WiRES-X is implemented on the Milwaukee Radio Amateurs’ Club repeater as a benefit to all members with System Fusion capability. The purpose of WiRES-X is to communicate with other amateur radio operators in remote locations outside the coverage area of our repeater. This should mean active communication by participating in the dialogue in the connected rooms. Lengthy passive listening ties up the repeater from use by other members and should be avoided. Hotspots, HRI-200, and PDNs can give you greater personal access to the Fusion networks. Guests and non-members are welcome to use our WiRES-X system with restrictions (30-minute access maximum daily)*.
The W9RH repeater is a Yaesu System Fusion DR-2 with Automatic Mode Select (AMS). AMS is enabled on our repeater which allows for FM and C4FM transmissions based on the mode of the received signal. In most circumstances, you will want your radio placed in the AMS mode, signified as or on your radio, to discern if there is activity already occurring on this repeater. Due to the complexity of affording three modes of operation (FM, C4FM, WiRES-X) via this repeater, it is necessary to have guidelines in place to provide fairness for all members. For this reason, we have established the following guidelines for digital communications on the MRAC repeater.
Step 1. IS THE REPEATER IN USE?
Before making any digital transmission…
- monitor the repeater in AMS mode (signified as or on your radio) to determine if a QSO is in progress.
- after 30 seconds of monitoring, ask “is this repeater in use?” along with your call sign, in the FM mode.
- IF the repeater is not in use, proceed with your C4FM transmission using normal repeater protocol.
Did you know…
- You cannot hear an FM transmission while in the DN mode on your radio. Always use AMS (or ) when passively listening on a WiRES-X enabled repeater.
- FCC rules state that station identification must be made in your first transmission as well as your last transmission, and every 10 minutes in between. So, before you press the DX button to connect WiRES-X from your radio to our repeater, you must give your call sign. Likewise, when you conclude your WiRES-X session on our repeater, you must disengage and then give your call sign.
- When a connected room is idle and falls silent (no QSOs or activity) it appears the repeater is not in use, BUT IT IS, and the next local user may unintentionally be transmitting globally via WiRES-X into the connected room. PLEASE, disengage a connected room when it falls silent for more than 10 minutes. It’s the courteous thing to do.
- When a connected room is idle and the repeater appears to be silent and available, an FM QSO may ensue but then be dumped on by the next QSO in the connected room. PLEASE, disengage a connected room when it falls silent for more than 10 minutes. It’s the courteous thing to do.
Step 2. ENGAGING WIRES-X…
Before engaging WIRES-X…
- know how to engage and disengage your radio from WiRES-X (surprisingly, Yaesu does not have consistency on this method across their line of C4FM radios). Consult your owners’ manual.
- do all of Step 1 above.
- in C4FM mode, announce “This is (your call sign) accessing WiRES-X.”
- select “X” (or check your radio’s user manual to engage WiRES-X)
- you are now connected to the W9RH WiRES-X node.
Did you know…
- When you connect to the W9RH WiRES-X node you default to its own room? If you are located outside the repeater’s coverage area and have access to another WiRES-X repeater or have your own node, you can access the W9RH repeater via its room (#43588).
- When an outside room (ex. America Link) is connected, it defeats the connection between the W9RH room and the repeater. The room is still active and usable, but it is not connected to the repeater until the outside connected room is disengaged. This will affect those attempting to join a local net or contact another member. Be discerning on your use of connecting outside rooms via WiRES-X.
Step 3. ENGAGING CONNECTED ROOMS
W9RH room #43588 is enabled as a default.
- If you find an outside room is connected, that means another operator is engaged in that room. Feel free to join the conversation.
- If no local activity occurs in that connected room after 10 minutes, please either make a transmission and solicit a QSO or disengage from that outside room and allow WIRES-X to return to its home room.
- Do not allow any connected room to sit idle for more than 10 minutes.
- Use of connected rooms has a 60-minute maximum time limit for club members. Note: there is a 60-minute time out timer in use. Guests and non-members are restricted to 30 minutes maximum per day.
- As a courtesy to other members, we ask users to limit their WiRES-X session to once per day.
- Concurrent sessions are not permitted. Exceptions are noted below.
- While using the W9RH room, or having a C4FM QSO via the repeater, please take a break every 60 minutes to allow others to use the repeater. A 30-minute cooling off period is recommended.
Did you know…
- By connecting to an outside room, the W9RH room cannot be heard via the repeater. In essence, you are locking out others who may be trying to connect into the repeater.
- Per FCC regulations, you must identify your station by call sign prior to and after disengaging WiRES-X from your radio. W9RH self-identifies in FM mode which you will not hear in DN or WiRES-X mode.
- Leaving a connected room (ex. KC-Wide) by turning off your radio ties up the repeater, prevents other members from connecting via our home room, shortens the lifespan of the repeater, and gives the impression the repeater is in use. This lack of courtesy violates our guidelines and violators may be blocked from future use. Know your radio. Disconnect from connected rooms before you press the “X” button to disconnect your radio!
Step 3. DISENGAGING CONNECTED ROOMS
Return the node to the W9RH room #43588
- Our system auto-returns to the W9RH room #43599 when you disengage from a connected room.
- Press * on your microphone or keypad to disengage connected rooms or follow the instructions in your radio manual.
- Press “DX” button on your radio to disengage your radio from the repeater’s WiRES-X system or follow the instructions in your radio manual.
Did you know…
- Leaving a connected room (ex. KC-Wide) by turning off your radio and not disengaging the room ties up the repeater, prevents other members from connecting via our home room, shortens the lifespan of the repeater, and gives the impression the repeater is in use. This lack of courtesy violates our guidelines and violators may be blocked from future use. Know your radio! Disconnect from connected rooms before you disconnect from WiRES-X on your radio.
* Note: the 60-minute time limit is set to provide fair access to all club members, including FM users. See exceptions below.
Exceptions to the above guidelines:
In the following scenarios, outbound WiRES-X connections to other rooms are not permitted. Only inbound connections via our W9RH WiRES-X room #43588 is permissible.
- The SE Wisconsin Fusion Net meets on Saturdays at 7:00 pm local time and takes precedence over FM and other C4FM activity.
- The International America Link Net meets via WIRES-X on Saturdays at 8:00 pm local time and takes precedence.
- The MNWIS Net meets via WiRES-X on Mondays at 7:30 pm local time and takes precedence.
- The Friday Night 2 Meter Net meets in FM mode on Fridays at 9:00 pm and takes precedence.
- The Rookie Net meets in FM mode on Tuesdays at 8:00 pm and takes precedence.
- Any other activity deemed necessary by the MRAC Control Ops or Board of Directors may take precedence without advance notice.
* GUEST RESTRICTIONS
- We welcome guests and non-members to sample the use of our WiRES-X system and hope you will consider joining our club.
- Maximum daily use – 30 minutes
- We encourage active participation in connected rooms, not passive monitoring.
- HRI-200 and hotspots are not expensive and may give you more freedom for monitoring and using Yaesu System Fusion.
- Remember to disengage any connected rooms – Press * on your keypad or microphone.
- Remember to disengage your radio from WiRES-X by pressing “X” button on your radio.
- Any connected rooms that are silent – devoid of any transmissions – for 10 minutes must be disengaged.
- Failure to follow the W9RH WiRES-X Guidelines may result in your station being blocked from future access.
- Know your radio!