Brookline
145.16 (DStar)
Here is a photo of the the Brookline repeater equipment rack.

On the top is the D-Star gateway computer. In the rack you can see the ICOM RP2C DStar controller, the APC power management device used to cut power to the repeater in case of trouble, and finally the modified GE Mastr-II TX/RX (Modified to operate D-Star). To the right is the duplexer.



History of the 145.16 D-Star

The D-Star repeater was originally installed at the MMRA's MRE location on September 15, 2008. It started out as an ID-RP2C control unit and an ID-RP2000V RF unit on loan to the club from Bob Stone, N1KMA. On September 26, 2009, it was moved to the Prudential tower. However, the RP2000V did not perform well in the high-RF environment of Boston.

The DStar system in its original configuration. The box at the top of the rack is an APC remote power switch.
(right >)

The original Hustler G6-144B antenna.
(below v)



To improve the performance of the receiver, Harold, K3FG reconfigured a GE MastrII repeater for Dstar. The system was put back in operation on November 25, 2011. At the same time, a new Dstar Gateway, built and configured by Tom, W1NGS, was put into service.

This configuration also featured an analog mode - notice the SCOM 5K at the top of the rack. This was a true hybrid analog/D-Star system - whichever type of signal was active on the receiver input, the repeater would switch to that mode on the output.

The newer configuration with the Mastr II.
(right >)

We have also switched to a Diamond X30A antenna.
(below v).




The new configuration also had problems with the high-RF environment. The club decided to relocate the 146.82 analog repeater to the Prudential and place the D-Star system in Brookline. The system went live in Brookline on June 27th, 2013.


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