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From: don@oakhill.UUCP (Don Weiss)
Newsgroups: net.ham-radio
Subject: Re: the cactus net
Message-ID: <666@oakhill.UUCP>
Date: Thu, 20-Mar-86 15:55:34 EST
Article-I.D.: oakhill.666
Posted: Thu Mar 20 15:55:34 1986
Date-Received: Sun, 23-Mar-86 11:15:09 EST
References: <144@ky2d-2.UUCP> <506@ssc-bee.UUCP>
Reply-To: don@oakhill.UUCP (Don Weiss)
Distribution: na
Organization: The Ixian Chipworks, Oak Hill, Texas
Lines: 26

Since I haven't seen any description of the Cactus system yet, I thought
I'd tell y'all what I know about it.

The Cactus Intertie is a consortium of individuals and groups in California,
Arizona, and New Mexico, who operate a large network of 440-MHz linked 
repeaters.  Each site has a controller that is actuated by TouchTones [TM]
and can be addressed from anywhere in the system.

The system has a linear topology, which stretches from central California
(near Sacramento, I believe) through about 14 stations, to El Paso.

Each station has local access through a repeater (usually 440 MHz), and many
stations have remote bases, most of which are 2 meters and some of which have
remotely controllable beam antennas.

The effort and expense of building and maintaining the network have been so
immense that participation is limited to those who can put up substantial time
and funds; it follows that they generally run the local access channels in
closed mode (i.e., CTCSS).  I have not heard any evidence of the pugnacious
attitude attributed to the other California system mentioned.

A friend of mine here in Austin helped to duplicate this system while living
in Florida (The 'Gator' interconnect system) and is now spearheading similar
efforts here in Texas (The 'Armadillo' interconnect system).

73 DE Don KB5PM