[aprssig] Coverage on Natchez Trace in TN

[Sean Jewett]

On Sun, 8 May 2005, Richard Montgomery wrote:

> That is a dead zone through there. If the Columbia 'relay' only digi was 
> changed to the new paradigm, you would probably have a lot more I-65 
> coverage.

Couple of things.  Though it says the Columbia digi is RELAY only, it was
promoted to full WIDE (and IIRC, n-n) status a long time ago.  We never
bothered to change the btext.  That said, last I heard the antenna
situation on that digi was less than optimal and I suspect that is still
the case.  Thus, even doing the new paradigm will not help.  When that
antenna situation is fixed it will be better.

Furthermore, the digi in Franklin conforms to the new paradigm.  

We're going to get these digi's changed over as time allows.  
Unfortunately with Dayton around the corner and some other obligations 
some of us don't have the time.  It's been less than 6 months since Bob 
said we should drop n-n and then turned around and said we should drop 
RELAY and WIDE.  These are changes we cannot be expected to make 
overnight.  Bottom line is that they'll play nice as is though yes, 
they're not optimal.  They support n-n and soon enough they'll drop 
support for WIDE and RELAY.  

> An antenna is also all we need to get the N4CRT-1 digi back on the air 
> in Hickman Co.

Is that at the same site as it was before or is this a different site?  
The site where it was at was great, but last I heard it could not go back 
there.  Is that still the case?  That was a good digi when it was on the 
air.

> I'm mostly interested in ending the dead zone from West 
> TN to Nashville on I-40 and this digi would do just that. But it should 
> also cover the north end of Natchez Trace.

That would be good, from what I understand it did a good job covering 
portions of the Trace.  Unfortunately what little tower space we know of 
exists out that way is either commercial or already has 2m amateur gear on 
it (and due to politics, probably not a situation we'd want to be involved 
in).  

As soon as I can come up with a reasonable antenna I'll get the Waynesboro 
site on the air.  If I could find the sweet spot between price and quality 
(hah) then I'd work on getting the antenna on the tower.  

As it stands I may go ahead and put something up down there to tie us over 
until the real antenna can go up.  It's a pretty high spot for the area, 
high enough that I can get a packet out when I park my car at the site.  

Sean...

--
The punk rock will get you if the government don't get you first.
	--Old 97's
_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_
KG4NRC  http://www.rimboy.com  Your source for the crap you know you need.