KARS Repeaters, IRLP,
APRS and DX Cluster

---

Pictured at left is the KARS (146.94 mHz) repeater system tower.
This system has a tremendous coverage footprint.
The repeater is now a new Motorola Quantar.

100 watt transmitter.

S-COM Industries Controller
Commercial audio mixer.

Phone patch for member use.
911 feature direct to Kankakee County Police.
Commercial generator power back-up system.

The receive antennas at the top are 4-bay ASP folded dipoles at 430 feet.

Transmit antennas are two 4-bay ASP folded dipoles at 325 feet fed in phase on opposing sides of the tower to ensure an omni pattern.

W9AZ (146.94 mHz) Motorola 2m Quantar Repeater pictured below

The 440 machine is an ICOM repeater
but changes are in the works with a Micor UHF system
and will incorporate an IRLP interface.

100 watt Mirage amplifier.

S-COM Industries Controller

Phone patch for member use.
911 feature direct to Kankakee County Police.

The antennas are 16-bay ASP folded dipoles at 300 feet.

Feedline is Heliax.
 

W9AZ-15 has been ON THE AIR since (Jan 11, 2001) from the big tower at Governors State University, operated by AK9F.

Operating on 144.390 mHz. and transmitting from an antenna at the 440 foot level of the tower, the signal can be heard over a very large area of Northeast Illinois and Northwest Indiana.  It is about full-scale on my handheld here in Kankakee, about 26 airline miles from the tower.

Our appreciation goes out to Gary, KA9MNX (AI4JA) for really spear-heading the effort to provide this service under the KARS banner.

73,  Howard  - AK9F

Try these great APRS Software Links below, download the latest APRS software.
G4IDE's "UI-VIEW"
Download SV2AGW's Packet Engine to run through your sound card instead of a TNC.
The SOUND CARD PACKET Web Site by KC2RLM is by far the best informational site for the latest downloads and how to install APRS Software for use with a Sound Card. Use of AGW software is spelled out VERY WELL by KC2RLM.
KARS highly recommends UI-VIEW and AGW.
An alternative is to give WIN-APRS a try at the
Tucson Amateur Packet Radio (TAPR) Home Page
 

KARS RF DX Packet Cluster pictured below
145.53 mHz
Running the very latest version of Windows© based AR CLUSTER©.

Use this AR Cluster© On-Line Users Manual
The AR Cluster© Users Manual is local here at w9az.com - "Click Here"

W9YNI, W9ZRX and K9NR.
Pictured above are Ken W9YNI, Dave W9ZRX and Don K9NR.
(W9ZRX drove all the way up from Indianapolis to set up the W9AZ AR Cluster)
Thanks so much Dave.  We realize you have saved us weeks of experimentation to "get it right!"
This state of the art system at 300 feet features a direct T-1 connection via high speed spread spectrum link.

ClusterMaster
  Written by Tony I0JX
ClusterMaster operates in MS Windows© 3.1 / 95 and 98
(((Download no longer available))).

ClusterMaster connects from your TNC
and/or via Telnet On-Line!

Keeping ClusterMaster updated
the most recent PREFIXES.TBL file dated 01 January 2008
the most recent DXCC.TBL file dated 01 January 2008

Click Here for I0JX Web Site at QSL.NET
or
Click Here for I0JX Web Site at Geocites
 

XMLog, now at version 4.96
  Written by Michael McAmis W1ECT
XMLog is an amateur radio logbook system for Windows and Windows NT. 
There is no charge for using XMLog and no limitation on its distribution.
Permission to distribute XMLog for profit is prohibited. 

XMLog Features:
- Flexible log searching
- Awards tracking
- Callbook lookups
- Label printing
- Log importing
- Packet Window
- PacketCluster Spots
- CW keyboard
- CW messages
- Internet

Download XMLog here
Click Here for W1ECT's XMLog

N1MM Free Contest Logger
 The N1MM Logger is a freeware program designed to do contest logging and some general logging.
It is not a general logging program with award tracking etc. but is mainly a contest logging program.
Check the Features listing.

- All major HF Contests are supported including General DX logging, DXpedition, DXSatellit and VHFdx.
- Uses sound card for DVK but also DVK interface for W9XT & other DVK's.
- Contact recording to wav files. Right-click on log entry to play back.
- RTTY support for MMTTY, HAL DXP38 and other external TNC's (like PK-232)
- PSK31 and PSK63 support.
- The main windows (Entry Window, Log, Bandmaps, Packet, Check, Multipliers, Score Summary, Info, Available Mults and Q's and the Digital Interfaces) are non-modal. That is, you can interact with any of them without having to close the last window used.
- Radio interface to support radios from Kenwood, many Yaesu (for example: FT-1000, FT-1000MP, FT-990, FT-920 and more), Icom, Tentec Orion and Elecraft.
- Click on packet spot in packet window to tune to that frequency/mode.
- Packet & Telnet support - spots from both automatically update the band maps.
- CW sending from the keyboard.
- Generation of CW via USB to serial converter.
- Winkey support (Serial CW keyer by K1EL).
- Two radio support. Two VFO support when using one radio. One VFO/Bandmap.
- LPT port functionality to control antenna switches, radio selected, and PTT (95/98/ME/NT/2000/XP).
- Cabrillo export support.
- ADIF import/export support.
- Two monitor support (Requires Win 98 or better).
- HF including WARC and 60 meter support, VHF and up support.
- SO2R/SO2V support.
- Many more features were not mentioned here, check out the N1MM.COM web site.
Download your free copy of N1MM Free Contest Logger today!

The software above are all "freeware" written and distributed in the true spirit of amateur radio.
Our thanks to the authors...