I wanted to let everyone know the w3exw B on 444.35 was down. It is being moved to Richland Township and will become w3pgh B.

The microwave Internet feed to the W3EXW D-Star repeaters from aspStation is working. It has been working for days but I forgot to make an update.

The microwave Internet feed to the W3EXW D-Star repeaters from aspStation is down. We don't know if there is a hardware (radio) failure or the wind from Thursday's storm moved the antenna. We did a few quick checks oday with the hopes of a quick fix but no such luck.

The North Hills Amateur Radio Club with the Repeater Association and aspStation, Inc. are announcing a new D-Star Reflector, REF063. REF063C will be the new home for Western PA D-Star repeaters. All repeaters are welcome but it was built to accommodate a Western PA regional network. REF063A,B,D, & E are undefined but operable.

A reflector is like a telephone conference bridge. It allows multiple D-Star repeaters to link to each other. Anyone using a D-Star repeater linked to REF063C will be able to talk with anyone on other repeaters linked to the same reflector.

Linking is not mandatory and is up to the repeater owner/operator. The W3EXW repeater on 444.35MHz is currently on REF025C. It will be moved to REF063C and stay on that reflector most of the time. As a user, you will be able to unlink the repeater from REF063C for local use or to link to another repeater or reflector.

W3EXW 146.82 will remain unlinked in general. It will be linked to REF063C from 8PM to midnight on Monday evenings for the WPA D-Star net.

If you have a DV Dongle or a D-Star hotspot, you may connect to W3EXW G or directly to REF063C.

I added a new link to the site. It is the "PA D-Star Repeaters" menu item on the left frame of the site. It will print a list of the other D-Star repeaters in the state.

A pre-amp has been added to the 146.82 repeater. The coverage has improved. I can use the repeater with my IC-91AD using it's antenna from my home in Hampton Township. Prior to the addition of the pre-amp, I could not hit the repeater using the radio's antenna.

The new 2 meter D-Star repeater is on the air!! The repeater's frequency is 146.82MHz. It's callsign is W3EXW and this would be the C module.

The 2 meter module has been ordered. We are waiting for its delivery. N3CVL reports the duplexer is tuned. Bob attempted to install it into the rack but found there isn't enough room. We will need to move a few things in order to get the duplexer in the rack.

The NHARC's two meter D-Star project has officially started. The Club has received the official notice from the Western Pennsylvania Repeater Council that 146.22/82MHz is ours to use for this new repeater. We want to thank the Skyview Radio Club for their generousty for giving this frequency pair to us.

The new 2 meter D-Star repeater will be located with the UHF D-Star repeater on WQED's tower in the Oakland section of Pittsburgh. Both repeaters will share the same controller. We also plan to diplex both repeaters onto the same tri-band antenna already mounted to the tower. We currently have the antenna in place, the diplexer, the repeater controller, and the front end cavity. We need to purchase the repeater module. Our plans are to shop around at the Dayton Hamvention later this week for the best deal we can find.