The 442.075 Peaks Knob repeater near Pulaski is back online.

The 443.300 Martinsville repeater is in stand-alone mode until we can resolve an issue with the link radio.

Derek
KD4ADL

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

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

The 443.425 Mt Airy repeater at Fisher Peak is off the link and in stand-alone mode.

We will update the website when it’s back on the system.

Derek
KD4ADL

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

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

The 443.500 repeater on Tobacco Row Mtn near Lynchburg is temporarily off the air for maintenance for at least 2-4 weeks.  We’ll have it back online ASAP.
Derek
KD4ADL

EchoLink node 8092 is back online again. Sorry for the extended down time.

The EchoLink system is now pointed to the VA hub repeater and is using a different internet provider.  There may be some adjustments necessary in the coming weeks, so please be patient.

73s

Derek
KD4ADL

With mixed emotions I announce that the Dallas 444.225 repeater is permanently off the air.  It has been in stand-alone mode for over 18 months due to some technical issues. Due to the site location (on a platform 850’ up a 1300’ tower), access has been an issue since we installed it, and we haven’t been able to perform preventative maintenance to the repeater.

Dallas 444.225 was one of the original HEARS repeaters for NC.  It is unfortunate to loose a site, but after much deliberation it was decided that it wasn’t serving a useful purpose in it’s current state and site access for continued upkeep would always be an issue.

Right now there are no plans to put the 444.225 repeater back on the air in the Dallas area.  We’re diligently working on getting the 444.175 Charlotte repeater back on the air.

Thanks everyone.

Derek
KD4ADL

The headline says it all.  The issue discovered last evening has been resolved.  Thanks for your patience.

Pictured here is a resident we encountered as we left the mountain Sunday evening.  Also pictured is the sign at the very path he crossed on the road.  According to the sign, he had the right-of-way.  🙂

Derek
KD4ADL