The photo gallery has been updated with photos from several VA sites, including:

• Chestnut Knob near Martinsville
• Warm Springs Mtn near Clifton Forge
• Peaks Knob near Pulaski
• Poor Mtn near Roanoke

73s

Derek
KD4ADL

The Roanoke Poor Mtn 444.175 repeater is now using DPL 712.  Please update your radio programming to use DPL (DCS) code 712 for this repeater.

Most of the VA repeaters have been updated to DPL 712.  The one exception is the Clifton Forge 444.375 repeater.  It will be changed this summer.

73s
Derek
KD4ADL

The Martinsville 444.875 repeater has been updated and is now using DPL 712.

The Martinsville hospital 443.300 repeater is temporarily off the air for maintenance.  We plan to put it back on the air later in 2018.

73
Derek
KD4ADL

Due to interference issues with upside-down repeaters in Maryland, we are making a tone change to the VA repeaters.  Most VA repeaters will transition to DPL 712.  Several repeaters have already been changed this month.  As repeaters are updated, so is the info on the website sidebar.

PL 167.9 will remain for the next few months during the transition, but please update your radio programming to reflect the new DPL tone.

We hope this change will resolve this issue completely.

Thanks,
Derek
KD4ADL

Due in large part to significant help from Tucker WG8E, the 444.875 Chestnut Knob repeater is on-air near Martinsville, VA and linked to the VA network.

Cursory testing performed this evening shows mobile coverage north to the Henry/Franklin Co line on US 220, south to near the Greensboro airport, and west to Stuart.  Coverage along 220 in Franklin County is very sporadic due to the rolling hills.

This is the first addition to the Virginia side of the network in many years.  Our plans include adding the VHF & UHF repeaters at Farmville before the end of 2017, if weather & schedules allow.

Feel free to post any coverage reports for the new 444.875 Chestnut Knob repeater as a new post to this site.

Thanks & 73.
Derek
KD4ADL

All –
We have received word that our partner repeater on Walker Top Mountain in Morganton has elected to leave the network. Please keep this in mind if accessing in the area. The Jonas Ridge repeater provides significant coverage in most of the same areas.

Regards,
WG8E

The new Pulaski 442.075 repeater equipment has been installed and the repeater is linked to the network full-time.  The PL has also changed to 167.9.

Thanks to Tucker WG8E for configuring the repeater controller.

Next on the list is the installation of new repeaters at Martinsville & Farmville !

73’s
Derek
KD4ADL

The VA HEARS repeaters will be utilized for a Simulated Emergency Test: Operation Winter Fury on Saturday January 21st from 09:00-14:00.  We will separate the NC & VA systems during this exercise.

More info on the SET can be found at http://www.w4ghs.org/Winter-Fury-2016.html

Please give the amateur radio operators participating in the SET priority on the VA system Saturday.

Thanks,

Derek
KD4ADL

444.375 Warm Springs and 444.675 Dismal Peak repeaters in Virginia are back on the air and linked to the system.

Stay tuned – the 442.075 Peaks Knob repeater in Pulaski will soon be replaced with new equipment and linked to the system.  Hopefully by the end of 2016, if the weather cooperates.

Derek
KD4ADL

The Clifton Forge 444.375 repeater on Warm Springs Mtn. is temporarily off-air.  We are performing maintenance on the repeater system.  The maintenance also includes replacing the repeater antenna.

I’ll post here when this repeater is back on-line.

Derek
KD4ADL