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Recently I noticed that I can access the WA7HJR (444.65MHz) repeater
on East Tiger, from my home in Mill Creek, with the Icom and Yaesu
handhelds at <b>0.1W</b>. Reports are that it is a bit scratchy,
but pumping the power all the way up to <b>0.5W</b> gives a
reported clean signal.<br>
<br>
OK, that's 70cm, not 5cm. However, I've long been able to access
KB7CNN (1292.2MHz) at the same site with <b>1W</b>.<br>
<br>
All antennae above are omni.<br>
<br>
Meanwhile, my connection to the Paine site has dropped in the last
month from -77dBm to -84dBm. If last year is any indication, I have
about 30 days until I lose the connection to Paine for another six
months. Originally I thought this was due to seasonal foliage
growth, but since reception didn't come back until late February, I
think it's something else. Just to one side (a couple hundred feet)
of my direct path to Paine, is a <b>huge</b> water tower just south
of 132nd Street, and I'm wondering if that was serving as a
reflector when it was full, and not so much as it emptied during the
summer (or maybe partially resonant or energy absorbing?), and not
refilled until the winter. That hypothesis fits the timeline better
than foliage ...<br>
<br>
Anyway, when I get the time this summer, I will try moving the 5shpn
& antenna to the south side of my house and try to connect to
the HamWAN site at East Tiger. Using Google Earth, I see that the
bearing from my house to East Tiger is 156 degrees. I also see that
the bearing to the Baldi site is 160 degrees, a <b>four degree</b>
difference. Google Earth's elevation plot shows a clear path to
both East TIger and Baldi, the latter path <b>barely</b> clearing
the terrain just west of East Tiger. VE2DBE's Radio Mobile Online (
<a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="http://www.ve2dbe.com/rmonline.html">http://www.ve2dbe.com/rmonline.html</a> ) plot agrees.<br>
<br>
This brings up the subject of common sector frequencies.
Theoretically, the narrow beam of my antenna dish (isn't it about 3
degrees?), coupled with East Tiger being only 28.3 miles away
compared to Baldi at 47.8 miles, I would think would resolve any
interference.<br>
<br>
Thoughts?<br>
<br>
<div class="moz-cite-prefix">On 2015-05-31 19:50, Bart Kus wrote:<br>
</div>
<blockquote cite="mid:556BC881.8070409@bartk.us" type="cite">We put
a new cell site on the air this weekend. It's @ East Tiger
Mountain, and radiating @ 240 degrees (Sector 3) only. It's
linked directly to the Tukwila datacenter, and has a second link
to Snohomish DEM ("Paine"), but that's not yet configured for
routing. This site is 1500ft higher than our existing Mirrormont
site, and will serve to replace it. It's superior location and
superior connectivity are a double-win. Mirrormont has been
re-configured to be on the Sector 2 frequency temporarily so as
not to conflict, but will go off the air at some point in the near
future. If you're in the coverage area try to give it a go and
report back!
<br>
<br>
--Bart
<br>
</blockquote>
<br>
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