Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP
Posting-Version: version B 2.10.2 9/5/84; site ky2d-2.UUCP
Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!ulysses!mhuxr!mhuxt!houxm!whuxl!whuxlm!akgua!akguc!mtunh!ky2d-2!k2sk
From: k2sk@ky2d-2.UUCP (Bob)
Newsgroups: net.ham-radio
Subject: Re: CQ 440 MHz
Message-ID: <108@ky2d-2.UUCP>
Date: Wed, 22-Jan-86 01:32:12 EST
Article-I.D.: ky2d-2.108
Posted: Wed Jan 22 01:32:12 1986
Date-Received: Fri, 24-Jan-86 08:32:42 EST
References: <13500003@hplsla.UUCP>
Organization: KY2D-2 Packet Radio Gateway, Little Silver, NJ
Lines: 28

> 
> 
I have worked with UHF and VHF repeaters for about 10 years and have
had the pleasure of working with everything from top quality commercial
gear to the cheapest manufactured for ham use and homebrew as well as
many combinations of the above.
     I suggest that if your group can get hold of commercial quality
especially Motorola repeaters and accessories, that is the way
to go. They ain't cheap!
     If not, then unless you have four or five experienced electronic
and communications types with a room full of service monitors
and other commercial grade test equipment, the best thing to
do is to "write a check" for a system produced for amateur use.
The idea of building a state of the art system - or even just
the computer card for one - is no longer practical. Of course if
you just want to fool around and don't care how it works, then
you should please yourself. If on the other hand, you want a system
which you know will be up day after day and year after year, then I suggest you follow the above. My group which includes the aforementioned experts and equipment has built up a system which
we think is pretty great but it doesn't do half what some of
the new commercial systems in the back of QST or 73 magazine
now do. In addition it is a weekly maintennance job for three
or more men to keep it on the air. We do this because we think
it's fun but perhaps you would not. In brief, it is far easier
to raise a few thousand and put up a turnkey system than it
is to design, build, and maintain your own system. This is perhaps not what you would wish (nor do I) but it is the truth.
As to the system you should choose, I suggest you check locally
to see what other groups are running and go look at the stuff
yourself. Lots of luck! Bob