Local repeater Scene

[W3WN]

I don't know if this is universal or just a local thing, but it used to be that outside of AM & PM rush hour, most of the local repeaters were dominated by retirees. Even when they weren't discussing their gall bladders and other body parts or functions, they monitored a lot. So if you were looking for a conversation, you could find one. And people passing through could get information pretty quickly.

The side effect was that once this relatively small group took hold, many other hams simply got out of the habit of operating 2 meters.

Sadly, most of them have either moved away or QSY'd to a different plane of existance. No one has stepped up to take their place. Factor in as well the explosion in internet traffic & use; many of those who might have stepped in have gone on to other things.

But it's a little cyclic as well. This too shall pass.

[KC2UGV]

I don't know if this is universal or just a local thing, but it used to be that outside of AM & PM rush hour, most of the local repeaters were dominated by retirees. Even when they weren't discussing their gall bladders and other body parts or functions, they monitored a lot. So if you were looking for a conversation, you could find one. And people passing through could get information pretty quickly.

The side effect was that once this relatively small group took hold, many other hams simply got out of the habit of operating 2 meters.

Sadly, most of them have either moved away or QSY'd to a different plane of existance. No one has stepped up to take their place. Factor in as well the explosion in internet traffic & use; many of those who might have stepped in have gone on to other things.

But it's a little cyclic as well. This too shall pass.

I think you're right. The problem: People aren't retiring in their 50's like they used to. Now, you're luck to be able to retire at 70. It's one reason however, that while mobile, if not actively talking, my rig is in scan mode so I can pick up a QSO with someone looking for one.

[NQ6U]

I've started using a 6m FM repeater a lot. It's linked up with other repeaters all over the southwestern U.S., so I can talk with people from Los Angeles to Texas. And since I can actually see the repeater's antenna from my shack, I can do it with the power on my rig turned all way down to about 5 watts.

[N8YX]

<soapbox>

The main problem(s) I've noticed with repeaters are the following:

- Too many "silverbacks";
- 'Private' machines which function as nothing more than a command-and-control network for the owner, his spouse and their family, all of whom got Tech tickets at Daddy's insistence;
- Hidebound traditionalism on the club machines.

</soapbox>

All of these segregationalists were granted their wish of privacy when most people in the area became fed up with the attitudes then left the cloistered, tightly controlled systems for FM simplex and/or weak-signal (SSB/CW/digital) modes. Of course, those machines which relied on "donations" (forced, coerced or otherwise) to stay on the air began to disappear one by one when nobody was left to pay the bills. The widescale adoption of the cell phone and the lessening of testing requirements (thus providing the prospective General or Extra a little easier path into HF) sealed the coffin...so to say.

Our simplex scene is hopping, and the remaining repeaters fall into two classes: Those whose owners have seen the writing on the wall and therefore run an "open" system, and those whose owners continue to hold to the old ways. For the latter, silence is golden. As in zip...zero...nada users. It might be your machine, Slappy, but there's nothing which states WE have to put up with your overly repressive attitude...so have fun listening to dead air.

[n2ize]

I had a nice chat tonight on the LIMARC (Long Island repeater) . had no problem reaching it on low power (1/2 watt) with the HT with the stock rubber ducky ant. We had a couple LI stations , myself, and a station up near Albany in a round table. Seems like a nice friendly group. Of course when I get tired of talking on 2 M I can listen to the local railroads, i.e, Metro North and the IRT subway. :) But nonetheless, over the years I have had some great conversations via the repeaters. I'd imagine that as time goes on more and more of those that insist on being "private" will go by the wayside and those that are more open and serve the amateur community at large will survive,.

[n2ize]

Our simplex scene is hopping, and the remaining repeaters fall into two classes: Those whose owners have seen the writing on the wall and therefore run an "open" system, and those whose owners continue to hold to the old ways. For the latter, silence is golden. As in zip...zero...nada users. It might be your machine, Slappy, but there's nothing which states WE have to put up with your overly repressive attitude...so have fun listening to dead air.

YES!! I have run into this back in the old days. There was a local 440 machine which was wide open but the owner really considered it a private machine. But, he let us use it but he didn't like us using it. One day he got nasty with us on the air and I told him to "go back to CB". The pinnacle whas when he confronted me in the hallway of a ham fest and saif "are you the guy who told me to go back to fucking CB ??". I take it he was ready for a physical altercation from the tone of his voice and so was I. My face was red and my teeth were gritted. Then he says, "well , use the repeater all you like but you really shouldn't tell me to go back to CB". The he said, "It's not you that I was really after but the other guy you were talking to". Yeah rrrrrright buddy o mine. I wallked away laughing.

[kb2vxa]

Reminds me of Mister Ego who had a 70cM repeater in Manhattan, a well paying job with ABC, VIP in the ARRL, you know the type and may even know him. Not only did he give me chuckles with his private not so private machine but when I saw him behind the ARRL table at a hamfest I could hardly keep from laughing in his face so I turned my back looking out at the scenery. Oh and BTW a friend from the club was standing back there too rolling his eyes. Thoughts in my head coalesced into Billy Joel providing background music only adding to the entertainment.

Because you had to be a big shot, didn't cha
You had to open up your mouth
You had to be a big shot, didn't cha
All your friends were so knocked out
You had to have the last word, last night
You know what everything's about
You had to have a white hot spotlight
You had to be a big shot last night

It only gets worse when you see it in the full light of day. (;->)

[W3WN]

The mention of the semi-private machines reminded me of something...

Back when my club was still the South Hills ARC, we used the 145.13 repeater that belonged to one of the founders, KA3EBX. Now I was just in the process of joining the group at the time this happened, but Jim had a habit of routinely changing the PL and the access codes, which made it difficult for some people to access the machine, needless to say.

People would call him, or one of the other founders (N3WX[SK]), to try and get the new codes or information, but would get ignored or rebuffed. Much later, we learned that both of these folks were going through some hard times (divorces amongst other things) and didn't want to be bothered.

So the club started using a different repeater, 146.955, that was co-owned by other club members (N3RNX, W3SRL, and I'm pretty sure there may have been others as well). 'EBX and 'WX didn't take this very well -- I guess they wanted to have it both ways, so to speak.

And this was the beginning of the split, which ended up with those two and two others leaving our group, taking the club name (South Hills ARC Inc.)and logo, and trying to leave us high and dry. Which is how the club got renamed as the Wireless Association of South Hills, and we've been thriving since.

The other guys? Well, they have a nice web site.

[WØTKX]

Well John, that repeater group has IRLP and Echolink. So Islanders could visit ya. Just let me know.

W2VL 146.850 -
IRLP node is: 4438; Echolink node is: 487981

W2KPQ 449.125 -
IRLP node is: 4969; Echolink node is: 500940

W2KPQ 147.375 +
This repeater is now in Selden for our Eastern Nassau & Suffolk County Members.
IRLP node is: 4478; Echolink node is: 503075

[KC2UGV]

The mention of the semi-private machines reminded me of something...

Back when my club was still the South Hills ARC, we used the 145.13 repeater that belonged to one of the founders, KA3EBX. Now I was just in the process of joining the group at the time this happened, but Jim had a habit of routinely changing the PL and the access codes, which made it difficult for some people to access the machine, needless to say.

People would call him, or one of the other founders (N3WX[SK]), to try and get the new codes or information, but would get ignored or rebuffed. Much later, we learned that both of these folks were going through some hard times (divorces amongst other things) and didn't want to be bothered.

So the club started using a different repeater, 146.955, that was co-owned by other club members (N3RNX, W3SRL, and I'm pretty sure there may have been others as well). 'EBX and 'WX didn't take this very well -- I guess they wanted to have it both ways, so to speak.

And this was the beginning of the split, which ended up with those two and two others leaving our group, taking the club name (South Hills ARC Inc.)and logo, and trying to leave us high and dry. Which is how the club got renamed as the Wireless Association of South Hills, and we've been thriving since.

The other guys? Well, they have a nice web site.

I prefer the new name... Gets to cover lots more ground. You guys could recruit people who do wireless remotes (AC and cars), Microwave Distance shooters, etc. Sky's the limit when you put "Wireless" instead of "Ham radio".