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Recent NI4CE Repeater System News, Events and Information
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In case you missed the NXDN Forum at TampaBay Hamfest
The West Central Florida Group, Inc. and NI4CE presented a NXDN Digital Radio
Forum at the 37th Annual TampaBay Hamfest with over 60 people in attendance. The NXDN Forum featured a LIVE demonstration of NXDN Digital Radio, Radio
Programming Tips and information and a Question and Answer session.
NI4CE operates a dedicated NXDN Digital Repeater on 444.425 / 449.425 MHz - RAN
1 from our site in Riverview. NI4CE-NXDN Riverview is connected to the NXDN
Worldwide Network. NXDN mode is also available on demand through the NI4CE
442.950 / 447.950 MHz repeater at Verna and the 443.450 / 448.450 MHz Holiday
repeater.
The PowerPoint presentation is available
here in case you missed the Forum.
To join the NI4CE-NXDN-Users Google Group, send an email to
info@ni4ce.org to
request membership. It's FREE!
73 de NI4CE
The West Central Florida Group, Inc.
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Intentional Interference on the NI4CE
Repeater System
As you may know, the NI4CE Repeater System has recently become the target of one
or more individuals who are interfering with the normal operation of the system.
These transmissions have included extended periods of kerchunking, DTMF tones
and audio not authorized for transmission under Part 97 rules. In all cases, the
person(s) responsible refuse to identify their station, also a violation of FCC
rules.
The target of these illegal transmissions has been the 443.450 repeater in
Holiday. The frequency of this activity has noticeably increased since the
146.64 repeater was removed from service earlier this month.
We want you to know this activity has been brought to the attention of the FCC
Field Office in Tampa. A case file has been opened by the Enforcement Division
at our request. At the same time, our technical crew has been collecting
recordings of these malicious transmissions and other data that will assist the
FCC with locating and prosecuting the individual(s) responsible for this abuse.
These illegal transmissions have made it increasingly difficult to monitor the
NI4CE system as well as use the system for legal two-way communications. Please
know if the end game for this individual(s) is a termination of service on
443.450 to the Amateur Radio community, it is not going to happen.
One last item….there has been a swirl of rumors predicting the imminent loss of
the Holiday site for the 443.450 repeater. We have had two lengthy discussions
with our host, Clear Channel Communications, Inc. They have indicated they have
no current plans to ask the West Central Florida Group, Inc, to turn off our
repeater and vacate the tower site.
Very 73,
Paul Toth-NB9X
President
West Central Florida Group, Inc.
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NI4CE Digital Repeater now in service
A new, fulltime NXDN Repeater went into service on Sunday, March
11, 2012 on 444.425 MHz (RAN=1). This new NI4CE Digital Repeater replaces the
NI4CE D-Star repeater which had operated from the Riverview site for several
years. At the same time, the NI4CE 442.550 MHz repeater at Riverview becomes a
fulltime analog-only voice repeater.
The new 444.425 repeater provides fulltime NXDN digital voice and text service
to operators in Hillsborough, Manatee, Pasco, Pinellas and Polk Counties.
Additionally, on-demand NXDN digital voice and text service is available via the
442.950 Verna repeater and 443.450 Holiday repeater.
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NI4CE Supports SKYWARN
The NI4CE Repeater Network continues to support the National Weather Service
SKYWARN severe weather spotter program. Join the weekly SKYWARN Information Net
each Tuesday evening at 9:00 PM EDT. SKYWARN Severe Weather Nets will be
conducted on the system whenever severe weather threatens the NWS-Ruskin
Operational Area. These Nets enable the timely issuance of severe weather
warnings and the delivery of spotter information directly to WX4TOR at the
National Weather Service.
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NI4CE-NXDN-Users Group
Get your questions answered about the NI4CE System's new digital mode, NXDN, by
signing up for the NICE-NXDN-Users Group forum on Google Group. It’s Fun! It’s
Informational! And it’s FREE! To find out more about NXDN digital Talk, Text and
Track, join now. Send an email to subscribe-ni4ce-nxdn-users@googlegroups.com
and get answers to your NXDN questions on the ARRL West Central Florida Section
Tech Net, every Thursday evening at 9:00 PM ET on the NI4CE Amateur Repeater
Network.
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A non-profit, 501(c)(3) organization to promote Amateur Radio and Emergency Communications on Florida's West Coast