Mt. Mitchell, NC 145.190 Repeater Repaired!

After 4 years of waiting, the antenna for the Mt. Mitchell 2m repeater is back in it's prime location. At 6684 feet above sea level, this is the highest 2m repeater east if the rockies here in the US. As of 01:00 UTC 1 March 2014 the repeater is back to operating at its full potential. Thanks to Randy Johnston (N2GE), the current repeater owner/maintainer, and JJ Boyd (KG4VCF) we were able to get the antenna raised last night the last 30 feet due to the unusually calm winds on the mountain. Please, if you live in the western NC area, upstate SC, NE Georgia, eastern TN, SW Virginia or SE Kentucky,give the repeater a try and let us know if there is any improvement in signal strength in your area. You can get a message to Randy or myself (WD4AG) via our QRZ pages. Echolink is also available once again for incoming calls at WD4AG-R or node number 636279. The link is available 24 hours a day. Don't forget the 6600 Net tonight at 02:00 UTC (9:00 pm Eastern Time)! This is a great time to test your ability to get into the repeater, and have a great time with a whole bunch of other amateurs! Echolink stations are welcomed and encouraged as well. Everyone is welcome on the 6600 net! A very special "thank you" to Ken Woodard (WA4BVW) and his beautiful wife Irene (N4DWU) for building this repeater and maintaining it for so many years. If not for Ken and Irene, there would be NO Mt. Mitchell or Mt. Pisgah repeaters for all amateurs to use and enjoy.

145.190 -0.60 offset, no tone

 

wot, no pics?

 

Wow. I am in the front range of the Rockies on the eastern slope and my house sits at 8650. The city of Colorado Springs sits at over 6000'. Amazing to think this is the highest repeater east of the Rockies! I guess I am just looking down on all of you.

Steve
KV6O

 

I'll give it a try tonight.

 

When I lived in Eastern N.C. there was a club repeater we used on 145.190. Couple nights during some fun ducting on 2m, myself and one of the trustees shut the local '19 off and I spun my beam around to the West and had a blast acting like we were local to the Mt. Mitchell area.

Another time while I was working for Uncle Sugar, we worked the Mt. Mitchell machine from ABOVE it with the old HTX-202 (I still have and use around the ranch on a smpx repeater).

Old memories stay sweet a long time.

Best

Jerry

 

Have a friend on Bull Run Mtn, VA which, at 1500' elevation, he proclaims is the first mountain range west of the Azores!

Me, I'm about 400' above sea level, about the same as St Louis, a couple thousand miles to the west of us.

 

Heard a couple stations on the .190 on the way home from work around 1615 local time on 3/27. Believe one was using Echo-link.
Signal was pretty strong, was about a mile from downtown Charlotte when 1rst heard. There was some flutter as I drove outbound but reception was really good for mobile almost all the way out I-85 to around Harris Blvd ( check google maps if you are really curious). Stations signed off about that time.
Was listiening on a Quensheng TG U/V-2 bought at Ham fest a few weeks ago. Have been inactive for a long time but am getting started back and hope to get my General by June or July of this year.
Used to check in on the 6600 Net regularly in the mid-nineties and look forward to being on again.

73

 

Added the 145.190 to my Icom V8000 too far away but, maybe,on a good band opening?

 

Been talking on it for about 2 weeks now. This repeater really gets out and rocks!!!!!!
Thanks for getting it back online, You guys are a tribute to what Ham operators should all be like.

 

I'm hitting it right now. Solid signals.

 

Not the only thing high in Colorado.