"Are unused 70 centimeter repeater pairs essentially
nonexistent along the Wasatch Front?"
Not quite yet - there are getting to be very few of them. It should be remembered that the coordination of repeaters is a complicated task and expecting a simple answer that adequately answers the question is unrealistic.
Purpose of this page:
The frequency coordinator is often asked by an amateur for a 70 centimeter repeater pair for use along the Wasatch Front, only to be told that few are available. Understandably, this has led to some disappointment, confusion, and (in some cases) resentment. To some, it may even appear that the frequencies are simply being hoarded by certain groups or individuals. While this latter point is debatable - depending upon your point of view - there are some factors that one should be aware of before holding too tightly to such beliefs.
First of all, effectively coordinating repeaters is not trivial. A few of the factors that need to be considered are:
It is only fair that, as repeater pairs become more scarce, first consideration will be given to a group that will put a repeater in the best location to serve the greatest number of people. As can be seen from the list, there are already numerous low-level repeaters along the Wasatch Front and less consideration will be given to those who wish to put up "yet another repeater" that is intended to be used primarily as a "private" channel among friends.
There are a number of repeater pairs that are
intended solely for "low-level" (local) use in a particular
community, often for emergency communications purposes by
bona-fide groups. In many of these cases, frequency re-use
allows several geographically-separated repeaters to operate on
the same frequency with little or no interference - particularly
if appropriate steps are taken to minimize any problems that
might appear including directional repeater antennas, low power
that is adequate to cover the intended, local area, and the use
of subaudible tones on both receive and transmit.
How are existing pairs being used?
For 70 centimeters, the public databases (refer to the online repeater list as well as the Utah Bandplan page) online shows those frequencies being used for repeater pairs. However, the listings for the 222 MHz and 440 MHz bands do NOT show the frequencies used for numerous primary control and auxiliary operations (which are illegal on 2 meters and below, by the way) are not listed.
Needless to say, a simple listing of repeaters does not tell the entire story. For example, even if a pair isn't being used for a link of some sort, it may not be clear that a pair is "unused" because of a repeater in another state or because it is off the air until a mountaintop site may be accessed. Overlap potential is also not obvious in a simple listing.
To help answer some of these questions, what
follows is a list of 70 cm repeater pair, and how it is being
used along the Wasatch Front. This list does not
provide extensive details of repeaters in adjacent states or
areas outside the Wasatch Front that can affect coordination
decisions in Utah.
About those pairs shown as being "Not Available for Repeater Use":
PLEASE READ THE FOLLOWING:
The list below shows numerous entries simply marked as being "Not Available for Repeater Use." You might ask what those are being used for - and you'd be correct in doing so.
The answer to this is not so simple, however: Many of these frequencies are being used for control receivers, linking, or auxiliary stations. Because of the potentially sensitive nature of the operation of these stations, their details are not made public. If you wish, you may listen to these frequencies and discern their use on your own, but just because you don't hear anything there, do not assume that they are not used! If, for example, the frequency was used for a control receiver input, it may be extremely unlikely that you will ever hear anything there at all - unless the repeater's control operator just happens to issue a control command while you are listening! For some repeaters, months or years may go by without the need of the primary control receiver - but, as you know, FCC rules regarding repeater operation require that such a control mechanism exists. Remember: Repeaters on bands below 222 MHz cannot have their primary control link on a band below 222 MHz!
What about moving some of the people out of the repeater band?
It may occur to you that many pairs are being occupied by links, control receivers, and other auxiliary services that could easily be placed elsewhere on 70cm.
It should be remembered that many of these frequencies have been used for the current purpose for several decades - back when there were relatively few 2 meter repeaters, and almost no-one was even on 70cm! In some cases, only one frequency of a repeater pair was assigned - and only this single frequency is being used. While this might seem to be a waste of resources (and, frankly, it may be in some cases) the current occupant has little reason to move frequencies just for the heck of it - and certainly, no legal impetus, either.
In some cases, moving frequencies may be as simple as getting new crystals for the radios involved. In other cases, however, the task is much more expensive: The radio may have to be replaced in its entirety in order to operate at the new frequency, cavities and filters need to be retuned (or, in some cases, replaced!) and antennas may need to be added and/or replaced as well.
Over the past 10-15 years for new installations, the "valuable" real-estate in the "repeater portion" of the band is not being used for things like control and auxiliary operations unless there is a good technical reason to do so! Nevertheless, it may be possible to work with the frequency coordinator and find a user that is willing to "upgrade" their system and make a pair available. It should be remembered, however, that you (that is, the person or group making this request) may end up footing at least part of the bill for new crystals, radios, antennas, etc. to make this happen!
What is the "Wasatch Front?"
It should be pointed out that the definition
of "Wasatch Front" is somewhat elastic - it means different
things to different people at different times.
In this document "Wasatch Front"
refers to the area encompassed by Great Salt Lake Valley (e.g.
Salt Lake, Davis, Weber, and Box Elder counties) from just north
of the Idaho border and down south, encompassing all of Utah
Valley. It also is understood to include the Cache, Heber,
Park City, Tooele, Cedar and Morgan County valleys.
For more information on usage of VHF frequencies, see the 2 meter pair utilization web page.
Note: In the Utah area, a negative (- 5 MHz) offset is used for ALL 70 cm repeaters.
Remember: This list is applicable only for those locations along the Wasatch Front!
An up-to-date repeater list may be found online here.
Output Frequency (MHz) |
|
(May not include significant overlap in secondary coverage areas.) |
447.000* | Low-Level, Payson, Draper, Logan | Utah, Salt Lake, Davis, Weber, Cache |
447.025# | Low-Level, Salt Lake area | Salt Lake |
447.050* | Low-Level, Clinton, Saratoga Springs | Davis, Weber, Box Elder, Salt Lake Utah |
447.075 | Low-Level, Salem, West Point | Utah, Weber, Davis, Box Elder |
447.100 | High-Level, Monticello (Low-Level, Draper) |
San Juan, Garfield, Kane, Grand, Wayne (Salt Lake, Davis, Weber) |
447.125* | High-Level, Cedar Mountain (Low-Level, Payson, Riverside) | Carbon, Emory, Grand, Wasatch (Utah, Box Elder, Weber, Davis) |
447.150 | High-Level, Salina (Low-Level, Clearfield) | Sevier (Davis, Weber, Box Elder) |
447.175 | Low-Level, Salt Lake | Salt Lake, Davis |
447.200# | High-Level, Antelope Island | Davis, Weber, Salt Lake, Box Elder, Tooele. |
447.225 | Low-Level, Bountiful | Davis |
447.250 | Medium-Level, Salt Lake | Salt Lake, Davis |
447.275 | Low-Level, Orem | Utah |
447.300 | Low-Level, Woodland Hills | Utah |
447.325 | Low-Level, Springville | Utah |
447.350 | High-Level, Promontory (Low level Gunnison) | Box Elder, Davis, Weber, Salt Lake, Cache (Sanpete) |
447.375 | Low-Level, Bountiful, Logan | Davis, Weber, Box Elder Cache |
447.400 | High-Level, Teats Peak, Monticello | Utah, Juab, Sanpete, San Juan, Grand, Garfield, Kane |
447.425 | Low-Level, Provo | Utah |
447.450 | High-Level, Monroe Peak | Juab, Garfield, Utah |
447.475 | Low-Level, Springville | Utah |
447.500 | Medium-Level, Park City | Summit |
447.525 | Low-Level, Salt Lake | Salt Lake |
447.550 | Not available for repeater use | - |
447.575 | Low-Level, West Jordan (Portable emergency) | Salt Lake (All of Utah) |
447.600* | Medium Level, Lehi (Low-Level, Eden) | Utah, Salt Lake, Davis, Weber (Cache) |
447.625 | High Level, Castledale (Low-Level, Murray) | Carbon, Emory, Grand (Salt Lake, Davis) |
447.650 | Low-Level, Bountiful | Davis |
447.675 | Low-Level, Saratoga Springs | Utah |
447.700 | High-Level, Castledale (Low-Level, Salt Lake) | Carbon, Emory, Grand (Salt Lake, Davis) |
447.725 | Low-Level, Highland |
Utah |
447.750 | Low-Level, West Jordan |
Salt Lake, Davis, Weber |
447.775# | High-Level, Powder Mtn. | Morgan, Cache, Weber |
447.800 | 447.800 Simplex - Not available for repeater use | - |
447.825 | 447.825 Simplex - Not available for repeater use | - |
447.850# | High-Level, near Richfield. - Not available for repeater use (447.850 used for Simplex along Wasatch Front) | Sanpete, Utah (Simplex - Wasatch Front) |
447.875# | Low-Level, Sandy | Salt Lake, Davis, Weber |
447.900# | High-Level, Curry Pk. | Salt Lake, Tooele, Utah, Davis, Weber, Box Elder |
447.925 | Medium-Level, Tremonton | Box Elder, Davis, Weber |
447.950* | High-Level, Hurricane (Low-Level Cedar City, Murray, Ogden, Paradise) |
Washington (Beaver, Iron, Salt Lake, Davis, Weber, Box Elder, Cache) |
447.975* | Low-Level, Provo, Logan | Utah, Cache |
448.000 | Medum-Level, Salt Lake | Salt Lake, Utah, Tooele |
448.025 | Low-Level, Payson | Utah |
448.050 | Low-Level, Salt Lake | Salt Lake, Davis, Weber |
448.075 | High-Level, Cedar Mtn., Salt Lake | Carbon, Emory, Grand, Salt Lake, Tooele, Utah, Davis, Weber, Box Elder |
448.100 | Medium-Level, Salt Lake (Low-Level, Cedar City) | Salt Lake, Utah, Tooele (Iron) |
448.125 | Medium-Level, Murray | Salt Lake, Davis |
448.150# | High-Level, Ensign Pk. | Salt Lake, Davis, Weber, Box Elder, Utah, Tooele |
448.175 | Medium-Level, Salt Lake | Salt Lake, Davis, Weber, Box Elder, Utah, Tooele |
448.200# | High-Level, Bear Lake, Lehi | Rich, Utah, Salt Lake, Davis, Weber, Box Elder, Tooele, Juab |
448.225# | Medium-Level, American Fork Canyon | Utah, Juab |
448.250 | High-Level, Payson | Utah, Juab, Salt Lake, Davis, Tooele |
448.275# | High-Level, Barton Peak | Sanpete, Sevier, Beaver, Juab, Utah |
448.300 | Medium-Level, Promentory | Box Elder, Weber, Davis, Tooele, Salt Lake |
448.325# | High-Level, Lake Mtn. | Utah, Tooele, Salt Lake, Davis, Weber, Juab |
448.350 | Medium-Level, Point-of-Mtn. | Salt Lake, Utah |
448.375 | Unknown Status Low-Level, Sandy | Salt Lake |
448.400# | High-Level, North Oquirrhs | Salt Lake, Tooele, Utah, Davis, Weber, Box Elder |
448.425 | Low-Level, Salt Lake | Salt Lake |
448.450 | High-Level, Bear Lake, Ensign Peak | Rich, Salt Lake, Davis, Weber, Box Elder, Tooele, Utah |
448.475 | Medium-Level, Quarry Mtn. | Summit |
448.500 | Not available for repeater use | (Not available along Wasatch Front) |
448.525 | High-Level, Ensign Peak | Salt Lake, Davis, Weber, Box Elder, Tooele, Utah |
448.550 | High-Level, Castledale (Medium Level, West Valley) |
Carbon, Emory, Grand (Salt Lake, Davis, Weber) |
448.575 | High Level, Ogden |
Weber, Davis, Box Elder, Salt Lake, Tooele |
448.600# | High Level, Ogden | Weber, Davis, Box Elder, Morgan, Summit, Salt Lake, Tooele, Utah, Cache |
448.625# | High-Level, Nelson Pk. | Salt Lake, Tooele, Utah, Davis, Weber, Box Elder |
448.650# | High-Level, Lewis Pk., Blowhard | Summit, Morgan, Davis, Weber, Wasatch, Garfield, Piute, Sevier, Kane, Iron |
448.675 | High-Level, Frisco Pk. | Iron, Beaver, Millard, Juab, Piute, Sevier, Sanpete, Tooele, Utah |
448.700 | High-Level, Lake Mtn. | Salt Lake, Utah, Davis, Weber, Box Elder, Tooele, Juab |
448.725 | High-Level, St. George (Low-Level, Salt Lake) | Washington (Salt Lake) |
448.750 | High-level Preston, Page (Low-Level, Kamas) | N. Az, S. Id/N. Ut. (Summit) (Not available along Wasatch Front) |
448.775 | High-Level, Promontory | Box Elder, Weber, Davis, Tooele, Cache, Salt Lake |
448.800 | High-Level, Cedar City, Evanston | Iron, Beaver, Millard, Juab, Piute, Sevier, Sanpete, Tooele, Utah, Daggett, Summit |
448.825 | Medium-Level, Murray | Salt Lake, Davis |
448.850# | High-Level, Oquirrhs | Salt Lake, Tooele, Utah, Davis, Weber, Box Elder |
448.875 | Low Level, Lehi | Utah |
448.900 | High-Level, Lewis Pk. | Summit |
448.925 | Low-Level, Mendon | Cache (Limited use along Wasatch Front) |
448.950# | High-Level, West Mtn. | Utah, Juab, Tooele, Salt Lake, Davis, Weber |
448.975* | High-Level, Vernon (High Level, Bear Lake) | Tooele, Utah, Juab (Rich) |
449.000# | High-Level, Nelson Pk. | Salt Lake, Tooele, Utah, Davis, Weber, Box Elder |
449.025 | Proposed High-Level, Farnsworth Pk. | Salt Lake, Tooele, Utah, Davis, Weber, Box Elder |
449.050 | High-Level, Bruin Pk. | Carbon, Utah |
449.075 | Low-Level, BYU | Utah |
449.100# | High-Level, Farnsworth Pk. | Salt Lake, Tooele, Utah, Davis, Weber, Box Elder |
449.125# | High-Level, Farnsworth Pk. | Salt Lake, Tooele, Utah, Davis, Weber, Box Elder |
449.150# | High-Level, Farnsworth Pk. | Salt Lake, Tooele, Utah, Davis, Weber, Box Elder |
449.175# | Low-Level, American Fork | Utah |
449.200#* | High-Level, Mt. Harrison ID, Provo) | Box Elder, Weber, Utah, Salt Lake, Davis, Tooele |
449.225# | High-Level, West Mtn. | Utah, Tooele, Salt Lake, Davis |
449.250 | Portable - Various
low-level, Wasatch Front Shared, Non-Protected test pair (SNP) |
Various low-level, Subaudible tone required |
449.275 | High-Level, Salt Lake, Hurricane | Salt Lake, Utah, Weber, Davis, Tooele, Washington |
449.300 | High-Level, Holden (Low-Level Logan, Salt Lake | Sanpete, Millard, Juab, Utah (Cache, Salt Lake) |
449.325 | High-Level, St. George (Low-Level, Logan, Pleasant Grove) | Washington (Cache, Utah) |
449.350#* | High-Level Price, Tooele | Carbon, Emory, Tooele, Davis, Weber, Box Elder |
449.375 | High-Level, Sedgwick Pk | Cache, Box Elder |
449.400# | High-Level, Salt Lake | Salt Lake, Utah, Davis, Weber, Box Elder |
449.425# | High-Level, Nelson Pk. | Salt Lake, Tooele, Utah, Davis, Weber, Box Elder |
449.450 | Not available for repeater use | - |
449.475# | High-Level, Lake Mtn. | Utah, Salt Lake, Davis, Weber, Box Elder |
449.500# | High-Level, Farnsworth Pk. | Salt Lake, Tooele, Utah, Davis, Weber, Box Elder |
449.525# | High-Level, Scotts Pk. (Low-Level, St. George) | Summit, Wasatch, Morgan, Duchesne (Washington) |
449.550# | High-Level, Lewis Pk., Wendover (Low-Level, Apple Valley | Summit, Wasatch, Morgan, Tooele, Box Elder (Washington) |
449.575* | Medium-Level, Riverside (Low-Level, Orem, Wellsville) | Box Elder, Weber, Davis (Utah, Cache) |
449.600# | High-Level, Kaysville Pk., Minersville | Weber, Davis, Box Elder, Beaver |
449.625# | High-Level, Logan | Cache, Box Elder |
449.650# | High-Level, Mt. Pisgah. | Cache, Morgan |
449.675# | High-Level, Lake Mtn. | Utah, Salt Lake, Davis, Weber, Box Elder |
449.700 | High-Level, Bear Lake (Medium-Level, St. George) (Low-Level Cedar Fort, Kaysville) | Rich (Washington) (Utah, Davis, Weber, Box Elder, Salt Lake, Tooele) |
449.725# | High-Level, Butterfield Pk. | Salt Lake, Tooele, Utah, Davis, Weber, Box Elder |
449.750 | High-Level, Manti, St. George (Low-Level, Salt Lake) | Sanpete, Sevier, Utah, Emory (Salt Lake, Utah) |
449.775 | Low-Level, Pleasant Grove, West Haven | Utah, Box Elder, Weber |
449.800 | High-Level, Mantua, (Low-Level, Woodland Hills) | Cache, Morgan (Utah) |
449.825 | Low-Level, Provo, Kanab | Utah |
449.850* | Low-Level, Provo, Kanab | Utah, Kane |
449.875# | High-Level, Shepherd Pk. | Davis, Weber, Box Elder, Tooele, Salt Lake, Morgan, Summit |
449.900# | High-Level, Ensign Pk. | Salt Lake, Davis, Weber, Box Elder, Utah |
449.925 | High-Level, Cedar City (Medium-Level, Bountifu)l | Beaver (Davis, Weber, Tooele, Box Elder) |
449.950 | Low-Level, Midway, Clearfield, Vernon, Bountiful | Wasatch, Davis, Weber, Salt Lake, Box Elder |
449.975# | High-Level, Lake Mtn. | Utah, Salt Lake, Davis, Weber, Box Elder |
450.000 | Amateur band edge - cannot be used | - |
Notes:
The following are general parameters concerning frequency re-use. Because each situation is different, these do not apply in every specific case.
Other pages on this web site related
to this topic:
Questions, updates, or comments
pertaining to this web page may be directed to the frequency coordinator.
Return to the Utah VHF Society home page.
Updated 20181115