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There's beginning to be quite a following around here for the 900mhz Amateur Band. Several good repeaters are up and on the air now. Unfortunately, you have to use converted commercial stuff to get onto this band, but the plus side is that the equipment is usually well made and inexpensive.

Here's a pretty current list of 900 stuff around here:

Current and proposed 900 mhz Repeaters and Links in Western Wash.
All repeaters use 114.8 hz ctcss unless noted. Links ctcss not listed.

* 927.2500 South Mt - GE Mastr II - W7UVH
* 927.2750 Everett area Kenwood TK931 - N7WPY
* 927.2750 Kalama – Kenwood TK931 - W7UVH
* 927.3000 Grass - GE Mastr II - W7SIX
* 927.3500 N7KP
* 927.4000 West Tiger - Motorola - WB0CZA - 123.0 hz ctcss
* 927.4500 East Tiger - GE Mastr II - WR7JM
* 927.5000 Lacey - EF Johnson – WA7C
* 927.5250 Puyallup Ridge- Kenwood TK431-TK931- K7DNR
927.5500 Cultus - GE Mastr II - K7OET
* 927.6000 University Place - GE Mastr II - K7TGU
* 927.6875 Lyman - EF Johnson - W7UMH
* 927.7375 Haystack -Kenwood TK931 - N7NFY
* 927.7500 Bush - Tumwater - GE Mastr II - KD7HTE
* 927.8000 Pac Forest - Kenwood TK931 - K7HW
* 927.8875 Buck - Kenwood TK930 - N7NFY
* 927.9250 Baw Faw - Kenwood TK931 - K7CH
* 927.9875 McCleary - Kenwood TK931 - W7UVH (snp)
* in operation as of 11/11/04

Brad/N7JGX
Whidbey Island, WA

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Hey Brad -

Can you give me some suggestions as to what kind of equipment to look for to get onto this band? Looking for something that doesn't need TOO heavy of mods, and can be found somewhat inexpensively.

Jeremy, NW7JU (ex-KF3EL)

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ARS KF3EL/7
Jeremy, Bremerton, WA USA

I obtained my Johnson 900mhz rig from Art, N7CC. He acquired them from Gene Colson, W7UVH, who seems to be the 900mhz guru around here. I'm not sure how to get hold of Gene directly.

There seems to be a spattering of Johnson, Motorola, and Kenwood rigs out there. I believe there is a Kenwood Model (TK-481?) that works in the Amateur 900mhz band without modification. Since it's a commercial rig, you do have to acquire the appropriate software and programming interface.

The Motorola stuff requires a bit of modification to get into the 900 (except one of them...the GTX, I think) , and of course the appropriate software.

There was a guy at the Lynden Hamfest last weekend that was selling some "ready to go" 900mhz portables (Kenwood and Motorola). He will likely be hitting the Puyallup hamfest in March, so that may be a place to start.

I am pretty new into this stuff, so my knowledge is far from complete.

Brad.

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Hello All,

I hope to hear you on 900. I monitor the 927.6875 W7UMH machine on Lyman Hill. Jim (UMH) had done considerate antenna work on that system and now has very nice coverage throughout the sound.

73's de KG7HQ - Mike

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Thank You,

Michael
ARS - KG7HQ
Assistant Director/Technical Specialist/VE
Northwestern Division
ARRL
kg7hq@arrl.net
http://www.kg7hq.wetnet.net

I understand that is a pretty good repeater - however, with my low-level setup on South Whidbey Island, I have difficutly getting into it. I may have a feedline and/or antenna problem, but for now I have a hard time getting into a few of them.

900 - definitely a tempermental band.

Brad.

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Hello Brad,

You very correct on the band :) For this band, I use one of two "poor mans" coaxes, RG9913 on non-rotating antennas and RG9914 on rotating antennas. These two coax versions display a lower lose at UHF than RG8X/8U/213/214/58 types. The best deals I have found for purchasing these new is from davisrf.com. (Thats for most coaxes).
You can use an anolog cellphone antenna trimmed down for 900 or if your interested in a broadband antenna at unity gain, try a discone.
I'm currently using a 1/4wave nmo mount with a counter poise. I did score a very nice 900Mhz base antenna at the Ferndale swapmeet last month for $10. Most people don't know what they are so they sell very cheap.
Good luck on your installation.....

73's de Mike

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Thank You,

Michael
ARS - KG7HQ
Assistant Director/Technical Specialist/VE
Northwestern Division
ARRL
kg7hq@arrl.net
http://www.kg7hq.wetnet.net

Fortunately, a friend provided me with about 50 feet of 1/2 inch hardline with N-connectors, and a 13 foot patch of 9913 to get it into the shack. The antenna is some kind of old 900mhz Land Mobile base station antenna that was taken off a mountain top repeater site by a tower-climbing friend.

However, it's only mounted on the side of the house and I live on a lot with lots of trees/vegetation. So, I may have to raise it up some to overcome the topography here.

Still, kind of a fun band to play with.

Hear you out there....Brad/N7JGX Whidbey Island, WA.

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