From: Sam Sargent <n1sfm@yahoo.com>
Sent: Wednesday, September 6, 2023, 1:36 PM
To: Clayton N1VAU Ferry; Murphy P Bob N1KWH; Jim N1CRZ Robinton; Dave Worrall; Dave Megin; Cliff Dickinson; Justin Thibeault
Subject: Testing Liberty Hill repeater 9/5/23
Hello all,
Bob N1KWH, Clayton N1VAU & I enjoyed another pleasant B&B at T-Bones in LCI last evening. There was lots of good conversation. It was good to catch up.
Among the topics thoroughly discussed was the “Liberty” repeater 147.240+ (88.5 Hz) that has been installed on the tower that Clayton owns atop Liberty Hill in Gilford, NH. This machine is associated with the “603” radio club that Clayton & Rick Zack have established.
Since the NH Marathon race around Newfound Lake is scheduled for September 30th, I decided to drive home through Bristol and along Rt. 3A along the east shore of Newfound Lake. Communications between ham radio stations both at water stops and mobile units on the race course use a simplex 2M fx as much as possible. The race net control station is usually set up at Kelly park in Bristol near the start/finish line.
Hams stationed along the north end of the lake and at or near the halfway point near Sculptured Rocks in Groton, NH often have difficulty communicating with the race net control at Kelly park. Various schemes have been tried with various levels of success. Some hams have erected 2M antennas on tall poles, relay stations have been used and several repeaters have been tried. The 2M “Ossipee repeater” 147.030+ (88.5 Hz) has worked well along the marathon course and may be available to hams working the race this year. I let Dave KA1VJU the lead ham organizer for the race know that the Liberty repeater is on the air. He indicated that he would check it out.
I tested my ability to bring up the Liberty repeater at various locations as I drove the Marathon route on my way home. I used my trusty Yaesu FT8900 mobile radio at its full power. I am disappointed to report that I was unable to establish even minimal contact with the Liberty repeater after I passed the intersection of I93 and Rt. 104 heading towards Bristol. I had similar success as I checked into the repeater as I drove north on Rt. 3A. I regained scratchy contact with the repeater when I was on the Tenney Mt. Hwy (Rt. 25) near the Plymouth WalMart. IMHO the Liberty repeater will not be useful for hams working the NH Marathon.
I hope that someone connected with the ham radio support team for the NH Marathon will contact the hams who control the LRRA repeaters to ask if the 147.03 repeater will be available for use by hams working the NH Marathon.
I hope that you find this report to be useful.
73 Sam
N1OVA