What is IRLP?

IRLP is the Internet Radio Linking Project. It is ham radio communications all over the world using the Internet to provide the link. One can talk to a Ham in Kotzebue, or a Ham in South Africa, right from you handheld radio in the comfort of your home, car, or bicycle! Or, if you prefer, you can call a Reflector, and you can talk to the Ham in Kotzebue AND the Ham in South Africa, at the same time.

IRLP came to Nome over 2 years ago. Recently, a change was made here to allow IRLP users a much friendlier to use system. The equipment all belongs to SPARC, and Nate Perkins, KL3NP, is the custodian/administrator for this system .

The IRLP "node" is nothing more than an older computer equipped with a Pentium II processor, a working hard drive, average RAM, a Soundblaster 16 sound card, video card, and an NIC. The computer has installed on its motherboard a proprietary IRLP card, and this is where the magic is made. Further equipment needed is a node radio (either 2 meter, 70cm, or 220 mgz), an antenna, and power supply. The computer NIC is plugged into a cable modem, hence the internet link. It basically works like this:
Transmitted audio from your radio is received by the node radio. The received audio is taken in and processed by the IRLP card as data....or packets, as they call it. This stream of data, or packets is digitally regenerated to the NIC, where it leaves the computer out on the Internet . Wherever you might be calling (user selectable), this data stream is earmarked for that specific site (relate it to sending an email to a friend...it only goes there). Once this data stream of packets is routed to its specific site, it comes in via the Internet connection there, where the IRLP card re-converts the data to audio, sends it out the sound card, where it is tapped and run to that nodes radio. The node radio transmitter is keyed, and your audio is played over the node radio. The whole process is repeated when the person you are calling returns his call to you.
You will not know you are not in the same town, perhaps the same building, talking. The audio is clear, the connection is solid, and there is very minimal delay, mostly not noticeable.

Currently, the IRLP node in Nome is a simplex node, meaning it hears and transmits on one frequency. It is not connected to a repeater. There has been an interest in putting it on a repeater so that more people can use it, pehaps those with camps further out of town. On a repeater with more power, the coverage area would increase immensely. SPARC has authorized the working group of the IRLP here to research the possibilty of using the old Maggiore VHF repeater currently sitting on the roadside at Goldengate, where it has been for the past 3 years, working fine as a stand alone repeater. It is not part of the normal SPARC linked repeater network. Presently, we are working on this project.

Please feel free to use the IRLP node in Nome, it is there for all Hams to enjoy! If you are new to the IRLP, I might suggest you tune in and listen for a bit, so you can get an idea of what it is all about. At any time, you many simply make a call for a QSO, or you may answer another Ham you might hear. Or, if there is no activity, you may simply dial up someone you wish to talk to, and do just that. A whole lot of information concerning and relating to IRLP can be seen on the Internet at http://www.irlp.net . With some looking, you will find the Nome node, number 3537, listed there. You will also notice there are nearly 2,000 nodes world-wide, most any of which you can talk to. The Nome node, #3537, is accessed on VHF 145.750 with a PL Tone of 97.4.
I can answer any questions you might have about IRLP, its use in Nome, and its great fun! Please call me at any time.

73, Nate Perkins, KL3NP

Meetings

Monthly Meetings are normally held on the last Monday evening of each month, 7 PM, at the Fire Hall. All persons with an interest in Ham Radio, licensed or not, are invited to attend.

SPARC Repeater Descriptions and Changes

URGENT: Several changes were made due to Maintenance considerations. Please see the Repeater listing below.

The "Unlinked Repeater" is standalone, and does not link to the rest of the system. It is there mainly for testing purposes."

The system hub is a Vertex (Yaesu) UHF repeater located at the FAA Outer Marker site about 4 miles east of Nome. This location has good reception from all the mountain repeaters and remote bases. The telephone patch is situated here. Colby Carter, KL0CR, has undertaken maintenance of the Vertex Controller and autopatch, assisting the SPARC custodian, Warren Little, KL0EF in this chore.

Within the City limits of Nome, and much easier to "hit" for those with handhelds, is a VHF repeater operating on the standard channel 146.94- (That is, the repeater transmits on 146.94 and listens -600 kHz down, or on 146.34).

The main rural area repeater for the Seward Peninsula is a Daniels Engineering unit at Mt. 3550, near Goldengate. This mountain is about 5 miles north of the Kougarok Road, milepost 51, also known as the "Goldengate." Frequency is 147.21 for repeater transmit, and 144.51 for repeater receive, or 147.21 -2.7. This is not a standard offset and you have to program it specially in any radio.

Operating with a transmit power of 30 watts VHF, and a breathtaking view of the central Seward Peninsula, it enjoys commanding coverage. It has been reported to work from the Nome, Kotzebue, Teller, Brevig Mission, Council and the Kougarok-Taylor areas. SPARC considers this repeater as our principal unit and we hope to replicate its functions at different mountaintops sometime in the future.

21 miles to the west of Nome is the site of our newest remote base; this one on a 1700 peak overlooking the critical Wooley Lagoon and Feather River area. It covers most, if not all, of the Teller Road. The site is operational now.

A second powerful, full fledged linked repeater operates 40 miles east of Nome, about 4 miles south of Skookum Pass. This mountain is known as Mt. 1700. Frequency is 147.27 offset -2.7. The operation of this repeater is identical to that one on Mt. 3550, but at a different location.

The top of Anvil mountain sports a full fledged linked repeater, currently at 147.15 -2.6. Please note that this is a temporary frequency assignment and the equipment may be taken out and deployed elsewhere. When that happens, we will advise on new frequencies for Anvil.

Wind Generator

Anvil Mountain sports a Southwest Windpower AIR 403 wind turbine. It is capable of 400 peak watts, 12 volts and has worked flawlesly since May 2002. It seems that while it had earlier troubles, the new, revised built-in shunt regulator has neatly cured all ailments. The voltage is purposely set low in order not to "boil" the batteries. Kudos to SWWP for this unit!

Update. In April 2003, sometime during a dark and evil night, the high wind gods attacked the wind generator. The entire hub/propeller/blade assembly flew off and ran along the ground like a rubber ball, breaking all blades. We are awaiting parts and repairs.

Ham Radio Licensing

In 2000 chages were made to the licence structure. Only the following new licenses are being issued by the FCC.

Technician -  No Morse Code Test, Element 2 Written test
              of 35 questions, of which 26 must be
              answered correctly.

General    -  Morse Code Test 5 WPM, Element 3 Written
              test of 35 questions, 26 of which must be
              answered correctly.

Extra      -  Morse Code Test 5 WPM, Element 4 Witten
              test of 50 questions, 37 to be answered
              correctly.
              

Each class of license must have qualified for the lower class before upgrading. Example, an Amateur Extra Class licensee must pass 5 WPM and elements 2, 3 and 4.

Ham Radio Exams

Next:   When required
Where:   KNOM Studios, Nome, AK
Info:   Tom 443-5221, Ramon 443-7575

Bring the following to the test:

Picture ID

Calculator and Pencil

Any present Ham Radio license

$12.00 testing fee - EXACT change, please!

All Exams are part of the W5YI National Examining Team. Applicants that pass the examination will have the results electronically posted to W5YI, and hence to the FCC.

Applicants upgrading an existing license receive instant credit and on-the-air authorization at the conclusion of the test session. New Hams that do not presently have a license will wait until the FCC issues it. Issuance of the license is reflected in the FCC database, you do not have to wait for the actual papers to arrive from FCC. See the link below for suitable Callsign databases.

Although SPARC is not affiliated with the Anchorage Amateur Radio Club, interested persons may want to check out their offerings with regards to examinations.

Call Sign Database

We recommend you use the QRZ System or the UALR Database to check for existing or new licenses.

Specifically, there is a daily listing of new hams at http://www.qrz.com/new_hams.html If you have been tested and are awaiting a license, check this site. You may operate as soon as your license appears on either page. Listings are alphabetical by last name.

Nome Chamber of Commerce
P.O. Box 250
Nome, AK. 99762

Old Federal Building, 110 W. Front Street, Suite 211.
Phone: (907) 443-3879, Fax: (907) 443-3892
Nome Chamber of Commerce Email