Champlain Regional Repeater Association

owners & operators of amateur radio repeater

VE3STP

Serving the Heart of the Ottawa Valley since 1969

New tone controlled squelch requirement. 
See announcement section below—

Join our Mini Net every evening at 6:45 PM local time!  

Visitors are always welcome to check in and enjoy traditional Ottawa Valley hospitality.

Frequency: VE3STP can be heard on 147.060 Mhz and listens on 146.460 (ie. -0.600). A CTCSS (sub audible) tone—114.8 hz is required for access. VE3STP is an open 2 meter repeater whose frequency is coordinated by the SLVRC  under Renfrew County.  We support the Renfrew County Amateur Radio Emergency Services

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ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING 
OF THE 
CHAMPLAIN REGIONAL REPEATER ASSOCIATION

Saturday 29 May 2010 9:30am

Our Annual General Membership meeting was held again this year at the home of Mike, VA3TJP and XYL Shirley Anne. Our host and hostess, as in past years, served a wonderful breakfast to all present including several spouses and friends of members. After breakfast five members of our Association Executive and seven members in good standing met to discuss association business.

It has been a good year for VE3STP, the high light probably being the introduction of the 114.8 Hz. CTCSS tone requirement on the repeater input. This has eliminated the bothersome QRM we were receiving from distant stations on the same frequency.

Steve, VE3KEG asked to be replaced as Net Manager. Ed, VA3ED agreed to take over the position. Ed has moved from Renfrew to Ottawa and has not yet installed an antenna at the new QTH. He has, therefore, been unable to fill his usual Saturday night spot as Net Control for the Mini-Net. We are in dire need of a couple more Net Controllers. If you can take a night or fill in as a spare when needed, please get in touch with Ed or any of the other Net Controllers. Steve will continue as Web Master for <ve3stp.org.>.

You may have noticed that the repeater input sensitivity had diminished in recent weeks. Sandy, VE3AAC, the CRRA Technical Director, Allen, VE3JGU and Graham, VE3AMN traced the problem to the system diplexer. The unit was replaced with a realigned one. The repeater coverage has greatly improved.

While working to resolve this problem, attention was also given to the Packet Radio system operating from the repeater site. The system is now operational on 145.01 Mhz. It had been QRV on 145.05 Mhz.

We presently have fifty seven members with membership dues paid to 2009. At the AGM VA3TJP, Mike suggested that we give some kind of incentive to members in arrears to pay their dues. His motion that we hold a draw for a free membership was passed unanimously. Therefore, all who pay dues for 2010 before the first of September, including those already paid this year, will be automatically entered in a draw for a free 2011 membership. Send your twenty five dollar or forty dollar family fee to Treasurer VE3BRT, Brian Hick, 1118 Ebbs Bay Road, Carleton Place ON, K7C 3P1. If you are not sure of your membership status, you can find it on the web site. Click on “Check Your Membership Status” and enter Username <VE3STP> and Password <hamradio>. Be sure to use upper case for username and lower for the password.

Plans are under way for our annual VE3STP Corn Boil. It will be held at the home of VE3ZBZ, Dave in Calabogie on Sunday, 15 August. All are welcome .

Your executive is working hard to keep the association viable and to ensure that VE3STP maintains its reputation as a reliable source of ham radio communication throughout the Ottawa valley. We truly need your support.

Thanks — The Executive Committee

Menu Announcements Directors Activities Net Controllers  Links Annual Meeting Membership Corn Roast Past Executive Repeater Tech Stuff E-mail ARAS Call book Our History Humour CRRA Address

YEAR'S EVENTS The 2010 ANNUAL CORN ROAST will be held at the Residence of Dave Howell, VE3ZBZ Sunday 15 August 2010 2:00 - 5:00 pm EDT. in the Calabogie Peaks Village 12 Crestview. From Regional Road 508 (AKA Calabogie Rd.) west bound past the Calabogie Peaks ski hill turn right at the mailboxes onto Legree. Follow Legree up the hill then level to right bend and pull into yard. Talkin on STP

Echolink has been removed from VE3STP until further notice. 

Menu Announcements Directors Activities Net Controllers  Links Annual Meeting Membership Corn Roast Past Executive Repeater Tech Stuff E-mail ARAS Call book Our History Humour CRRA Address

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A recent breakfast 16 April 2008 - Rocky Mountain House Restaurant, Renfrew




Ed VA3ED, Doug KB2FID, Steve VE3KEG, Gil VE3BHA, Dave VE3LBO, Wayne VE3JSQ, Bill VE3TUC, Randy VA3RKS, Mike VA3TJP, John VE3DDN, and Ben VA3BES. Photo by Shirley-Anne.

Silent Key

Thankfully there are no silent key announcements at this time

VE3STP supports the ARES Renfrew East meeting 20051126

Youngest mininet controller. On Friday 26 December 2003 the mininet was run by Nathan MacIsaac VA3NCM, age 13, only several weeks after being assigned his certificate and call sign. Congratulations, Nathan! 

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Membership dues are payable in January. Yours would be appreciated if you have not already mailed your cheque. The annual fee is a modest $25.00, $40.00 for family (two or more hams). Additional donations will be gratefully received and well used to improve the serviceability of the repeater. Check your membership status

Our History

Activities

The Champlain Regional Repeater Association is not a "club" as such and limits activities to the following. Operating and maintaining amateur radio repeater VE3STP on Kennelly Mountain, at the East end of the Mt. St. Patrick range  Maintaining an executive committee and holding annual meetings of the membership Running the Mini-Net, a checkin net,  at 6:45 PM local time every evening. About 20 minutes.  Hosting an Annual General Meeting for members in the spring. Newcomers may sign up at this time.  Sponsoring a summer picnic - corn roast.  Acknowledging a breakfast eyeball QSO at 9:00 AM each Wednesday, presently in Renfrew (The Rocky Mountain House restaurant across Bruce St. from the Wendy's - Tim Horton's). Occasionally other sites are selected. Listen to the mini-net Tuesday night for this week's location. Suporting neighbouring ham adio groups and ARES activities maintaining a pool of amateur radio operators for civil emergencies where conventional communications may be inadequate or unavailable. The Champlain Regional Repeater Association is incorporated as a not-for-profit organization  under the laws of the Province of Ontario.

This was the motley crew for breakfast at the PJ Restaurant in Arnprior 9 Aprl 2003. Pictured are Rod VA3ZBB; Jim VA3EA; Betty VE3ZBB; John VE3DDN (STP Licensee); Art VA3LEY (CRRA Vice President); Ross VE3BTN; MarilynVE3BBO; Dave VE3ZBZ (CRRA Net Manager); Don VE3QLQ; Gil VE3BHA (CRRA Past President); Chuck VE3FEJ; Steve VE3KEG (CRRA President, tech director & web master); Clint VA3CLI; Bill VE3TUC (Then CRRA Secretary); Wally VE3GE; towering above Wally - Guy VE3WGL; and the photographer who runs faster than light - Ed VA3ED (CRRA Vice President). Click the image for a slightly larger and clearer version.

I guess the Sun's been shining on this web site because the pictures have faded.

CRRA BYLAWS

Membership

Although VE3STP is an open repeater, we urge regular users to contribute financially to our continued operation. Dues are $25.00 single and $40.00 family annually and are payable at the beginning of the calendar year. Members receive the right to raise motions, have voting rights on motions and the election of officers, the right to run for office and our perpetual gratitude.

Dues or other enquiries may be sent to:

The Champlain Regional Repeater Association
146 Victoria St.,
Arnprior ON K7S 1T8

Cheques may be made to "CRRA".

For general information email The Secretary 

For technical information or to make technical suggestions, email the technical director VE3KEG

Annual General Meeting

The AGM is held in May or June of each year. Every odd numbered year nominations for the election of officers are received. 

VE3STP Repeater Tech Stuff

System: The old setup at VE3STP uses a Harris Alpha 2000 series two meter repeater. The new machine is a Hamtronix REP-200T. They work into a Sinclair duplexer set (3 Tx and 4 Rx resonator cans) and on to an eight dipole vertically polarized co-linear array antenna. The antenna is mounted on a 68 ft self supporting Delhi tower whose base is embedded in a six foot cube of concrete.  Location of repeater. The gain in this antenna gives us an effective radiated power of several hundred watts. The receiver sensitivity at 146.46 Mhz. is better than 0.50 micro volt for full quieting (20 db) with 0.3 µvolt for a 12 db SINAD. The receiver is protected from the powerful transmitter signal by the duplexer whose role is to connect both receiver and transmitter to the antenna while isolating the receiver from the transmitter.  This is achieved with an array of cavity resonators. The setup also offers some protection from cross and inter modulation products arising from strong signals from a commercial VHF radio communications tower not far away. Transmit RF power is 20W (REP-200T) and 45W (Harris 2000). It is said that the antenna tends to favour the Ottawa-Carleton area but it has excellent general coverage.   Backup: Should the REP-200T fail, the Harris 2000 may be reconnected in minutes. Power Supply: The equipment is powered from a Texpro 13.5V 45A power supply which is backed up by a bank of 100 ampere hour liquid Nickel Cadmium batteries. The site is served by a lengthy private primary hydro line (7200 volt) and is the only customer on the secondary 240/120 volt three wire service connection to the shack.

Control: The old repeater  is controlled by a NHRC-4 repeater controller. The new machine has an on-board microprocessor which provides the identifier and various timing functions such as the tail length, identifier repeat timer and talk out timer. The timers and other repeater functions may be set up or controlled remotely through the use of DTMF tones. In the event of abuse, the repeater may be shut down remotely by a control operator. Also VE3STP has DTMF tone pass through suppression to prevent the copying of the tone control password and control codes. Voice announcements may be set into the machine. These may be played back by dialing four digits on a DTMF keypad 010* PL (CTCSS): A tone of 114.8 hz is required on your signal. The repeater transmist the same tone. Time out: There is an over talk timer that temporarily shuts down the repeater if an extended talker goes on and on. Time out is signaled by an "TO" in CW.  Auto patch: There is no auto patch facility at VE3STP___there is no phone line at or near the site. However the electronics is there and may be invoked with a DTMF * (star). This gives a steady carrier for test purposes. Reset is with # (pound). Linking: There is no linking between VE3STP and any other repeater. IRLP: There is no IRLP capability at VE3STP Safety and Grounding: The tower grounding system is enormous and effective and has weathered nature's assaults. The Shack: The equipment is stored in a rugged vandal resistant building with intrusion signaling over the repeater and a local loud horn. A buried power service cable and antenna cable completes the facility.

Mike Parris VA3TJP

Net Report at http://VE3STP.org/netreport

Backups: Doug KB2FID, Rob VA3AGN, Richard VA3BIX, Brian VE3BRT, Murray VE3IFP, Steve VE3KEG,
 Lewis VE3KKO, Tom VE3TJG, Betty VE3ZBB, Marilyn VE3ZYY

Preamble and Check in Sheet in .pdf  .doc .html

Some interesting links & other stuff

 

		Radio Amateurs of Canada
		ARAS Canadian Callbook
		Renfrew County Amateur Radio Emergency Services
		QRZ Homepage
		Hamrad - Neat Search Engines for Ham Items
		Quarter Century Wireless Associaton - Ottawa Chapter
		The VE3ZRR Renfrew Repeater Page
		The ARRL Web
		Saint Lawrence Valley Repeater Council
		Canadian Hams on the Internet Directory
		Ottawa Valley Mobile Radio Club
		VE2DM's King Size Ham Site

Canadian Callsign Data Base Amateur Certificate Fact Sheet Radio Spectrum Chart (PDF file) Canadian Table of Frequency Allocations (PDF file) The NATO phonetic alphabet: Alpha Bravo Charlie Delta Echo Foxtrot Golf Hotel India Juliet Kilo Lima Mike November Oscar Papa Quebec Romeo Sierra Tango Uniform Victor Whiskey Xray Yankee Zulu [This alphabet dates from about 1955 and is approved by the  International Civil Aviation Organization, the FAA and the  International Telecommunication Union] The International Morse Code used by Amateur Radio Operators a ·-  b -···  c -·-·  d -··  e ·  f ··-·  g --·  h ····  i ··  j ·---  k -·-  l ·-··  m --  n -·  o ---  p ·--·  q --·-  r ·-·  s ···  t -  u ··-  v ···-  w ·--  x -··-  y -·--  z --··  1 ·----  2 ··---  3 ···--  4 ····-  5 ·····  6 -····  7 --···  8  ---··  9 ----·  Ø -----  / (slash) -··-·  eom ·-·-·  terminate ···-·- eot -·- comma --··--  period ·-·-·- A Ø (zero) is sometimes symbolized with a single extra long dash __

Check out the new ham radio swapnet at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/hamswapnet/ managed by our Lewis VE3KKO

Some Neighbouring Repeaters in the Valley community

•  VE3YYX  Arnprior 443.200+5.000 CTCSS 136.5 IRLP 2910
•  VE3NRR Pembroke 146.760-0.600
•  VE3ZRR Renfrew 146.910-0.600 Echolink node 131218
•  VE3KJG Lavant Mountain 146.640-0.600 Linked to VE3RNU, Tweed 145.370
• Packet node 145.050 (not active).

• add yours here too!