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WIRES-X Testing Underway

Due to antenna problems in my current apartment I’ve had to suspend my WIRES-X and Echolink experimentation. I’ll be moving to better space later this spring and may be able to resurrect my testing. Thanks to all who tried it out.

We are testing WIRES-X through a Remote Repeater Link on the 147.150 repeater starting on Jan 14. Since Jeff is using his personal FTM-400 the connection may be down from time to time. Until we get a new W9HSY account confirmed through Yaesu the repeater will alternately identify itself as W9HSY or KC9UNZ depending on whether it is the repeater identifying or my FMT-400 identifying. Also currently WIRES-X is operating only in FM mode NOT DIGITAL. It means we can’t experiment with the C4FM side of things yet but anybody with a normal FM hand held or bigger radio can play.

Currently our plan is to allow for experimentation on FM for a few weeks and then switch it out to Digital for a while to get the reactions. The way we are set up it appears until we set up a second remote radio that is set to Digital we are only able to link one mode at a time.

Here are a few things to note:

  • Connect to the repeater as you normally would. No special settings are necessary. (i.e. 147.150, PL 123.0, Split 0.6)
  • This will only work on FM
  • You will need a radio with a Keypad that can transmit DTMF tones when you key the mic.
  • Any connection you create will automatically disconnect in 10 minutes. You can always reconnect but we don’t want it to stay connected indefinately. Please remember however to disconnect (DTMF *) when you are done.
  • Some commands to remember
    • * – Disconnect
    • #66666 – Connection Status
    • Connecting to a room/node
      • #21080 – America Link
      • #21667 – Wisconsin Link
      • #62086 – If you are travelling and can connect to a WIRES-X repeater use this command to connect back to the Madison Repeater. (This number will change when the New Registration is complete)
  • A couple of helpful lists

If you have any questions send them to wires-x@w9hsy.org and we’ll see if we can answer them. And let’s chat about this on our Thursday MARA Net to share our experiences.

January 6, 2022

I don’t have the check-ins yet for this net meeting but you will want to listen to the ARRL Audio News for December 31, 2021. If you don’t want to listen to all of it go to about minute 6 where you will hear a shout out to the Madison Area Repeater Association!

ARRL Audio News for December 31, 2021

Madison Area Repeater Association January 2022 Membership Meeting

We are holding the January 2022 MARA Membership Meeting virtually again this month using Zoom. We will meet on January 10 at 7:30 PM. You can connect to the meeting using your computer, your smart phone or your plain old phone.  You should have received an email with the Zoom Connection information, if not please send an email to Treasurer@w9hsy.org with your name and Call Sign and he will send you a copy of the connection information. 

At this meeting we will be presenting the Financials for 2021 as well as the Budget for 2022 and nominations and election of officers for 2022. See you there.