Some boring History stuff!

HISTORY of the K8SN/R UHF Repeater. 442.175 Mhz

Spring of 1994: K8SN first appears on 444.800Mhz. The RF equipment was a RCA TAC200 Repeater interfaced to a S-COMM 5K Controller. It ran about 20W and was STONE Deaf.

Summer of 1994: The MARC (Michigan Area Repeater Council) takes away 444.800 MHz and re-coordinates me on 442.175Mhz. A lot of moaning and groaning but the Pair is much better and solves a buggy inter-mod problem with the Grand Rapids Press. (453.000)

Fall of 1994: Repeater rebuilt on 442.175 MHz using a TAC310 Repeater and a CAT300DX controller.

Fall of 1995: TAC Transmitter is replaced with a GE Master II 40W Transmitter and a fresh TAC310SX Receiver, was installed within existing Rack space.

Winter of 1996: The CAT300DX was replaced with a FF Systems FF-800 Controller with the addition of a FF-8070 DVR.

Spring of 1997: The Repeater was re-racked. Included in the re-rack, was a full function 2 Meter remote base and filters to eliminate the downtown intermod. Also included was the addition of 3 additional TAC310SX Radios for remote receiver link receivers. A Doug Hall Electronics Voter was completely wired to the controller to give full control of all functions to the Control Operator. A Temperature Sensor to monitor the outside temperature was installed. Other sensors will be added as the need presents itself.

Spring of 1998: The GE Master PA was replaced with a Motorola MSR2000 Amplifier system. Antenna replaced from G-6 UHF Hustler to a Comet Dual Bander.

Fall of 1998: Antennas continue to be the issue. The Comet was junk. It has been replaced with another G-6 Hustler. Let's see if it this one hangs on!

Winter of 1998: Antenna again replaced. This time, the G-6 was a free replacement. Seems the antennas are known to leak!

Spring of 1999: MSR2000 amp dies. Repaired and returned to MSR it came from.

Summer of 1999: Remote Receivers are on line from Cedar Springs and from Moline . The Repeater now hears much farther North and South.

Spring of 2000: Ada Remote Receiver on line. TPL HiPower AMP is taken out of service and a 100W Mitrek is installed in its place. Coverage improves as Antennas have been split. Receiving on a 6DB White Stick on the tower and Transmitting 130W on the roofline with a G-6 Hustler. Transmitter split out of cabinet for future remote location.

Winter of 2000: Re-rack and addition of additional Voters and Receivers to accommodate 4 more remote sites. Transmitter moved back into main rack with options to change to Link Transmitter for future remote Transmitter site.

Spring 2001: West Receiver temporarily installed at Mike Kasper's House.

Fall 2004: Mitrec Transmitter retrofitted with retired Paging Amp. 275W to Antenna. Coverage increases. Racks have been reconfigured so all transmitting equipment is in one rack and all receivers and control equipment is in the other. New Pictures up on http://www.k8sn.org/repeater/pixs.html.

Winter 2004: West Receiver moved to Bridge and Covell road. Main Receiver reconfigured to enhance local downtown coverage.

Spring 2005: 220 Remote base added.