- Location: South of Christine, ND
- Antenna: 18.5 Foot Comet GP-9
- Radios: Motorola CM200 – UHF
- MMDVM: Repeaterbuilder STM32-DVM-NanoPI
- Transmit Wattage: 44 Watts UHF
- Frequency Pair: 442.900 Mhz Output, 447.900 Mhz Input
- Modes Available: DMR, D-STAR, Yaesu System Fusion (YSF)
One of the best tools I had when starting out as a newly licensed ham were repeaters. It is a great place to meet local operators, network and get feedback during daily or weekly nets, and generally pick up how hams operate and protocols followed.
I started with my basic 40-50 watt VHF/UHF FM radio and quickly found out how much power could be had by using a local repeater. I was able to easily hit the W0ILO repeater in Fargo/Moorhead from my house about 25 to 30 miles away. I found the ability to take a 5 watt handheld and turn it into long range coverage to be an interesting thing.
After listening to the repeater be turned over to Fargo Marathon operations, I couldn’t help but see the benefits of providing coverage for radio efforts of many kinds. I knew I wanted to build a repeater, but the question was what kind.
Fargo Moorhead have a fair amount of specialty repeaters, from DMR to Tri-mode to D-STAR. Wahpeton, the other city that I am in the middle grounds for, has a YSF repeater. I was already running a Pi-star hotspot in the house, and I decided that making a high power version of my mini Tri-Mode was the way to go. My goal was to attempt to fill in the area between the two towns as much as possible.
I am able to cover a large swath of I-29, as well as County Road 81 in ND and Highway 75 in MN. I am also located near the North Country National Scenic Trail, and this repeater can serve as a hub to send emergency communication and sms messages via digital radio.
I have moved the repeater from its original location of Walcott, ND to the family farm about 8 miles away, south of Christine, ND. It is currently on a tube type post to get any kind of elevation until its permanent tower is assembled. I was gifted an old tower from fellow hams who were downsizing their house after the passing of their husband and father. It is about a 50~ foot tower that will be at very least a starting point for my projects.
I intend to have the base of the GP-9 about 60 feet above ground level. I also intend to house a VHF Yagi antenna pointing South hooked to an APRS Digipeater. Coverage currently stops north of Abercrombie, ND from a Digipeater located north of Wolverton, MN. This will *hopefully* extend coverage down the I29 corridor and in the direction of Wahpeton, ND.