Simple, it is needed and long over due. But there is more to it than just that.
I see the need for open access to technologies and features that just do not exist widely in our area. Many features do not exist at all in the amateur radio service. Most certainly they are not all available from a single source. I believe that I have the ability to bring them all together for the benefit of the local amateur community.
The development of this system started with a number of initial goals. I have made most of the technical goals known. As time has progressed I have added a few additional goals as well. However, what I have not spoken much about is why I have undertaken these goals. Please take the time to read the following so that you get a better idea of why I have undertaken this pursuit.
As most everyone knows, I believe in open repeater systems, open for use by all, with all features shared as long as everyone uses common sense and abides by the systems operating recommendations and in compliance with FCC Part 97 rules. In other words, use it, but don't abuse it, moderation is key.
It is my plan to create such an open system with an open door policy for linking into the system by other repeaters in the Ocean and Monmouth county area. My goal is a system that will support normal day-to-day use and be available for those in ARES and RACES operations when an emergency situations develop.
These efforts all began prior to the September 11th, 2001 terrorist attacks on the U.S. However I am now more dedicated than ever to making this system happen as my contribution to the local amateur radio community.
It was over 20 years ago, when as a young man living in Sayreville, Middlesex County, NJ, that I participated in the ARRL National Traffic System (NTS) taking book traffic to and from 80m CW and 2m FM and later joined the Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Service (RACES) in Middlesex.
However, those public service pursuits did not provide me with a lot of real fulfillment from my participation. I also joined NAVY MARS (NNN0WWL), this was prior to the Beruit bombing, during that and other incidents of the times I felt a personal satisfaction from being able to provide a service to those in our military ranks serving our nation. I handled lots of book traffic and felt that I was actually doing something worthwhile via amateur radio. The MARS program still exists today, however the technology available today to our military service people makes MARS a lot less needed.
I have now grown to see the big picture since those years. I realized in the early 90's that we needed better communications systems for the local scene. I joined and started working with my local amateur radio club to improve and enhance its repeater systems to this end. Rather than just using the radio equipment and participating in and running nets, I choose to also get involved in maintaining the systems to be used for these communications and still do.
However the current times in which we live now make the Amateur Radio Service and ARES and RACES more important than ever on the home front. As I am no longer young and in the physical shape needed to go out and about in all kinds of weather this effort on my part to establish the communication network infrastructure is my contribution to our communities emergency capabilities. I am fortunate to have the technical ability and drive to pursue these goals. I am most fortunate to count among my friends and in our amateur community many others that feel the same as I do.
I feel strongly about having fully open, full featured repeater systems to serve the local amateur community that will be fun and interesting for daily use with all the possible features technology and budget will allow and will then be in place for emergency use. As a system that just exists for emergency use will most likely not be enhanced and maintained and be ready for emergency use. Take a look and listen to a local 2m OEM system that I shall leave nameless. I started down this path in 1991 when I decided to develop a 70cm ATV repeater system with a number of other like minded people. This project was to be an open system serving the Ocean-Momouth county area amateur community without any strings attached. Well things did not quite turn out as well as planned on that effort.
What a fun thing ATV is and what a valuable tool it could be for emergency communications. We planned and worked hard to make that system happen. I attended tons of meetings, made dozens of key contacts and wrote letters to lots of people, a great deal of paperwork was done, I solicited funds and donations for the needed equipment, secured the frequency coordination dealing with TSARC, what an adventure that was, I even became an appointed TSARC official for NNJ. Unfortunately we really screwed up and allowed the potential of that system to be diluted by getting in bed with Brookdale. The access to the 400 foot tower at the Brookdale location was to attractive to pass up and it tripped us all up. Yes that system still exists, but in my opinion it has basically became the play thing of one person and has never been properly utilized as originally planned.
I learned my lesson from that ATV repeater experience. It took me a number of years to refocus and get over the failure of that effort. I will not get into bed with any group and lose control of the key resources again. To make sure that these resources are shared with all that may be interested and kept open and that we stay in step with developments in technology, I will maintain control of the UHF linking hub and offer it for linking to all parties interested that agree to follow the technical interface parameter requirements I specify and operating guidelines and abide by FCC Part 97. This invitation is to any and ALL amateur radio repeater system owners, be they individual or club sponsored.
It would be just great if all repeater sites and club technical talent pools and treasury budgets allowed for Internet connectivity and computer/repeater integration, however this is not the case. So I have developed this concept and I am implementing thehardware to fulfil this concept to provide access to the latest technologies and allow wide coverage access as other repeater systems that have better repeater locations (which often preclude broadband access) and thus provide better radio coverage.
The goal is to provide good geographic coverage of both counties much better that just my one system could. As more and more systems link into the hub we will be able to provide uniform coverage of the entire Ocean-Monmouth county area for the benfit of the local amateur community.
Then with the addition of a New Jersey based IRLP Reflector, we will be able to link one node at the hub to the refelctor all the time with other nodes that come on-line around the state of New Jersey for a state wide emergency capability as well as enjoy the fun and excitement of daily chatter anywhere in the world that an IRLP node exists.
I am interesting in hearing comments from everyone, so please do not hesitate to e-mail me with your views and suggestions.
Sincerely,
/s/ Steve Hajducek, N2CKH
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Entire contents Copyright © 1999-2001 by Stephen B. Hajducek, N2CKH. All Rights Reserved Worldwide.