Pacific Ham Radio Debate

Pacific Ham Radio Debate

The Pacific Missourian newspaper reports ARRL assistant director John Bigley, N7UR has posted a comment about the D-STAR repeater debate in Pacific

Bigley is quoted as saying he’s surprised at the city’s proposed cost to install the repeater. “If the repeater and duplexers have already been bought, and the labor is being donated, the cost of the materials to install a repeater would be several hundred dollars . . . not $14,000,” he stated.

Read the article Ham Radio Debate Here Attracts National Attention
http://www.emissourian.com/local_ne...cle_dec650d7-0798-5dd5-a359-484cae7f7d48.html

Ham Radio Key to Community Survival
http://www.emissourian.com/local_ne...cle_4703b00e-a179-11e4-9d19-33b6fa1cdf47.html

Ham Radio repeater debate draws sparks
http://www.southgatearc.org/news/2015/january/ham_radio_repeater_debate_draws_sparks.htm






Follow Southgate News on Twitter
Join us on Facebook

 

Great, another vague article on an old topic. There is still a lack of details on this fiasco. Why not write one article that tells the whole story instead of 3 articles that don't even add up to the whole story?

There is allot more that can be involved with installing a repeater. In this case I think I read the city wants a shelter for the equipment - maybe they don't want a $500 plastic shed at the base of their tower! This can then end up being $5000-10000.

Maybe there is a liability concern and like my repeaters they are requiring a professional tower crew to install antenna and feedline? If its a 300' tall tower might take 4 guy crew coming from 2 hours away. Four guys at $75/hr means it could easily cost $300/hr and result in a $2400 bill just for 4 hours of work on a tower.

Again - tell the missourian to write a complete article with all the facts - then publish it!

 

if you also read they were planing on a new building that would justify the 14,000.00 cost due to it needing to be temperature controlled.

 

Anybody figured the cost of a D-Star system? Several pieces of equipment from Icom, multiple antennas for different bands, multiple duplexers, multiple runs of heliax, hi-speed internet, etc, etc. Yep, $14,000 is probably low balling it.

Here's a good example of all the equipment it takes. Add to that site costs, such as rent, utilities, internet connection, etc, etc.

http://www.dstarinfo.com/repeater-pieces.aspx

 

There is a lot said and not said in the supporting links.

1. I find it highly improbable that there is not already a bunker at the tower to house equipment and the repeater requires its own building. But with HLS getting their paws into everything Govt communications (aka Security), HAM stuff is now not allowed inside a Govt controlled bunker, hence a separate building would be required, if so I'd be seeking a small used 1/4 truck shipping container.
2. There is clearly Govt gouging here when: "Rahn (City ENG) presented a list of costs that totaled $14,202, but acknowledged that Bay’s Computers had offered to install the repeater at no cost for the city, which would reduce the cost by $8,000." $6202.00 just for Bay Computers - wow that sure is high BUT it defines the logic towards this ENG's assessment ?!@#$%^&
3. It is not uncommon that ONLY professional-insured tower companies can climb/install on Govt towers. (Yet, radio/TV stations no longer require FCC Licensed ENG's.)

I'd sure like to see the specifics of this ENG's cost list.

Overall not enough is known to make good PRO/CON judgements with what was posted/linked.

 

If you let government do it, the cost is astronomical. Anyone that has been around any type of construction knows this. I just purchased and installed a DSTAR repeater purchase from Icom with one unit on 144 and one on 440 plus the control unit, a set of duplexers for both, power supply with battery back up antenna for each placed on an exist tower, purchased the coax and mounted with club help all for $3,500. I also just build a bank branch building, had to hire tradesman and pay union rates, have an inspector on site, pay for city inspections, engineer inspections, inspections of the inspections, rain water run off testing, stress testing the concrete, electrical inspecting, sewer inspecting, plumbing inspecting, fire inspecting (they brought a fire truck our and drove around the building to prove the truck could go around the building and charged $250). Anytime you deal with government the price skyrockets.

 

chance of today's commercial public safety radios go down are very rare. I think they are much more reliable than our $30 Ham radio gears. Since Ham are for last result emergency , we probably should concentrate on HF , probably CW communications. we probably do not have enough battery power to run Computer for digital communication. I think those $300 CW QRP radio is good method to help in case of emergency requiring assistance from Hams. 10 watts on CW on marginal antenna do well.