K-Link Tips and Tricks
Repeater Offsets
Occasionally when somebody is programming repeater frequencies into a radio, they will ask what the offset is. Luckily, in Kansas we have a standardized band plan for 2 meters and 70 centimeters. So:
- Repeaters with outputs below 147.000 MHz are negative (-) 600 kHz offset.
- Repeaters with outputs at and above 147.000 MHz are positive (+) 600 kHz offset.
- All 70 centimeter repeaters (in Kansas) have a positive (+) 5 MHz offset. Kansas does not coordinate “upside-down” repeater channels.
How to “quietly monitor” the system (in most cases):
- On our 440 repeaters, you can monitor the repeater traffic without hearing the ID’s and squelch crashes by using your Tone Squelch (CTCSS / PL) decode feature on your radios. This will enable you to hear only voice traffic, plus any top-of-the-hour messages that play over the entire system.
- On most of our 2 meter repeaters, you can use the Tone Squelch feature on your radios to eliminate the squelch crash on your radios. We utilize reverse-burst to quietly mute your receivers. (NOTE: Osborne 147.375 does not encode a PL tone, and Riley 146.685 does not have reverse-burst capability but DOES encode 162.2.
- The hub controllers are programmed to never send hourly announcements after 11pm or before 6:30am.
Why do I hear long bursts of noise on the Minneapolis 444.850 repeater?
The Minneapolis 444.850 repeater is a digital-capable Yaesu DR-1X repeater. If you are hearing what sounds like squelch noise on the output, that is a digital voice conversation. To eliminate hearing this noise on your radio, turn on your CTCSS decoder (Tone Squelch) to 162.2hz. You will still hear all analog calls.
If you would like to join in on the fun with Yaesu’s System Fusion digital system, check out Yaesu’s selection of digtal radios.