Purposed Mud Bay Remote Site Repeater KL7SRK [Sitka Ham Amateur Radio Klub]
Note [This project was dropped, as
there is already a repeater at the Mud Bay site belonging to the USFS,
which can be accessed for emergency use.]
This document however contains useful data. 7 - 21 - 2018
Sitka Ham Amateur Radio Klub [SHARK]
SHARK, is a non profit
organization, which promotes Amateur radio services in Sitka Alaska,
administers testing for license, and conducts monthly meeting.
SHARK was organized in 2016 and has grown fairly fast. We have had 33
regular members and a board of 7 members. 8 hold Extra Class licenses.
We maintain a local net on two fixed UHF VHF frequencies each week, and participate on HF Nets all over the state.
We have a membership base of diverse people spread over the town in multiple locations, most with UHF VHF hand held radios, and two repeaters for local network communications.
One of our goals has been to establish the Amateur Radio Emergency
Service [ARES] in Sitka which can facilitate communications with our
Alaska ARES command centers to the North in a timely manner.
The Northern ARES centers have established connections with support
agencies, such as the State DOT, USCG, NAVY, Air force, National guard,
Red Cross, Forest Service, FEMA, and other agencies that can respond as
necessary during disasters.
Beyond this, we are also working to expand our "local backup
network" of members with UHF VHF hand held and mobile radios to support any local
needs during such times of diasaster level events where main stream
communications are down.
These local systems are supported with either battery back
up, small generators, or both, which can operate when conventional
wired services are down.
All such Amateur Radio participation is on a voluntary basis.
During times of normal operations each operator must be licensed. During times of emergency anyone can use these systems.
Scope:
Sitka lies very near open ocean to the West, with a major fault line passing just some miles off shore.
Many studies have been done to asses the risk to the communities
in Southeast Alaska for possible Tidal Wave damage, and Sitka has
been consistently listed as the highest risk community in Southeast,
due to the open ocean access from the North West side near the SeaMart
area. Any mariners will tell you if there is a swell off the ocean this
is a nasty area as the waves cross broadside to your travel path
towards the North inland passages. Halibut point road, and the areas on
that side of town are most at risk of loosing communications.
Evacuating to the school zones on that side of town should also be
reevaluated if possible, as this is a personal choice at present.
All of Sitka's major support
and utilities are approximately at sea level and very near the ocean,
airport, FAA tower, Police, Fire Hall, USCG
base, power generation stations,
telephone switching, long distance carriers, fiber optics feeds, cell
service feeds, NOAA weather radio feed, both radio stations, ATT site, and
all City of Sitka local radio communications repeaters.
It is likely that if Sitka experienced a severe Tsunami Tidal Wave
event, many if not all of these services may become non
functional for extended periods of time.
It is
noteworthy, a repeater site at 900 feet up may become the best chance for
maintaining a radio communications network locally during disasters such
as Earthquake or Tsunami events.
It was noted during the last land slide blocking Halibut point
road
access, which also took out power and telephone services, that several
of the responding hams, were not able to set up
communications with the end of Halibut point road rapidly, as would be
desired during such an event. Temporary relay had to be set up at
points between which took valuable time. While hams were the first to
get communication with the isolated area, it was a slow, labored
process.
This project is aimed at reducing that lost time, and being more prepared for such unexpected events.
Purposed is the placing of a repeater at the Mud Bay "sender
cone" site. Approximate Lat Lon 57° 9'10.22"N
135°38'46.68"W
Increasing the range of Amateur Radio Emergency Services [ARES] coverage
to the end of Halibut Point Road, surrounding water access routes, and inhabited islands to the North,
South, and West of Sitka.
Mud Bay is an ATT remote microwave site on Kruzof Island, elevation approximately 900 feet, at 14 miles from down town Sitka.
For many years it served Sitka as the only backbone route for long distance services and circuits into the area.
Now there is also a GCI underwater fiber route, which has gone out for
extended periods on at least two occasions since it was constructed,
during severe weather conditions.
The ATT site was again used during these times to maintain the only
Long Distance connection with the outside world. The wireless microwave
backbone has proven itself most reliable.
Partnership:
The City of Sitka has adopted the
NIMS organization methods, and aligned itself with the ICS [Incident Command
System Organization Structure].
Sitka Amateur Radio Emergency Services ARES may act as a
"resource" for the Incident Command System, and within the Logistics
Section as a "Communications Unit."
LEPC [Local Emergency Planning Comission], has been working with diasaster planning for Sitka and meets once a month.
The SHARK Sitka Ham Amateur Radio Klub was approached and queried if we
could begin taking the ICS courses and also build our systems with the
goals of wider more reliable coverage.
The SHARK group responded with a very strong turn out for the first
classes and certifications for ICS courses 100, 200, and 700, having
several of our local members already experienced in this.
We are thus now prepared for the possibility of locating a repeater
for this service at the ATT Mud Bay site as it would approximately
double our present coverage area for the 440 MHz band.
As our first repeater at higher elevation, we expect this to make us a more valued resource for emergency services.
Since ATT owns and maintains this site, they will become an
essential partner, to accomplish our goal, and this will
hinge on their decision to allow our repeater presence there.
Amateur equipment is privately owned, and operated as a voluntary
service during times of emergency, for which all Amateurs will observe
this as priority traffic.
Many Radio Amateurs today, are well trained in supporting local authorities in such situations.
Propagation Map
Distances:
Mud Bay to Sitka Downtown 14 miles
Mud Bay to Ferry Terminal 10 miles
Mud Bay to Peril Straight 32 miles
Mud Bay to Kanga Bay 22 miles
Technical :
This diagram outlines the basic equipment needs, as used in many
remote communication sites and was used to obtain the components below.
Repeater Equipment:
The following equipment is located in Sitka at 711 smc, and ready to be installed [5 - 3 - 2018] Dave Lowrance 747 - 8348.
Repeater
Motorola Radius GR1225 ~ 45 watts ERP
444.000 Mhz + Tone 167.9
Power 120 vac 5A Fuse
Why use a 440 mhz repeater and not a 2 meter one?
The duplexer cans are very small fitting inside the unit, and the noise
floor here in Sitka is much better on 70 cm then on the 2 meter band.
From local testing over distances in our area the 70cm band comes up as
a best choice. The 2 meter band has a history of interference from
other marine sources.
This simple Analog unit has been reliably in service for several years without failures to date.
It recovers reliably from power outages, although it has not been configured for battery operation.
Unit contains a duplexer slid into the left side from the rear with the cover removed.
An AC power unit, converting to 12 vdc, a cooling fan, and a UHF radio unit.
Rack Mounting Hardware
1) GR-1225 Rack Mounting Hardware - 19 " rack mounting solution.
1 ea 19" Relay Rack Shelf
2 ea 4U extenders
10 ea 1/2" 12 - 24 rack mounting screws
The extenders are optional and can be used to set the equipment forwards if necessary for space management or stability.
Antenna
2) Antenna Type and Model Diamond X50NA [5.6
feet tall, 3-5/8 wave, 7.2 db gain, rated for 135 mph
winds, Type-N connector]
Antenna Mounting Hardware for mast.
Transmission Line
3) Feed line - LMR 400 - N Male ends
200 feet LMR400 here on site coiled with N male ends.
5 each - N connectors with crimping tool, for custom lengths.
4) Lightening arrestor PolyPhaser N connectors
AC Power Surge Protection
5) AC Power Filter -Tripp-Lite Isobar 2-Outlet Surge Protector, with 6 foot cord.
Misc Support Equipment
6) Laptop with Windows XP for GR-1225 programming, with backup run file, will remain in Sitka.
7) Maintain data and photos of remote equipment for technical support.
Contacts:
Sitka Techs:
Todd Dokey
KL4EL 907 - 623 - 7266
justcallmebuddy@gmail.com [ARES command]
David Lowrance
AL5X 907 - 747 - 8348
libra_spirit@hotmail.com [Staging of Equipment 711 SMC Sitka, ARES support, Technical support]
Benjamin Downing KL2UF 907 - 747 - 8636 aikiben@gci.net [Technical support]
ATT Tech Juneau:
Jeffrey Deaner KL7JVD 907 - 723 - 8689 alaskaboy07@ak.net [Site Logistics]
Sitka SHARK Officers:
President Darryl
Ault AL7BW 907 - 738 - 4539 darrylault@yahoo.com
[KL7SRK Repeater License Trustee]
Vice President Benjamin Downing KL2UF 907 - 747 - 8636 aikiben@gci.ne
Secretary April Ault AL1V 907 - 738 - 4559 aaault@earthlink.net [Club Records]
Web Page Admin -
David Lowrance AL5X 907 - 747 - 8348 libra_spirit@hotmail.com
