[Danial Beard]

Just what it says.   The long awaited Master Channel Plan — subject to shakedown cruise adjustments.

If you have suggestions, either contact me directly or list them (along with rationale) here.

 

Thank you!

 

[Danial Beard]

WORKING PLAN!

This is subject to burn-in bugs and adjustments.   Please let me know if there are issues.

Even numbered channels are repeater channels. The next highest numerical channel (Odd numbered) is always the preceding repeater’s output frequency – programmed as a simplex channel.

Repeater inputs should NEVER be included in the channel structure as a simplex channel or option. Other than as a duplex portion of the repeater channel, repeater inputs should be completely ignored.

The 2m repeaters should be programmed in memories 1~10, with non-paired simplexes in 11~ 20. Unused channels are to be left intentionally blank. Channel One is a selected default TACTICAL channel – TAC-1

The 70cm repeaters should be programmed in memories 21~30, and 70cm simplex frequencies in memories 31~40.* Any unused frequencies are to be left intentionally blank. Channel 21 is a selected default TACTICAL channel – TAC-2    *(Currently channels 31~40 are unused, and in reserve, but leave them un-programmed in the event more channels are added.)*

All simplex and tactical channels are to be programmed at the radio’s maximum power.

All repeater channels are to be programmed at the radio’s middle power level.

A specific chosen channel (16 on my radios) will always be programmed with local NOAA configured and locked to RX ONLY.

ANY radios distributed by the club to new members (Door Prizes, etc.) MUST be pre-programmed with the Master Channel Plan, and recipient warned against deleting or altering those channels.

Licensed Amateur Radio operators may, of course, choose to do as they will with their own gear, but if they are going to be included in any emergency responses, their gear must have the first (40) channels programmed in compliance with the master channel plan, or be prepared to leave it in the vehicle and use a club temporarily assigned pre-programmed transceiver during the exercise or incident.

 

**(Currently there are three(3) DTAC programmed in various places.   This is deliberate.   Please include them in their current places.)** 

DIGITAL TRANSMISSIONS MUST NOT BE USED ON ALL SIMPLEX CHANNELS, RRV REPEATERS CHANNELS OR TACTICAL CHANNELS UNLESS SPECIFICALLY INSTRUCTED TO DO SO — PER INCIDENT — BY THE INCIDENT COMMANDER OR NET CONTROLLER!

The fundamental principle here is K.I.S.S. and interoperability.   Due to these exigencies, we will function at the most basic level.   Not everyone has digital capable gear.

RRVARC Master Channel Plan:

Channels:

Number/Name          TX          RX          CTCSS I/O          WATTS          SCAN

(0)    DTAC 1          445.000          445.000           100.0 / 100.0          High          NO   (on some radios)

(1)     TAC 1              146.480          146.480          100.0 / 100.0          High          YES

(2)    RRV-2         146.160          146.760           203.5 / 203.5          Med          YES

(3)    RRV-2-O     146.760          146.760          203.5 / 203.5          High          YES

(4)    KI5DX-2      144.530          145.130           100.0 / 100.0             Med          NO

(5)    KI5DX-2-O   145.130          145.130          100.0 /100.0             High          NO

(6)    Cville-2     147.940          147.340        100.0 / 100.0          High          NO

(7)   Cville-2-O  147.340          147.340        100.0 / 100.0          High          NO

(8)   MtVern-2      147.920          147.320          151.4 / 151.4           High          NO

(9)   MtVern-2-O 147.320          147.320           151.4 / 151.4          High          NO

(10)     _LEAVE CHANNEL BLANK_

(11)   SIM-1      146.580          146.580          100.0 / 0          High          NO

(12)    _LEAVE CHANNEL BLANK_

(13)    SIM-2    147.540          147.540          100.0 / 0          High          NO

(14)    _LEAVE CHANNEL BLANK_

(15)   SIM-3     146.520          146.520          100.0 / 0          High          NO

(16)  NOAA      162.550     NO TX ALLOWED    0 /0          NO TX      NO

(17)   _LEAVE CHANNEL BLANK_

(18)  _LEAVE CHANNEL BLANK_

(19)  _LEAVE CHANNEL BLANK_

(20)  DTAC 2   432.200        432.200          100.0 / 100.0          High          NO

(21)   TAC 2     444.600        444.600          100.0 / 100.0          High          YES

(22)  RRV-70   449.500        444.500          114.8 / 0           Med           YES

(23) RRV-70-O    444.500    444.500          114.8 / 0          High          YES

(24)  KI5DX-70   449.475     444.475          100.0 / 100.0          Med          NO

(25)  DX-70-O     444.475     444.475          100.0 / 100.0          High         NO

(26)  _LEAVE CHANNEL BLANK_

(27)  _LEAVE CHANNEL BLANK_

(28)   DTAC-1     445.000      445.000          100.0 / 100.0         High          NO

(29)   DTAC-2    432.200      432.200          100.0 / 100.0          High         NO

(30)   DTAC-3     446.200     446.200          100.0 / 100.0         High          NO

(31)    _LEAVE CHANNEL BLANK_

(32)   PURLY-R    449.950     444.950           151.4  / 151.4           Med          NO

(33)   PURLY-O    444.950    444.950            151.4 / 0                  High        NO

 

 

(EDITS MAY OCCUR.    CHECK BACK FREQUENTLY.)

 

 

 

 

 

 

• This reply was modified 3 years, 6 months ago by Danial Beard.
• This reply was modified 3 years, 6 months ago by Danial Beard.
• This reply was modified 3 years, 6 months ago by Danial Beard. Reason: Corrections
• This reply was modified 3 years, 6 months ago by Danial Beard.
• This reply was modified 3 years, 6 months ago by Danial Beard. Reason: CORRECTION OF CHANNEL 4+5 PL tones
• This reply was modified 3 years, 5 months ago by Danial Beard.
• This reply was modified 3 years, 5 months ago by Danial Beard.
• This reply was modified 3 years, 5 months ago by Danial Beard.
• This reply was modified 1 year, 9 months ago by Danial Beard. Reason: Correct erroneous channel 2 info and addition of channel 32 and 33

[Danial Beard]

BUMP!

(This post is to bump this back into the current mix, and back onto the main page links.)

[Charles Penry]

This channel plan looks like it will work well with the free 2m talkies we got the other day from the fine folks at MTC.

Just put the 2m frequencies in the channel slots as listed and leave the 70cm channels open or put whatever you want in them.

Then start at the upper channels for your other VHF stuff.

Thanks Danial for the great channel plan!

 

Charles WA5VHU

[Leo Salas]

I was getting ready to include the Master Channel Plan in the EOC Radios and noticed some things. Dan asked me to post here to he can check on them and get additional input.

Possible errors to Master Channel Plan:
Legend: (Channel) Name, TX, RX, T/TSQL, PWR, SCAN (As currently listed in the plan)

(4) KI5DX-2, 145.530, 144.130, 100.0/100.0, Med, NO
This is a non-standard and non-coordinated repeater pair, non-conforming to the FCC recognized Texas VHF-FM Society policies of 2 meter repeater coordinations. It involves 2 simplex frequencies per the ARRL/NTX VHF-FM Society 2-meter band plan. (144.130 is in the EME and weak-signal SSB part of the band-plan).

(5) KI5DX-2-O, 145.130, 145.130, 100.0/100.0, High, NO
This frequency is designated to coordinated Dallas W5FC as a RACES/ARES Repeater and would not be coordinated to anywhere in Lamar County due to infringement of the 90-mile separation requirements of the Texas VHF-FM Society Repeater Coordination policies. (https://www.txvhffm.org/coordination/bandplan.php)

(6) Cville-2, 147.940, 147.340, 100.0/100.0, High, NO
(7) Cville-2-O, 147.340, 147.340, 100.0/100.0, High, NO
147.340/147.940 is a coordinated repeater pair to Paris, TX under KA5RLK and is supposed to be located at Airwaves Communications, not Clarksville. The move of 147.340 was done without TX VHF-FM Society Authorization. (See http://www.txvhffm.org for current coordination information).

(20) DTAC2, 432.200, 432.200, 100.0/100.0, High, NO
Should be low power only as it is the ARRL Band Plan for Mixed Mode Weak Signal

(21) TAC 2, 444.600, 444.600, 100.0/100.0, High, YES
This is NBFM Repeater Output and should not be used for simplex reasons. (https://www.txvhffm.org/coordination/bandplan.php)

(29) is same as (20) duplicate listing

(30) 446.200, 446.200, 100.0/100.0, High, No
This is a One-Way Links (Ph. II) (split site repeaters) frequency per the Band Plan and should be changed. (https://www.txvhffm.org/coordination/bandplan.php)

I may be wrong, but this is my personal interpretation of the ARRL and Texas VHF-FM Society North Texas Band Plans as posted on their respective websites.

More work should be done to coordinate, fix & add additional surrounding counties as it seems those west and southwest of us were left off this Master Plan. When I was in the EOC I frequently assisted Fannin and Hunt Counties due to being outside the affected area and getting forewarnings of what was to come was appreciated by the local EMCs.

Thanks you for your input on this too!

73s – Leo, N5JEP

[Danial Beard]

Okey dokey.

(4)  Holy pickle juice!   TNX for the heads-up.   Operator headspace whilst typing is my only excuse.   Numbers corrected.

(5)  Our goal was to use operational repeaters in emergencies.   At the time, this machine was up and running and functional county wide.   It is no longer so, but is included here as a place holder until the machine either comes back on line or another candidate raises it’s head.   If you know of one, please list it below and we can make those changes.

(6&7)  Cville was also up and operational when this was created.   Now … not so much.   Same comments as above on (5).

(20)  Oops!   Ayup.   Duplicate.   My bad.   Please subtract this channel.  (LEAVE INTENTIONALLY BLANK)

(29)  Again, this channel is to be used in this configuration during emergencies only.   Most of us know this, but the programming is intended to provide maximum performance under difficult circumstances.   Any other possible channel suggestions are most welcome.

(30)  Please Find me a better one.

I may be wrong, but this is my personal interpretation of the ARRL and Texas VHF-FM Society North Texas Band Plans as posted on their respective websites.

More work should be done to coordinate, fix & add additional surrounding counties as it seems those west and southwest of us were left off this Master Plan. When I was in the EOC I frequently assisted Fannin and Hunt Counties due to being outside the affected area and getting forewarnings of what was to come was appreciated by the local EMCs.

 

See post below.

 

 

 

 

• This reply was modified 1 year, 9 months ago by Danial Beard.

[Danial Beard]

Heads-up!

This would be a real good time for folks to slip on their big-girl panties, and unplug tender egos and put the auto-severe butt-hurt factor on hold for a while.

PART ONE:

I came before the club in late August of 2021 and proposed this MCP, complete with a presentation on rationale and all details except the channel assignments. At that meeting, I asked generally and a few specifically to do a repeater survey and a survey of tactical (simplex) channel suggestions and options. Getting some feedback from a few people, I collated what I had gotten, and considered the TAC channels which had been suggested. Then I went to work on the plan indicated above.

At every step of the way, I have asked for suggestions, criticisms and detailed discussion. You’re welcome to scroll up the page and view the results. Note the posting dates.

Also note that at each and every meeting which I was able to attend in the intervening two years, I asked for constructive research and input. In fact some folks got a little tired of hearing about it.

Now note today’s date.

Leo’s post above is the first and most effective feedback I’ve gotten on this. Thank the charms of little green stinkbugs this has not yet been carved in stone down at the EOC. We caught it in time. That said … a whole lot of people DO already have this programmed into their radios. Obviously those are going to be subject to change.

That all being said, this. Honestly, I really don’t give two hoots in hell who gets credit for what. Just as long as the job gets done, and gets done with a modicum of accuracy. I’m also real big on turn-key-packages.

In short … Thank you for the first solid homework here, Leo! But, as usual, no deed ever goes unpunished. Please put your heads together folks, and considering the needs we have, the harmonics involved, the nature of what we are trying to do, and with survivability, interoperability and longevity in mind — PLEASE OFFER DETAILED SUGGESTIONS! Aka, list the freqs, channels, rationale, and tell us WHY. We are up against a deadline. I need this before April 1, 2024. Non-negotialble.

Now, with that all out of the way, on to the following.

 

PART TWO: (Buckle up, this is going to be kind of a rough ride.)

Now hear this.

Please note that I am absolutely and acutely aware there are folks in the community who think (and probably rightfully so) that I should not have nor be in the position of EC. Honestly, I can’t argue with that. For some pretty well known reasons, I got off to a slow and what might be kindly called an inauspicious start. It would also be safe to say I didn’t and don’t come at this from an Amatuer-Radio-first perspective. My experience and training came from the other side of the EM equation. I can also count/recount and duly log the OJT and orientation meetings I got offered coming into this thing on the thumbs of my left testicle. That being what it is, the blunt bottom line is, I shouldn’t be having to re-invent, re-engineer, re-orient and then attemp to resell *any* of this — up to and including keeping the designated emergency repeater at the lowest ccommon denominator and free of assorted whizzbangs, blitzingiggles, doopadads and other cute but generally unhelpful-in-a-crisis feldergarb.

That said, if anyone has a better idea, and would like to take this position away from me, just step the frack up and show me what you’ve got! Alternatively, if you can’t do that, go talk straight to Steve, KG5VK, and ask him to therewith, forthwith and immediately fire my happy arse with all due alacrity! I will then gladly defer to those who are wiser and more qualified than I … provided they will step up and can meet the BFOQs.

 

PART THREE:

I’ve asked several people and groups to help out with some things. Please see if you can make some progress on those issues. Don’t try to do it alone. Work together and work in groups. This is a communications medium and one man alone can do squat! Whereas a committee is the only thing known to mankind with more than six feet … but no brain, collaborative teams are a whole ‘nuther kettle of fish.

Closing for now.

Dan (EC)

[Danial Beard]

ADDITIONS TO THE MCP!

Please update your MCP programming to include:

Channels:  All 4 of these should be programmed at medium or high power due to distances from the repeaters.

18 — RX= 147.135    TX= 147.735  CTCSS/PL Encode 67  Decode 67  ID BrknBw-R

19 — RX= 147.135    TX= 147.135  CTCSS/PL  Encode 67  Decode (0)  ID BrknBw-O

32 — RX= 444.950   TX= 449.950 CTCSS/PL Encode 151.4  Decode 151.4  ID Purly-R

33 — RX= 444.950 TX= 444.950 CTCSS/PL   Encode 151.4  Decode (0) ID Purly-O

 

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