Category: Electronics

At the SOARA San Clemente repeater site, the ACC RC-850 repeater controller has been replaced with an Audio Test Solutions (Formerly Link Communications) RLC-4 controller. By standardizing on RLC controllers, we have simplified our ongoing maintenance. The common platform will also allow us to standardize repeater commands for our users. The EchoIRLP Echolink/IRLP node computer…

We had some exciting fireworks at our annual SOARA Field Day this year! One of our generators had a failed regulation circuit and presented 160 VAC at the output. The victim of the high voltage spike was Dana, K6NR’s Powerwerx SS-30DV switching power supply. Powerwerx does not repair them or provide schematics, but they do…

Many years ago, Howard, KG6GI (SK) purchased a Generac 7550 EXL generator for his own use, but also as a backup for SOARA, should we ever need it. One year during field day, the primary generator failed and we were left to run on batteries that were quickly being depleted. Howard enlisted my help to…

SOARA has seven repeaters at the Temple Hill repeater site in Laguna Beach. Four of them are D-STAR digital repeaters. There are D-STAR modules for 2m, 440, and 1.2 GHz Digital Voice (DV) and one for 23cm Digital Data (DD). The three analog repeaters are on 2m, 220, and 440. An svxLink node provides EchoLink…

I was recently enlisted to set up a “new old stock” CS-540V repeater for use by a local ham radio club. The repeater was pristine and had obviously never been used. I was able to obtain a copy of the programming software from the manufacturer, even though the repeater was over 14 years old. Using…

I’ve been running the svxLink application written by Tobias, SM0SVX for some time now. I installed it on our local VHF repeater back in 2018 using a Raspberry Pi 3B+, and an audio/PTT isolation board. I’ve been looking for new, improved or simplified interfaces to interconnect svxLink with repeater controllers and simplex node radios. Some…

Some time ago, I bought all of the parts to build a HamClock. Ed, WA6ED mentioned this project on the 40 meter net a while back. I finally got around to building mine in September, 2020. HamClock runs on Linux (Raspberry Pi, single board computers), or Arduino platforms. The Arduino version was written for an…

I recently repaired a Kenwood TM-731A 2m/70cm mobile radio. It appeared that the backup battery was dead since it would no longer retain any memories after power was removed. Checking the battery, it was indeed dead. I replaced that but noticed the board was coated with what could have been electrolyte leaking from the dead…

Howard, KG6GI and I installed the first D-STAR repeater system for the SOARA club in early 2007. During the process, we realized that we needed a way to remotely disable this new repeater system should anything go wrong, and to meet our FCC obligations. Howard had already obtained a network connected relay and opto-isolated input…