WVARC Repeater Operations
WVARC repeaters are shared club resources. Good operating practice keeps them useful, welcoming, and available for everyone—from new operators making their first contact to scheduled nets and emergency traffic.
Listen before transmitting, identify properly, leave room for other stations, and help us know when something does not sound or operate correctly.
Repeater Operating Guidelines
Listen First
Before transmitting, listen long enough to make sure the repeater is not already in use. Leave a short pause between transmissions so another station can enter the conversation or pass priority traffic.
Share the Repeater
Keep transmissions reasonable and avoid monopolizing the repeater. Give other operators room to participate and keep conversations courteous. The original WVARC guidance also asks operators to avoid controversial topics such as religion, sex, or politics.
Identify — Don’t Kerchunk
“Kerchunking” is briefly keying and releasing the push-to-talk without identifying. If you are checking repeater access, key up long enough to identify with your call sign and say that you are testing.
WVARC Repeaters & Connected Systems
When reporting a problem, please identify the repeater or connected service you were using. That helps the Technical Committee narrow down where the problem may be occurring.
NY7S — Del Webb
147.300 MHz (+)
PL 162.2 Hz
FM
Remote access is also available through AllStar 63916 and EchoLink NY7S-R / 598882.
W7JHQ — Boswell
449.800 MHz (-)
PL 100.0 Hz
Fusion & FM
System Fusion users can also identify WIRES-X room 81854 when describing an issue.
Interference and Jamming of Club Repeaters
If Interference Starts
If a QSO or net experiences unwanted interference, operators should either tolerate it or sign off.
Keep It Short
If continuing operations, keep transmissions short and leave several seconds of space after the repeater drops.
Do Not Speculate
Do not discuss or speculate about the source of interference over the air.
Unidentified Transmissions
Unidentified transmissions may violate the FCC 10-minute identification rule and could constitute intentional interference or other illegal activity.
It May Be Accidental
Keep in mind that interference is often unintentional, such as a stuck microphone, low monitor volume, or other operator error.
Technical Committee
The Technical Committee will document incidents and, if necessary, refer them to the FCC.
NEVER ENGAGE A JAMMER
Do not argue with, respond to, or acknowledge a suspected jammer over the air.
Offensive or Illegal Content
If interference includes racial, sexual, profane, vulgar, or otherwise illegal content, properly identify your station and discontinue operation.
Document the Incident
Please send the Technical Committee the date, time, repeater or connected service involved, and any other relevant details about the incident.
Report a Repeater Issue
If you hear or experience a problem with a WVARC repeater or connected service, please email the head of the Technical Committee. A short, specific report is much more useful than “the repeater is broken.”
Please Include
- Your call sign
- The repeater, node, or service affected
- Date and approximate Arizona time
- What you heard or what failed
- Your general location
- Whether you were using RF, AllStar, EchoLink, or WIRES-X
Helpful Details
Examples include no audio, weak or distorted audio, unusual noise, intermittent operation, inability to access the repeater, a stuck carrier, intentional or suspected interference, or a problem that only occurs through one remote-access method.
If the problem has already cleared, please report it anyway. The time and symptoms may help identify an intermittent issue or document a pattern of interference.
n7yo@westvalleyarc.com