ONE PERSON you help will, most likely, help someone else.

73
K3FT

[KI4BOO]

Beautiful!

I had never paid this any attention until you posted this...

Good point. Horray for ranting.

[KB9YCO]

Wise response K3FT. Sadly, there does seem to be a proliferation of operators these days that lack some of the basic fundamentals, hopefully they will learn with experience. And, as you have wisely posted, a few words of encouragement or guidance is usually a positive thing. That's not to say they shoudn't know these things on their own, but if seasoned operators that may be in contact with some of these individuals don't say anything then they're not helping matters much either. Amateur radio has a responsibilty to try and maintain a certain level of awareness to newer licensees, if not in direct words, then at the very least by example.

[KC8QMU]

Yeah, it always gripes me a bit when I hear someone whining that their HT can't get into a machine 15 mi. away.

A lot of people around here put machines up on their own money, time, and with a little help from friends. They put an extraordinary amount of effort and personal resources into providing a service for all to use, and then someone whines and moans and says it isn't any good because "they" cant get into it.

[N8CPA]

And for the past several years, there's been a proliferation of operators who perceive any kind of explanation or Elmering as "picking on new folks." #Along with that, there's been a proliferation of more experienced coddlers to provide positive reinforcement to the misconception. #That's what happened to Elmering around here, at least. #Even gentle recommendations get rebuffed.

Steve

If you want to see someone who is unlearned about repeater systems begin to acquire a BIT more respect for what it takes to run a repeater that may have couple remoted receivers.

(for example, a Club I used to belong to had a 2M machine with six remote receivers. Each receiver fed, via a UHF RF link it's signal to a central site with a voting system and then repeated the audio out on 2M. They also had a 220 MHz with 2 receivers and a UHF machine with one receiver.#That's the background)

I was chatting, a few years ago, with one of the unlearned ones who was commenting about how they didn't understand how come it costs the Club all that money to keep that repeater up and on the air.

I asked him, "How many repeaters do you think this Club runs?"
(note.. at the time we had a 2M, 220 MHz, and a UHF system. The 2M had 6 remote receivers, 220 MHz had 2, and the UHF had one remoted receiver)

He looked at me and said, "They have 3. One of 2M, one on 220 MHz, and one on 440!" I smiled at him and said,"Well, no. Actually the club runs 12 repeaters." (He gave me this 'YEAH, RIGHT!" look) I continued.. 'It's true! They have 7 repeaters on 2M, 3 repeaters on 220 MHz, and 2 repeaters on UHF!"

He laughed and accused me of being drunk. #I told him to add it up as I told him about it.

"We have 6 remote receivers. Each receiver inputs on 2M and outputs on 440 MHz to a link frequency. Then the transmit site receives all 6 link signals and votes the best one. Then THAT signal is retransmitted from UHF to the 2M output frequency. #THe 220 MHz repeater has 2 remote recievers that receive on 220 MHz input, link on 440 MHz, and process the audio and retransmit it on 220 MHz. The UHF machine recieves on 440 MHz, transmits it via RF link to the transmitter and it gets retransmitted on UHF!"

He just looked at me. I continued.

"So, we have 6 remote receivers that repeat the 2M input signals on UHF links. THEY are each a repeater, althught they are dedicated links. So that's six. Then the main repeater transmitter is a repeater from UHF to 2M.. That's Seven."

The 220MHz has 2 links which is 2 repeaters plus main TX which makes 3. The UHF has 2. #So the Club has, in operation, TWELVE discrete repeater stations with all but 3 operating in dedicated link service."

"Then, please consider EACH site has feedline, antennas, hardware, software, and the like. NOW do you see why it costs so much?"

He just looked at me and shook his head. Said nothing. Nice thing though.. NO MORE COMMENTS ABOUT 'HOW COME IT COSTS SO MUCH?"

Ahh, education.. a wonderful thing, it is!

73
K3FT

[AI4EP]

...also some repeaters have BATTERY BACK-UP in case the main ac power goes off, and those are NOT cheap !! ...my main point earlier was NOT for those who " honestly do not know any better " but to those who DO !...that is why I put in the part about " LID no matter what is the class of license " in the original post. These folks SHOULD know better, but based on their daily ACTIONS, I and others have a situation to WONDER about. I am sure this is NOT just an " in my area alone " situation, it is going on all over this great country. Your movile set up requires attention, just like the yard, house, the riding lawn mower, the refrigerator.... go check your battery connections where your rig is attached to the BATTERY ( not to the cigarette lighter plug or fuse box under the dash; check the coax all the way from the back of the radio to the connection on the antenna, if it is bent tight, flattened out, or LOOKS broken, have it fixed the RIGHT way !!, check the microphone, unravel all those kinks in the coiled cord, and put a MICROPHONE HANGER some where to hang the mike up on, dont just lay it in the seat/floor ( no, we dont enjoy listening to you ride with the mike keyed for 3 minutes till you time out the repeater --- wish the local county/city cops would do this , and several currounding counties are guilty of this too ). Don't go and blame all the " repeater kerchunking " on the " no-code-techs ", they USUALLY Are among the LEAST likely to sit there and repeatedly kerchunk a repeater, or whistle or hum in the microphone. Most folks who do that are problably in their second DECADE of having an amateur radio license * what is a decade ? *. .....with all due respect; we are our own worst enemy with our actions on repeaters or other means of communication. We have these great ways to communicate via voice, cw, and all the other means, but one person in 10,000 can create havoc in no time at all . ===praise the lord=== ---ai4ep---