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RULES PERTAINING TO CROSS-BAND LINKING - MUST READ BEFORE YOU SETUP A CROSS-BAND REPEATER INTO K-LINK

 

In situations pertaining to short term, non-regular use, supervised cross-band repeating (example, repeating from your mobile to a handheld inside a building)

1) Choose a link frequency that is in ARRL approved simplex FM band, and does not have noise or interference locally.  Do not use the calling frequency in that band.  Suggested frequencies are:

2) You MUST use CTCSS (PL) decode on your local link to prevent unwanted signals from interfering with the K-Link system.  This is non-negotiable.  Do NOT use tone 118.8hz.

3) If the cross band link will be active for more than two hours during a 24 hour period, the control operator must provide a phone number they can be reached.  Click here to email your info.

4) The placement and power level of your cross-band link should be such that your signal into K-Link is full quieting but low enough it can be overridden if needed.

 

In situations pertaining to long term, regular use, or unsupervised cross-band repeating:

Long term = longer than an 8 hour work shift

Regular use = more than 3 days in a 7 day period

Unsupervised = you cannot physically control or monitor the operation of the cross-band link

1)  You must contact the trustee or owner of the repeater you are linking into for permission prior to activation of the link.

2)  You must use CTCSS decode on your local link frequency as detailed in #2 above.

3)  Your 24 hour contact information must be on file by clicking here.

4)  Your link must be DTMF controllable from the K-Link network in the event we need to shut it down.  You are still responsible for the operation of your station.

5)  The placement and power level of your cross-band link should be such that your signal into K-Link is full quieting but low enough it can be overridden if needed.

 

TIP:  Use PL decode on the K-Link repeater frequency and you won't have to wait for the repeater to drop to answer a call.

 

ATTENTION ALL K-LINK REPEATER USERS:  Repeater Courtesy tones serve TWO important purposes:

    1) It allows stations with emergency or priority traffic to break into a conversation

    2) It resets the time-out timer on the repeaters

 

There has been an increase in occurrences of regular repeater users  "Tailgating", or not allowing the courtesy timer to expire.  It's not always necessary to let the repeater tail drop, but you should let the courtesy tone finish before transmitting.

 

Also, please remember this is a large link system.  You should key your microphone for one second before you speak if you want the other party to hear you.

 

Do NOT yell CONTACT to break into a conversation.  If you want to join a conversation, simply announce your callsign, or call another station if that's the purpose of your break.  If you don't have anything to add to an ongoing conversation, don't interrupt it.

 

If you are breaking for emergency or priority traffic, say BREAK + (your callsign) and wait briefly for somebody to acknowledge you.  Don't use BREAK for the purpose of joining a conversation.

 

1. To initiate contact, simply indicate that you are on frequency. For example, "This is NØUJQ monitoring." Or, "NØUJQ is listening." It is very likely that you will get a return call.

 

2. Identify legally. You must identify at the termination of your conversation and at least once each ten minutes. This also includes "kerchunking", which is irritating.

 

3. Tactical callsigns are fine, when needed, as long as a legal amateur ID is given as required.

 

4. BEFORE sending DTMF tones to access a link or repeater feature, announce your CALLSIGN and your INTENTIONS.

 

5. In calling another station, it is conventional to state the station to be called first, then your call, e.g., "N5NIQ, this is NØUJQ calling."

 

6. Pause for the courtesy tone after each transmission. If the courtesy tone is not present, pause anyway. This allows someone with emergency traffic; or someone wishing to make a call on the repeater; or other operators wishing to enter the exchange to be heard.

 

7. When you have an emergency and need to use the repeater, and it is in use, wait for a pause between exchanges and then use the pro-words "BREAK BREAK" and identify yourself. The other stations should acknowledge and stand by for you to complete your emergency transmission. On the repeater, the word "BREAK" should NOT be used to just enter the conversation.

 

8. When you wish to join an ongoing conversation, wait for the pause between exchanges and then say, your callsign--"NØUJQ", or your suffix--"UJQ". Then wait for one of the other stations to acknowledge you.

 

9. Keep your transmissions short and thoughtful, especially during the morning, noon, and evening drive times when more operators may need to use the repeater.

 

10. Remember, our area has many repeaters. If one repeater is active and you need to contact someone, or you expect someone to contact you, try the other repeater. With the new rigs having scan capabilities it is easy to monitor several frequencies at the "same" time. Choosing a simplex frequency among friends has gained some popularity. This practice frees-up the repeaters as well as making your conversation a bit more private like.

 

11. If your conversation is going to be long and the other station is within direct contact range, go to a simplex frequency. It is "more" like a private conversation than what the repeater produces. This also permits other stations, who require the repeater to make a contact.

 

12. Monitor the repeater to become familiar with any peculiarities in its operation. This is a good suggestion but don't be afraid to jump in and "get your feet wet" and enjoy the fun.

 

13. If possible, don't subject your contact to a noisy transmission if you can clear it up with a little more power. Some communications are marginal only because one operator likes to use the absolute minimum power.  Listening to somebody that is unnecessarily noisy is irritating to everybody who listens.  If you hear white noise on the repeater output, you should be running high power if possible.  There is absolutely no penalty for using full power at all times when using a repeater.

 

14. Don't break into a conversation unless you have something to add.

 

15. Respond to calls for assistance or just conversation. Our system is friendly. Let's keep it that way.

 

 

Repeater Owners that are considering joining K-Link - Please Read

Over the years we have all used various link systems throughout the country.  They all have different characteristics, some of them good, some bad.  The K-Link System has been designed to a set of standards to minimize the problems encountered with multi-hop half-duplex linking of repeaters.

 

If you are considering making your repeater available on the K-Link network, you should consider the following:

All repeaters on the system must use commercial grade antennas, preferably NOT fiberglass.  We strongly recommend using a DB224 on 2 meters, DB408 or DB420 on 440 repeaters.  The most common cause of static and noise on repeaters is a poor antenna system.

 

All repeaters on the system must use hardline, such as Andrew LDF4, LDF5, etc, on the main duplex antenna.  The link antenna feedlines should be good quality coax such as LMR400-DB as a minimum.  Coax being used on the duplex (repeater) antenna will likely cause duplex noise in the receiver.

 

You will be required to use an S-Com 7330 controller using our programming script, so that all DTMF codes within the system can be coordinated.  There are too many repeaters on the network to have "rogue" DTMF digits flying around.  The 7330 is a fabulous controller, with three independent ports priced at $475, shipped.  You cannot find a better controller for the money, anywhere.

 

Due to the fact that our hub repeater at Minneapolis is an Echolink node, we don't recommend running Echolink on any other repeater that is on the K-Link system.

 

All new repeaters being linked will be required to use PL decode for repeater and system access.  The repeater transmitter should also encode the PL tone when any RX path is active, this function is handled smoothly by the 7330.  This allows downstream link transceivers to decode the PL when users are talking and avoid having repeater tails and courtesy tones coming down the link system.  The idea here is that no matter which repeater you're on, it will sound like one repeater with a large coverage area, not a bunch of repeater tails dropping out at the end of every exchange.

 

The 7330 controllers also accept flat or deemphasized audio from any radio.  They also feature a build-in audio delay to eliminate the squelch crash from any or all receivers as needed.