444.975

444.975 Repeater - Arcola, MO (Stockton Lake Repeater)

****** SMLRS Link System Repeater ******

On-Air Date:                     September 28, 2013

Repeater Transmit:         444.975

Repeater Receive:           449.975               (+5.0 MHz)

Modes:                               Analog

PL Tone:                             162.2 Hz

PL Direction:                      Encode & Decode

Bandwidth:                        Wideband – 25 kHz

Transmit Power:               100-Watts

Antenna System:              Commscope DB420 - 220' AGL

Link antennas:                   Commscope DB436C - 100' AGL

Coax Cable:                        Commscope AVA5-50 7/8" Heliax - repeater & link

Controller:                         SCOM 7330

Repeater                            Motorola MSF-5000

Duplexer:                            TX RX 28-66-02A

Link Radios:                       Motorola CDM-1250 403-470 MHZ

Backup power:                  Site Generator & Site UPS

Router:                               Ubiquiti Edgerouter X

Internet:                             Yes - Verizon

Nets:                                   Fridays @ 7:30 p.m. - Region D ARES VHF Net

In April 2013, Dennis Kimrey, W0HL, installed a new antenna and coax for the Nevada 145.450 repeater to join the SMLRS.  However, we soon learned the terrain was too rugged for the link to the Crane repeater to be reliable.  Plans began to design a way to connect the Nevada repeater to the SMLRS network.  Soon thereafter, plans began for the 444.975 to be installed on the MSHP tower at Arcola, MO. 

The repeater, a Motorola MSF-5000, was donated to the club from Johnson County, KS and was formerly used for Olathe, KS PD radio communications.  The TX RX duplexer was purchased from Bryon Jeffers, K0BSJ, and leftover LDF6-50 1-1/4" heliax was on hand from the 145.270 repeater to feed the repeater.  All that was needed was an antenna.  James Adkins, KB0NHX, found and purchased a used Commscope DB-420 from a flea market in Richmond, MO for $200 and all the pieces fell into place. 

Once installed, not only did we add the 145.450 Nevada repeater to the SMLRS but we also added the 444.975 "North Hub" to the SMLRS greatly improving SMLRS coverage on the Western side of the state and into Kansas.

In 2021 the repeater electrolytic capacitors were replaced by Todd Christell, AD0RR, solving an intermittent VCO lock problem.  In November 2022, James Adkins, KB0NHX, installed the VM-204 remote control panel to allow repeater and link radio operation to be monitored and controlled.  In addition, the LDF6-50 coax outer jacket had been coming off the copper outer jacket.  Randy VanScoy, K0RLV, donated a run of 7/8" AVA5-50 coax and it was installed to replace the damaged LDF6-50.