This page reports new developments in SMLRS operation.
February 16, 2022: The Taum Sauk Mountain repeater located near Arcadia on 145.290 MHz, PL 100.0 Hz, is online and permanently linked to the SMLRS
March 11, 2021: The Granby 145.390 is back into full working order. Reports during the previous week indicated the repeater was only transmitting intermittently both local and link traffic. The TX Synthesizer module in the GE Master III repeater was faulty and replaced.
March 4, 2021; The Warsaw 147.075 repeater has been shut off due a problem with it generating noise when the temperature gets below 40 degrees. We suspect the cabinet heater has failed and the duplexer is de-tuning itself in the cold weather. We would like to replace the Sinclair duplexer with a temperature compensated TX RX 28-37-02A. Cost for a replacement duplexer is $1375.00. If you would like to help fund this repair please email kb0nhx@nixahams.net
February 15, 2021: The SMLRS EchoIRLP Node is back online! The SD card on the Pi3 computer was corrupted and the operating system, IRLP and EchoLink files had to be reloaded.
November 12, 2020: The Bendavis 444.775 was removed from service for electrolytic capacitor and front end filter rehabilitation. A backup Motorola repeater was placed into service until the main repeater repairs can be completed.
November 12, 2020: The Clever 442.425 backup south hub for the SMLRS was re-installed with new electrolytic caps. Front end filter was cleaned and treated to keep future whisker growth from occurring
September 15, 2020: The Clever 442.425 repeater, which serves as the backup south hub for the SMLRS, was removed from service and a backup exciter and receiver installed. The Motorola MSF-5000 at the Clever site is the next in the series of repeaters in which the electrolytic capacitors are being replaced and the front end filter assembly being cleaned of any tin whisker growth and coated with lacquer to keep them from re-growing.
September 8, 2020: The Crane 442.150 repeater has been placed back in service with the Motorola MSF-5000 repeater. All electrolytic capacitors have been replaced and the front end filter assembly cleaned of tin whiskers and coated for future protection from re-growth.
August 14, 2020: The Crane 442.150 repeater has been removed from service to allow for all of the Electrolytic Capacitors to be replaced in the Motorola MSF-5000 repeater. In addition, the front end filter assembly will have the tin whiskers removed and a thin lacquer applied to keep them from growing in the future.
Until Crane can and Bendavis are repaired, we will remain on our backup linking method between the East and West SMLRS repeaters.
August 10, 2020: The Stockton Lake 444.975 repeater has been repaired and is back in service. Todd, AD0RR, replaced the electrolytic capacitors in the MSF-5000 which fixed the problem we had with the receive VCO coming out of lock. James, KB0NHX, removed the tin whiskers growing inside the repeater’s front end receive filter to improve receive sensitivity. A full alignment was done on the repeater and it is on frequency with 75-Watts transmit power out of the duplexer. The receive pre-amp was also repaired and re-installed which further helped the Stockton repeater’s receive sensitivity.
July 4, 2020:
Due to malicious interference being transmitted by George Sfair, KJ6TQ, from his base station located at his residence at 107 Cedar Ln on the East side of Branson, the Branson 146.655 – PL 91.5 Hz repeater may not be available on the linked repeater system. We are continuing to log interference as it occurs and reporting directly to the FCC reference our complaint that was opened previously. Please be patient as the FCC acts on our behalf. Below are samples of the malicious interference Mr. Sfair has transmitted onto the SMLRS and the N0NWS SkyWarn system.
July 1, 2020:
James Adkins, KB0NHX, and Eric Presser, KD0CEN, continue to experiment with audio settings on the backup linking system. Adjustments were made at the East system connection and audio into the link to the West and out of the link from the West has been set. Plans to adjust audio on the West side of the system are tentatively scheduled for the week of July 6.
June 7, 2020:
The SMLRS East repeaters are now operational on the system. This includes the 146.820 (-) PL 110.9 Hz in Rolla, the 146.985 (-) PL 110.9 Hz in Willow Springs and the 444.775 (+) PL 110.9 Hz at Bendavis – about 10 miles West / Southwest of Houston.
The backup linking system to connect the East and West repeaters is currently operational while the primary RF hub site at Goodhope is completed
The backup linking system consists of a dedicated T1 data circuit which will automatically fail over to a cellular modem connection when the T1 data circuit goes down for any reason.
The primary RF link will consist of backbone linking between the Bendavis and Crane UHF hub repeaters similar to the RF backbone link between the Crane and Stockton Lake UHF hub repeaters
June 3, 2020
146.985 & 444.775 – Willow Springs and Bendavis Press Release for Radio Amateurs
June 1, 2020
146.820 – Rolla Press Release for Radio Amateurs
February 28, 2017:
The Link Radio at the 147.225 Repeater Site (West Springfield Repeater) has been fixed and how has a full quieting signal into the Crane 442.150 Hub repeater
The low audio condition was also repaired on the 147.225 repeater and link radio. A component in the audio path was removed and full audio levels were restored. It is now nearly impossible to determine just by audio levels whether a station is on the 147.225 or another linked repeater.
January 14, 2017:
The SMLRS has a new repeater on the SMLRS system located in Warsaw, MO. The repeater is on 147.075+ PL 127.3 Hz. You can run full PL on this repeater, meaning you must encode a PL of 127.3 Hz and you can also use decode on your radio for the 127.3 Hz tone. The 147.075 repeater is linked to the SMLRS 100% of the time via an RF link to the Stockton Lake hub repeater, and runs on 100% battery power like the 145.270 in Nixa.
January 8, 2016: Earlier site visit revealed the Granby 145.390 operating at low power – 36-Watts out of the 100-Watt amplifier. On January 8, a replacement amplifier was installed and power output restored to 95-Watts.
A new Duracomm 50a power supply with DC distribution panel was installed, and all DC wiring re-routed and fused at the panel. The PA fans are now controlled by the FC-2 Fan Control Module so that the SCOM 7330 turns the cooling fans on and off automatically instead of them running continuously.
January 6, 2016: Site visit to the Nevada 145.450 repeater revealed a low output power condition – 13.4 Watts out of the 100-Watt PA. A replacement amplifier and duplexers are being sought. $3,000 needed to purchase new TX RX duplexers and a new 150-Watt Crescend amplifier.
July 18, 2014: Complaint of pop & crackle on weak to moderate strength signals on the 145.450 – noise goes away when it rains. De-sense tests completed with co-located VHF trunked radio system confirms harmonic mixing issue if site is fully loaded, but this is not causing the issue reported. Located 1 power pole that is intermittently very noisy. Electric Coop notified to repair pole
July 15, 2014: Complaints of pop & crackle on weaker signals on the 147.015 – located 4 noisy power line poles near the repeater site. Electric Coop notified and poles have been repaired.
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