I’ve been hearing a lot of chatter on the repeater system about personal AllStarLink nodes. It is great that so many people are interested in this very cool linking technology. It combines a lot of the power of DMR with the simplicity and fidelity of FM signals and has much better fidelity and network beavers than EchoLink.
One issue we are having to deal with is that sometimes node users are parking their devices on the 70cm digital and amateur television sub-bands and occasionally on coorindated repeater system inputs and outputs. While there is no “FM node specific” allocation in 70cm, here is what we know directly from SCRRBA:
440.000/445.000; 446.860/441.860; 446.880/441.880 may be used as pairs for a low-power duplex node or as separate simplex node frequencies. Please listen to these frequencies with low squelch settings and no CTCSS for a few days before permanently parking your node here to see if and how these frequencies are used. FM simplex nodes are best PL/CTCSS protected, especially if they are left connected to a busy system like the WIN System.
Definitely avoid 446.000 altogether. This is the National Calling Frequency for 70cm. 446.500 and 446.520 are “General Simplex” frequencies. Others many want to use these for simplex QSOs or other itinerant purposes so please don’t park your node on any of these three frequencies.
DMR and SystemFusion nodes like the OpenSpot and ZumSpot with digital emissions may be used on frequencies in 431 MHz range (read more about that here) but these frequencies are NOT appropriate for analog FM nodes and should be avoided for this purpose. Also, please avoid 432.00-439.99 as these frequencies are allocated to weak signal, Amateur Television and digital emissions.
See the official band plans for more details: http://www.scrrba.org/BandPlans/420-440.pdf http://www.scrrba.org/BandPlans/440-450.pdf
70cm is tough given the lack of simplex allocations. It’s a truly stuffed band but with your help and good operating practices, we can find a way to get along.
LCM
Levi C. Maaia, K6LCM Director at Large | K6TZ Trustee
Santa Barbara Amateur Radio Club Santa Barbara Wireless Foundation a 501(c)(3) nonprofit public benefit corporation
www.levimaaia.com | www.k6lcm.com +1.805.604.5384
