Posted: 7/27/2010 5:38:02 PM EDT
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How do you go about finding active repeaters? I have the ARRL book that lists all of the repeaters for an area. At one time I had all of them programmed into my only radio a handheld, but I only ever heard activity on two. On others I would catch them IDing in CW or voice, but never any activity even when I would call. So my question, is there a forum/list of active repeaters? Or do you just find them by listening around? I am in Milwaukee, WI in the event someone knows of a hidden gem besides the 91 and 513.
Thanks |
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If a tree falls in the forest......
Give your call every now and then. Some people will just continue to monitor since you aren't one of their regulars. Sooner or later someone will come back if anyone is there. Sadly you might have a harder time finding someone interesting to talk to. 
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Most of the members in my club are older but they really would like to get the repeater used some more. Here is our website with our repeater info on it. Normally I listen to the 91 and 513 because I have heard stories that they don't like non-members talking on the repeaters......Again that is from our older members but I am not one willing to push buttons. I will look through some of the others I have programmed and see if you have them as well. I wish 440 and 220 were more popular around here I would like to use those a little more too.
Ozaukee Radio Club |
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this website: http://k5ehx.net/repeaters/qrepeater.php and a lot of googling. Try ARES, RACES, SKYWARN, amateur radio repeaters with your country or zip code. At least thats how I compile a list of repeaters quickly, after that you will need to test the waters to see whats going to be there. Once I have a few repeaters I can access I will let my HT scan them on a slow day at work, or a weekend to see how active they are. I do the same to monitor local emergency services on VHF/UHF. |
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While the ARRL Repeater Directory is pretty good, I've found problems with it in my area, so don't take it as the final word.
Contact the local club. I'm sure they will be glad to give you a list of frequencies, tones, etc. Usually, but not always, all of the repeaters in a particularly city will have the same tone. If you enter a tone, and none is required, it won't hurt anything. I've got a link around here somewhere... I'll post it when I find it. |
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http://k5ehx.net/repeaters/qrepeater.php I got this one from ARJedi.
http://rptr.amateur-radio.net/arn/rptr/index.html http://www.repeaterlist.us/ |
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Again, like the repeater book, take all of these with a grain of salt.
One of these sites shows, for my area, a 6m repeater that just does not exist. It also shows a 70cm repeater that does not exist. I've found lots like this in my region of the state, and I'm sure it is the same in other states. Best info I had gotten was from a nearby larger club's secretary. He had a pretty good list. |
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Throw your call out on 145.39- 127.3 PL. That's the repeater for the Milwaukee Radio Amateurs Club (http://www.w9rh.org/). Most sizeable cities have one or two large radio clubs with active repeaters. W9RH should be one of those clubs in your area. |
| MRAC has been pretty quiet lately too. I have it programmed in my mobile and not much activity. I just mapped out our trip on the ARRL program for WI to MO and have some repeaters put in for our route. See what happens. 1st channels I have are the simplex freqs. |