Jul 16

Support HEARS

We have set up a PayPal account to accept donations. Any donation is completely voluntary – there is still no membership fee or dues to utilize the HEARS network.   If you’re able to help out now, in the future, or both it will be appreciated.  If you wish to donate but don’t have PayPal, simply send an email to n4hrs.donations@gmail.com and we will give you the address to mail your donation. All funds collected will strictly be used to maintain the HEARS network beginning July 1, 2016.


For more info on what it takes to build & maintain a repeater network like HEARS, please visit the Support HEARS page.

Thank you.

Jul 15

Public Service Event, 444.625 Jonas Ridge Repeater

The 444.625 Jonas Ridge repeater will be in stand-alone mode for the day Saturday July 16th.  Dwight, W4DCD and other amateurs will be utilizing it’s wide coverage to assist with a foot race in the Jonas Ridge area.

Please give the amateur operators assisting with the foot race priority on the Jonas Ridge repeater Saturday.

Thanks,

Derek
KD4ADL

Mar 29

Mint Hill 444.825 repeater permanently off-air

After almost ten years on-air and one of the first repeaters in the HEARS network, the Mint Hill 444.825 repeater went off-air permanently this morning at 09:05.

Due to circumstances beyond our control, the repeater equipment was removed from the site.  The antennas will be removed later this week and deconstruction of the tower is planned for the next 60 days.

Thank you to the many people & organizations that helped with the initial repeater installation in 2006 & with the continued maintenance over the years.  Special thanks to Tucker Sizemore WG8E for managing the site over the last few years.

Mint Hill 444.825 was an amazing repeater, overlooking SE Mecklenburg and NW Union counties from almost 400′ above ground, providing portable coverage in both downtown Monroe & uptown Charlotte.  We are working on an alternative site now and will make every effort to bring the 444.825 repeater back on-air in the same area.  As details are available, we will post them here.

Efforts are underway to bring the 444.225 repeater back on-air in Charlotte.  When it’s live again, we’ll update this website.

Thanks,

Derek
KD4ADL

Jul 26

VA repeaters off-air

The Pulaski Peaks Knob 442.075 repeater and the Pearisburg Dismal Peak 444.675 repeater are off-air.

We’re working on resolutions and hope to have them both back on the air ASAP.  We’ll update here when they’re back online.

Derek
KD4ADL

May 25

VA Hub repeater back online; VA & NC connected

The VA hub repeater is back online and the VA & NC repeaters are once again linked together.

Thanks to Tucker WG8E and Chris K4AES for making a day trip to VA to help restore the links.

Also a minor issue was corrected at Fisher Peak and the 443.425 repeater is back to full power and linked to the system.

73
Derek
KD4ADL

Apr 05

VA Hub repeater offline

The VA hub repeater at Poor Mtn is offline. Right now there is no ETA for repair.

With the hub repeater offline, all VA repeaters are in stand-alone mode.  Also the link to NC is down.

This does not affect the NC repeaters. They are still linked as usual.

The nightly net will not be heard in VA due to the outage.

I’ll post an update ASAP.

Derek
KD4ADL

Jan 06

Happy 2015! VA repeater updates

Happy New Year!  Hopefully 2015 will be a positive & prosperous year, filled with lots of radio communications fun!

Friday evening maintenance was performed on the Clifton Forge Warm Springs Mtn 444.375 repeater.

Late Saturday evening the Lynchburg Tobacco Row 443.500 UHF repeater was brought back online. Multiple issues were resolved, including audio alignment and replacement of an antenna that was struck by lightning. Preliminary testing shows 4 watt portable coverage from inside a vehicle in most places around Lynchburg/Madison Heights/Forest area. If you have the chance to use the 443.500 Lynchburg repeater, feel free to post your coverage experiences to the HEARS website.

Also Sunday afternoon we did a full PM on the Roanoke CHRV 444.275 repeater atop the old Community Hospital at 581/Elm Ave. With audio levels aligned, duplexer retuned, and power levels checked, the 444.275 repeater is in much better shape. It can be linked to the system if needed, but due to redundant coverage from both Tinker Mtn 444.475 & Poor Mtn 444.175, it is in stand-alone mode.

Depending on weather and work schedules, next up we’ll tackle the Martinsville 443.300 repeater.

Thanks to Tucker Sizemore WG8E for his time and expertise in helping accomplish so much last weekend.

73’s
See you on the nightly net

Derek
KD4ADL