WØJH Repeater Hardware Upgrade

SARA's Technology Work Group thanks everyone who contributed to the upgrades to the SARA WØJH repeater.

The new TE Systems amplifier was installed around noon on April 10, 2010 and is operational. The ERP for the repeater is ~300w (co-ordinated by the MRC). The TE Systems amplifier is rated at 200w continuous duty and is running de-rated putting out ~160w.

A new power supply rated at 55amps continuous duty has been installed.

SARA has an excellent repeater with a good coverage area and with emergency backup power in a climate controlled environment, maintaining close operational temperature ranges both in summer and winter. The site installation is professional and the equipment is of commercial quality.

The repeater infrastructure has operated flawlessly, unattended and without interruption during its first year of operation and has operated without any ill effects during extreme lightning storms, one of which, associated with the Minneapolis Tornado during summer 2009, passed directly over the repeater site.

The attached photo shows the cabinet-rack holding the equipment - at the top is the TE Systems Amplifier built specifically to SARA Technology Work Group (TWG) specifications; in the middle is the ICOM FR5000 firmware based and DSP enabled repeater; at the bottom is the UHF out of band controller. The equipment is installed in a standard 19 inch rack mount with a total height requirement of 3U(amplifier) + 2U(repeater) + 2U(controller) = 5U (12.25 inches)

The terrain coverage model is here

The SARA TWG and the SARA Officers encourage all SARA members and affiliates to make extensive use of this facility.

SARA Technology Work Group
April 2010
=======================